In his new role as president of the Academy of International Business (AIB) for 2021-2022, Dr Farok Contractor will be "responsible for the strategic direction of the Academy” whilst presiding over all meetings of the Academy and of the executive board, notes the website
www.aib.world. The 63-year-old body is an association of around 3,500 members, mainly academics and a few strategists studying global business, with 13 chapters in 89 countries.
As AIB’s main governing body, the executive board that Contractor heads is "responsible for setting the overall direction of our association and developing specific policies to achieve that vision. Each member is appointed to the board through a rigorous nomination and election process,” adds the website. To ensure that AIB functions optimally, the board oversees the activities of the international chapters and special interest groups such as Research Methods Group and the Emerging Markets Group.
Contractor is further expected to preside over efforts to secure additional funding from foundations and Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) aided by the US Department of Education to promote AIB’s presence in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Distinguished Professor in the Management and Global Business Department at Rutgers Business School, Contractor’s research has focused on foreign direct investment, in particular the negotiated, inter-firm aspects of international business such as alliances including joint ventures, licensing and negotiations between investors and governments. Having already served a prior term on the AIB’s executive board from 1992 to 1994, he was included on the executive board of the Academy of Management’s International
Management Division from 1995 to 2000, according to his bio data.
Rated by several surveys as among the top-ranked contributors of scholarly papers to his field, his globalbusiness.blog has been read by persons from 172 countries. His note to viewers specifies: "This site will dig deep, occasionally question conventional wisdom, and provoke thought in a fresh, even-handed manner that encourages discussion. For example: We read that a frighteningly high amount of US Treasury debt is held by foreigners. Should we be worried about that?... We read that multinational corporations massively avoid taxes, to the tune of trillions, over the decades. But if governments offer them loopholes, is it their duty toward shareholders to take advantage of legal loopholes?...”
At Rutgers he has assumed varied roles: chaired or been on the supervisory committees of 19 doctoral dissertations on International Strategic Management topics; been chair for the International Business Department; research director of CIBER; been coordinator for the PhD program in International Business, the Dean’s Leadership Council, International Study Program and other initiatives. He has taught at the graduate level and conducted executive seminars in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
A graduate in mechanical engineering from the Bombay University, Contractor completed his Masters in industrial engineering from the University of Michigan and then earned his PhD and MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Holding the Fulbright Fellowship and Unilever Fellowship, he has written over a hundred scholarly papers and authored/edited 11 books in his field of specialization.
Whilst keeping a vigilant eye on international business trends, Contractor makes time for his avocations that include canoeing, history and restoring antiques.