$$News and Reports$$

Aug. 13, 2018


A ceremony to welcome the new Dean Pro​f. Miki Malul was held at the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management (GGFBM) on Aug. 1, 2018, in the presence of BGU Rector Prof. Chaim (Harvey) Hames  and the outgoing Dean Prof. Oded Lowengart

This occasion was Rector Prof. Hames's first duty in his new role. As former Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof. Hames had enjoyed working with outgoing Dean Prof. Lowengart on strategic committees of the University. He went on to compliment the vast accomplishments of Prof. Lowengart in his two terms, highlighting the unparalleled productivity of internationally high-ranked research of the faculty members, the internationalization of the Faculty in student and faculty exchange and the notable strides in multi-disciplinary and inter-Faculty cooperation in curriculum, research and innovation competitions. 

Prof. Oded Lowengart expressed his profound appreciation to the entire faculty and staff members, lauding the implausible form of cooperation, the spirit of teamwork and volunteering for committees and tasks beyond the call of duty. “I thank each and every one of you for making my demanding role rewarding. I wish you, Miki, the greatest success as Dean."        


    Above left to right: Incoming Dean Prof. Malul (left) presents Prof. Lowengart with a gift of heartfelt wishes from faculty and staff.                


In his remarks, Prof. Malul noted deep appreciation for the outgoing Dean for his achievements in propelling excellence in all aspects of the GGFBM: “You held us to the highest standards, you pushed us to conform to what we nicknamed 'Oded's List' of the highest-ranked scientific publications. Your inspiration is indelibly printed on all of us, and on our Faculty's image and vision well into the future." 

Prof. Malul went on to explain to the faculty and staff his vision in promoting the Faculty. “I believe in further strengthening the Faculty, based on academic quality and the significant impact the Faculty can have on Israeli society, especially in the Negev. I view social responsibility in academics as the pivotal axis of excellence. My concept of social values is inseparable from my academic identity. The way I got to academia was completely coincidental… " 

Malul told the guests that after his military service, he was a contracted worker in a plastics factory in the Negev town Yeruham, and his dream was to be employed by the factory as a machine operator. But the factory was in trouble and fired all the contracted workers. For lack of work, his life plan was cut short. This is where the decision to turn to higher education was made. "In my eyes, higher education is a key element in creating economic growth, and just as important, a way to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, between the center and the periphery." 

Regrettably, the course Malul took is not typical of the massive number of underemployed in Israel and around the world. This inspired Prof. Malul and his research partners Liran Koren and Prof. Israel Luski who carried out their study Employment as a Poverty Trap, published in the Journal of Employment Counseling and cited in the financial journals Calcalist and TheMarker.

"If we think about it for a moment, we are one of the most influential Faculties on society and on the economy in Israel. The amassment we provide managers and decision-makers with has tremendous potential for impact on society and on the economy."

"The direction we take together will be management with social responsibility," said Prof. Malul.  "A manager with a reservoir of social responsibility, who takes into account a broad vision in his business considerations that include society and the environment, will ultimately be a better manager, a more sought-after manager. This is the combination that will give us a unique and competitive edge over all Faculties of Management in Israel and perhaps even in the world." 

"The students and candidates who understand that this is the place to get significant added value with a degree in management will want to come here! I believe that the GGFBM can be a useful hub of knowledge that will enable involvement in business and social life in Israel and thus help build a better and healthier society. "

Prof. Miki Malul was born and raised in the Negev city of Dimona, which he holds in high regard for its excellent educational system and wonderful people. Today, he and his wife Mary and their three children live in Beer-Sheva. 

Malul completed all three of his academic degrees with honors at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev: BA (cum laude) and MA (summa cum laude) Economics and PhD (summa cum laude) from the GGFBM. His dissertation topic was Decision on Location and Economic Efficiency in a Regional System. 

From 2005, Prof. Malul has served as faculty member in the GGFBM Department of Public Policy and Administration, and the past year served as Department Chair. He serves on countless pedagogical and strategic committees in the GGFBM and BGU. 

Prof. Malul serves as an ad hoc judge for international journals and as referee for the grant committees of the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF). Recently, he became Chairman of the Referee Grant Committee of the Ministry of Science and Technology; he is a member of the Taub Center; he serves as an advisor and member of the Regional Development Forum of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, and economic advisor for many regional development bodies in the Negev including the IDF. 

Malul has so far published over 50 articles in international refereed journals. His fields of research lie particularly in labor market policy, inequity, correlation between incentives and performance, economic development of peripheral regions. Due to his expertise in economics and public policy, Malul is often quoted in the financial news journals Calcalist, DeMarker, Globes and others. 

A highly regarded lecturer, Prof. Malul is three-time recipient of the Rector's Certificate of Outstanding Merit in Teaching. He is also recipient of the Dean's award of Outstanding Merit in Research in 2015. 

Together with his reseach partners Dr. Mosi Rosenboim  (GGFBM Department of Management Chair) and Prof. Amir Shoham (Temple University) he established "The Page of Economics that Works for Us" on Facebook dealing in fair economy: “Together we can influence burning economic issues where they hurt, where the economic consequences do not serve the socio-economic interest."