Alain Verbeke inducted as first-ever Royal Society of Canada Fellow from Haskayne School of Business

Dr. Alain Verbeke has been elected to join the ranks of a select number of scholars as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), the first professor from the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business to receive the honour. 

The RSC is the nation’s most prestigious academic society dedicated to recognizing excellence in the arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences. RSC fellowship is the highest level of scholarly recognition in Canada. 

As a professor of international business strategy and the McCaig Chair in Management, Verbeke, PhD, is an eminent scholar in his field. His impact on scholarship and managerial practice is significant. 

“To be elected an RSC Fellow is a tremendous honour and puts the wind at my back in the hope that the best is yet to come in my own research and service,” says Verbeke.

This recognition was made possible by the support of the Haskayne School and the McCaig family, he says: “The continuing support from the McCaig family and from successive deans at the school over the past 23 years have meant everything to my success.

“My hope is that I will be the first of many RSC Fellows to come from the Haskayne School."

Multinationals as vehicles of positive change

Verbeke’s interest in the multinational enterprise lies in understanding the micro and macro benefits of these organizations that are vital to our shared way of life. 

“International business is the most direct and effective vehicle to achieve peaceful coexistence and integration among nations,” says Verbeke. 

“International business means that people from different countries jointly create value. In the process, business leaders, employees and many stakeholders come to know each other and often build lasting relationships.” 

Verbeke’s business research principally aims to help firms, policy-makers and stakeholders pursue realistic, common-sense trajectories that advance value creation, justice and equity.

Future steps

As an RSC Fellow, Verbeke says he will continue to conduct evidence-based business research to explain how multinationals operate and to describe the positive spill-over effects these businesses have locally, nationally and globally. 

By publishing empirical data and research on the effects of international business, Verbeke says he hopes to counter the rise of anti-globalization and to improve civil discourse by creating a foundational dialogue between firms and societal stakeholders.

Profound impact on UCalgary business education

Verbeke has left his mark as a scholar and mentor in the Haskayne faculty, emphasizing the importance of academic rigour, which has not gone unnoticed.

“Dr. Verbeke's election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada is a testament to his exceptional contributions to international business and multinational enterprises,” says Associate Dean Sandy Hershcovis. 

“His dedication to advancing research and his unwavering support for mentoring junior colleagues and PhD students are truly inspiring. We are incredibly proud to have him in the Haskayne School of Business. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honour.”