Smeal Dean To Visit India

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (October 20, 2008) – The dean of Penn State's Smeal College of Business will visit India this month to meet with some of the country's leaders in government, business, and education to explore partnerships between Smeal and Indian universities and discuss the growing importance of economic relations between the United States and India.

Dean James B. Thomas' nine-day itinerary in India, which begins on Oct. 30, includes meetings and events in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

"India has one of the world's fastest growing economies and its impact on international business is projected to grow at an even greater pace over the next 25 years," Thomas said. "As a business school, we must be preparing our students to be successful in this changing global economy, and this trip will allow me to get a firsthand look at the economic developments in India and bring those lessons back to our students and faculty at Smeal."

Thomas will explore faculty exchange programs, the creation of a Smeal MBA immersion program in India, and other collaborative projects with Indian business schools, including the Indian School of Business; Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore; and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

"The impact of the U.S. financial crisis on India's economy is a costly reminder of the interdependence of our two economies," he said, "and it provides further confirmation of the need for our nations' business schools to forge new collaborations in education, research, and outreach."

In addition to exploring partnerships, Thomas, an expert in the fields of management and information technology, will be discussing future U.S.-Indian business opportunities with representatives from Microsoft, IBM, Biocon, Satyam, and Reliance Industries, among other leading corporations. He will also sit down with officials from the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Thomas will meet with several Indian government officials and diplomats, including Daggubati Purandeswari, Honorable Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development; G.K. Pillai, commerce secretary; and Neelam Deo, former Indian Consul General for New York.

On Nov. 4 in Mumbai, the dean will host a breakfast reception for local Penn State alumni, members of the American Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at The Trident Nariman Point.

The following day, Thomas will host an evening reception for alumni and business leaders in Hyderbad at the Taj Krishna hotel.

Thomas, an accomplished scholar in the fields of information technology, strategic management, and organizational decision-making, was named the fifth dean of the Smeal College of Business in 2006. Prior to returning to Smeal, where he previously served on the faculty for 12 years, Thomas was the founding dean of Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology. 

He is the author or co-author of more than 100 articles, book chapters, reviews, and presentations representing two major themes: (1) relationships between organization performance and the strategic alignment of organizational vision, IT strategy, and infrastructure, and (2) knowledge management associated with top management team decision-making, including the development of IT-related competencies. 

Thomas has been a consultant with numerous companies on the issues associated with IT alignment and has made countless presentations on information sciences education before scholarly, industry, and government groups, including the U.S. Congress. 

He holds a bachelor's degree from Penn State, a master's degree from Florida State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas.