Knowledge@Emory -- Strategic Management

When Industries Die, Are Managers to Blame?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:01:04 EST

One of the great puzzles of business is why some companies, even entire industries, suffer decline over decades without ever finding a way to pull themselves out of the death spiral. In a discussion of this conundrum, Knowledge@Emory spoke with Robert Kazanjian, a professor of organization and management at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and an expert in strategy and change in large enterprises. According to Kazanjian, adapting to changes in the business environment is often more complex than even most managers realize.

What�s Ahead for the Global Auto Industry?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:01:04 EST

In The Rule of Three: Surviving and Thriving in Competitive Markets, Jagdish Sheth, chaired professor of marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, contends that any given industry has room for only three dominant players. With two of the Big Three American carmakers filing for bankruptcy in what is now a global auto market, his theory is proving true once again. In an interview with Knowledge@Emory, Sheth offers his analysis of the latest developments in the auto industry and explains why the changes, though painful, are necessary and will result in greater efficiencies in the long term.

Is This The End for Bricks-and-Mortar Retailing?

Wed, 13 May 2009 16:56:54 EST

In February, Microsoft announced it was hiring former DreamWorks Animation SKG executive David Porter to head the company's first full-scale rollout of Microsoft-branded retail stores. But with big-name U.S. retailers like Macy's, Starbucks, and Home Depot closing "underperforming" retail locations and online e-tailing going strong, is the bricks-and-mortar model still a viable strategy? According to faculty at Emory University and its Goizueta Business School, Internet sales channels do offer a cost-effective means of reaching customers, but some products are still more likely to be purchased at a place where consumers can experience the goods.

Can U.S. President Barack Obama Negotiate His Way to Success?

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:26:10 EST

According to Earl Hill, a senior lecturer in Organization and Management at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, there is no single best way to negotiate or resolve conflict. Indeed, Hill says, in spite of a negotiator's best efforts, the outcome may not be all that one desired--something U.S. President Barack Obama learned when aiming for bipartisan endorsement of his economic stimulus plan. In a recent Q&A with Knowledge@Emory, Hill discusses the challenges and opportunities Obama faces as he navigates a road to bipartisan politics and foreign policy. Hill's advice is applicable not only to political leaders, but also to managers as they maneuver a difficult global economy.

Using the Power of Trust to Motivate in Difficult Times

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:08:52 EST

With mass layoffs in 2008 and 2009 an all too common occurrence, employees are more than a bit shell-shocked at work. How can managers continue to motivate their staff during these difficult times? Despite the negative news, professors at Emory University's Goizueta Business School note that building and keeping trust in an organization remains essential to motivating employees when a company is in the midst of economic tumult.

Female Executives Share Their Empowering Stories

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:18:35 EST

Focus on the goal, do your homework before negotiating a deal, and don’t dwell on gender bias, female executives told women MBA students at a recent outreach seminar sponsored by the Committee of 200 (C200), a national network of the most powerful women in business. About thirty businesswomen and dozens of MBA students attended the day-long meeting at Emory University's Goizueta Business School.

Will Obama�s Groundswell of Support Survive the Inauguration?

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:18:35 EST

Even as U.S. President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take the oath of office next Tuesday, his to-do list is overflowing. With American jobless numbers soaring, a tough recession, and growing international conflict, Obama's first steps involve trying to restore confidence in the executive branch without promising too much. But for a candidate who campaigned on the promise of "change," will he be able to take bold moves and retain supporters? Faculty at Emory University and its Goizueta Business School explore the issue and advise Obama to take full advantage of the "honeymoon" period.

When Formal Controls Undermine Employee Cooperation and Trust

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:36:48 EST

While formal controls are certainly essential to prevent fraud at a company, certain formal controls can actually have the opposite effect. In a new research paper titled “All Control is Not Equal: The Effect of Formal Control Type on Trust & Cooperation,” Kristy L. Towry, associate professor of accounting at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, and coauthors explore the role of various formal controls in the erosion of trust and, ultimately, in undermining the overall control environment.

Hooray for Hollywood and Its Powerful Social Connections

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:36:48 EST

Giacomo Negro, an associate professor of organization and management at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, has a true fascination with Hollywood. Combine Hollywood with Negro’s intense interest in how industries operate and you’ve got a colorful backdrop for in-depth organizational research. In a new paper, “The Structure of Consensus: Network Ties, Legitimation and Exit Rates of U.S. Feature Film Producer Organizations” published this year in Administrative Science Quarterly, Negro and colleagues examine the business relationships between film producer organizations and distributor organizations in the U.S. film industry between 1912 and 1970. Among the findings, "The industry relies on unwritten norms for what are appropriate features of film production," says Negro. "And these norms are embedded in the producer-distributor exchange.”

The U.S. Presidential Race: What Lies Ahead Under an Obama or McCain Administration?

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:33:12 EST

With the election for the presidency of the United States less than a month away, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain are attempting to clarify their positions on a variety of issues, including many that will impact business. Professors at Emory University have examined the issues, and they offer their thoughts on the way each candidate’s approach would likely affect healthcare, business, job creation, and the national economy.

