Business Serving the World

Hosted by Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, Washington

October 4-6, 2007

Business can serve the world in a variety of ways. From a Christian perspective, it can generate wealth that can be used to support mission and relief activities. It can provide a means of access to people groups (and to individual co-workers) who are otherwise closed to the gospel. At another level, however, business can be understood as "serving the world" by providing goods and services that will enable the global community to flourish. Indeed, a growing movement among ethicists, management scholars, and practitioners alike suggests that good businesses operating in the world today must focus on more than maximizing return for shareholders. Many are now arguing that the welfare of employees, the enhancement of human rights, the protection of the environment, and the economic development of surrounding communities are all appropriate foci of business. What does a Christian worldview have to contribute to this growing movement? What are the Christian distinctives that should characterize "businesses that serve"?

The 2007 Conference for the Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA) will provide an opportunity to gather together and explore these and related themes. The 2007 Conference will feature, among other things, a variety of presentations that emphasize faith integration in the business disciplines. Sessions of interest include presentations that cover basic research, applied and collaborative research, pedagogical and curricular presentations, and best practices in the various business disciplines. Presentations that support or in some way relate to the theme of the conference are particularly encouraged.

Papers and proposals should be submitted by June 11, 2007. Completed papers are preferred for CBFA Conference consideration, but detailed proposals will also be reviewed. The CBFA also encourages proposals of work currently in concept and development stages. Proposals for pre-conference workshop sessions and panel discussions during the conference are also invited. Proposals should be a minimum of three typed pages and clearly detail the following sections: intended purpose, method(s) of presentation, session highlights, learning outcomes of the paper or session, and selected references or works cited. Please address each of these areas in the proposal to assist CBFA reviewers in their evaluations and recommendations.

Presentations at the CBFA Conference are considered a natural and encouraged stage in the progress to the two CBFA publications: the Journal of Biblical Integration in Business and the Christian Business Academy Review.

Accepted papers and proposals for session presentations or panel discussions require attendance at the CBFA Conference by one or more of the authors. All presenters and authors attending the CBFA Conference must be registered. The conference proceedings (online or CD-ROM) will include all papers and session presentation outlines. Short paper summaries and outlines of all sessions will be available at the conference.

Timeline

Papers/proposals distributed to reviewers
June 12, 2007

Decision on papers/proposals
July 2, 2007

Notifications to authors
July 3, 2007

Final papers & session summaries due
September 3, 2007

CBFA Conference registration due for presenters
September 3, 2007

Conference Proceedings printing/posting
September 24, 2007

Please submit papers/proposals (preferably via email attachment in .doc format) to:

Larry W. Rottmeyer, Ph.D.
Taylor University MBA
Innovation Center , Suite C133-A
3201 Stellhorn Road
Fort Wayne, IN 46815
lrrottmeyer@taylor.edu