DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 251 011 HE 017 872

TITLE The Humanities and Careers in Business. Proceedingsof a Conference Sponsored by the Association ofAmerican Colleges and the National Endowment for the%amenities (Princeton, New Jersey, April 27-29,983).

INSTITUTION _ssociation of American Colleges, Washington, D.C.;rational Endowment for the Humanities (NFAH),

shington, D.C.PUB DATE Apr 83NOTE 21p.; For related documents, see HE 017 873-879.AVAILABLE FROM Office of National Affairs, Association of American

Colleges, 1818 R Street, N.W., Washington, DC20009.

PUB TYPE Collected Works - Conference Proceedings (021)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS *Business; *Career Planning; College Instruction;

Cooperative Programs; *Education Work Relationship;*Employment Practices; Higher Education; *Humanities;Internship Programs; *Liberal Arts; School BusinessRelationship

ABSTRACTLinks between the humanities and careers in business

are addressed in proceedings of a 1983 conference, which was attendedby leaders from the corporate and academic worlds. Included arerecommendations for action, excerpts from speeches, summaries ofconference background papers, an annotated bibliography, theconference agenda, and a list of participants. Business leasersreaffirmed that employees educated in the humanities have writing andspeaking skills, interpersonal abilities, and a historicalperspective. One theme of the recommendations was that colleges needto maintain excellence in the humanities, as well as services andcourses that help students begin successful careers. Another theme ofthe recommendations was that businesses should examine their hiringpractices and should hire specialists only when particular expertiseis essential. They should develop methods that incorporate theknowledge and perspective of the humanities throughout theiroperations. Recommendations for schools include the followingconcerns: teaching, curriculum development, research, careeradvising, liaison with local businesses, internships, and continuingeducation. Recommendations for business include the issues of hiring,training and placement, professional interchange, internships, andemployee education. (SW)

************************************************************************ Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

* from the original document. *

***********************************************************************

4

.'4;gatiinratigtAtA

tta010.1MilIaiela.atitifteolA

MIM

MA

PAW

64441.0.46W.

lis, : 4_4 ;

t. i

41 I 4 *to 41 oo or.-!it it

4 :11 t :I 41 t4 " "It A

214 11441 44 It::4 .4 t 1. It

:.I5,4 4,4 =111,...Lts111,2e: ,4/1 I : It 1, 454 .4,-; 45

4 4,./ r41.14.4 164' :4414 :

114,4r: I 44 so 14,4 4 It :18

41.1,114,4 4 ".: 11-4et li.. 11' :Irtie1et1;*: .411,

. :11414 s, 414.4,4 ,1 111:11,4

15414.: 41 et_ III Lol:) :.$0 =.

: ILVII lib .4r: 44 '

I511 I : : WIII14/.11 :4 40:i11111,4.: I

16, .4)ILLt Id I; 1,410, 1441

4144 ' .0,214 : 44 it II 010 11,1 II;s4r....ajan, tiez a II kil woo it

:"h4 141 4 :4011,1: 141,4

: 4.; 8' 1 44 W. 401_1

VI, .:4 1.411 4' to Ae11t 4.1

IA

II 1 14'1 I 1 1,14

..+14 ;

* 1 411

fl *I # I 4..;

4. 144 41;4i,j1,41 4' 41 ft :4 ' t 4 11.4 . 4

14 : 4 4. i' 0:4 '4401:: 4 i, 4

:1 4 1,4;1 4. 4. . I WI 1-4 4 ems_

4 $ 4 i 1 4 1 4: 1# t, 1 11 : 4 1 I-

t "+ I 41.: 41 1$ 61 '.11

ti!' 1 4 411 4 :1,11 1 4.4 44 4 ti",1$1

: 4* 41 W: it le., 49 e., 14* 41 t 49 I*

III .'41 -at: 44 I 1.1.:± 411: :

11. I.:I: 11$. 8/41.4..^1:.

1 : WI 4 44 ..A 1 CI 44 .11011a-,

lIC , ;!: 11 4, :I/44 I II ./ .411 441 111 : 1, 141

. 1,4'4 1 4.1 4.4 * 0:1 11 :

4: : 4,4 I. :44 4,,- :1 4 WI

848 4 t ea a 4

It1144 1.41:01,.04..14s It 14 If I Ito

11

Lit ISM.:4W! I 141:

11+ ;.. ;

"rr

Frir _4m-4--PREFACEAmerican budness needs more managerseducated in the humanities, but colleges anduniversities must do a better job ofeducatingthem. So concluded leaders from the corpo-rate and academic worlds at an invitationalconference on the humanities and careers inbusiness, held on April 27 -39, 1983 in Prince-ton, NJ. Sponsored by the Association ofAmerican Colleges (AAC) and the NationalEndowment for the Humanities (NEM theconference engaged top executives from ma-jor businesses and presidents and deansfrom leading colleges and universities in in-tensive working sessions. The sixty partici-pants agreed that the study of such subjectsas languages, literature, history, philosophy,comparative religion, ethics, and the history,criticism and theory of the arts can provideknowledge and develop skills necessary forsuccess in the business world. They alsopraised the perspective and personal fulfill-ment that can come from the study of thehumanities.

This was a working conference, demand-ing the active involvement of all partici-pants; executives and academics' hammeredout a series of recommendations for concreteaction by students, faculty, administrators,and business leaders. The recommendationshad two major thentes:

V-111111.-

Excellence in the humanities should bea top priority for colleges and tmhveni-ties. Faculty members should teach theircourses without distortion and withoutfaddish "relevance" to business. At thesame time, academies must recognisethat colleges should support the know&edge and aid% developed through studyof the humanities with a wide range ofNovices and courses that will help stu-dents begin successfid careers.

Businesses should erne their hie%ing practices so that sue. for theliberal arts is more than toric fromthe executive suite. Companies shouldhire specialists only when ex.

is essential. For e r run,need to develop meth that

incorporate the knowledge anddye of the humanities throughol=operations.

This report includes the recommenda-tions of the conference, as well as an outlipeof their development. Also included are ex-cerpts from the keynote. and closingspeeches, summaries of the backgroundpapers prepared for the conference, anannotated bibliography of additional re-sources, the conference agenda, and a list ofparticipants.

