Turner Business

The 2027 edition of U.S. News & World Report 's America's Best Colleges guide was released this morning, and Columbus State University is included among the National Universities. Listed at the bottom of the national rankings in a group of 40 institutions ranked from 382nd to 422nd, this marks the first year that CSU has ever been included in this category and not in the Regional Universities-South category. The only other Georgia-based public institutions residing in this category are those classified by the University System of Georgia as Research Universities and those classified by the USG as Comprehensive Universities. The former group consists of the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and Augusta University. The latter group includes Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, the University of West Georgia, and Valdosta State University. The table below shows where each Georgia-based institution sits wit...

It's difficult to overstate how important Michael Harrell's visit to the Turner College last week was in terms of being somewhat of a shot in the arm to the academic life of the Turner College at this point in time. Harrell was the first presenter in the Turner College's renewed Distinguished Speaker Series, and his talk titled  “Carving Out Success” provided v aluable insights from his entrepreneurial journey, including the experiences, challenges, leadership, and work ethic that have shaped his success as the owner of The New York Butcher Shoppe & Wine Bar and 11th & Bay Southern Table. Turner Business joins others in expressing gratitude to Harrell  for taking the time to engage with our students and share his perspective on entrepreneurship and building a successful career. Thank you is also extended to everyone who contributed to making this event possible, especially management information systems professor Jennifer Pitts , who has been the catalyst for this ...

During the first listening session in the Turner College's 2027 search for a new dean, two attendees pointed out that the computer science job market seems to have collapsed. Both suggested that the new dean have a grasp of this situation and be ready to address it on day one. It was at about this time that another attendee questioned why the search committee did not include any computer science faculty. The answer given regarding that particular decision fueled ongoing speculation that preparations are being made for computer science to move from the Turner College and into the new Center for Emergent Technology, which is part of CSU's College of Letters and Sciences and will be housed in the new $22.2 million facility at the opposite edge of CSU's main campus. Would such a move make sense? Could it be a shot in the arm that computer science needs? In discussing changes in the market for computer scientists,  David Roos, a partner at Core Innovation Capital in San Franci...

Fueled by increasing globalization and emphasis on equity, modern societies and organizations are characterized by unprecedented demographic diversity. The convergence of diverse values, norms, and behavioral expectations inherently increases the potential for interpersonal conflict. Rather than viewing interpersonal conflict destructively, contemporary scholarship posits it as an inevitable yet dynamic process that, when managed constructively, can become highly beneficial. For example, although highly competitive or avoidant conflict management styles often lead to relationship breakdown, emotional exhaustion, and reduced productivity, cooperative conflict management styles foster creativity, yield innovation, and enhance decision-making. The awareness of individual differences in conflict management styles is therefore crucial for improving interpersonal relationships. New research by  Turner College management professor Mark James , Zhimin Hu of Hong Kong Polytechnic University...

As regular visitors to Turner Business are aware, the Turner College was not permitted by CSU's central administration to offer $500 payments to the winners of the 2026 Turner College Faculty Awards. This decision also affected the end-of-year awards in the College of Education and Health Professions, the only other CSU academic college that had been offering monetary awards to its faculty. We are pleased to be able report herein that  CSU Chief Human Resources Officer, Tamara Wade, has provided further clarification regarding the CSU administration's decision not to permit monetary awards at the college or departmental level in AY 2025-2026. According to Wade, this decision stemmed from a directive from the University System of Georgia's Chief Operating Officer following an audit that cited procedural concerns. Wade clarified that the Turner College faculty awards initiative is not out of alignment with USG policy; however, all college or departmental-level monetary awar...

It's Friday evening and you are probably sitting down with your favorite take-out meal or are preparing to go out for dinner. To add to the enjoyment of your end-of-week relaxation time, Turner Business is now providing a new occasional series for Friday evenings called Asking Google AI. Tonight we are asking Google AI the following question: What are the pitfalls of hiring an academic dean when the applicants' names are kept confidential  from the college's faculty  by the search firm and hiring committee?  Below is an image of Google AI's thorough response. A closed search for a new academic executive is often the default setting, particularly when search firms are involved. This type of search is usually treated as one with only upsides and no downsides. However, as Google AI indicates above, there are substantial pitfalls associated with relatively closed searches of this kind. For example, faculty networks are often the best source of information about the applican...