The 2024 EMBA class will start their second module soon! For four days, they will explore the topic of People and Performance - Talent Management in Action. We're happy to have Prof. Monica Zaharie, human resources and organisational behaviour expert and Dr. Andrew Taylor, business management consultant, leading this learning experience for our EMBA students.
During this module, students will explore how to bring out the best in their teams and organisations. Monica's expertise in talent development is top-notch, while Andrew's global business experience adds depth to our discussions. Together, we'll learn how to find, nurture, and keep great talent. Monica will guide us through the intricacies of developing human capital, while Andrew will help us understand the global perspective.
So, get ready to unlock the potential of your team and organisations! Join us for a free session on Saturday, April 13, starting with 9 am, in order to meet the two lecturers and grab some ideas to apply within your organisation! Send an email to
We’ve prepared for you an interview with the two lecturers in order to better understand their background, discover how they are related to talent management and why we invited them to teach for this Executive MBA programme validated by Buckingham University.
Monica Zaharie is a Professor at Babeș-Bolyai University. Her research interests are in the fields of HR and organisational behaviour, and she has published in top international journals such as Business Ethics, Scientometrics, European Management Journal, Employee Relations, and Multinational Business Review. She is a journal editor and co-author of several books in talent management published by Sage Publications and Palgrave Macmillan. She has been managing several international projects and is in charge of the alumni and the career faculty centres.
With a background in Psychology, Monica has international teaching experience, certified by several teaching awards, and is currently the module leader for BA and MA level Human Resource Management courses.
TEE: Monica, please describe your professional experience in a few words. Monica: My research and teaching are in the field of human resource management. Alongside my academic experience, I actively participate in developing collaborative projects with companies and in strengthening the links between the educational institutions and the economic environment.
TEE: What inspires you?
Monica: I am inspired by many things around me. I strongly believe in the benefits of education, viewing continuous learning as a catalyst for personal and societal progress. I find inspiration in the professional individuals I encounter, in field presentations and various professional events I attend, and especially in the smiles on people's faces.
TEE: Why do you find talent management so interesting?
Monica: I find talent management to be intriguing. While it poses tremendously relevant strategic choices for companies, it also challenges decision-makers in identifying efficient ways to adopt a talent management approach. Do we aim for an exclusive or inclusive approach? Are we aware of who the A performers are, and do we support them enough? Alternatively, if we follow an inclusive approach, are we truly fostering each individual’s talent?
TEE: What research projects do you have right now?
Monica: I am currently working on several research projects. Firstly, I am focusing on servant leadership and its role in buffering the negative impact of workplace incivility faced by employees. Secondly, I am investigating the impact of surveillance and monitoring technologies used by employers on employees' intrinsic motivation. Third, I am interested in the relationship between talent management, presenteeism, and potential side effects on work - life balance.
TEE: What was the last book that you read that made you think differently?
Monica: I love reading research journal papers, as they nurture our curiosity. On a more therapeutic note, I enjoyed the book Iubește și fii iubit(ă) written by Domnica Petrovai, along with any reading that aids in self-awareness and provides insights into human behavior.
Andrew Taylor has more than 20 years of business experience across Europe, North America & Asia, as a head-hunter, management consultant, interim HR Director, learning facilitator, and business school lecturer on Human Resources Management, Leadership & Organisational Change, Complexity & Network Thinking, and Research Methods at MBA level for the Buckingham University, Hull University Business School and Staffordshire University.
He has a Ph.D. from the University of Cardiff. Andrew has worked for a wide range of multinational clients such as Coca-Cola, Holcim, AIG, PwC, GSK, IKEA, Deloitte, Orange, Volksbank, ING, Avon, Vodafone, Banca Transilvania, Rottaprint, and many more. The founder of Connect CEE (consulting) and Endike Associates (executive search), he has also written for current affairs magazines & academic journals. Since 2014, he is leading the Transilvania Executive Education team in developing executive programmes and bringing to Cluj international academics and business experts.
TEE: Describe your professional experience in a few words.
Andrew: I am specialised in teams, leadership and organisational change. I teach, do consulting work and write articles/books about these complex challenges for various companies and universities on three continents.
TEE: What inspires you? (individuals, books, etc)
Andrew: I am inspired by music with lyrics and books with words that make me think. The first time that I read Hunter S. Thompson, as a student, I realised that somebody else saw the world like I did. The Smiths and Paul Heaton speak to me musically. The University of Hull, as a student, changed my life. I was incredibly lucky with my lecturers and have been hugely inspired by my PhD supervisor Prof. Andrew Flynn. Perhaps the network of friends that I made have been even more powerful though and some I still work with today. In the end, I learnt a sense of mission to use critical thinking to change the world and have tried to share this passion with others, in the same way it was imparted to me, ever since.