4

1

:44

111,11 1 $1 ;1 'IN *-4

ht"rt' phi/ titte rttr* pitH tt)i- 1111::1(Itiiii:Th

1 t ;.!ri 1111,,trh! ri( 'tL:HCil \ H; ft. U.

545

614

*

44,

I 1 4 4 : 0 I

...i444 if

4" $F..

44 /0:j

iki y. t ,.....t.::::::

I

4: :

4 14 ..,-;

;..1t4

,.....4 4 ,

.

'-i

4111,44, *v:

0

.."1:14... **.z

t :

4544 .4 --15.4,..6t.

$ 8 1

-..... :1 4 for:t .4- 4

51.;.51 *4 4,..451,-;

4: le! 4 11 : lit li

:

co, "J4 4 ..:

: I r. ae: a . I., )

.444 . . . - 0.- : 5

4 4 .*: t : 4 kt...

: 4.4 1; 0

:14 .'..4411 4. :' .' :.....1:14_415.

414..:41 4 4-.

:, t -.4 .. 4::

444.4 It. I

tot 64 qt. :11;alsteos:: $

0114

' 44 II4 4 . 4,444A..41:4

4 .4, ,..:1 5 4 .....y

...4 4 44.. .

4 1.4 : 4 4

4 I; 4 ...4

4 4. . il 4,:

-4ALai. - 4

; 1 1 1 { : ,....._ti.

: 45 ! 4 4 4.

,1_4 4 4....,. 4 4

65 65. 41 11..14

: I 4 :'4A...:.",*

444 44=1;4,

0 " *re*

4 4** .. t_

4. I :qt... 4,_n..4

I Ow: III

I .4) 64

6 6.,:* 216

. :4...4 4,

5: .: .

444.. :.......-te; .....

; 4 4 VA,:

*4 44

:.410,414.

4 ; 4$

I. ... $ t

4 ;,,,LA ..,

4 6 I

4

:44 4 ft

It *It

,..titA4,14 4 4,1 ' 41'4 4 INAL4 ; 4,-1 II

.4 I 55.. I 4 4 I I h_.4.5 4 .,: 444

:11 ,45 5,;',. } :. 4 : A. 4 , ...5 4 4 411 .: I Lir: .. 4 1.1 4 101

44 4 -,.; 14..../.1"1.1714 4 4 14 ...r; ; ii: ; 4.4 I'

:45," :4 4'44 6 :Of 4: :::._ 4-,,:.-* t ,: :.-: ;It* z= si

.k: 41 4 ; 4 :......"/: ; 45 ' 41 II* 4,4_t_lit.:4=.

41, . I I t `' :4:..:.- '..,:',44,1::

.I 4.1-14 4 4 I 4 Ay., 1 . :i4 4 4

41 44.:**) O' ...: I . : .. .4. _:. , 4.

I .'4a 4...._41.:_42 i ; : 4 L.: ; 4 _i, : $ : ' 4*-; 6 :4

: *..i. : * 4 I 4 4 t * ' ' 4

: 0 . : 4 8 i

: 4 .4 'A 4.L4 t- 4 ..41 -,:** 4 41141,1,_- I :4,..-a,: 1....4 l 4 4 OA : 4 : '4,01 4: ::' It 4 4i q

4 :IA A..,.../..,* 4 4 :. 4 4.....f.:: .. 4 : : : a :,: w 4

: ...I

: :t Ow 4(41 t 404 4 :. 4..11: 1444 4 54., 14 11 4 4A

45; 4 : OF 4 4)4 4 : 4 4' ; 4 4 .4 4

II. 1 5 1 : 4 8 .:.: : 4 6 :11/1k.::: 14 4. 4' 4_6

4 t. ,11 4_ - 4 4 : I 4 . :4

..44 4 4 I) 414 44

*.; : . *et %it 6 44

/ ft 114 x : -41

44

et'

.4

4 4

;)41LAt.:w 44_ Y:

executives; he emphasized the importance ofthe humanities in awlying a moralcode to profeWmial ties. Partici-pants also discussed Chase ManhattanBank's success in hiring a diverse group ofcollege graduates and training them fbr arange of positions within the bank. Chasediscovered that more than GO percent of themost successful managers in one depart-ment had only BA degrees, the majority ofthem in liberal arts subjects.

Brown's keynote address also added to theresearch on ties between humanities andbusiness careers. He updated informationpresented in the influential 1980 study ofAT&T employee progress, Caner Patterns:The Liberal Arts Major in Bell Sptens Man-agement. That study revealed that humani-ties and social science majors, who wereshown to have superior administrative skillsand strong motivation for advancement,rose more rapidly in the AT&T managerialranks than did business and engineering ma-jors. Brown made public a new study of tenother organizations which confirms theoriginal AT&T findings. Compared to tech-nical graduates, humanities and social sci-ence majors have stronger verbal abilities,are more self-motivated, and show greateropenness to changeimportant attributes,said Brown, in today's "high speed, highpressure, high tech world."

Speeches and panel discussions built uponthemes introduced in the background pa-pers. In one session, Ralph Z. Sorenson, chiefexecutive officer of the Ram? Wright Cor-poration, and Judd H. Alexander, executivevice president of the James River Corpora-tion, stressed the value for businesses andthe larger society in hiring liberally educatedprofessionals. These individuals have thecapacity to educate themselves, the imagina-tion to cope with the unknown, and the per-spective to see beyond the short-term de-mands of the marketplace.. Sorenson andAlexander challenged their fellow executivesto act on their beliefs about the benefits ofthe humanities through changes in hiringpolicies.

Other panelists, however, reminded par-ticipants of countervailing forces. For exam-ple, Wayne Wallace, director of liberal artsplacement at Indiana University, noted thatsurveys of on-campus recruiting whichemphasize the success of technical majorsget wide press coverage, unnecessarily dis-couraging humanides students. The imageof English majors driving taxis is a commonone, leading students and parents to believethat the humanities are impractical andirrelevant. Several participants called forwider dissemination of research that shows

Live correlation between study of the*ties and long-term career sadsfac-

don.Haman! historian Ernest IL May con-

tended that effective applications of historycan strengthen policy decisions. People fre-quently reason by analog, but without sub-stantial historical perspective their analogiesare often weak or even erroneous. May pro-vided examples from his course, "Uses ofHistory in Public Policy," which he andRichard Neustadt developed under a NEHgrant. May presented comparisons betweenMunich and Korea, the Pueblo and theMayquez incidents, and Vietnam and Cen-tral America. He also demonstrated that athorough understanding of the historicalcontext of public events is necessary to ana-lyze their meaning, using as examples thedevelopment of Social Security, minorityadvancement to leadefship roles, and theproblems of sexual stereotyping.

