Dr. Athol Williams holds the following positions at the University of Oxford, UK:
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Lecturer in Management, Saïd Business School (see profile)
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Research Associate, Hertford College (see profile)
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Lecturer in Management (till July 2024), St Peter's College (see profile)
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Visiting Tutor, St Catherine's College
He teaches the following subjects:
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Strategic management
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Strategic management & ethics
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Financial & management accounting
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General management
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Entrepreneurship & innovation
His research interests include:
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Strategy formulation – focus on organisational and cognitive processes for strategy formulation, including the interplay between strategy and ethics, and the interplay between strategy, corporate finance and risk management.
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Self-leadership – research-based tools for personal excellence and leadership by example. This involves developing approaches to personal leadership and exploring the challenges of an ethical personal and professional life.
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Corporate moral responsibility – debates over corporate responsibility for justice and social development, dilemmas of pursuing ethical business practice, tools for ethical decision-making, tools for corporate amends after wrongdoing, and corporate governance required to oversee and ensure compliance with these responsibilities.
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Reparative justice – philosophical justifications and pragmatic approaches for making amends for current and historical injustices by different institutions including nations, social groups, corporations and universities.
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The possibility of poetry – exploring the possibility of poetry as prayer, as forms of social connection, particularly in fostering peace. Exploring poetry as philosophy.
Williams holds seven degrees in a range of subjects (political philosophy, ethics, public administration, finance, business and engineering) as follows:
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PhD, University of Oxford, UK
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MPhil, University of Oxford, UK
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MSc (Political theory), London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK
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MPA, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA
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MSc (Finance), London Business School, UK
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MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management, USA
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BSc (Engineering), University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
His previous academic roles include (all in South Africa):
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Senior Lecturer, Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town
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Research Fellow, Centre for Applied Ethics, University of Stellenbosch
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Adjunct Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
Williams serves on the Academic Advisory Board of the Journal of Indentureship and its Legacies, and is a member of the Scholars & Practitioners Network of the Corporate Responsibility Initiative at Harvard University. He is the co-founder of Read to Rise, a youth literacy organisation, and founder of the Institute of Social & Corporate Ethics, a research-based advocacy organisation.
Presentations / Guest Lectures
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“Management Consulting: The Good, the Bad and the Dangerous,” Hertford College, Oxford, 2022
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“Why Good Companies Do Bad Things,” Said Business School, Oxford, 2022
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“Why Good Companies Do Bad Things,” EM Normandie, France, 2022
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“Why Good Companies Do Bad Things,” Asia School of Business, Malaysia, 2022
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“Whistleblowing: Personal agenda, employee loyalty and public interest,” Head, Heart and Hertford, Hertford College, 2022 & 2023
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“After the Scandal: An Ethics-based Approach to Corporate Reparations,” Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town, 2019.
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“Value creation in a responsible manner: Corporate Responsibility 2.0,” Good Governance Academy, South Africa, 2019
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“Building Ethically-Responsible Organisations,” The Ethics Institute, 2019
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“Getting it Right: A Corporate Responsibility Framework,” University of Cape Town, 2019
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“The Ethics of Social Enterprise: A Reflection,” Values-Based Entrepreneurship & Social Impact Conference, University of Cape Town, 2019
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“Social Cohesion and Philanthropy,” IPASA Conference, University of Stellenbosch, 2019
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“The Justice Batting Order: When Should the Corporation Act to Remedy Injustice?” Priority in Practice Conference, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, 2018
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“Applying Business Insights to Improve School Systems,” Harvard Education Series, Harvard University, 2012
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‘After the Scandal: An Ethics-based Approach to Corporate Reparations’ UCT, 2019
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‘Getting it Right: A Corporate Responsibility Framework’, UCT, 2019
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‘Value creation in a responsible manner’ Good Governance Academy, 2019
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‘Building Ethically-Responsible Organisations’ The Ethics Institute, 2019
Academic workshops / panels
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“Leadership & Poetry,” Said Business School, Oxford, 2023
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“Healing the Wounds of History from Lebanon to Europe, and South Africa to Northern Ireland,” John Porter Diplomacy Centre, Hertford College, Oxford 2023
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“Inside State Capture,” South Africa Discussion Group, St Antony’s, University of Oxford, 2022
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“Poverty in all its dimensions,” Human Welfare Conference, Green Templeton College, Oxford, 2018
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“Evidence in Action,” Human Welfare Conference, Green Templeton College, Oxford, 2018
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“An Account of Responsible Corporate Practice in the Presence of Enduring Social Injustice,” Journal of Business Ethics Workshop, Nottingham Business School, 2018
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“Corporations and Justice,” Africa Society Symposium, Linacre College, University of Oxford, 2017
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“SME Financing,” Africa Development Conference, Harvard University, 2013
Keynote Addresses
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“Inside State Capture,” Hertford Reunites, Hertford College, University of Oxford, 2022
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“Learning to See,” International Perspectives Conference, Principia College, St Louis, USA, 2021
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“Stopping Corruption and Other Corporate Crimes,” CFO Finance Conference, 2019.
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“A Life of Possibility: Me, You, Us,” Actuarial Society of South Africa, 2017
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“Oppressed to Inspired,“ Engineering Faculty Awards, University of Cape Town, 2017
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Graduation Speaker – Milpark Business School 2021
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Graduation Speaker - AFDA Durban, 2021
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Graduation Speaker, Salesians Institute Youth Projects, Cape Town, 2018
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Glitz and the Ritz, Salvation Army, Sarasota FL, USA, 2017
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Old Mutual Staff Volunteerism Awards, Cape Town, 2017