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Special Report

Are There Business Applications for Virtual Worlds?
In this Special Section of Knowledge@Emory, professors from Goizueta Business School and industry experts in the field of virtual worlds offer their insight on this growing Internet-based market. From the industry leader Second Life to the newest entry in the game, Google's own Lively, the activity, interest, and investment in the virtual world industry is strong.

Why Changes Made During Rough Times Can Make Companies Thrive
The turbulent U.S. economy is forcing Americans to make some tough choices. Suddenly, eating out, long car trips, and even the morning java fix are now subject to scrutiny as consumers redefine their financial priorities. For companies like Starbucks, which reported a net loss of $6.7 million in the third quarter, this shift is eating into the bottom line and exposing vulnerabilities. According to faculty at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, companies similar to the coffee giant can ride out the rough times and even thrive. How? Through smart strategy, good planning and, maybe most importantly, keeping a level head.

Knowledge@Emory Aug 13 - Sep 09

Will the Spotlight of the Olympics Spur Change in China?

With the world’s attention on Beijing and the 29^th Summer Olympic Games, will China continue to promote innovative thinking as displayed by Sunday’s opening ceremonies or will it be business as usual once the Games end and the cameras are turned off? “The Chinese leadership may regret opening China with the Olympics,” notes John Stremlau, vice-president for Peace Programs at The Carter Center of Emory University. Recently, Stremlau moderated a panel of Carter Center experts, Emory faculty and other guests who gathered at the Center to discuss the prospects of democratization in China. Although the glamour of the Games is showcasing the country’s ingenuity, it’s also focusing a spotlight on issues that are brewing discontent within the country and may make both government control and democracy difficult to come by.

In the Balance Sheets: Reassessing the Auditors’ Reporting Model

The auditor’s report—sometimes feared, often symbolic—is far from a tell-all exposé. In a paper recently published in Accounting Horizons, Shawn Davis, visiting assistant professor of accounting at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, along with coauthors Bryan Church and Susan McCracken, explore the history, process and content of the auditor’s report, offering readers a “state-of-the-art” basis for understanding auditors’ reporting model. The authors show that an audit is a complex process involving such variable factors as the auditor-client relationship, litigation risk, negative press coverage, and the ways in which auditors receive evidence, all of which can impact their overall reporting decision.

Former SEC Chair William Donaldson on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Integrity

William Donaldson has packed a great deal into his 77 years. He co-founded the renowned investment banking firm Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), worked under then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, served as Chairman and CEO of Aetna, Chairman and CEO of the New York Stock Exchange, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and now heads the private investment firm Donaldson, Enterprises. Donaldson shared his perspective on integrity, entrepreneurial leadership, and shaking up the status quo as a keynote speaker at the 2008 Undergraduate Business School Leadership Conference held at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Cultivate Relationships to Make Your Network “Click”

In the book Click: Ten Truths for Building Extraordinary Relationships, author George C. Fraser says that to build successful business relationships and truly connect or “click” with professional associates, executives need to communicate with passion, build on personal and volunteer ties, and align with individuals whom they admire. Recently, Fraser spoke with Knowledge@Emory about connecting with others, the trials of prejudging, and what to do with all those business cards everyone collects.

Africa's Mining Industry Digs Deeper to Meet Demands of Commodities 'Super Cycle'
Diamonds aren't forever. Just ask John J. Teeling, executive chairman of Dublin-based exploration company African Diamonds. During a panel discussion at the recent Wharton Global Alumni Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, Teeling noted that despite its storied past as a leader in gold and diamond production, South Africa "is mined out." Yet conference participants overall suggested that mining will continue to play a major economic role throughout Africa, including in South Africa, as emerging markets like China and India fuel a long-term commodities "super cycle" and African nations become more adept at extracting value from their abundant natural resources.

To Love, Honor, Cherish and Consume: The Selling of the American Wedding
Money, to paraphrase the Beatles, can't buy you love. But it can certainly buy a lavish wedding, as noted in Rebecca Mead's new book, One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding. Indeed, according to Mead, America's wedding industry exceeds $161 billion annually -- an enormous sum that suggests how much weddings have become not only big business, but big fantasy. Yet as our reviewer notes, the wedding boom is not just confined to wealthy Western nations, but has become a global phenomenon, concerned with "displaying and solidifying social position in a world where such things are fluid and changeable."