William Beimett, chairman of NEH,emphasized that the strength of the humani-ties is more than the development of skills."The humanities teach students to under-stand civilization . . . to distinguish betweenright and wrong, . the noble and the base,ante to know when a person is speaking rot,"said Bennett. Richard Ekrnan, director ofNEH's education programs division, ex-plained why NEH had approached AAC forassistance in organizing this conference.Both Ekrnan and Bennett were concernedthat a growing number of students and em-ployers perceived the humanities as in-

I ;A

se to I 1

3

preparation for careers outsidethe worki_.despite evidemecontrary. At the same time Ekmancautioned faculty and students against trivi-alizing the ties between the humanities andbusiness; he cited colleges offering courses inthe humanities and business in which thesole humanistic content was fiction withbusinessmen as protagonists.

The heart of the conference was a series ofsmall working sessions in which executivesand academics faced the tough task ofcreat-ing workable recommendations to their col-leagues. In sometimes heated discussions,participants drew upon the backgroundpapers, the panel discussions, and their per-sonal and professional experiences in settingpriorities for action. Clarence C. Walton,Charles Lamont Post Distinguished Profes-sor of Ethics and the Professions at TheAmerican College, refined their suggestions,consolidating them into a single set of rec-ommendations. In his presentation, Waltonput the issue of humanities and businesscareers in a larger perspective. He traced thehistorical reasons for divisions between thetwo sectors; he reminded participants thatthe need for cooperation between businessand the humanities was not just jobs foryoung people but, more importantly, anational need for business and civic leaderswith the knowledge and perspective de-veloped through serious study of the human-ities.

Walton reflected concerns of the partici-pants that stereotypes of the fuzzy-headedintellectual and the profit-mongering busi-ness executive are not yet dead among theircolleagues. Humanists' ignorance of busi-ness functions or failure to understand thecentral role of the corporation in contempt).raxy society creates antipathy toward busi-ness methods and goals. Similarly, businessleaders often concentrate so narrowly on ap-plicants who can speak the language ofbusi-ness that they fail to consider other gradu-

4

ates with skills and knowledge developedthrough humanities study.

Walton identified a series of traps thathinder both academics and business repre-sentatives; while the details may be differentin each sector, the pmblems are common toboth. For example, the self-interest of de-partments fosters narrow thinking and qui.flicts within business and academic orga-nizations. The principal trap, however, forboth colleges and corporations is a fixationon short-term goals. In education thisorientation is reflected in a curriculum thatis overly attentive to students' immediatevocational concerns, losing sight of substan-tive intellectual values. Business attention toquarterly profits has diminished the abilityto create strategies that may not have im-mediate payoffs but do have significantlong-term value.

James Ferguson concluded the conferenceby reminding participants that over-specialization, whether in humanities orbusiness, does not provide future managerswith the necessary inventiveness,judgment, and capacity to deal with changesand with other people." At the same time heemphasized that "business can be mademore humane, with the infusion into itsranks of more people educated in thehumanities. And the leaders of the academicworldwho quite often are the ones whodraw up the social agenda of the nationcan be more effective in fostering these con-cepts if they understand the techniques ofmodem management and the realities of themarketplace."

Hailed as a success by participants, spon-sors, and the press, the conference created acoalition of business and college representa-tives committed to strengthening ties be-tween the humanities and business. Actionto achieve the recommendations that followis the best way to realize the "good news"brought by Charles Brown.

CONFERENCE RECOMMENDATIONSThe objective ofthe Conference on The Hama-nities and Careers in Buskers was the develop-ment of recommendations for action,directed toward students, faculty, collegeand university administrators, and businessexecutives. Intensive discussions throughoutthe meeting produced many strategies fix.change, which were drawn together by Clar-ence C. Walton of The American College. Hisanalysis, presented on the last day of theconference, is the basis of the recommenda-tions which follow.

Participants from business and highereducation held several beliefs in common:

In a rapidly changing world, the vitalityofAmerican business depends upon thequality of its leaders; that quality is de-termined in large part by the quality ofthe education they receive.Leaders in business (along with leadersin other segments of our society) needthe knowledge and skills associatedwith study of the humanities.Individuals educated in the humanities,while at a disadvantage at the job entrylevel, often move along a fast track oncethey become employed.The primary importance of the human-ities is their inherent value as disciwhich illuminate the humanThe humanities should not be ntducedmerely tojob training courses, althoughstudy of the humanities does contributesignificantly to career success.

Two broad recommendations emergedfrom the conference:

Escellence in the humanities should bea top pries* tier and unbend-dm Faculty members teach theircomes "without distortion and withoutihddhis °relevance to business. At thesame dine, acadenics must recognisethat colleges should support the knowl-edge and skills developed through lm-=aides 'tut with a wide range of ser-vices and courses that wM help studentsbegin iliccessful careers.

Businesses should examine their himpractices so that .. far the liberalarts is more than from the et-endive suite. Companies should hire

. I

specialists only when partictdar ever-tise is essendaL For the long nm, busi-omits need to develop methods to bringthe knowledge and perspective of thehumanities throughout their operadons.

Achieving these goals will require manyspecific actions by students, faculty, admin-istrators, and business executives. Partici-pants devised a number of suggestions forimmediate and long-term changes; someideas were held more strongly by certainindividuals than others. All participants,however, agreed that these two major goalsare vital for the humanities, for businesses,and for society at large.

5

btfAikit

41b. It' k 9

kr I II 11 II, ft 414 lf,a A, .14 ar:) vv. 6

4.4' I .064 94 4". .l'"-: 41_141414.

:44_42 ..:,4444$ts 44 11' 11 +01 1011112t. 4061 4'.4 it 4.444 t

tit., :II 64, : a) a 6 .11.1 6 :

: 4 4 41..1 1.61111/1 .4 :t4 : 0t-`41.A_ 4.44 45,444 : 4 :" 1

4 4

: at: i ,. 4

la 4W' 4 It 1=.:. 11 I

6011 i : 4=4 =161.10-. ft.

