Tabor College Provost

As the global economic meltdown continues, Dr. Jayakar Dalavai, a business professor and management expert from India, warns that the struggling U.S. economy could fall from first place to third or fourth place behind rising industrial powers China, India, Brazil, or perhaps even Russia.

‘We live in a world in which we, speaking as Americans, thought we had control for a long time,” Dalavai said. “But during the last 30 years, somehow that has changed.”

Dr. Jayakar Dalavai, a business professor and management expert from India and the first lecturer in Tabor College’s new Scholar in Residence Program, delivers a public lecture on January 20 on the main campus in Hillsboro. (Tabor College photo by Grant Overstake).

The first lecturer in Tabor College’s new Scholar in Residence Program, Dalavai presented his thoughtful and sobering perspective January 20 in a public lecture titled, “The Causes and Consequences of the Global Meltdown and Outsourcing, an Ominous Sign for the Future of America.”

A native of India, Dalavai has lived, worked, and been educated in both the U.S. and India, and as an international business expert, he brings a unique bi-national perspective on critical issues such as globalization and out-sourcing.

Standing before a slide show backdrop of some of the world’s most expensive personal residences and luxury hotels built recently in the Dubai and India, Dalavai told his audience the structures symbolize the greed that has reshaped the global economy in recent decades, signaling a sad departure from the Christian ideals of the free enterprise system and the Protestant Work Ethic.

“You may wonder why I am talking about these monumental structures when my topic is about the global meltdown,” Dalavai said. “Simple arithmetic will tell us that it costs between $7 and a half to $8 billion dollars for these three monumental structures. Most of them were to fulfill the egos of those billionaires…. We can see how people who have riches get so ambitious, get so carried away by their wealth, and use it for fulfilling their personal egos. We can see this… even in a country like India, where even now, 50 to 60 percent [of the population] lives under the poverty level.”

Dalavai’s public lecture was attended by local public officials, business professionals, and retired professors, as well as alumni, current faculty, and staff. Students enrolled in Dr. Dalavai’s business class received extra credit for attending. While at Tabor, Dalavai has been teaching management skills and mentoring business students about the changing global business environment during the Interterm session, from January 5 to 28.

“I was overwhelmed to see such an enthusiastic group of people had come to hear about the current day issues that have been impacting the people of the United States,” Dalavai said. “The questions were very thoughtful and to the point and I was glad I was able to answer them.”

The lecture followed a more scholarly lecture Dalavai delivered to faculty and staff on January 15 titled, “Corporate Social Responsibility,” in which he outlined his theory on the negative impact of greed in the corporate world.

Because of its overwhelming debt to other nations and its own weakened industrial capacity due in part to decades of outsourcing, and the subsequent rise of industrial capacities of other nations, the U.S. economy could fall to third or fourth place in the world in the coming years, behind China, India, and perhaps even Russia.

The U.S. has little control over its financial future, Dalavai added.

“The reason why we don’t have control over the global meltdown is because we don’t have control over our own destiny,” he said. “Because we are unable to make decisions that would place us on a path to recovery, the economic decisions that are being made in countries overseas do not make any sense to us. Too much money is finding its way into the hands of people who have control over but do not contribute to the economic activity of the world.”

Offering some suggestions for resolving the issues facing the U.S., Dalavai said the U.S. must focus its attention on providing educational opportunities for students that stress the hard sciences, engineering and physics, which are essential to the future of the future U.S. economy.

Reversing the trend of outsourcing jobs overseas by restoring higher-paying jobs to a rebuilt manufacturing sector, where U.S. workers could be productive and contribute to greater economic growth and stability would also help re-grow America, he said.

Despite the cutthroat economic competition today, the relationship between the United States and India has its roots in a shared belief in the democratic system, and should remain cooperative and strong, he added.

“In a global sense what is good for one country may not be good for another country,” he said. “It’s the same with India and the U.S.A., however, there is a common bond between the U.S. and India. We are both strong democratic countries. Our values about the economic system are the same….”

