Lans Bovenberg appointed as Professor of Relational Economics, Values and Leadership

Lans Bovenberg will be focusing on relational economics, which is based on a more relational view of humanity than the rational and self-centered homo economicus. Alternative models of economic behaviour and relationships are derived from insights from psychology, sociology and the humanities and yield a more relational view on governance of business relationships. Furthermore he will be exploring the impact of values on the governance of organisations.

Valorisation

In collaboration with the Erasmus Center for Relational Economics, Values & Leadership and based on new economic thinking, Bovenberg will develop concrete products that help companies to develop more relational governance, leadership and business cultures.  A good example of such a product is Revalue, which combines inspiration, diagnostics of values, executive and team coaching, reporting and certification. Bovenberg will also support networks of business leaders, academics, teachers and students who are interested in transforming mainline economic thinking in a more relational direction.  One of those networks is ERGO (Economics, Religion, Governance & Organisation), an interdisciplinary network of economists, philosophers and theologians from Tilburg University, Erasmus University Rotterdam and VU University Amsterdam.

As regards teaching, Lans Bovenberg plans to develop a course on relational economics (possibly in the context of a new master track developed in collaboration with Rethinking Economics) and a course for high-school economics teachers. The goal of these courses is to present a greater diversity of models of human behavior based on a more relational view on the subject of economics.

Alumnus Lans Bovenberg

Lans Bovenberg is an alumnus of Erasmus School of Economics. In 1981 he obtained his MSc in econometrics based on a thesis under the guidance of Emeritus Professor Teun Kloek.