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Full-Text Articles in Business
Enhancing Internal Communications: How Microsoft Cuts Through The Clutter, Knowledge@Smu
Enhancing Internal Communications: How Microsoft Cuts Through The Clutter, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
The thought of having to rally thousands of employees, scattered across a diverse continent, behind a set of corporate goals may seem daunting. Not for Jovina Ang, an adjunct faculty of corporate communication at SMU and marketing communications director at Microsoft Services Asia. With a little out-of-the-box thinking and some coordination, Ang pulled together a series of weekly videos to achieve this objective and more. Best of all, the idea has proved itself to be low in costs but high in returns.
Broadening Boards: How Directorships Should Adapt For Challenging Times, Knowledge@Smu
Broadening Boards: How Directorships Should Adapt For Challenging Times, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Not only do Boards have a hand in the long term success of organisations, they are often expected to be the guardians of management – providing guidance and strategic inputs. Yet, names like Olympus, Enron, MF Global, News Corp and Hewlett Packard have turned the value of directorships on its head. To what extent should stakeholders trust Boards to look out for their interests, and is can diversity at the top really guard against the dangers of group-think? These questions were discussed at a panel discussion organised by SMU’s Office of Executive Education.
Singapore: Building A Future Without Cheap Oil, Knowledge@Smu
Singapore: Building A Future Without Cheap Oil, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Singapore’s past success at building a world-class economy launched on the back of a hugely successful oil refining and trading system could count for little as it confronts the threats of the increasing scarcity and cost of energy supply. In a book commissioned by the International Trading Institute@SMU, 'Singapore, The Energy Economy: From The First Refinery To The End Of Cheap Oil, 1960 to 2010', author Ng Weng Hoong argues that Singapore’s single-minded focus on growing the economy while assuming that the supply of energy and natural resources will always be cheap and plentiful leaves the city-state increasingly vulnerable and …
No Fear: Leadership, "Digital Cowboys" And The "Playstation Generation", Knowledge@Smu
No Fear: Leadership, "Digital Cowboys" And The "Playstation Generation", Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
In the book, 'No Fear: Business Leadership in the Age of Digital Cowboys', author and Finnish entrepreneur Pekka Viljakainen gives his take on the skills required of future leaders, who have to manage the hordes of young adults who grew up with mobile phones, game consoles and the internet. Viljakainen argues, through personal and gathered anecdotes, that the best way to manage the "digital cowboys" of the "PlayStation generation" is to inspire and empower. To do that, a leader needs to be fearless, and to be "where the battle rages".
Ingredients For Creating And Sustaining Growth For The Long Term, Knowledge@Smu
Ingredients For Creating And Sustaining Growth For The Long Term, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
It is easy to grow. Just buy a rival. However, this is a strategy fraught with risks and not all organisations are in the rightly suited to grow this way. Philip Zerrillo, a professor of marketing at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, explains the thought process and ways by which organisations can try to grow and do so for the longer term.
For A Competitive Edge In Services, Invest In The Right People And Processes, Knowledge@Smu
For A Competitive Edge In Services, Invest In The Right People And Processes, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Great products alone will not give rise to transformative customer experiences. Businesses that have carved out a competitive edge in services also know that it requires far more than frontline skills and knowledge to succeed with customers in the longer term. But how and where should organisations be placing their focus to entrench customer service for strategic advantage? - a question that academics and industry practitioners attempted to answer at the Institute of Service Excellence at SMU Global Conference on Service Excellence 2011.
Risks And Opportunities For The Construction Industry, Knowledge@Smu
Risks And Opportunities For The Construction Industry, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Foreign labour cut-backs and exposure to global competition can only mean one thing for building and construction companies in Singapore: Get productive or get out. But what can companies do to stay on top of the game, or perhaps even just afloat? A panel at the SMU-BCA Advanced Management Programme for Leaders of the Building and Construction Industry offered some thoughts on the risks and challenges ahead.
To Succeed In Life And Business, Adapt And Fail Productively, Knowledge@Smu
To Succeed In Life And Business, Adapt And Fail Productively, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
There is no success without risk-taking, and most people will accept that risk-taking requires a tolerance for failure. Yet, how realistic is it to expect success in a world so bent on punishing failure? Why should people expect high returns in politics, economics and society when they continue to reward risk-averse politicians and leaders? Tim Harford, author of popular non-fiction books like Adapt and The Undercover Economist, explored this dichotomy at an SMU talk.
For Faster And Better Decisions, A Biased And Less-Informed Mind, Knowledge@Smu
For Faster And Better Decisions, A Biased And Less-Informed Mind, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Can a biased mind, with fewer inputs, make faster and better decisions? Apparently, this premise, flying in the face of conventional logical thinking, is possible, and there were real life examples indicating so. At a recently held Behavioural Sciences Forum at Singapore Management University, Gerd Gigerenzer of Berlin’s Max Planck Institute, explained how heuristics, which directs focus to areas that matter and blocks off non-essential noise, factors in the decision-making process.