$1 WI 4 41

...L::: 6 4141 : t 14

44 4..t..*11-; 4=4414":.. * 4 t

a : :

1te: : 6 11, +:1..6:f,0611

6 , 4 ;IA t4,

4t160 =a= - 4 :41 it : a 144 :tot s--,4 I ;

: : 4 4 41_

4144 $ .6 6 .4 4 114 41 141_..t: $ t tc. 44

itt 1 ft I 611

=.1 I 4' t: *. Z 4,41 P Z. 14 OLLQI!..1.4

4,1110 .4 4 4 ti tt *. 4 466, I

: =141.44 It

;.` 1

-1..4141. 11 .=:

ts ..:11 #

1 :64 45., " 11 t...41k

11;v1Alt

444. 4. :"*4 'i14161:

t

-414

'14 :#6.

.141 wt.. 4' 1tZ : 4.: 4/66 : 4 4 4,

: 01-.4 4. 4 tit-tt: 1 :

: I 1 ... 4# ' , =4.: c4 4 Au6

...':...: 1 ,4 111 . :4 4,... : 4 ,4 4 ' 4 421f._.

614 4 1:,4 6" 1 42 1_42 t_-:=1/4-: 4' : v: - kT.-_-!..., 4

4 4 : f 6 4

..vt4...i44 6.` k. -..-11,_, I i*I** 4/ : 4 4 4_..;, 441_

6 4 1 : : : ;_f, 4 I ' : 4 4

1 : ." : .5 414. .,.

r4-,....44 ..4 1 '44 . II ...... 6 4:,

: =1 : : 4 4' 4 11tilAL1.2 Ilft.if 4. LI 1 .4_1

4 4 lilid 4,6111 14 ....: 6' 14 : ..*: :: :,.....1 4:

: It , 4 It . ...: 4 a t=44114.1.141 ..11111. ,..:

: 0, a _.. 11 : :4 = : 4,

6 a' t.:' : II .14 ,J1,.t a: : .4 4,

I 1 ..+:,

6:1 44 I

IttZ 1 a 4.4 14 4,1 to tt 61 ;.,:.. I. a - ;. = .4 : 0 * tZ,114: 4 : 4_4,

: 4 k ' ;,.: : * 6 : : 11.4' : a,: ; C.

144,44:. f 1,-..- 1 t ..4 ' ' -4 * 4.:...t V'1_6. : :' 1 6 V: .: 1 ...:,.= 166 4 t

, : 6 1 '4 I : 4..11,1 I : ;44- ....: e) %." .:1 44=Z : :

it.a,10161.

VI : 44 14 6: 1 1 4 6+4 :ft.:.

44 a4)s ! t 1.. I

11111.' L11.144_ a 4 11C..144 601, 6..6;f: 0 441 : 4 : = $ : 4.13 Z

1 .5 1

W4' =1 t 4 41

4 111 1 I.

:=11 64 fv: It I = .. ' 1 4 11, 4 4.: . : : ;=1: a 4

0 Z 4 4 Ott" .4 4 45' 111 : 6 ..., : 11 4, 1 4 : a a ; 4 ,:dr: 4 t: : lilt 1

.....__.1 1614 .6.1 It: : :..1 : 44 4 : 4 411 1 f It ... -0 :...1 : 4 6 Z Z 1 .4 6 Le

414- * 4..1.=, =.'..: : .L1L 4 t -: = I I 41(42 i.±: ..: -m...4....,..i. 1' a alLA. .. a ;#

Z$ 0Z ; klaLI ; . a '0 ...1 1 a 4 1 ;Z.: : 4 4$. : 4 4.1 4,1 # : L .4.

4- . : 4 4 II : 4 : '11444.16 : =I =.01.itZ,1 : a ': .....t:::

ri,A1 I: salt 14 ...(a Ia : . : :,:. a : .41 /4

Pt..,.12$ 4 11_12 .... it 16,' 0 1+1

0 0 0 1 .

41 L: 11.4w4 I = 1

..413 a : :

a a 1,"1t: Z1 Z -4' .6,41 4 11

111 . 1 it s, ..$ WI 404,4 : 44:

t L41 1 4 61 6.) 1.:: I 11

4 a ,1.#111....ilL-#414..... 44 4$ a

IS .4 =.4

1 14 = 1 64144 14,4 .44 4. I 'I :

; 4.. : a

k

Cu t, I 40_ I.. I

tt v: 4_4.: 0L,__..

t 41_ t : t 5 t /5 Iv 4 I -1,4-4, If II' 8 11:11 .. $11,; 1 6 .

:4 .4 6:1 l t 4 :.;1-: i t

%,14.11 *. 111 .4 41 1 10 .11 ,41 4 ; ,,.- t $ : 4

.. 4. 1.-.1 V 1 -:: 4, 4_,551:4:-.. -.1-,4

1 : t $ ...: ..., -.4 4 4: 1 S. ..11 :: 11. ,-ZI ,

.4 It .1;Ilic IL../_. 44 : I v 314.4 ..

R..11y,-/- I -.44 .t! tt ! v I `

V: 6 5v4 p : 0410; 5 I I 44 4 ,

.1661.5,:11_ 6, Ott ' 14

5* 4 4

' :,116. 0,

44 6,-t I, II! 4,4; _

14 -.4 tr: 441 44 514

4= :1 0 .0 k; 4 t:

.4441 --, 4

I ILUALL Lo

. 4 t , '.

u/

*elf =v.. 4 .4 I6 .1.1.: ... 6 6,......itst...,.....

4 ' t 6 .4 4 1:

litt... 6,:Itt_

1 424 itI4,_ 3 I.

I 1

. it 4,

44: -.1411,1 ;

111 .#3 ar: tv6t4

424 t.5.-t, ,L

t :.

4 6 :1.6:

6.6_.';_.

4

wZA: 41

41

00

4

kOL,..ft:

6116

... ' I_ --2-_'-2_ : s 4 I. I

:' 'Ott -tv 4.. t., itakt5: ,5, 8' I

44 43 !ft : 41044v-t- " 144 110.A.-.....s:.

