University of New England

UNE's first annual Paul D. Merrill Business Ethics Lecture series features Harvard scholar Chris Argyris
                        
PORTLAND, Maine - The University of New England hosts the first annual Paul D. (P.D.) Merrill Business Ethics Lecture series on March 27, 2008.

The lecture, entitled  "I-Traps, Leadership, Culture," features Chris Argyris, Ph.D., James Bryant Conant Professor of Education and Organizational Behavior (emeritus) at the Graduate School of Business, Harvard University.

Argyris will speak at 4:00 p.m. in the Eleanor deWolfe Ludcke ’26 Auditorium on the University’s Westbrook College Campus in Portland.
 
Argyris is most noted for his work in studying and creating new forms of organizational learning and change, especially those that are transformational in nature. Argyris has focused his scholarly research on several themes: the challenge of integrating human beings with organizations in ways that strengthen human actualization and organizational effectiveness, the challenge of designing new organizational structures and policies to enhance this integration, and the use of intervention methods to change the status quo.

He is the recipient of 10 honorary doctorates, and he has received numerous other academic awards. He is the author of 31 books and more than 400 articles. Among his recent books are Reasons and Rationalizations (Oxford University Press 2004), Flawed Advice and the Management Trap:  How Managers Can Know When They’re Getting Good Advice and When They’re Not  (New York, Oxford University Press 2000); On Organizational Learning, 2nd ed., (Oxford. England:  Blackwell 1999).
 
The Merrill Lecture Series
The lecture series honors Paul D. (P.D.) Merrill, Portland-area business leader and long-time University of New England trustee, supporter and friend, who died unexpectedly in 2007. The series creates an opportunity for future business leaders from the University and the broader community to learn about and reflect upon the important role that ethical considerations play in our daily choices, and the impact these choices have on our communities.

"P.D. Merrill not only was a successful businessman, but demonstrated a highly ethical standard of business operations while giving back to his community," said University of New England President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D. The lecture series serves as a reminder of P.D. Merrill's lifelong vision of the role that good business practices play in the health of the community.

(Press release posted Feb. 4, 2008)