B-School Bulletin: Spanx Founder: Start Small, Think Big, Scale Fast

How High Tech Is Taking Over Higher Education

News from University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

“When the Mall of America installed free Wi-Fi throughout the shopping center in 2015, its leaders thought providing the service would benefit customers. It was assumed it would allow shoppers to access store websites and mall maps and to tweet about MOA without eating into their data limits.

“But it wasn’t until they partnered with the Carlson Analytics Lab, part of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, that they realized that free Wi-Fi could be a boon for them, too. The lab used connections to the MOA Wi-Fi network to help identify mall foot-traffic patterns, how much time people spent in certain stores, and an approximation of event attendance. In turn, MOA tapped this data when making key decisions, including lease negotiations with tenants.”

The Global Classroom: For Boston To Jakarta

News from Harvard Business School

“FIELD Global Immersion is the exciting way that we end our first year at Harvard Business School. Students have the opportunity to leave the classroom and apply case-method learning to a real-world project in an emerging economy. This year, students could choose from the following locations around the world: Europe (Athens, Helsinki), Africa (Casablanca, Johannesburg, Cape Town), South America (Sao Paolo, Bogota, Buenos Aires), Asia (New Delhi, Bangkok, Shanghai, Jakarta) or Boston.

“As you can see from all the places to choose from, this is a hard choice. I wanted to go to a country that I had not been to before, and an area of the world that I would want to explore after the project. This led me to Jakarta, and ultimately, a fun couple of weeks exploring Southeast Asia after the project was completed. You don’t get to pick which project you work on but you are assigned to an area that is new to you (and your team). Also, you can rule out certain industries or topics based on personal needs. Honestly, I probably would not have picked my project if I had the choice, but I am glad it was the one assigned to me.”

How Storytelling Helps Companies Build Rapport

News from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

“The art of storytelling is getting lost in the era of instant digital communications. But it is a vital skill that has served society well since ancient times and it can be retaught. Murray Nossel, an Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker, explains why a good narrative has the power to transform businesses in his book, Powered by Storytelling: Excavate, Craft and Present Stories to Transform Business Communication.

“Nossel also is an executive coach at Columbia Business School and co-founder of Narativ, which teaches storytelling techniques to executives. His clients include Disney, Time Warner and Radisson Hotels. Nossel recently joined the Knowledge@Wharton radio show on SiriusXM to talk about his book.”

In a strategy learned from the “Managing Multiple Priorities” course, Tracey Torain lets co-workers know when she’s doing tasks that need her undivided attention. Duke Fuqua photo

How To Manage Multiple Work Priorities

News from Duke University Fuqua School of Business

“Tracey Torain’s day might see her build development intel for school leaders, prepare for events, file giving records or mentor work-study students.

“She knows how to do all this, but doing it efficiently used to be a challenge.

“’I needed to learn how to keep all these balls in the air and not drop them,’ said Torain, advancement services coordinator with Duke’s Fuqua School of Business.”

Gilvan C. “Gil” Souza

Recycling Gives Manufacturers A Real Competitive Edge, Study Says

News from Indiana University Kelley School of Business

“In addition to being environmentally friendly, recycling can help manufacturers develop new, strategic sources of raw materials — particularly rare and precious metals — giving them a competitive advantage, according to research co-authored by an Indiana University Kelley School of Business professor.

“Authors of ‘Recycling as a Strategic Supply Source,’ in the journal Production and Operations Management, examined the financial impact of recycling in the $20 billion industrial metal cutting tool and inserts industry, finding benefits for customers such as lower prices.”

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