Running A Family Business: Building On What Runs In The Family, Knowledge@Smu
Running A Family Business: Building On What Runs In The Family, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Creating and preserving a family legacy is not just about giving future generations a free pass to inherit family fortunes. As each family is unique, they face different issues and challenges. Furthermore, true family legacy goes beyond money. It is also about reputation, beliefs, values and attitudes. In their book, 'Family Legacy and Leadership: Preserving True Family Wealth in Challenging Times', authors Mark Haynes Daniell and Sara Hamilton explain how families can build enduring legacies based on "true wealth".
Negotiation Excellence: The Practical Art Of Cutting Deals, Knowledge@Smu
Negotiation Excellence: The Practical Art Of Cutting Deals, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
In a diverse world of different goals, opinions and agendas, the power to negotiate may be the single-most important determinant of a person or entity's, well, power. Yet, success in negotiations requires a certain finesse that has proven elusive to teach or study. Michael Benoliel, a negotiation specialist at SMU and editor of the recently published book, 'Negotiation Excellence: Successful Deal Making', weighs in on the topic. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Peek Into The New Korea: Will The Hermit Crab Come Out Of Its Shell?, Knowledge@Smu
A Peek Into The New Korea: Will The Hermit Crab Come Out Of Its Shell?, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
South Korea's economic and industrial rise over the past decade has been a subject of envy. Here is a country that has gone from being 'the one with the fermented vegetables' to the high-tech gadget innovation hub that it is today. Samsung and LG have attained worldly status, with consumer electronics that can give the big old boys from across the Sea of Japan a good run for their money. Yet, despite its success, the country remains mired in much of its painful past – from the divide between the former kingdoms of Silla, Baekje and Goguryeo to the North-South …
Leeden's Transformation: Giving Prominence To A Lesser Known Industry, Knowledge@Smu
Leeden's Transformation: Giving Prominence To A Lesser Known Industry, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
When Steven Tham took the helm at Leeden Limited, a local welding, gas and safety company, he had the unenviable task of making some decisions that would ultimately close some operations and displace employees. However, within a decade, not only did he turn the company around, he grew its revenue by a whopping ten times. All of it would not be possible without a systematic expansion strategy, and a keen eye on the market, he told an audience at SMU's Wee Kim Wee Centre.
Managing Social Media: An Exercise In Managing Organisations, Knowledge@Smu
Managing Social Media: An Exercise In Managing Organisations, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Managing corporate reputation used to be an exercise in managing information flow and building relationships with the media power brokers. But in the world of social media, where just about anybody has the power and ability to produce and publish instantaneously, the very idea of controlling information and public sentiment may seem more like an exercise in futility. Unlike traditional media, there are no professional codes of conduct ruling over online comments, tweets or blog posts. Anything goes! The task is made even trickier with the need to manage senior business leaders who, brought up in a different era, may …
The Growing Giant: How Samsung Electronics Got Its Appetite, Knowledge@Smu
The Growing Giant: How Samsung Electronics Got Its Appetite, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Samsung Electronics, one of the biggest brands in consumer electronics today, was once seen as a low-quality producer of knock-offs. Yet, under the controversial leadership of its founding Lee family and plenty of nudging from a helpful South Korean government, the company has defied conventional growth patterns of large companies, made itself a critical player in the semiconductor industry, overshadowed fellow Korean companies, provided cause for anxiety amongst overseas competitors, and won over the hearts and wallets of finicky consumers all over the world.
Changing Business Practices In A World Of Emerging Economic Giants, Knowledge@Smu
Changing Business Practices In A World Of Emerging Economic Giants, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
It can sometimes seem as if there is an overemphasis on Asia's two economic powerhouses. But while few people would dispute these manufacturing capitals' knack for delivering good value for money, very little attention has been given to the countries' capacity to innovate and market. Today, blueprints and concepts are often seen as domain of those 'advanced economies', whilst 'emerging economies' are habitually discounted as engines of production. Such notions are quickly being displaced as businesses and consumers of China and India exert their influence on the rest of the world.
East Side Story: Lessons From Japan's Business Leaders, Knowledge@Smu
East Side Story: Lessons From Japan's Business Leaders, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Japan's phenomenal post-war transformation into a high-tech nation of vending machines, electric toilets and 24-hour convenience stores, has been the envy of most developed nations. Where, in the past, the country would look towards America, with the import of Western goods, services and business philosophy, Japan has recently taken a turn towards that of self-discovery. In the book, Rediscovering Japanese Business Leadership, author Yozo Hasegawa examines how some of Japan's leading brands, like Nintendo, Uniqlo and Canon, have weathered, quite stealthily, the recent global financial meltdown, and he makes a case for why more Japanese companies are returning to home-grown …
Drucker’S Centennial: Celebrating His Legacy And Dissecting His Relevance, Knowledge@Smu
Drucker’S Centennial: Celebrating His Legacy And Dissecting His Relevance, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Peter Drucker passed away in 2005. So far, despite the proliferation of management consultancy and education, there has yet been a bigger name than his. This is not surprising, for Drucker is the man who created this field. Today, the term which Drucker coined, the “knowledge worker”, remains more relevant than before. Robert Swaim, Drucker’s disciple and colleague, distils the guru’s key thoughts and ideas, identifies certain gaps into the book, The Strategic Drucker: Growth strategies and marketing insights from the works of Peter Drucker.
