Research interests

Social Philosophy

Social enablement theory of justice | Social ethics & economic growth | Moral sources of

social & political conflict | Democracy & business | Duties of citizenship

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Philosophy of Business

Corporate justice responsibility | Business strategy & ethics | Ethics & corporate risk management |

Corporate reparations | Ethics of management consulting | Ethical leadership

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Philosophy of Being

Suffering & meaning | Positive psychology | Spirituality & creativity | Spirituality & social peace | Biocentrism

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Current appointments (part-time)

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, UK
                                                                                                                       

Research Associate, Porter Diplomacy Centre, Hertford College

• Leading research in business, democracy and peace
   

Tutor, St Catherine's College

• Teach Business Strategy & Ethics to visiting undergraduate students 
   

Seminar Leader, Blavatnik School of Government

• Teach Political Philosophy & Public Policy to masters students

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Past roles

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, UK                                                                                                                       

Tutor, Department of Politics and International Relations

• Taught Advanced Paper in Theories of Justice to PPE students
   

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN, South Africa                                                                                                      

Senior Lecturer, Graduate School of Business                                                                                           

• Taught Company Analysis to MBA students, covering financial, strategic and operational analysis for an actual company. Students produced a report of analysis and improvement recommendations. 

• Taught Ethical Decision-Making to postgraduate diploma and Executive Education students.

• Designed Management Consulting specialization stream for MBA students.
   

Visiting Lecturer, Graduate School of Business                                                                                             

• Taught Strategy to Executive Education students

• External examiner for MBA Strategy course

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UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, South Africa                                                               

Adjunct Professor, School of Governance; Business School

• Taught Corporate Finance to MBA students

 

UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH, South Africa                                                                              

Research Fellow, Centre for Applied Ethics, Philosophy Department

• Member of PROSPER (Promoting Social & Political Ethics Research)
   

Publications

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Academic Journals & Book Chapters

 

Williams, A., “Ranking Agents of Justice: When Should the Corporation Act?” St Antony's International Review, vol. 14, no. 1, 2018, pp. 83-102.

 

Williams, A., “Prose and Poetry: Shining light on the popular imagination of the idea of South Africa,” in The Contested Idea of South Africa, edited by Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni & Busani Ngcaweni, 2022, Routledge, Abingdon.

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Journal Papers under Review

 

Williams, A., “All Hands on Deck: Why All Companies, Not Only Pharmaceutical Companies, Bear Responsibility To Fight TB,” Submitted to: The Lancet as part of the journal’s Philosophy and Health Series.

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Professional Journals

 

Williams, A., “The Responsible Company: Identifying and prioritising corporate responsibilities,”

                      The Corporate Report, vol. 9, no. 2, 2019

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Williams, A., “The Responsible Company,” Accountancy SA, November 2019

 

Williams, A., “Lower Financial Results: Market Slowdown or Poor Management?,” Management Today, vol. 25, no. 5, 2009

 

Williams, A., “Strategy Implementation Requires Bold Leadership,” Management Today, vol.23, no.2, 2007

 

Public-Interest Reports

 

Williams, A., “How Companies Involved in State Capture Can Make Amends for Harm Caused,” Submitted to the SA State Capture Commission, 2021

 

Williams, A., “Bain and the Weakening of SARS,” Submitted to the Nugent Commission of Inquiry, 2018

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Education

 

DPhil       UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, Regents Park College, Political Philosophy, Expected 2023

                My research seeks to expand the scope of CSR to include duties of justice, particularly the positive duty for

                corporations to engage in extra-commercial activities to remedy and prevent structural injustice.   

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MPhil       UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, Hertford College, Political Theory, 2017

                Thesis: Corporations and Justice: Toward a Theory of Corporate Justice Responsibility

                 

MSc         LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE (LSE), Political Theory, 2014

                Thesis: People or Profit? Corporations’ Moral Responsibility to Constrain

                Profit-Seeking Practices in the Presence of Group Discrimination.            

                Awarded prize for Best Thesis in Political Theory

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MPA        HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Kennedy School of Government, Public Administration, 2013

                Fellow, Edward S. Mason Program in Public Policy and Management

                Awarded Lucius N. Littauer Award

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MSc        LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL, Finance, 1999

               Major in corporate finance and valuation

              

MBA       MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Sloan School of Management, 1996

               Major in strategic management and consulting

 

BSc        UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, Mechanical Engineering, 1992

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University Service

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UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, South Africa                                                                

• Director, Wits Enterprise – university-owned company charged with IP commercialisation

• Advisory Board, Wits Centre for Entrepreneurship – research and teaching entrepreneurship

• Elected Member, University Convocation – served on Executive Committee for full term

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