TEE: Why do you find talent management so interesting?
Andrew: The management of people defines how we represent ourselves as a society. If we are serious about improving the world, the way that we evaluate, develop and attribute status to people will define our success. What could be more important?
TEE: What research projects do you have right now?
Andrew: I am working on a project exploring how technology is changing migration and interviewing Romanian re-pats with a colleague, two articles with MBA alumni, editing a book on artificial intelligence and editing a book on the politics of disruption. I am the co-author of a book designed to help teachers teach climate change shortly.
TEE: What was the last book that you read that made you think differently?
Andrew: Professionally Gillian Tett's: Anthro-Vision provided both inspiration and tools to apply critical thinking to powerfully improve outcomes. Personally, I enjoyed Where The Crawdad's Sing very much.
Guest Speakers
APRIL 12 – How is CSR related to employee engagement
Guest: Sonia Ilea, EMBA alumni of University of Buckingham / Group Manager Platform Services at Emerson
Friday, face-to-face, from 6 pm
Sonia Ilea, Group Manager Services Platform at Emerson is our guest speaker for the first Executive Talk during People and Performance. Talent Management in action module. Sonia graduated this year from the Executive MBA programme validated by Buckingham University. Her dissertation - Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Engagement. The Role of Psychological Meaningfulness in a Multinational Environment received a distinction recognising the research work done by Sonia.
We invite you to join her talk on Friday, from 6 pm. Please register here if you want to attend the in-person event. The talk will be 1-hour long and will explore How is CSR related to employee engagement.
Below you can find Sonia’s answers to our 5 short interview questions prepared for this talk.
TEE: Describe your professional experience in a few words.
Sonia: Leading people and helping them grow, working together towards the company goals, in a continuous improvement mindset and a safe and positive climate. I operated in the Hotel Industry and Industrial Automationfor more than 17 years in areas like planning, procurement, warehouse, inventory management, and shared services.
TEE: What inspires you? (individuals, books, etc)
Sonia: What inspires me is the pursuit of innovation and continuous improvement. I'm driven by the challenge of pushing boundaries, exploring new approaches, and constantly striving for more. However, what truly fuels my inspiration is the opportunity to support others in their endeavors. Whether it's collaborating on projects, sharing insights, or lending a helping hand, I find immense satisfaction in contributing to the success of those around me. Ultimately, it's this collective effort towards growth and excellence that keeps me motivated and inspired every day.
TEE: How does a strong Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative impact employee engagement within your organization?
Sonia: Strong CSR positively impacts employee engagement by providing a sense of purpose, pride, and satisfaction, boosting morale, attracting and retaining talent, promoting collaboration, and enhancing the organization's reputation. CSR initiatives can foster a positive work environment by promoting a culture of giving back and caring for others.
TEE: In your opinion, what are the most critical leadership qualities for navigating today's rapidly changing business landscape, and how do you cultivate them in yourself and your team?
Sonia: In today's dynamic business landscape, critical leadership qualities include adaptability, visionary thinking, resilience, emotional intelligence, collaborative leadership, and decision-making agility. To cultivate these qualities in themselves and their teams, executives can encourage openness to change, strategic foresight, resilience under pressure, empathy, teamwork, and efficient decision-making.
TEE: Why do you find CSR so interesting?
Sonia: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is fascinating in today's business environment due to its multifaceted impact. It is a strategic approach that integrates social and environmental concerns into a company's operations and interactions with stakeholders. What makes CSR intriguing is its potential to drive positive change while also delivering tangible benefits to businesses, such as enhanced reputation, employee engagement, and long-term sustainability. Studying CSR offers insights into how companies can create shared value for both society and shareholders, aligning financial success with social impact - a crucial consideration for executives navigating increasingly complex global challenges.
APRIL 13 – An HR guide to supporting Neurodiverse employees.
Guest speaker: Vanessa Oakes, Senior Human Resources Manager at AMETEK GB
Saturday, online, from 2 pm. Please register here in order to receive the link.
Vanessa Oakes has 20-years’ experience in operational and strategic HR, combined with teaching HR qualifications at Staffordshire University (2011-2022). Her experience ranges from SMEs to medium-sized professional services organisations to large manufacturing organisations. Her motivations are to improve the employment experience for both employees and managers by focusing on the business impact of HR initiatives and ensuring that both groups are equipped to do what is expected of them. Her talk 'An HR guide to supporting Neurodiverse employees' explores what HR should be doing to encourage neurodiverse applicants into our organisations, as well as how we support their continued employment.