B-School Bulletin: Big Donation At UNC, & More

Two Greensboro Families Pledge More Than $60 Million To UNC-CH

News from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

“Two Greensboro families have pledged more than $60 million to UNC-Chapel Hill as the university launched an ambitious new capital campaign earlier this month.

“Steve and Debbie Vetter have committed $40 million to UNC-CH to support military families, the business school and athletics, the university said.

“In a separate gift, John G.B. Ellison Jr. is giving $10 million to the university for faculty recruitment and has promised another $11.5 million worth of artwork.”

A Short Guide To Strategy For Entrepreneurs

News from Harvard Business School

“It sometimes appears that the traditional rules of business are being upended by today’s mega-trends of multisided platforms, big data, machine learning and AI, crowdsourcing, the internet of things (IoT), and more. These trends have transformed the world of business immeasurably. But they have certainly not repealed the timeless rules of strategy.

“Yet for too many entrepreneurs, especially those steeped in tech and devoted to product, strategy often seems to be an afterthought. Experiment and create a great product, the thinking goes, then scale, and then figure out the business model once you’ve succeeded. It’s true that nothing beats having a compelling product that customers badly want. However, while good products and good ‘shopkeeping’ are surely good business, they are no substitute for clear-minded strategy.

“Savvy entrepreneurs and business founders might come across any number of tool kits and frameworks — from jobs to be done to business model canvases to disruptive business models and industry forces, all while seeking blue oceans, and so on. Each of these has value and can be the source of useful ideas, but each represents only part of what strategy can offer.”

Members of the Utah State team listen as a point is being made to judges at the National Team Selling Competition

Kelley School Hosts National Competition In Professional Selling

News from Indiana University Kelley School of Business

“For the 11th straight year, Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business recently hosted the National Team Selling Competition, welcoming teams from 22 universities and colleges.

“Schools that competed in the two-day sales contest included Big Ten peers Penn State and Michigan State universities, as well as the historically black institutions Morehouse College and Xavier University of Louisiana. About 90 students and their faculty coaches came to IU Bloomington from one coast to the other — from the University of Connecticut to the University of San Diego.

“Organizers at Kelley’s Center for Global Sales Leadership worked for months preparing for the competition, which was held Oct. 12 and 13.”

Paul Almeida

On The Record: Paul Almeida, New Dean Of McDonough Business School

News from Georgetown University McDonough Business School

“Paul Almeida is quick to mention that he has been at Georgetown for 22 years and 71 days. The first 22 years were spent being a professor of strategy and international business and deputy and associate dean, and in August, 71 days before he sat down with the Voice for an interview on October 11, he started his new job as dean of the McDonough School of Business. He talked about his plans for the future of the MSB, and the how he hopes to affect the university as a whole during his tenure.

“You started this new position in August, but you have been at the university for 22 years. How do the 71 days as dean compare to the other 22 years you have been at Georgetown?

“It’s not been that different, because for the last seven years I was in charge of executive education, and then executive education and innovation, so I’m used to being both an administrator, and a faculty member. I will always be a teacher at heart, and I will always be someone who is trying to serve Georgetown. I feel I have to play some different roles, because that’s my responsibility as a dean. I feel there is a greater opportunity to share in my vision and what I care about and maybe even influence people a little more than before. But the really nice part about it is that it’s the same Georgetown, it’s the same McDonough, it’s the same people I care about and want to work with.”

Changing Work Patterns Reflect LBS Research On The ‘100-year Life’

News from London Business School

“British society is starting to shift towards the changing work patterns that London Business School professors Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott explored in their book The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity.

“In October 2017, news outlets reported that a fifth of UK employees were considering setting up a venture outside their usual day job. A study by internet domain registrar GoDaddy found that these so-called ‘side hustle’ businesses made an extra £500 to £5,000 for more than half of those who set them up.”

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