Following the lecture, Dalavai fielded a variety of questions from local government officials and professors, ranging from the wisdom of allowing Tabor College students to “outsource” their education by taking Online courses, to the pros and cons of outsourcing hundreds of parts for Boeing new commercial jetliner to other countries.

Whether or not Americans should consider the welfare of the U.S. economy first before providing outsourced jobs to needy workers in third world countries was also discussed.

In conclusion, Dalavai said, “We may never find all of the right answers for our questions, but we still continue our journey. My purpose is to make sure that I share my Christian business values, as well as ethical business values in the global marketplace with everyone, anywhere I can.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Osmania University, in India, in 1963, Dalavai came to the U.S. and went to work for what is now Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railways. He obtained his U.S. Citizenship in 1981.

He continued his education in the U.S. while working as a full time employee, gaining valuable management experience for over 30 years. He worked with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company for 17 years and was an IT and Management Consultant for more than 10 years.

Dalavai earned his bachelor’s in Computer Information Systems from Washburn University, in Topeka, Kan., in 1979, and an M.B.A. from Emporia State University, in 1981. He earned his Certified Project Manager diploma in Advance Project Management in 2000 from Stanford University, along with his Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification. He earned his Ph. D. in Business Management in 2009 from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India.

Dalavai’s scholarly publications include, “Protestant Ethic, its impact on U. S. Economy,” and “Managing the Multinational Corporations,” both in the Journal of Business Management, Osmania University; and “Christian Business Ethic,” in the Christian Business Men’s Council Annual Publication, 2009. His current article on “Corporate Social Responsibility, a Myth or Reality?’ is under review.

His wife, Julia, a longtime staffer for Campus Crusade for Christ and CBN India, has joined her husband on the Tabor campus for the Interterm session. The couple resides in Bedford, Texas, where he works in semi-retirement as executive vice president of Enterprises without Borders, a small business specializing in global communications and management studies.

Ressler thanked Dr. Dalavai for his “stimulating lecture,” adding, “It has been a delight to have Dr. Dalavai serve as our first Scholar in Residence.

“These are perplexing and very difficult questions we are asking,” Ressler added, “particularly if you’ve been in third world countries where we realize the economics are so different.”

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We are entering our 12th week of classes for the semester.  The final phase of classes in the Hillsboro campus has begun. Thanksgiving is just a week away.  I wanderered over to the cafeteria at 1:30 and found some students  hanging out eating and in easy conversation.  I gave each of them a 3×5 card with this simple instruction, “Can you write down what you are thankful for about Tabor.”  Here are their responses…as written…no edits except to take the names of individuals out.

What I am most thankful being here at Tabor, is the love that all the teachers have for their students. Nowhere else will you find teachers that have a genuine care about each individual student, and that is why I love being at Tabor.

I am thankful for all the hard work the staff puts in everyday. In the café, all the teachers and everyone in between they are always doing what they can to make Tabor that much better. Also, I am thankful for the help and availability the teachers have. They are always willing to be there when you need them.

I am thankful for chapel that unites the student body twice a week. I am also thankful for the caring professors.

I am thankful for professors who care and will not settle for mediocrity. I am thankful for the opportunity to participate in all the activities I’m interested in.

I am thankful to Tabor for giving me the opportunity to have met so many wonderful people and for allowing me to do something I love as well as getting to know Christ better.

I am thankful for the close community and encouragement at Tabor.

I am thankful for opportunity that is provided at Tabor College; such as: not only being able to play sports here, but being a Resident Assistant, and being involved in extracurricular activities.

I am thankful for all of the personal attention and interest that the Tabor faculty invests in every student. They do a very good job of making you feel welcomed and valuable.

I am thankful for their [professors’] selfless attitudes. They always make time to get to know the students and see how they are doing. Their Christ-like character is vivid. They are always encouraging.

