DR Patrick Wright, the Professor of Human Resource Studies in the Centre for Advanced Human Resource Studies at Cornell University, USA, will today deliver the second UWI/Carreras Distinguished Lecture.

The lecture on ‘Leadership and Corporate Governance’ will be held at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre at UWI and will begin at 6:00 pm.

The seminar is considered timely, in the wake of recent corporate scandals across the globe that have brought the importance of effective governance to the forefront of the business world.

Professor Wright will examine theories about the underlying causes for the scandals as well as the recommended solutions. His comments will be based on reviews of these upheavals, recommendations proposed by a number of institutional stakeholders, and interviews with top human resources executives. It is expected that during his lecture he will raise tough questions and provide some answers about the role of leadership in building ethical organisations.

The Carreras/UWI Distinguished Lecture is part of a three-year partnership between the Carreras Group Limited and UWI’s Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work. The collaboration was forged in order to widen the public understanding of the breadth and the importance of the field of human resources.

The Carreras/UWI Distinguished Lecture is presented under the auspices of the UWI Distinguished Lecture Programme, which was the brainchild of the former vice chancellor and founder, the late Sir Phillip Sherlock. The series has featured academics, scientists, publishers, and public servants from universities, organisations and institutes across the globe. It has also attracted several co-sponsors who have identified eminent speakers who they felt could make significant contributions to the dialogue.

Today’s speaker, Professor Wright, teaches, conducts research, and consults in the area of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM), particularly focusing on how firms use people as a source of competitive advantage. On Friday, he will also deliver the keynote address at the annual conference of the Jamaica Association of Training and Development.