[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/baba.jpg” caption=”Vishwanath Baba, dean of business (photo: School o”]The new face in the dean's office in the School of Business belongs to Vishwanath V. Baba, who officially joined the University on Jan. 1. The new dean is a former professor in the department of management at Concordia University.

Baba, whose appointment was announced in August following the retirement of David Conrath, also has an appointment in the human resources and management area.

Baba plans to align the business school with McMaster's “glorious reputation” so the business community recognizes graduates as being top in the field. In his view, the school is responsible to three constituencies: students, faculty and the business community.

“Our first priority is the students. The goal here is to produce well-trained professionals who are prepared to fulfil the needs of businesses. I want the business community to recognize McMaster students as being on the cutting edge,” says Baba.

“Secondly, I want to encourage relevant research within the school which translates into teaching solutions to business problems. And lastly, we owe it to the business community we serve to provide professionals, employees who are leaders and problem-solvers, much like in law or medicine.”

Baba holds a PhD in organizational behaviour from the University of British Columbia. He joined Concordia in 1976. He possesses a keen interest in management training in the developing world and has been a consultant to the Canadian International Development Agency. He is currently conducting research on occupational mental health. He is the president-elect of the International Society for the Study of Work and Organizational Values.