B-School Bulletin: On The Enduring Appeal Of 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'

Image: PBS

News from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School

“People still love to visit Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Never mind that production of the long-running PBS program for young viewers ended in 2001 and that its creator and guiding spirit, Fred Rogers, died in 2003. The man and his show are the subjects of a new feature documentary in theaters now, as well as documentaries that have recently appeared on PBS and streaming video. A feature film starring Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers is planned for release in late 2019.

“Alexandra Klaren, an assistant professor at the Carey Business School, is a lifelong fan of the program. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood while a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, close to where the show was produced.

“This past fall, her study, ‘Becoming Dialogical: An Inquiry into the Communication Ethics Origins of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,’ received the top-paper award in the communications ethics division at the 103rd annual convention of the National Communication Association.”

A Solid Plan For Going Back To School

News from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business

“There’s no single ‘right’ way to approach returning to school full-time after getting used to life as a working-professional.

“But, I think it’s important that this transition is something you spend time thinking about. I think the wrong way to approach the transition is to not give it any thought prior to getting to campus and to expect that everything will work out just fine.

“For me, business school has been an environment characterized by a heightened level of ambiguity and uncertainty. For the first time in years I didn’t have a clearly defined job title or job description — so how was I to know what to do with myself?!? There’s no manager to check in with for performance feedback or direction — so how would I know if I’m on a path to ‘success’?!? And there’s enough school work, social activity, and professional opportunity to literally keep me busy forever — so how can I figure out where to spend my time?!?”

What It’s Like To Pitch At Northwestern VentureCat

News from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

“On May 23, we won the B2C vertical at VentureCat, Northwestern’s university-wide startup competition. It was such an exciting day, and we’re still recovering from the adrenaline rush.

“About a month ago, we were selected as one of 29 semifinalists out of 74 applicants. On May 23, those 29 teams were split into six tracks, and each team got seven minutes to pitch their company to a panel of judges. That was followed by five minutes of (stressful) Q&A.”

How Charities Can Ensure Financial Longevity

News from INSEAD

“Donors typically want to fund charities that will spend most, if not all, of the money they give on the needy.

“For charities, many place donation funds in low-yielding bank accounts or government bonds because the idea of investing the funds makes them feel ‘dirty’.

Their mission, they feel, is to spend funds on worthy causes, rather than making money from investing.

Lots Of Options For Socially Conscious Investors, Toronto Finance Professor Writes

News from the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management

“For those who want to put their money where their morals are, there are plenty of options for investing more ethically, writes Lisa Kramer, a professor of finance at University of Toronto Mississauga and the Rotman School of Management in the Globe and Mail.

“Socially responsible investing now comes in many forms, Kramer says, for those who do not want to support particular industries like tobacco, firearms or fossil fuels.”