- 1 4 1 4 : 1 L k_ ft, -41 ..4 16.144.....:

Olt ` it 11 ..61166..: .:11 -111,:. :

4 .' 4 4 'Ir:f44

. '4 A_..itvIr: 4.t)f

116 It .461 4. 6 6e-:.* 6 4.4

4, 41 :

I 44

: 4 ; +V* .." t6 11.. 41 -4,11 : II _10.: 1 t

614,4 4 4I t} : Y!:.,

tt 4,4 _ -4141.11,

6; O. I

I : .O1 1:4.6 14

111.12-434.14 =tP1 'l 5i I )_

Or

5. I I

.4144 4 :1

$

f _.01_40._ . _5_6

46.1_4_

kit 4

: I 1,111

; ; ..; .z- : II * : e_ _:. 4z' 0 !t`l.i.: '4.2 (iL! t-fikwf II 11 11...+211: tati ,:16111; : 11. , 1 11 '3

; I -0 : 4 k, B 0 '': ti.: b.': 'V./I' 411 6

t I -1041 : 4.4 : I ,Iitz 6,4' 4/ 1.6 4,.44At V 4.-: -4 k te.n.nr: # . 8

11 # 4

16 .11.: t; $ 44:1, , I MI 6.

610141.,: ; ,14 ;41" 11,717. 14 11.:4 * I* t 4 14 tit! .4 6,4 : :

44 , ti :44 ,: -.4)11 :46 :8611 11', fr:

" : 5 8' !Aix:: tI P ; p B S I I5_0_21:

; .6 ;4 414 +MO.:S 574 /::,Lii it -If 4 1:0.0 42_4 Lkt ,4

5 4 I 66 5 14 ; 5 9

:.".; 5 01 1;0:16 :jaie -.114 5- 01

1 6,- I ," 0 ;05,5 v

1,4±it'S:".$ : 62.0

: I 40,4 4

51L. : 4 4 ,1. ....: 11 ; : 6

: 4 4,1 5. 4 , ta 0 5 1 4

I :1,1- II : .1: : : 4 1 5.44 4 Iltkqt4L:44 4 I Ai

: 6 6 4 4 .4 44; 0 S.;i4z = 0 ; : : 4 4

Iv I ,t: A 6 5 8 ,:,4 I 41 I

I

. H

THE IIUMANIMS. AND CAREERS IN BUSINESS

SELECTIONSArm the Keynote Address byCharles L. MOWERChairman of the BoardAmerican Telephone and Telegra

We need to adapt the central or carecurricula of our schools to provide stu-dents a better grounding in math andscience so that they may become mareliterate in technology, wherever theircareers may lie. I don't mean that stu-dents should =Tow their focus to voca-tional ends. Indeed, I mean quite theopposite. There is, in fact a growingopinion that it is the specialist who ismost threatened and more to befound obsolete in an tech-nological and changing society.

My own experience has shown that it isthe conceptual issues and problems inbusinessthe humanistic concerns, ifyuu wil. that are the most difficult todeal with and the most crucial to resolve.

And so there is a place-land a centralplacefor the humanities and liberalarts graduate in business. That's thegood news. The bad news is that the goodnews is not better known.

From the Closing Address byJames L.Chairman Chief ExecutiveGeneral Foods Corporation

The movement to make higher educa-tion more relevant began a century ormore ago. And there was good reason, ina world transformed by the IndustrialRevolution. Reformers championedmore choice in selecting courses, and theinclusion of sciences with humanities aspart ofa liberal education. But eventuallythe pendulum swung too far toward so-called "relevance" and specializationto the point earlier in this century whereNicholas Murray Butler, president of Co-lumbia, warned about the developmentof experts "who know more and moreabout less and less." Half a century ago,C. P. Snow and Alfred North Whiteheadwere expressing similar concerns. What'simportant is the extent to which theirconcerns have come true.

Over-specialization is contrary to thebest interests of both business and stu-dents. In business, the problems that themiddle or senior manager deals withoften spill over into a number ofdifferentareas. Problems such as air pollution, orthe effect on a local community of clos-ing a plant. And ten years from now,there likely will be other problems thatwe cannot even anticipate today.

1

i ; .i r r

ri rj

Stanley F. Bunts

Vice President, Chase Manhattan Bank

A Comparison of Educational Outcomesfor Business and Humanities Majors

Using two assessment instruments developed by theAmerican College Testing Program, Cavotl comparesbusiness and humanities majors in terms of the results oftheir college educations. He concludes that humanitiesstudy develops general skills of value in a wide range ofcareers, and that the humanities contribute relativelymore than business curricula.to tb: development of threecritical skills.wrlting, speaking, and understandingwritten information. Further, while a humanities major isnot a prerequisite for business success, study of humani-ties disciplines càntribuies to the development of cogni-tive skills, social skills, and work habits deemed indis-

pensable in today's business environment.

Executive Values, Executive Functions, and

the Humanities

Joseph A. PlchlerPresident, Dilk,n Companies, Inc.

Pichier illustrates the uses of the humanities in the work-place. For example, be identifies a successful executive asone who "creates profit opportunities that are moral and

Kth EblePmfèssor o(Engjlsh, University of Utah

:

Building Bridges: Cooperative Projects fbr

Humanities and Business

Copies of the badcçuund papers are available upon rques1 from: The O5ue of National Affairs, AISOCI**1OOO(MTIriCan CoUees, 181$

& StIee NW, Wub4tipp, DC 2000$, (24)1 9

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHYA growing number of research studies Fauvide irlealevidence on the relationships between the arts,including the humanities, andsuccess in business careen,.Robert E. Beck's Career Paftems: The Liberal Arts Major inBell System Management (Washington: Association ofAmerican Colleges, 1981) reports longitudinal data over20 years on AT&T employees, finding neatest sumo famanagement among humanities and social scknce mass:jors. Col and Other Steppieg Stones by A1111

Bethlehem,(Bethlehem, PA : The CPC Foundation, 1980studies the relationship over time of higher educationemployment comparing graduates of the mid-sixties with -1those of the mid-seventies. Bisconti and Lewis C. Solmon,College Education on the Job: The Graduates' Viewpoint(Bethlehem, PA: The CPC Foundation, 1976) and otherstudies by Bisconti and by Salmon on education and em-ployment are helpful.

Many colleges have traced the career paths of theirgraduates. Among those that have reported specifically onlibe. al ars ,grAuates are Dickinson College,'' LiberalArts Pac.,,A2e-; Pennsylvania State University, "A Post-Graduate Survey of Liberal Arts Majors 1968, 1973 and1978" by Jai M. Slick; The Associated Colleges of theMidwest, "Setting Out: Careers and Lives of the Class of1980"; and the University ofWisconsin-Green Bay, "Wherethe Grads Are."

