Foundation for the CBE

Foundations for the Center of Business Excellence

The Center for Business Excellence already has a solid foundation from which to build, as it is evolving from the existing Center for Governance, Risk Management, and Reporting (GRMR Center). The co-directors of the Center for Business Excellence, Dr. Brian Ballou and Dr. Dan Heitger, formed the GRMR Center in 2006. The GRMR Center emphasizes the governance, risk management and reporting aspects of business excellence. Its current programs will be evolved and adapted to meet the broadened scope of the Center for Business Excellence.

The evolution of the GRMR Center to the Center for Business Excellence broadens the scope and services of the Center by emphasizing the broader concepts of integrity, leadership, and transparency. This broader scope allows the Center to address a wider variety of issues and also enables greater interdisciplinary opportunities and collaboration.

The Center for Business Excellence can build on the proven track record and programs of the GRMR Center:

  • The Annual Executive Conference on Governance Risk Management, and Reporting. This Conference brings together top executives and Board of Director members from international companies to learn about innovative risk management practices, participate in discussions, and interact with students. The Executive Conference is sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, American Electric Power, Cardinal Health and Fidelity Investments.
  • The GRMR Center/KPMG LLP Curriculum Development Initiative. Using Miami University’s nationally-ranked Master of Accountancy program, the GRMR Center developed and delivered the only two-course GRMR sequence in the U.S. integrating governance, risk management, and reporting. The Center also funds Miami faculty in several disciplines in developing additional innovative class modules for graduate and undergraduate students.
  • The GRMR Center/Ernst & Young LLP Business Excellence Summit. The Summit brings 30 of the best-performing undergraduate business students from top-ranked U.S. business schools to Miami University for a workshop on cutting-edge business concepts involving integrity, leadership, and transparency. Many of the Summit sessions are led by Miami Master’s of Accountancy students and recent alumni who completed the Center’s two GRMR courses. This Summit is new and already reflects the broadened scope of the Center for Business Excellence.
  • The GRMR Center/Ernst & Young LLP Manager Workshop. The Manager Workshop is geared toward managers providing inputs for risk management or business reporting processes. The workshop consists of highly interactive discussions on governance, risk management, and reporting topics. Master of Accountancy students also participate in the Workshop.
  • Student Internships. Companies that have partnered with the GRMR Center have created internships in GRMR areas within their organizations for incoming Master of Accountancy students. Companies that have participated to date include Cardinal Health, Convergys, Fidelity Investments, and Limited Brands.
  • On-Site Visits and Participation in Conferences and Roundtable Meetings. The GRMR Center Co-Directors have visited with executives from more than 125 organizations via on-site visits and participation in conferences in places such as Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Honolulu, New York, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

These activities of the GRMR Center give the Center for Business Excellence a solid base from which to grow. The much broader focus of the Center for Business Excellence will enable it to better address a wider range of the important issues impacting business excellence.

Last modified on 4/24/08 | Content maintained by CBE