Bradley Receives Ideas Worth Teaching Award

Adjunct Professor Melissa Bradley has received the Ideas Worth Teaching Award from the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program for her MBA course, Peer-to-Peer Economies, at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business.

The Ideas Worth Teaching Awards recognize exceptional undergraduate and graduate business courses that inspire and equip future business leaders with the skills to tackle some of the greatest challenges facing society and create a more inclusive version of capitalism. This year’s 20 winning courses focus on critical social issues ripped from the headlines – populism, water scarcity, and artificial intelligence among them – and illuminate how and why these issues are business issues.

“At a time when business leaders face intense scrutiny about their role in social issues, these award-winning faculty are bravely challenging the ‘norms’ of what is taught in business school — and creating leaders who can navigate a highly uncertain environment,” said Claire Preisser, associate director of the Aspen Business and Society Program.

Americans have witnessed a dramatic increase of interest, investment, and participation in the shared economy. Bradley’s course engages students in discussions on key aspects of this new economy, from the role of policy and how it impacts people versus companies, to the social implications of free or subsidized services such as bike share programs that require consumers to have a credit card. Throughout the course, students are exposed to business leaders from companies such as BMW and Lyft who discuss business models, government relations, and customer traction.

“As the world of business moves to platform models, this class is a must for students to understand the types of companies they will ultimately be working for, as well as understanding the pros and cons of these tech businesses and their role in supporting historical inequity,” said Bradley.

The Ideas Worth Teaching Award winners will be recognized at Working Towards Shared Prosperity: An Academic-Executive Dialogue, a convening in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on October 26-27.