David G. Winter, David C McClelland, and Abigail.).Stewart have developed new assessment techniques tomeasure the results o liberal education; they present theirfindings in A New Casefor the Liberal Arts (San Francisco:Jossey-Bass, 1981). Another effort to measure generaleducation outcomes is The College Outcome MeasuresProject (COMP) of the American College Testing Pro-gram. Paul Breen and Urban Whitaker have developed alist of 76 career-transferable liberal arts skills, included inLearner's Guide (San Francisco: The Learning Center,1982.)

Corporate executives' opinions on the general skillsneeded to enter and advance in the business world arereported in Russell G. Warren, New links Betrayer: GeneralEducation and Business Careers (Washington: Associa-tion of American Colleges, 1983). A joint study by Minne-sota private colleges compared skills needed for entry -level jobs with abilities developed by liberal arta study.The IMPULL Study (St. Paul: College of St. Catherine,1983) is available from Project IMPULL, Metro State Uni-versity, 528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 55403.

Discussions of the specific skills needed in careers in-clude George O. Klemp, Jr., "Three Factors of Success" inDyckman W. V ed. Work and Education(San Francis= .

uses Klemp's work to build his own model in "IntegratingLiberal Education, Work, and Human Development,"AAHE Bulletin (March 1981) and "Liberal Education and

10

Work," National Forum (Spring 1982). Another perspec-tive comes from Clarke A. Chambr "Liberal Learningfor Working Adults," in Thomas . Jones, ed., LiberalLearning and Business Caws (St. Paul: Metro State Uni-versity, 1982).

Several business leaders have analyzed the contribu-tions ofliberal learning to executive management.Judd H.Alexander, executive vice president of the James RiverCorporation, wrote a widely noticed piece in the WallStreetiournal (February 2,1981), entitled "Education forBusiness: A Reassessment." A more recent speech is re-printed as "Liberal Education and Executive Leadership"(Washington: Association of American Colleges andAssociated Colleges of the Midwest, 1983). Charles L.Brown ofAT&T discussed "What Business Wants Collegesto Teach" in AGB Reports (September/October 1980); asimilar note is struck in Roger B. Smith ofGeneral Motors,"Why Business Needs the Liberal Arts" (New York: Coun-cil for Financial Aid to Education, 1951). Two other ex-ecutives give their views in Thomas R. Horton, "LiberalLearning as Preparation for Business Careers" and RalphZ. Sorenson, `Ile Interdependence of the Professionaland Humanist Worlds" in Katharine S. Guroff, ed., Quali-ty in liberal yearning (Washington: Association of Amer-ican Colleges, 1981).

The 1983 annual meeting of the American Assembly ofCollegiate Schools of Business used the theme, "Businessand the Humanities: A New Partnership"; proceedingsare available from AACSB, 605 Old Dallas Road, Suite 220,St. Louis, MO 63141. Another presentation of executiveattitudes is Robert H. Hayes and William J. Abernathy,"Managing Our Way to Economic Decline," HarvardBusiness Review (July-August 1980). The application ofone humanities discipline to the business world is de-scribed by George D. Smith and Laurence E. Steadman in"Present Value of Corporate History," Harvar d BusinessReview (November-December 1981).

les of curriculum changes to bring the human-itiesExaar7business closer together are presented in MaryAnn Rehnke, ed., Liberal Education and Careers (Wash-ington: American Association for Higher Education,1983) and Janis L. Moyer, Liberal Learning and CareersConference Report (Washington: Association of AmericanCollars, 1983).

Optimistic supporters of cooperation between thehumanities and business should heed the cautions ofLewis C. Salmon, "The Humanist as Business Executive:Wishful Thinking" Educational Record (Winter 1983);Ronald Jager, "Career and Curriculuin: A PhilosophicalCritique" in Richard S. Green Hi and Richard G. Salem,eds., Liberal Learning and Careers (San Francisco:Jossey-Bass, 1981); and Ernest A. Lynton, "Improving Coopera-tion Between Colleges and Corporations," EducationalRecord (Fall 1982).

3

CONFERENCE PROGRAMThe Henry Chauncey Omference CenterThe Educational Tesdn-g Service

Wednesday, April 27,198'4:00-6:00 p.m. Registration

6:004:00 pan. Cocktails

7A1-800 p.m. Dinner

800-9:30 p.m. Openit4 General SoudanPresidinip Mark H. Curtis, President,

Association of American CollegesWelcome Richard H. Sanaa, Director,

Division of Education Programs,National Endowment fist the Humanities

Keynote Address: "Humanities and theDevelopment &Leadership Skills"

Swelter: Charles L. Brown, Chairman ofthe Board, American Telephone andTelegracth Onnpany

Thursday, April 287:30-8:30 a.m. Buffet Breakfast

8:30-10:00 a.m. Plenary Session ICurrent Issues,Needs and ResponsibilitiesPanelists: Barton W. Browning

Associate Professor of GermanPennsylvania State UniversityDouglas W. PenneManager, Corporate Employment

and College RelationsXerox CorporationWayne WallaceDirector of Placement, College

of Arts and SciencesIndiana University

Moderator: Eve KatzProgram Director, EducationAmerican Council of Life

Insurance

10:0040:30 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30-1200 noon Working Sessions IGroup Q-- Leader: Robert Skotheim

President, Whitman CollegeGroup R Leader Ronald Calgaard

President, Trinity UniversityGroup S Leader: Stanley Burns

Vice President, Chase ManhattanBank

Group TLeader Waiter LeonardPresident, Fisk University

12:00 noon Buffet Luncheon

12:45-1:30 p.m. Perspectives *own due NationalEndowment for the HumanitiesSp alter: William J. Bennett, Chairman,

National Endowment for the HumanitiesIntroduction: Mark K Curtis, President,

Association of American Colleges

14

1:304:45 p.m.

1:45-340 p.m.

3:00,3:30 pan.

3:30.5:00 p.m.

6:00400 p.m.

7:00-5:00 p.m.

800 -900 p.m.

Short Break.