Hearst Magazines� Cathie Black Takes Readers Back to Basics

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:05:35 EST

As the former publisher of New York magazine, USA Today, and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America, Cathie Black has amassed a wealth of experience. Now president of Hearst Magazines, she’s taken time out to craft her own guide to work and life with the new book, Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life). Like a trusted mentor, Black relays the hard lessons of maneuvering the vicissitudes of work and life through personal stories that emphasize her point and draw readers in. One tale of her managerial style run amuck and the showdown with employees that followed is particularly memorial. Although younger employees might benefit more from her advice, even seasoned professionals will find useful suggestions in order to live well and work successfully.

The State of Venture Cap Funding & the Lessons Learned at Goizueta

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:05:35 EST

While the venture capital industry reached a peak at the beginning of this millennium, the multibillion dollar industry has now evolved to become an active, established, and more mature part of America’s financing scene. To get a better understanding of the field, undergraduates at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School recently participated in a venture capital case competition. In the process, the next generation of business leaders learned from seasoned industry experts exactly what goes into their decision-making process.

Africa's Mining Industry Digs Deeper to Meet Demands of Commodities 'Super Cycle'

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:00:01 EST

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.

Getting Rid of Conventional Wisdom in Corporate Damage Control

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:49:28 EST

In the book Damage Control: Why Everything You Know About Crisis Management is Wrong, authors Eric Dezenhall and John Weber explore the tricky business of public relations efforts in the midst of a corporate crisis. The duo explains that a traditional approach of showing remorse may not always be the best approach. Instead, it’s best to have a proactive stance, strong leadership, an adaptive nature, and an understanding of the marketplace and the political forces at play, note the authors.

Exploring the Strategic Power of �Wait and See�

Wed, 14 May 2008 19:19:17 EST

For many executives, being the first to break into a market is a key to strategic planning. But what if it’s better for a company to wait? Richard Makadok, an associate professor of organization and management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, studies competitive advantage and notes that the strongest firms in an industry find waiting and delay a more flexible strategy. Makadok, along with three other researchers, presented their findings at a session on “Timing of Competitive Moves,” held during the fourth annual Atlanta Competitive Advantage Conference (ACAC) at Goizueta.

Can the NFL and Big Cable Cos. Get Beyond The Line of Scrimmage?

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:53:49 EST

March Madness usually refers to the basketball fest where 65 college basketball teams in the U.S. duke it out in one elimination game after the other until only one winning team remains. Kansas may have won that contest, but the ongoing battle to get big cable companies to carry NFL Network and Big Ten Network sports offerings is still on the playing field. On March 5 NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Internet. Then, news on March 10 that a backroom deal was being brokered between Big Ten Networks and Comcast heated up speculation that this clash-of-the-titans style conflict may finally get some positive movement. Is there an end in sight? Industry insiders and faculty at Emory University's Goizueta Business School explore the issues.

Knowledge Management Requires Cultivation, Not Commands

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:06:43 EST

Drawing from his own observations in both private industry and government spurred David Bray, a doctoral candidate at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, to study hierarchies, the ways disconnects happen, and how fragmentation can be avoided. In the paper, “Exploration and Exploitation: Managing Knowledge in Turbulent Environments,” Bray, along with Goizueta co-author, Michael J. Prietula, a professor of information systems and operations management who also researches responses to disasters, develop a theoretical model about knowledge management in organizational hierarchies. Says Bray: “We specifically were testing the idea that while hierarchies may be great at command and control and maintaining internal control and reality, they’re bad at addressing a changing outside environment; a change in the marketplace, a change in competition, or an emerging national security threat.”

Microsoft and Yahoo!: An Unlikely Union?

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:57:01 EST

When Microsoft announced a hostile bid for Yahoo!, open source advocates, tech pundits, and Yahoo!’s chief competitor, Google, reacted strongly and negatively to the news. Now with Yahoo!’s formal rejection of the initial offer, the company appears poised to wait for additional money. But just what would the tech world look like if a Microsoft and Yahoo! merger did happen? Experts at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School ponder the marriage of these differing tech companies, and present a variety of scenarios for their competitors, including Google and AOL, and for the future of the Internet.

Easing the Information System Headache Where People and Technology Intersect

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:33:28 EST

When an upgrade or new technology is introduced in the workplace, some employees will jump on the innovation while others do everything they can to avoid change as long as possible. Sound familiar? Dominic Thomas, visiting assistant professor of information systems and operations management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, understands their reluctance and how such stalling can add to the headaches of Information System (IS) managers. He set out to find a solution. The result is the paper, “A Meta-Theory for Understanding IS in Socio-Technical Systems,” which recently won Thomas and coauthors a best paper award at the Hawaii International Conference on Systems Sciences, the oldest conference in the field of IS. The meta-theory they devised helps ensure that the human factor is accounted for early when IT changes are considered.

Redefining the Measurements for Success in the Nonprofit Realm

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:27:42 EST

In the book Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits, the authors throw away the rulebook to assess what success means for today’s nonprofits. As one of the fastest growing sectors of the U.S. economy, understanding the role nonprofits play in America today is critical. In a Q&A with Knowledge@Emory, one of the book’s authors argues that advocacy, an empowering leadership structure, business partnerships, and an adaptive design are the true measures of effectiveness for nonprofits today.