School of Business faculty member Barry A. Friedman completes German Fulbright Award

Barry Friedman of SUNY Oswego’s School of Business reported a productive time completing a Fulbright Specialist Project at the Hamburg School of Business Administration (HBSA) in Germany.

“I taught two undergraduate organizational behavior classes, a master of science seminar, conducted two research projects, made several presentations to the HSBA community, and coached Ph.D. students about how to get their dissertations published,” Friedman noted.

“The two undergraduate courses I taught addressed a variety of organizational behavior topics,” Friedman said. “In total, 50 students attended. I taught 27 master’s level students on change management, innovation, and leadership.” Friedman also conducted special seminars, including a talk to 60 to 70 students, faculty, and staff about artificial intelligence (AI) and its role in learning.

“HSBA students are very motivated, efficient, and eager to learn. Germany has a widespread dual study model whereby students spend several months on the job, then several months at school," Friedman said. "The dual study method produces students rich in work experience, context and knowledge.”

In addition, Friedman always enjoys spending time with colleagues and contacts he has made with the institution. “My HSBA colleagues are great,” he noted. “I’ve collaborated with HSBA on a consistent basis since 2015, so many of them have known me for some time. They’re great hosts, and I even stayed with two families.

Collaborative research

He also collaborated on two in-depth research projects. The first was a co-authored paper with an HSBA colleague and Mohammad Tajvarpour of the Oswego School of Business titled “ChatGPT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats: Strategies for Accelerating Disruptive Change.” 

The paper addressed the growing acceptance of disruptive artificial intelligence and its potential role in the future of business. This paper has already been submitted to the BRC Academy Journal of Business, a peer-reviewed publication.

Friedman also collaborated with two HSBA colleagues for a research project titled “Expectancy Violation and the role of non-verbal communication in video calls.” The project “addressed evaluative decision-making of individuals seen virtually,” he explained. “The impact of prior expectations and nonverbal communication has implications for a wide range of applications, including virtual employment interviewing.” They will continue to work on this project this fall. 

Among the many accolades Friedman received during his Fulbright project included one from Professor Max Johns, vice president of research and international affairs and Head of the HSBA Masters of Science program. 

“Barry taught two case studies to great acclaim in my Master's of Science study program,” Johns said. “He nurtured an extremely lively debate that lasted well beyond the classroom. Barry’s presence in the classroom and in the faculty is extremely enriching for HSBA and he would be most welcome to return.”

"Professor Friedman has been a forward thinker in identifying ways to continuously improve the global orientation of the business school's curriculum, student engagement and thought leadership,” said Prabakar Kothandaraman, dean of Oswego’s School of Business. “He constantly strives to connect the school globally through summer study-abroad programs and winning competitive fellowship grants such as the Fulbright Fellowships. His work in this domain is crucial for our students' enhanced global understanding."

Ashraf Attia, chair of SUNY Oswego’s marketing and management department, collaborated with Friedman on several research projects and commends him for his prolific impact during his HSBA Fulbright. 

“Barry is an excellent and world-renowned educator and researcher who builds bridges between universities and communities,” Attia said. “Both undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Business at SUNY Oswego benefit from Barry’s accumulating and productive international expertise, especially during his HSBA Fulbright visit to Germany during summer 2023."

About the Fulbright Specialist Program 

Recipients of Fulbright Specialist awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad.

The overall project aim is to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities both in the U.S. and overseas through a variety of educational and training activities within the field of business administration.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

For further information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State, visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright or contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office: 202-632-6452 or ECA-Press@state.gov.