Piensuy Session U--Change inCorporations and CollegesPanelists: Judd H. Alexander

Executive Vice PresidentJames River CorporationShirley Strum KennyPitwost for Arts and

HumanitiesUniversity of Maryland, College

ParkJohn WallaceAssistant Vice President for

Academic AttainsUniversity of Minnesota

Moderator Ralph Z. SorensonPresidentBarry Wright Corporation

Coffee Break

Working Sessions U(Same groups and locations as the morning

sessions)

Cocktails

DinnerA Humanist's PerspectiveSpeaker: Ernest May, Charles Warren

Professor of History, Harvard UniversityIntroduction: Richard H. Ekman, Director,

Division of Education Programs,National Endowment for the Humanities

Friday, April 29

7:30.8:30 a.m. Buffet Breakfast

8:30-10:30 a.m.

10:3041:00 a.m.

11:0042:00 noon

Plenary Session III PreliminaryRecommendations for ActionPresiding: Lyn Maxwell White, Program

Officer, Division of Education Programs,National Endowment for the Humanities

Speaker Clarence C. Walton, C. LamontPost Distinguished Professor of Ethicsand the Profizssions, The AmericanC.ollege

Coffee Break

Owing General SessionPresiding: Francis- L. Broderick,

Commonwealth Professor, University ofMassachusetts, Boston

Closing Address: "The Humanities andBusineen The Need for Partnenthip andCommitment"

Speaker: James L. Ferguson, Chairman andChief Executive Officer, General FoodsCorporation

Buffet Luncheon

11

CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS

Judd P. AlexanderEreadast Vice PresidentDixie/Northern SectorJames River CorporationP.O. Box 2260Greenwich, CT 06830

William.). BennettChairmanNational Endowment fbr the HumanitiesOki Post Office1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20506

David W. BrenentanPresidentKalamazoo College1200 Academy StreetKalamazoo, MI 49007

Francis L. BroderickCommonwealth ProfessorUniversity of Massachusetts at BostonBoston, MA 02125

Arthur N. BrownDirector of Employee DevelopmentGeneral Mills, Inc.P.O. Box 1113Minneapolis, MN 55440

Charles L. BrownChairman of the BoardAmerican Telephone and Telegraph

Company195 BroadwayNew York, NY 10007

Barton W. BrowningAssociate Professor of GermanS-326 BurmwesPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, PA 16802

Stanley T. BurnsWe PresidentThe Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.1 Chase Manhattan PlazaNew York, NY 10081

Ronald K. CalgaardPresidentTrinity University715 Stadium DriveSan Antonio, TX 78284

Nicholas J. CavotiAssociate Profraor of PsychologyWashington and Jefthrson CollegeWashington, PA 15301

12

Math H. CurdsPresidentAssociation of American Colleges1818 a and, NWWashington, DC 20009

Kenneth Ellie&Ow,Unhersity of UtahSalt lake City, UT 84112

Robert B.Cherinnan the BoardThe Capital Group, Inc.333 South Hope StreetLos Angela, CA 90071

James I.. 4, "Chaimran aziegrecutiveGeneral Foods Corporation250 North StreetWhite Plains, NY 10629

Edward FosterActing DeanSchool of ManagementUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN 55455

Phyllis FranklinDirector o'er PregramsModern Language Association62 Fifth AvenueNew York, NY 10011

Avramj. GoldbergPresident and Chief Executive OfficerStop do Shop Companies, Inc.P.O. Box 369Boston, MA 02101

Milton A. GordonDean cf Arts and SciencesC 'Imago State University95th Street at King DriveChicago, IL 60628

Janice GreenPresident and Academic Dean

Bradford CollegeItradfoni, MA 01830

Robert L. HessPresidentBrooklyn CollegeBedford Avenue & Avenue H.Brooklyn, NY 11210

ThomaajohnsonDirectorSchool of Business and PublicAdministrationUniversity of Puget SoundTacoma, WA 984$

Thomas B. JonesProfessor of HwnanitiesDirector, Degree PlanningMetropolitan State UniversityHennepin Center for the Arts528 Hennepin AvenueMinneapolis, MN 55403

Eve KatzPre ram Director, FclucationAmerican Council of Life Insurance1850 K Street, NWWashingtm, DC 20006

Shirky Strum KennyProvat fir Arts and HumanitiesUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkCollefp Park, MD 20742

Mat= KerseyAdministrative DirectorCareers Opportunity InstituteUniversity of Virginia444 Cabe' HallCharlottesville, VA 22903

John W. KiermaierVice President fir Public *airsCBS, Inc.51 West 52nd StreetNew York, NY 10019

Ernest 1411110WDinxtor, Careers in Business PrqgramGraduate School of Business

AdministrationNew York University100 Trinity PlaceNew York, NY 10006

WaherJ. LeonardPresidentFisk University17th Avenue NorthNashville, TN 37203

Franklin R. LloydSupervisorPersonnelGeneral Motors Acceptance Corporation3044 West Grand BoulevardDetroit, MI 48202

Ernest R. MayCharles Warren Professor of HistoryHarvard UniversityCambridge, MA 02138

Dorothea B. McDonoughVint President, Personnel AdministrationThe Prudential Insurance Company1111 Durham AvenueSouth Plainfield, NI WOW

Walter W. &lingerSenior Vice President.* AgribusinessBank of America N.T. & LA.555 California StreetSan Francisco, CA 34104

Charles A. NelsonPartnerPrat, Marwick, Mitchell & Company345 Paris AvenueNew York, NY 10154

Sara Via PaisVice PresidentThe French-American Foundation825 Third AvenueNew York, NY 10022

Douglas W. Pelfnoe,M

Employment and

Xerox CorporationNem% Squar -024Rochester, NY 14534

Joseph A. PichlerPresidentDillon Compardes, Inc.700 East 30thHutchinson, KS 67501

Joseph D. ReedRegional Vice PmsidentExternal AffairsAT&T tmetexchang Organizations6300 Rockside RoadIndependence, OH 44131

Linda R. SalmonDean cf the Coke of Arts and SciencesWashington University205 South Brix:kingsSt. Louis, MC) 63130

Robert F. SasseenPresidentUniversity of DallasUniversity of Dallas StationIrving, TX 75601

Ruth Gilbert ShaefferSenior Ream* AssociateThe Conference Board845 Third AvenueNew York, NY 10022

