A Note from JB Kassarjian and Kamran Kashani Dear loyal ICMS - TopicsExpress

A Note from JB Kassarjian and Kamran Kashani Dear loyal ICMS alumni: This note is coming to you from JB Kassarjian and Kamran Kashani operating from the US and Switzerland respectively. We have volunteered and been mandated by Eghbal to help with the upcoming reunion’s program in Istanbul, May 22-24. It’s a challenge we have accepted but not without a few reservations. The fact is, while we are both experienced hands in organizing management seminars and other educational events, we are aware of the particular issues in planning a long-awaited reunion of ICMS alumni whose journeys have spread them around the world thus exposing them to different careers and life experiences—a diversity that is rich in content but also challenging for program design as expectations for the reunion might well be equally diverse. At the same time we are aware that for the gathering to be a success it has to reflect the wishes of the majority of its participants regardless of their background. This is where we need your help. There are three areas where alumni help would be most productive: 1. We want your ideas and suggestions for program content. These could span the spectrum of time set aside for informal networking among former classmates to formal plenary sessions run by individuals, or panels of alumni, or former ICMS faculty. For the formal events please suggest topics and indicate if you would be willing to lead a session on your chosen theme. Please email your thoughts and suggestions to both of us at: [email protected] and [email protected] 2. We need volunteers for a small design team to help with choices on program content and with its implementation. Ideally a group of 6-8 alumni representing different graduating classes would join this virtual team on this task. 3. We invite your life and/or career stories for a short case study. The idea has been suggested that we should use the ICMS pedagogy of case method to raise and discuss in the plenary personal or managerial dilemma that many of our alumni have faced for an insightful discussion. The final document would combine a number of “stories” into a single disguised case study (i.e. contributors will remain anonymous) that would resonate with many alumni. Should you decide to offer your story we ask you to write a summary of it on a single page and email it to both of us by no later than March 15. We will take it from there. We’d like to reiterate that this reunion is your event, your show and your active involvement would guarantee that it will be an exciting and enriching experience for all of us. With advance thanks for stepping forward to help, See you all in Istanbul! JB and Kamran