B-School Bulletin: Students Band Together at UVA, & More

Ross Grads Are Learning How To Succeed In The Booming Subscription Box Business

News from Michigan Ross School of Business

Carrie Thorpe with ProudBox

“Although the idea of subscription delivery of consumer goods has been around for decades, it’s gained new life in the e-commerce era and is one of the fastest growing categories of consumer consumption. Think Blue Apron for food and Dollar Shave Club for mens’ grooming. And some recent graduates of the Michigan Ross Executive MBA Program are learning first-hand how to stand out in the crowded field.

“Carrie Thorpe, a 2016 graduate of the EMBA Program’s Ann Arbor cohort, has taken her love for the University of Michigan into the subscription box business and created Proudbox, which will send U-M swag to the fan or student of your choice.

“Meanwhile, Steve Ezell, Ted Hamory, and Jordan Toplitzky — who met as students in the EMBA Program’s Los Angeles cohort — have a fresh take on the craft beer boom with their CraftX service (pictured above).”

3 Research Papers Point To New Approaches In Employment Equity

News from MIT Sloan School of Management

“The glass ceiling persists. And there’s no single explanation why, or single way to break it. There is no shortage of articles and statistics pointing to the challenges that women face in the corporate world, from earning equal wages to securing leadership roles to earning the respect of employees and board members alike. A recent New York Times article, for example, featured personal stories from several women who made it to the No. 2 position at global companies but, for a variety of reasons, did not get the top job.

“The trouble is that the glass ceiling, like dark matter in physics, cannot be observed, said Roberto Fernandez, a professor of organization studies at MIT Sloan. We know it’s there, but we’re not sure what’s causing it to endure.”

Minnesota Carlson’s Harry Sapienza

Conflict In The Angel Investor-Entrepreneur Relationship: Good Or Bad For Innovation?

News from Minnesota Carlson School of Management

“Here’s a truism that’s hard to dispute: Conflict is inevitable in work environments. Mix together people with their own agendas, ideas, and opinions, and disagreements will eventually emerge.

“One element that’s not so indisputable, however, is if conflict is ever productive. Professor Harry Sapienza’s new research offers a look at that issue. But it offers a twist, exploring how conflict between entrepreneurs and angel investors affects innovation.”

Sir Andrew Likierman, former dean of London Business School

Sir Andrew Likierman: Complacency Was My Biggest Fear

News from London Business School

“Complacency is the main threat to any organization, public or private, particularly when things are going well, according to Sir Andrew Likierman, professor of management practice in accounting at London Business School.

“Reflecting on his eight years (2009-17) as dean of LBS, Sir Andrew admitted that everyone getting a little too comfortable was one of his biggest fears. ‘Even when we are number one in the rankings and doing fantastically well, there is always something to improve. If you’re not constantly striving for better, you’ll soon slip in relation to others.’”

Tyler Eshraghi, a Class of 2015 Kenan-Flagler MBA, is the co-founder of Sideline, a fantasy sports website

Why I Decided To Pursue My Startup Full-Time — And How I Did It

News from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

“Deciding to leave my job to pursue my startup, Sideline, full-time was one of the most complex and difficult decisions I have ever made in my life – and the same time, it was one of the easiest.

“Wait, what?!

“Think about it. You are the only you person who know what you want in life. From the moment we started working on Sideline in 2014, I knew that if the time came for us to pursue it full-time I’d jump on it.”

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.