Harriet W. SheridanDraft of the Col*Brown UniversityProvidence, RI 02912

Robert A. SlcotheimPresidentWhitman WieseWalla Walla, WA 99362

=tSnddiW_ Research Group23 Leonard AvenueCambridge, MA 02139

Jonathan Z. SmithRobert 0. Anderson Distinguished Prefessor

of the HumanitiesUniversity of Chicago5801 South Ellis AvenueChicago, IL 60637

Ralph Z. SamsonPresident and Chief &maim *owgam Wright CorporationOne Newton Executive ParkNewton Lower Falls, MA 02162

John WallaceAssistant Vice President for Academic

4ffaitsUniversity of Minnesota105 Walter Library117 Pleasant Street SEMinneapolis, MN 55455

Wayne WallaceDirector of PlacementCollege of Arts and SciencesIndiana University326 North JordanBloomington, IN 47405

Michael J. WalshDirector of Corporate Recruitment and

DeselcpmentContinental Grain Company277 Park AvenueNew York, NY 10172

Clarence C. WaltonC. Lamont Post Distinguished Professor of

Ethics and the ProfessionsThe American CollegeBryn Mawr AvenueBryn Mawr, PA 19010

AAC STAFF

Pegg BrownCoordinator of Public information

Shelagh CaseyMeeting Coemdinator

Rathsyn McgirmanEanftrenee DirectorDirector t Praram and National Affidni

Shelley YerinanOffice of Natal MMus

NEIL STAFFRichani H. EkmanDirectorDivision of Education Programs

Jolm StrassburgerPifigram OfficerDivision of Education Programs

Lyn Maxwell Whitei'mga2m officerDivision of Education Programs

There is "a central. place"tier the humanities waduate in business. So concluded sixty top corporateand academic leaders at an April, 1983 conference in Princeton, Newjersey spmsored by the Association of American Colleges MAC) zinc! the'National Endowment tier the Humanities (NEN). The evidence for theirview is impressive:

Chase Manhattan Bank discovered in a recent study of cotninercialfranking trainees that those with only bachelors' degrees developedstronger technical banking skills than those with advanced depres.

woximatelv a third ()I' those with bachelors degrees majored inthe humanities and over two thirds in the liberal arts.

American Telephone and Telegraph found in a .truly of its mana-.gers that humanities and social sciei we majors were promoted morerapidly than technical graduates. After 20 years. 43 percent of theliberally educated managers had achieved the fourth level of Man-ager:wilt a sign of c(insiderabie successcompared with only 32percent of the business majors and 23 pen-ent ()Utile engineers.

Other firms. too, reitort similar findings. Humanities graduates are su-ceeding in business not despite but because of their training.

18

HOW does the study of the hu mani-tiesfields like English, history, philmo-phy and foreign langugesbuild such astrong foundation for a career in business?It develops strengths that scientific ortechnical training alone seldom provides.

JudgmentAn historical senseKnowledge of other languages andculturesRecognition of ethical issues

a Interpersonal abilitiesComunmication skillsIntellectual flexibilityA capacity for interpretive and crea-tive thinking.

In a complex, changing business environ-ment, an investment in these qualities canoffer important long-term returns. Stu-dents in the humanities are well advisedto acquire basic business skillsinaccounting and finance, fbr example. Butas broadly educated ;graduates they arebetter prepared fora lifetime of work thanare students who have narrowed theirstudies to secure a first job.

19

Many companiesare already taking action. They havefound that attracting humanities gradu-ates is in their own best interest. At Stan-fbrd, Dartmouth, Harvard and Michigan,the numbers of companies seeking inter-views with liberal arts students are fromthree to six times greater than they were inthe mid-1970s. CIGNA, General Foods,Chemical Bank, and many other nutiorfirms now hire liberal arts waduates insubstantial numbers. Several corpora-tions, including Morgan Stanley, Gen-eral Motors and American Can, haveestablished programs especially to recruitand train them.

But more pneeds to be made. The worlds ofbusinessand the humanities have stood too longapart. Indeed, joining them in more pro-ductive relations is a national priority. Thecorporate and acatletnic leaders at theAAC/NEH conuTence agreed on specificways that both colleges and corporationscan help.

For their part, universities should seek ex-cellency in the humanities, taught with-out distortion and faddish relevance tobusiness. They should at the same timeoffer encouragement and a range of pro-grams zind services providing strong sup-port to students interested in business.

Here in more detail are key steps com-panies can take:

HiringExamine recruiting practices to ensurethat support for the humanities is morethan rhetoric from the executive suite.Hire specialists when particular expertiseis essential and consider generalists whenit is not.

TrainingConsider special management trainingpropuns for humanities and liberal artsgraduates.

Professional InterchangesPromote prticipation in executive-in-residence programs and on campus ad-visory boards.

Enlist faculty as corporate consultantsand professors-in-resi(ience.

InternshipsExtend internships anti mirk experiencesto humanities stutlents and fireultv.

Career AdvisingShare with students examples of those'who have built success! i l business careerson a fimndation in the humanities.

Employee EducationProvide current employees opportunitiesfor study of the' humanities.Define continuing educatitm and tuitionreimbursement plans broadly enough toinclude courses in the' humanities.

Financial SupportSupport curriculum development, in-ternships, profinksional exchanges, careerexploration programs and other projectsthat connect humanities study with busi-ness careers.

Please send me the proceedings of THEHUMANITIES AND CAREERS IN RUM-NESS Conference

Name

Arldret4;_,

city

State

I am also interested in receiving the followingbackground paper(s)

The Nature of the HumanitiesFrancis L. Broderick, University of Mas-sachusetts

From Student to BankerObservations fromThe Chase BankStanley F. Burns, Chase Manhattan Bank

A Comparison of Educational Outcomes farBusiness and Humanities MajorsNicholas 3. Cavoti, Washington and JeffemonCollege

Executive Values, Executive Functions, and theHumanities

,Ilyseph A. Pichler, Dillon Companies, Inc.

Developing Marketable Skills in the HumanitiesKenneth Eble, University of Utah

What are the Career Paths in Business of Hu-manities Graduates?Carol Herrilstadt Shulman, Educational Con-sultant

Building Bridges: Cooperative Project forHumanities and BusinessThoma:1B.Jones, Metropolitan State University

2

The Association of American Colleges1818 R Street, NW Washington, DC 20009

THE III,MANITIES21