For a number of years now, I've shown the 1941 film version of G.B. Shaw's
Major Barbara to my Business Communication students. I even presented about my experiences introducing business students to Shaw at a conference held at the
Shaw Festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake in 2017.
Some of my colleagues there suggested that I publish my findings. Academic publishing rarely runs at lightning speed, but I'm glad to say that now, two years later, an article based on my experiences is appearing in
SHAW: The Journal of Bernard Shaw Studies. I haven't received my paper copy yet, but it's already available on
Project Muse.
The article is entitled "Undershaft in B-School: Responses of Business Students to
Major Barbara." I am very grateful to students who gave me permission to use (anonymously) excerpts from their writing about
Major Barbara. I frequently offer students an optional extra-credit assignment writing about their interpretation of the story, so I had plenty of writing to draw upon when giving examples of the responses of business students.
And what do business students think of the play (or at least of the movie based upon it)? For that, you'll have to read the article!
