In a recent keynote speech, Ron Adner said, "Edison, Apple, Amazon—they thought about what else needs to happen, beyond the technological innovation. Edison looked at the lightbulb and saw the systems that needed to be built, and he went out and built them—including means to generate and transmit power, and the power meter, to bill for it."
Sydney Finkelstein comments on what Jack Dorsey needs to do to be successful as CEO of two companies. "To make something like this work, you have to have a world-class team around you."
Alva Taylor says there is a need to reform established philosophies and cultures when trying to pivot with technology in traditional enterprises. He states, “Managing that evolution requires rethinking longstanding trade-offs between standardization and innovation, efficiency and flexibility, and centralization and decentralization.”
Anant Sundaram comments on Dell’s purchase of data storage company EMC for $67 billion. He says, "Interest rates play a very small role in affecting mergers and acquisitions."
Concerning the Volkswagen scandal, Paul Argenti says "It may be many things, but my sense is that rather than a large conspiracy, it is yet another example of a company hell bent on growth whose performance culture created this problem rather than direct orders from the top of the company."
Adam Marcus T'07, managing partner at OpenView Venture Partners, explains why unicorn companies should focus more on execution than raising as much capital as possible.
Highlights the announcement that Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern T’09 will be running for governor of New Hampshire in the upcoming election.
Peter Fisher argues that one of the reasons we have such weak energy and commodity pricing is because the interest rate has been kept at zero for the past eight years. Fisher states, “The boom and bust cycle in energy and commodities is partly brought to us by the zero interest rate policies. The perverse consequences are coming home to roost.”
Sydney Finkelstein says Volkswagen's CEO should be held culpable in the diesel emissions scandal. “We don’t know if he did anything (illegal), but it is the job of the CEO to set the cultural and ethical standards and values in an organization.”
Chris Rivera T’08, director of Miller Lite, is highlighted as one of 27 individuals under 40 who are remaking business and culture in media, marketing, tech and entertainment industries.
Highlights Tuck in an article ranking business schools for career prospects based on a survey conducted by the Princeton Review that looks at the average starting salary and percentage of graduates employed after three months. Princeton Review ranks Tuck fourth, citing an average starting salary for graduates of $117,860.
Quotes Dawna Clarke on Tuck’s applicant-initiated interviews. “At Tuck every applicant has the opportunity to visit campus, not only for an interview but to sit in on a class with a current student, attend an information session with an admissions officer, take a student-led tour and have lunch with current students.”
Andrew King comments on how the widespread use of point-and-click data-analysis software has made it easy for researchers to sift through massive data sets without fully understanding the methods.
Stephen Pidgeon comments on marketing managers in the media industry who need to develop the art of analytics stating, “Media is more and more about bringing analytics and creativity together and using the analysis to drive decisions.”
Andrew King argues that a majority of the examples cited in support of the theory do not fit the model. “We’ve shown that the theory is not very explanatory, it’s not very predictive, and it can only be narrowly applied.”
Quotes Sydney Finkelstein on the recent appointment of Jack Dorsey as the CEO of Twitter while also the full-time chief executive of mobile-payments firm Square. Finkelstein believes the people in Dorsey's professional inner circle will be crucial to him, perhaps more than they've ever been.
Quotes a recent report on competitiveness in which Matthew Slaughter wrote, "Since 1990, skilled STEM immigrants have … accounted for at least a third of total U.S. productivity growth."
Lebanon-based FreshAir Sensor, cofounded by Jack O’Toole T'14, won $100,000 in funding from AOL founder Steve Case over the weekend at a competition among tech entrepreneurs. Also highlighted in the story is Robert Thelen T'16, co-founder of FliQ.
An opinion piece by Sarah Hotchkiss Ketterer T’87 that challenges the age gap myth while citing The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, and offers factors that are not taken into consideration. Ketterer argues that California Govenor Jerry Brown should look at the unintended consequences before signing the California Fair Pay Act.
Mentions a group of a first-year Tuck students who were given the assignment to analyze the best market opportunities for the company Picaboo, an online application that enables users to design custom paper-bound photo books from digital pictures.
Research by Richard Townsend suggests that face time versus just Skype meetings and conference calls has a significant impact on a startup's success.
Paul Argenti says, "My guess is if they do the right things—try to get on this quickly, put a box around what's going on and limit it so it's not every single product...I would be shocked if they don't come back from this."
John Vogel argues that the EB-5 program is unfair to those families who play by the rules and wait 20 years before they can receive a green card.
Fred McKinney, managing director of minority business programs, calls on politicians to increase the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) budget from $35 million to $300 million.
Pino Audia writes that deeply ingrained company values, norms, or beliefs can make an organization reluctant to acknowledge societal change.
Dennis Lasko T '08, started the new business Pantry that streamlines the process of home-cooked meals for the single cook, the dual income no-kids couple, or for the parent feeding a family.
Paul Argenti offers his opinion about Volkswagen's efforts to skirt emissions rules for diesel vehicles and the $18 billion fine the company could be facing.
Paul Argenti says, “I do not think she is the worst CEO of all time, and I don’t think that she completely destroyed the company. In fact, I think the company probably ended up in a better place as a result of the strategy she set in motion.”
Tuck ranks 10th on a list of universities ranked by capital raised by companies founded by female MBA alumni.
Paul Argenti comments on the impact of the Volkswagen scandal on the company’s brand. “The communications people are exceptionally good at this company and did a good job.”
Emily Blanchard comments on the $18 billion fine VW may be facing. “The GM fine was the result of a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice. VW faces sanction by a different part of government—the Environmental Protection Agency—in what is effectively a case of fraud.”
Sydney Finkelstein discusses why seemingly smart and capable people act as if make-believe facts were actually true.
Mentions the Tuck Business Bridge Program in an article focused around the short window of time new hires have to prove themselves in the workplace. Bridge is filling a gap left by corporations investing less in the training of young workers than they have in previous decades.
Highlights the three-factor model of Kenneth French and Eugene Fama. According to Dimensional Fund Advisors, of which French and Fama are board members, “No other major stock investment style has come close to small value's 16.2% annualized return from 1935 through 2014.”
Recaps last year’s 32nd MBA Soccer World Cup hosted by Tuck.
Vijay Govindarajan writes about the rise of manufacturing in India. The article concludes, “While there is no single formulaic answer to manufacturing success in India, patience and a trusted local partner or advisor to guide western executives’ efforts are necessary—as well as an understanding of the challenges.”