Eric Dent
Encyclopedia
Eric B. Dent, Ph.D. is the former Dean of the School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke
and has made important contributions to many interdisciplinary topics, especially the field of Complexity Theory
.
, Dent is the son of an IBM
employee; hence, his family moved six times, finally settling in Boca Raton, Florida
. He attended St. Andrew's School
, then attended Emory University, receiving M.S. and B.S. degrees in Computer Science. Dr. Dent then moved to Gaithersburg, Maryland where he worked for IBM, designing satellite communication systems. Dr. Dent later served as Vice President, Operations and General Manager of the Washington, DC office of the Todd Organization, a national executive compensation consulting firm. For several years Dr. Dent worked as a management consultant with Macro International . As Technical Director, he managed over $10 million of training and development contracts with the federal government. He most frequently consulted with The Royal Bank of Canada, The United States Navy
, and Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
In 1993, Dent founded Always Improvement, a management consulting firm dedicated to organizational improvement. His recent work has been in the areas of organizational change, consultation skills, team-building, conflict resolution, strategic planning, total quality management, leadership, and business process assessment.
In the same year, he began work on his M.B.A with a major in Organizational Behavior and Development and a minor in Finance. Mid-career, he began his doctoral work, receiving a Ph.D in Management and Organization from the School of Business and Public Management at George Washington University. During this time, he taught at the University of Maryland University College
, where he would later become the Executive Director of the Doctoral Programs.
During 2002-2003 Dent co-hosted LeaderTalk, a talk show in which CEOs and other thought leaders were interviewed about their business wisdom.
He began his tenure as Dean of the School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in August 2003 and ended July 2008. His tenure was marked by major strides being taken in faculty diversity and credentials, a large increase in international students, the establishment of an entrepreneurial center, and many other accomplishments.
He has also twice visited Cuba
, lecturing at the Biennial Seminar on the Philosophical, Epistemological and Methodological Implications of Complexity Theory conference, the second time speaking on "The Challenges of Observation, Inquiry, and Measurement in Complexity Theory."
Dent is a life-long Methodist, currently attending Chestnut Street UMC
in Lumberton, NC where he lives with his family. He is active in various groups in Robeson County, such as the Robeson Community Foundation, Robeson Economic Forum, and the Chamber of Commerce.
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke , also known as UNC Pembroke, is a public, co-educational, historically American Indian liberal arts university in the town of Pembroke in Robeson County, North Carolina....
and has made important contributions to many interdisciplinary topics, especially the field of Complexity Theory
Complexity theory and organizations
Complexity theory and organizations, also called complexity strategy or complex adaptive organization, is the use of Complexity theory in the field of strategic management and organizational studies.- Overview :...
.
Life
Born in Easton, PennsylvaniaEaston, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
, Dent is the son of an IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
employee; hence, his family moved six times, finally settling in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
. He attended St. Andrew's School
Saint Andrew's School (Boca Raton, Florida)
Saint Andrew's School – An Episcopal school founded in 1961, Saint Andrew’s School is a nationally recognized JK-12 day and boarding college preparatory school known for its academic excellence and education of the whole child – in mind, body, and spirit. It serves 1,300 students from local,...
, then attended Emory University, receiving M.S. and B.S. degrees in Computer Science. Dr. Dent then moved to Gaithersburg, Maryland where he worked for IBM, designing satellite communication systems. Dr. Dent later served as Vice President, Operations and General Manager of the Washington, DC office of the Todd Organization, a national executive compensation consulting firm. For several years Dr. Dent worked as a management consultant with Macro International . As Technical Director, he managed over $10 million of training and development contracts with the federal government. He most frequently consulted with The Royal Bank of Canada, The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
In 1993, Dent founded Always Improvement, a management consulting firm dedicated to organizational improvement. His recent work has been in the areas of organizational change, consultation skills, team-building, conflict resolution, strategic planning, total quality management, leadership, and business process assessment.
In the same year, he began work on his M.B.A with a major in Organizational Behavior and Development and a minor in Finance. Mid-career, he began his doctoral work, receiving a Ph.D in Management and Organization from the School of Business and Public Management at George Washington University. During this time, he taught at the University of Maryland University College
University of Maryland University College
The University of Maryland University College is located in the unincorporated community of Adelphi in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Serving over 90,000 students worldwide, UMUC is the largest 4-year public university in Maryland and one of the largest distance learning...
, where he would later become the Executive Director of the Doctoral Programs.
During 2002-2003 Dent co-hosted LeaderTalk, a talk show in which CEOs and other thought leaders were interviewed about their business wisdom.
He began his tenure as Dean of the School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in August 2003 and ended July 2008. His tenure was marked by major strides being taken in faculty diversity and credentials, a large increase in international students, the establishment of an entrepreneurial center, and many other accomplishments.
He has also twice visited Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, lecturing at the Biennial Seminar on the Philosophical, Epistemological and Methodological Implications of Complexity Theory conference, the second time speaking on "The Challenges of Observation, Inquiry, and Measurement in Complexity Theory."
Dent is a life-long Methodist, currently attending Chestnut Street UMC
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
in Lumberton, NC where he lives with his family. He is active in various groups in Robeson County, such as the Robeson Community Foundation, Robeson Economic Forum, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Annotated List of Works
- "America, A Proselytizing Society"
- "Can We Agree on the Force, and Call it God? Multi-disciplined Evidence and Organizational Implications"
- "The Observation, Inquiry, and Measurement Challenges Surfaced by Complexity Theory"
- “Worldview Assumptions: Paradigm Shift in Progress?”
- "Challenging Resistance to Change"
- "Seinfeld, Professor of Organizational Behavior: The Psychological Contract and Systems Thinking"
- Full List
Quotes
- "Complexity theoryComplex systemsComplex systems present problems in mathematical modelling.The equations from which complex system models are developed generally derive from statistical physics, information theory and non-linear dynamics, and represent organized but unpredictable behaviors of systems of nature that are considered...
is an approach to research, study, and perspective that is holistic, interdependent and nonhierarchical."