The focus of the panel discussion concemed how to meet the needs that business has for appropriately trained business geography students. Among those points about which the panelists agreed was that higher education is aware of business geography. Students are demanding an education in business geography, likely driven by the demand in the business world to employ students trained in the discipline. Mild disagreement existed on the panel about whether business geography education should be housed within the department of geography, which is commonly located under the college of liberal arts and sciences, or within a college of business. You do get what you pay for.
Return is proportional to investment.
Each university that wants to offer a quality business geography education should establish three to four endowed chairs. With the resources and independence that endowed chairs provide, the business geography department could be located in either college. Business geography faculty should be able to interact with both colleges. Business geography faculty should work closely with the business community as consultants, while at the same time maintaining a respected research and education program. My position statement presented as part of my panel presentation is summarized in Table 1.