Student's multidisciplinary research and collaboration leads to "business pitch" and a search for a way to alleviate global poverty
Not to mention weekly meetings with the dean.
Name: Chris Genualdi, '09
Major: Leadership Studies
Minors: History, Law and the Liberal Arts
Activities: Richmond Class Cabinet, Philanthropy Chair for Sigma Chi
- Listen to Genualdi discuss his research
Research can open the doors to some amazing opportunities.
Just ask Chris Genualdi.
Thanks to research he conducted during his senior year, the leadership studies major was able to pursue an idea for a business that won Richmond's second annual "business pitch" competition and could revolutionize the way we wake up, study whether multinational corporations can help alleviate global poverty, and meet weekly with his thesis adviser - Jepson School Dean Sandra Peart.
Thanks to his research, the leadership studies major can now add entrepreneur, scholar, "business pitch" winner and humanitarian to his undergraduate portfolio.
"Jepson gave me the ability to look at a problem from multiple perspectives and find a solution that is both effective and ethical, as well as an appreciation for social responsibility," said Genualdi. "The approach that I've taken with my research is multidisciplinary in the way that leadership studies is. All of it is a mix between political science, philosophy and economics, so it's looking at a problem from all of those different perspectives."
Because Genualdi says leadership studies is ultimately "about acting ethically," he chose to focus on global poverty for his senior thesis. He got the idea while studying abroad in Bihar, a severely impoverished region in India. He wanted to help but says that he wanted to do more than simply hand out money to beggars on the street. It wasn't until he returned to campus that he figured out he wanted to do research on whether multinational corporations can help alleviate poverty.
"I took a class called leadership in socially active businesses that opened my eyes to how companies can help out with social issues," Genualdi said. "So I wanted to find out if global poverty can be alleviated through the process of globalization, expanding markets and the rise of multinational corporations."
Through research on his thesis, "Profitable Development: How Multinational Corporations Help Alleviate Global Poverty," he concluded that there is evidence that investment from multinational corporations helps spur economic growth through technology spillover, by providing income to foreign populations, and by building human capital and helping economies function better.
To make sure he was on the right track, Genualdi met weekly with Dean Sandra Peart. Genualdi admits he was a little nervous when one of his professors suggested that he ask the dean to advise his research. It turned out to be a good match.
"I wanted someone with a background relevant to what I wanted to do research on. I met with her and she was open and receptive to the idea, and it all worked out from there. She has been really supportive in whatever avenues I chose to go down in my research."
In addition, Genualdi says he has a new appreciation and understanding of conducting empirical research, and a newfound confidence in being able to talk about globalization, politics and economics thanks to the weekly meetings and his research.
That's a good thing. If things work out, the leadership studies major hopes to have his own business one day. Genualdi and Daniel Brunt, a business major, came up with the idea to sell small capsules with pleasing aromas while studying abroad. They did their research and pitched their business plan for Sniff-Stick LLC during Richmond's second annual "business pitch" competition this spring, and the rest is the sweet smell of success. The duo beat out stiff competition and took home a $2,000 prize. Their motto? "Wake up and breathe happy." Article
Genualdi says the pitch was so successful in part because of the cross-school collaboration between himself and Brunt.
"Our different perspectives allowed us to really come up with innovative and effective ideas for creating this business," he said. "With his business background and my leadership studies background, we were able to look at the business and research it from all different angles."