I’m thankful for: teachers who help me become a better student, the extra-curricular activities like flag football, an open weight room and extra help if I need it.

As I look back over the past four and a half years, I am impressed with how the academics have been strengthened at Tabor (not that I should get much of the credit).  Lest we forget, here is a part of my list of how we have improved the academics at Tabor:

Bill Kostlevy was hired in history to increase the history department to two full-time faculty;

Shin-Hee Chin was hired in art to increase the art and design department to two full-time faculty  ;

The Behavioral Science department was increased to 3 FT faculty (we had to retreat here);

Robin Ottoson’s library position was increased from 10 month to 12 months;

Nearly $500,000 was gifted to Tabor from the New Hope church and placed in an endowment providing $23,000 a year to support faculty and student research interests;

Approximately $150,000 was donated and placed in an endowment for the Carson Center and David Faber hired to serve as director;

A gift of $25,000 to make the Writing Center technologically equipped was donated by two alumni and $5,000 to help with technology for lecture capture ability;

$25,000 was borrowed by Tabor to refurbish the grand piano;

Approximately $50,000 was donated to the music department to improve the music department;

The Tabor women’s auxiliary gave funds to renovate the humanities area in the third floor of Lorenhz;

Cherry Stucky has lead the effort to improve the looks of MJR;

Professional development funds were increased last year to cover 100% of the requests with money saved by postponing full-time hiring in business and biology;

Professional development funds were increased nearly 50% this year to support faculty in development needs;

Funds for the library were increased by $25,000 this year;

New projectors are being placed in all the smart classrooms;

$80,000 was granted by Kan-Ed to enable Tabor to have the band-width it needs be connected to the internet and to fund the ITV room;

Tiffany Seiter was hired to promote academics through the enrollment management office;

ITV is being used regularly now to allow the math coop with Bethel to connect students without travel;

A gift of $70,000 was given to expand nursing in Wichita to distance delivery;

Smaller gifts have been given to buy equipment for the science department including a torso.

And do not forget that Tabor employees got a 2% increase and no cut in benefits in 2009-10.  (Many faculty across the nation would look at this with envy, even as relatively small as it may seem.)

We have been blessed.  Academics at Tabor have never been stronger. Spread the news.  Tell the story.  The commitment to academics is strong at Tabor.

The plane landed in Delhi from Chicago in 14 hours without incident. I made it through customs and hired a prepaid taxi to take me to New Friends Colony, an upscale part of Delhi, to spend the night. After arriving at the house and chatting some, I laid down on a bed that was clean albeit slightly harder than my bed at home. I wondered how Uncle JA felt on that first night.

Morning came quickly. The missionaries who gave me a place to sleep for the night had responsibilities for the day so I was on my own. I decided to spend the half day I had by visiting Old Delhi. Even though Uncle JA had arrived in the city of Bombay not Delhi, Old Delhi is a part of town that would get me as close to what Uncle JA would have seen as any place.

More of this on the Carson Center Website.

Here is an entry from the Mennonite Church USA Archives about my great, great Uncle and Aunt.

J. A. Ressler (1867-1936) was a pioneer Mennonite missionary serving in India from 1899 to 1908. He worked at the Mennonite Publishing House from 1911 to 1936 as an editor of the Gospel Herald. He also served as an evangelist, Bible instructor, a bishop in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference, a member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Mission Board, and as a member of many General Conference committees.

Lina Zook Ressler (1869-1848) was a worker in the Chicago Mennonite Mission, a missionary in India 1903-1908, and a writer and editor of materials especially for children’s papers.

I am headed to India to set up plans for Tabor trips to India during the next academic year. I will be blogging about my trip using the Carson Center blog. Here is the link:

A part of the trip is my personal pilgrimage to the place where Uncle JA began a work with the Mennonite Church 110 years ago. I will be visiting almost 100 years to the day he left. Maybe we could send students to the school or clinic that has now been in existance for a century.