Erb Institute
Encyclopedia
The Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise is an interdisciplinary institute at the University of Michigan
fosters professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability – that is, meeting the fundamental needs of a growing human population in an equitable manner within the means of nature. The core educational activity of the Institute is the Master of Business Administration (MBA) / Master of Science (MS) Program, wherein students earn a MBA from the Ross School of Business
and an MS from University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment
(SNRE). The Erb Institute also delivers educational experiences for undergraduates, PhD students and executives. The Institute draws on faculty expertise throughout the University and has three core professors -- Thomas P. Lyon, Thomas N. Gladwin, and Andrew Hoffman
, who have joint appointments in Ross and SNRE.
The Erb Institute was created in 1996 via donations from Frederick A. Erb (BBA ’47) and his wife, Barbara, and is a partnership between the Stephen M. Ross School of Business
and the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) at the University of Michigan
.
The Institute attempts to foster professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability.
The Work of the Institute
• Focuses on advancing understanding of the complex dynamics of coupled human and natural systems in relation to economic activity;
• Promotes an interdisciplinary approach integrating the natural, social and engineering sciences;
• Links knowledge generation with social action by connecting scholars with practitioners in the search for creative strategies and approaches to transformation; and
• Relies on a strong collaborative network, both internally and externally, to accomplish its objectives.
Mission and Vision
The schools stated mission is to be a source of knowledge and leadership for the achievement of environmentally, economically and socially sustainable development and enterprise. To this end, the Institute works to foster professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability.
When the Erb Institute was founded in 1996, the University of Michigan
was home to a few, small-scale activities related to sustainable enterprise. Since then, the Institute has significantly expanded and aligned research, education and outreach efforts. The center's goals include continually expanding and integrating sustainable enterprise work within the larger University, with the ultimate goal of facilitating societal transformation through the development of leadership within the domain of sustainability.
Core competency
The primary stakeholders of the institute include hundreds of faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors and organizational partners.
Our Founders
Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb founded the Institute in 1996 with an endowment gift of $5 million. To date, they have made cumulative gifts totaling $20 million in support of the Institute.
Both Fred and Barbara were born and raised in the Detroit area. After graduating in 1941 from the Cranbrook Schools
in Bloomfield Hills, Fred Erb attended Cornell University
to study engineering. Having decided that he wanted to be an entrepreneur and "control his own destiny," Fred switched from engineering to business and achieved his BBA degree with honors in August 1947.
Fred undertook his first entrepreneurial opportunity through the acquisition of his uncle's lumber and coal business in Royal Oak, Michigan. At that time, the Erb Lumber Company had one store, seven employees, and revenues approaching $200,000, one third of which were generated from the sale of coal. Fred developed and expanded the enterprise and when he sold it to Carolina Builders in 1993 the Erb Lumber Company had 45 locations and approximately $300 million in sales. Fred continues to be active in real estate development and management, and in many other businesses including Edgemere Enterprises in Birmingham. His wife Barbara was active in numerous community service organizations and served on the boards of The Music Hall of Detroit and the Michigan Art Train. She was a member of the Women’s Committee of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and the local chapter of the National Farm and Garden Club.
Stephen M. Ross School of Business http://www.bus.umich.edu/
University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment http://www.snre.umich.edu/
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
fosters professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability – that is, meeting the fundamental needs of a growing human population in an equitable manner within the means of nature. The core educational activity of the Institute is the Master of Business Administration (MBA) / Master of Science (MS) Program, wherein students earn a MBA from the Ross School of Business
Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the business school of the University of Michigan. Numerous publications have ranked the Ross School of Business' Bachelor of Business Administration , Master of Business Administration and Executive Education programs among the top in the country and the...
and an MS from University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment
University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment
The School of Natural Resources and Environment was originally founded as the School of Forestry in 1927. Although originally housed in the Kraus Building, it is now housed in the S.T. Dana Building. SNRE provides graduate-level degrees at the doctorate and master's levels...
(SNRE). The Erb Institute also delivers educational experiences for undergraduates, PhD students and executives. The Institute draws on faculty expertise throughout the University and has three core professors -- Thomas P. Lyon, Thomas N. Gladwin, and Andrew Hoffman
Andrew Hoffman
Andrew J. Hoffman is a scholar of environmental issues and sustainable enterprise. He is the Holcim Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and where he is also associate-director of The Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise...
, who have joint appointments in Ross and SNRE.
The Erb Institute was created in 1996 via donations from Frederick A. Erb (BBA ’47) and his wife, Barbara, and is a partnership between the Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the business school of the University of Michigan. Numerous publications have ranked the Ross School of Business' Bachelor of Business Administration , Master of Business Administration and Executive Education programs among the top in the country and the...
and the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
The Institute attempts to foster professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability.
The Work of the Institute
• Focuses on advancing understanding of the complex dynamics of coupled human and natural systems in relation to economic activity;
• Promotes an interdisciplinary approach integrating the natural, social and engineering sciences;
• Links knowledge generation with social action by connecting scholars with practitioners in the search for creative strategies and approaches to transformation; and
• Relies on a strong collaborative network, both internally and externally, to accomplish its objectives.
Mission and Vision
The schools stated mission is to be a source of knowledge and leadership for the achievement of environmentally, economically and socially sustainable development and enterprise. To this end, the Institute works to foster professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability.
When the Erb Institute was founded in 1996, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
was home to a few, small-scale activities related to sustainable enterprise. Since then, the Institute has significantly expanded and aligned research, education and outreach efforts. The center's goals include continually expanding and integrating sustainable enterprise work within the larger University, with the ultimate goal of facilitating societal transformation through the development of leadership within the domain of sustainability.
Core competency
Core competency
A core competency is a concept in management theory originally advocated by CK Prahalad, and Gary Hamel, two business book writers. In their view a core competency is a specific factor that a business sees as being central to the way it, or its employees, works...
The primary stakeholders of the institute include hundreds of faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors and organizational partners.
Our Founders
Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb founded the Institute in 1996 with an endowment gift of $5 million. To date, they have made cumulative gifts totaling $20 million in support of the Institute.
Both Fred and Barbara were born and raised in the Detroit area. After graduating in 1941 from the Cranbrook Schools
Cranbrook Schools
Cranbrook Schools is a private, PK–12 school located on a campus in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The schools comprise a co-educational elementary school, a middle school with separate schools for boys and girls, and a co-educational high school with boarding facilities...
in Bloomfield Hills, Fred Erb attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
to study engineering. Having decided that he wanted to be an entrepreneur and "control his own destiny," Fred switched from engineering to business and achieved his BBA degree with honors in August 1947.
Fred undertook his first entrepreneurial opportunity through the acquisition of his uncle's lumber and coal business in Royal Oak, Michigan. At that time, the Erb Lumber Company had one store, seven employees, and revenues approaching $200,000, one third of which were generated from the sale of coal. Fred developed and expanded the enterprise and when he sold it to Carolina Builders in 1993 the Erb Lumber Company had 45 locations and approximately $300 million in sales. Fred continues to be active in real estate development and management, and in many other businesses including Edgemere Enterprises in Birmingham. His wife Barbara was active in numerous community service organizations and served on the boards of The Music Hall of Detroit and the Michigan Art Train. She was a member of the Women’s Committee of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and the local chapter of the National Farm and Garden Club.
External links
Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise http://www.erb.umich.eduStephen M. Ross School of Business http://www.bus.umich.edu/
University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment http://www.snre.umich.edu/