Background

Dr. Deborah Hazzard, MBA, CDE®, PASC serves as Associate Dean for Access, Opportunity and Community Engagement at the Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina (USA). She leads global access and opportunity strategic initiatives and has been instrumental in building numerous impactful academic pipeline, pathway and community engagement programs. Hazzard transitioned into academia following a career in business where she spent more than 20 years building and nurturing strategic business relationships, alliances, and collaborations in both the public and private sectors.

Dr. Hazzard is a full professor (clinical/professional track), Management Department, and teaches in the areas of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, stakeholder management, leadership and talent management. She is also passionate about business ethics, cross-cultural communication, and intercultural competence. Hazzard is recognized for her leadership in advancing inclusive and ethical business practices, as well as her commitment to sustainability and high-impact educational practices. She is a certified Hogan Assessments Administrator, and a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and Intercultural Conflict Styles (ICS) assessments.

Her research interests include global commerce, innovation and sustainability, with an emphasis on the leadership and economic factors impacting businesses and communities in southern Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She is also passionate about financial inclusion and economic mobility. Hazzard has participated in Center for International Business Education Research (CIBER) Faculty Development in Business (FDIB) programs to China (2017) and southern Africa (2025).

She hopes her efforts will ultimately help address pervasive economic and social inequality that persists across the globe while leading to more ethical, inclusive, socially responsible, and competitive enterprises. When asked what inspires her about her current work, Hazzard says: “I want to make a difference in the lives of others and inspire them to make a difference in the lives of those who come behind them. As Maya Angelou eloquently penned, 'When you get, give. When you learn, teach.'”

Hazzard is founder of Strategic Insights Consulting and Coaching, LLC, a global management consulting, leadership development and coaching firm. A highly sought-after thought-leader, public speaker and facilitator, she creates value through strategic collaborations, social impact, responsible leadership, community engagement and professional development.

Expand allWhy should a student take your class? How does your class help students become employable?

My goal is to help students make the connection between theory and practice so they are better able to engage in a real-world business context. I want them to be successful in their career endeavors! That said, critical thinking and analysis activities (such as business case analyses) are heavily integrated into my courses in order to expose students to practical situations and scenarios. I also draw from my professional network to provide guest speakers that lead to richer, more meaningful learning and networking experiences for my students.

What do you research?

I am intrigued by strategic business collaborations, particularly in undeveloped and developing economies, in order to meet the needs of these underserved markets. I am particularly interested in the proliferation of emerging technologies (such as wireless mobile devices and mobile payments) in emerging and undeveloped markets and the far-reaching impact on consumers in these markets.

How do your research projects make a difference?

Ultimately, I hope my research will help address pervasive economic, social, and environmental inequality that persists across the globe while leading to more ethical, inclusive, socially responsible, and competitive enterprises.

What inspires you about your work?

I became a professor to share knowledge, insights, and experiences with students in an effort to make a difference in their lives and careers. Along my academic and professional journey, people took the time to do the same for me, and in doing so they educated, empowered, and inspired me. Needless to say, it truly made a difference with respect to my personal and professional development and relative to my overall progression. I want to make a difference in the lives of others and inspire them to make a difference in the lives of those who come behind them. The quote shown below sums it all up for me:

“When you get, give. When you learn, teach.” –Maya Angelou

What are you doing when you're not working?

In my free time, I spend quality time with my immediate and extended family.