CUD Professor Dr. Rommel Sergio Launches Book of Business Lessons from the Pandemic

Canadian University Dubai (CUD) Professor of Management, Dr. Rommel Sergio, has launched a new book revealing how 22 renowned organizations have successfully tackled some of the key corporate challenges brought on by the pandemic. The publication, entitled ‘Management Cases: Thriving Organizations in the New Normal’ was unveiled at a recent public launch event hosted at the CUD Hub in the presence of His Excellency (HE) Renato N. Duenas Jr., Philippine Consul General in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

Developed to provide a practical resource for educators, learners, managers and business practitioners, the book showcases the positive practices adopted by major organizations based in the UAE and the Philippines, as well as businesses operating across the world.  Edited by Dr. Sergio, the publication also features contributions from other CUD faculty, along with distinguished researchers from around the world.  

Moderated by Dr. Fernando Erana Reyes Jr., the public launch gathered students, faculty, researchers, and members of the local business community to hear Dr. Sergio provide a synthesis of the book. In an opening address, HE Duenas spoke about how the Consulate adapted its own ways of working to address the challenges posed by the pandemic, to ensure it could continually serve the Philippine community in the Emirates. HE Duenas also paid tribute to Dr. Sergio and his ongoing work to support the mental health and wellbeing of Filipino workers in the UAE.

Sharing his own story of the psychological challenges he faced during the pandemic, Dr. Sergio revealed how a period of depression provided the impetus for him to explore how organizations were able to address setbacks and thrive. He discussed the need for positive reflection, to draw out the success stories that emerged in difficult times. Concluding the launch, Dr. Sergio answered questions from the audience in a Q&A session that raised discussions around corporate social responsibility and employee wellbeing.

With 41 contributors from seven countries, the book of case studies explores three dimensions of business operations during COVID-19, specifically, what global organizations did to thrive amid the pandemic; how organizations in the UAE were able to rise above it; and what organizations in the Philippines did to mitigate its impact. 

Local case studies include Emirates NBD’s Employee Engagement and Inclusion Programs, and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s Innovation and Leadership approaches. Among the international case studies are Toyota’s Global Supply Chain Mode and TikTok’s Social Responsibility and Integrity Platform. Cases from the Philippines include SM Prime’s Health Initiatives and the Training and Development Digitization Program by Ayala Land Incorporated.

Speaking about his aims for the publication, Dr. Sergio said, “The world has changed dramatically in the past two years and the pandemic has transformed the way we see and respond to management situations. This book captures the real-world challenges that organizations are facing in this new normal and provides good practice solutions that managers can learn from and implement or benchmark against.” 

“It is relevant to students who need to analyze and solve the issues they will come across in the workplace and, importantly, it is set in the local context, as well as providing global insights through international case studies. The book is also intended to be a valuable resource for existing businesses, large or small, that need practical, proven solutions to 21st century challenges.”

The book is available through amazon.com, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Google Play, Flipkart, and Notion Press.com.