VIU MBA Students Research Global Energy Security Issues

Virginia International University MBA students collaborated with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) MBA students to present papers on the topic of Global Sustainable Energy Innovation at a prestigious international conference on April 5, 2008. The business and innovation conference, held in Alexandria, Virginia, was organized by the Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM).

The students’ research project explores the complex socio-political, economic, cultural, and organizational dimensions that are involved in forming transnational innovation alliances to develop sustainable energy. Three student teams collaborated to consider the challenges of and opportunities for transnational innovation models.

Their efforts provide insights into the most effective ways to build global partnerships to address the imperative for securing global energy.
The VIU MBA students who took part in the project worked on their papers and presentations throughout the 2007-2008 academic year in partial fulfillment of their MBA coursework. Thomas Triscari, Ph.D, their instructor, coordinated and facilitated their collaboration with the RPI students. Dr. Triscari is a Distinguished Visiting Scholar for LMI Research Institute in McLean, Virginia; Academic Director of Executive Programs at RPI; and Adjunct Professor in Business for Virginia International University. Professor Roger Powell, chair of VIU’s Business Programs Department, also played a key role in supporting the students in their project.