Private Equity In China: Grey, Yet Delicious, Knowledge@Smu
Private Equity In China: Grey, Yet Delicious, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Sometimes, even the biggest might stumble in China’s grey, yet opportunity-laden private equity market. How should foreign private equity firms play their cards, what should they look out for, and how can they deal with China’s legal and accounting issues? Yong Kwek Ping, CEO of greater China-focused private equity firm Inventis Holdings, shares his experience and insights.
Beyond Fakirs And Call Centres: Lessons From India’S Global Powerhouses, Knowledge@Smu
Beyond Fakirs And Call Centres: Lessons From India’S Global Powerhouses, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Forget the stereotype of the Indian accountant, IT manager or call centre operator. Instead, think savvy bigwigs with hungry appetites for all things foreign. Some of the world’s largest and most successful corporate acquisitions over the last 15 years have been carried out by conglomerates bearing the Indian flag. Tata, Mittal, Bharat Forge and Infosys are but just the more prominent names. Many others are emerging. What can we learn from these powerhouses and what makes them tick?
Emperors And Their John Waynes: Business Strategy, Inspired By The Wild Wild West!, Knowledge@Smu
Emperors And Their John Waynes: Business Strategy, Inspired By The Wild Wild West!, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Large swathes of the Southeast Asian economies have been dominated by some forty Overseas Chinese families. What makes them tick, what are their management philosophies, what are their strategies and how do they view and face up to the business challenges today and tomorrow? George Haley, Usha Haley and Tan Chin Tiong sets to answer these questions and more in their latest collaboration “New Asian Emperors: The Business Strategies of the Overseas Chinese.”
Seven Ways To Reinvent Business For The Age Of Capability, Knowledge@Smu
Seven Ways To Reinvent Business For The Age Of Capability, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
It is time to break out of the old mould. The current economic crisis has shown quite clearly enough, that the old practices of running businesses since the Second World War cannot be sustained. Companies, including world-class multinationals, are not destroyed by competition. In a sense, they self-destruct when they are too slow in adapting to shifting operating environments. For business leaders, they are getting a wake up call. Jagdish Sheth, marketing professor from Emory University, suggests how companies can reinvent the way they do business.
Book Review: Battle Begins For The Wallets Of 500 Million Indian Consumers, Knowledge@Smu
Book Review: Battle Begins For The Wallets Of 500 Million Indian Consumers, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
The kiranas, or corner mom-and-pop stores, have been the mainstay of India’s retail scene. As the country’s economy develops and income levels rise, taste and preferences of Indian consumers are also changing. Increasingly, the country’s retail industry is attracting large companies in so-called “organised retail”, where big supermarket chains are set to provide an entirely different shopping experience for the estimated 500 million Indian consumers with significant income to spend. While the opportunities are obvious, what are the challenges?
Going Global Poses New Challenges For Chinese Companies, Knowledge@Smu
Going Global Poses New Challenges For Chinese Companies, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Spurred on by a sustained economic boom, big businesses in China are increasingly looking to extend their success overseas. At the inaugural Ho Bee lecture at the Singapore Management University (SMU) in July 2008, Marshall Meyer described the compelling journeys of two Chinese corporations, Haier Group and Lenovo, as they ventured outside China. Meyer is professor of management at Wharton and Ho Bee professor in Chinese economy and business at SMU.
Asian Research Universities: What Does The Future Hold?, Knowledge@Smu
Asian Research Universities: What Does The Future Hold?, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Asian universities strive to become leading global research centres of excellence, they face a number of local and international issues and challenges. Very few will make the grade in terms of advancing knowledge, delivering outstanding graduates, and creating new technologies and industries to drive economic development in the region. At the February 2008 Singapore Management University Distinguished Presidential Lecture, Dr Suh Nam Pyo – previously at MIT for over three decades and currently president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) -- outlined his own institution’s efforts to excel as a 21st century research university.
Making Great People Decisions Is The Toughest Business Challenge Say Top Executives, Knowledge@Smu
Making Great People Decisions Is The Toughest Business Challenge Say Top Executives, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Where great people decisions are concerned, the right person in a leadership position can take an organisation to greater heights, but the wrong candidate can steer a path to disaster. Founding leader of global search firm Egon Zehnder International, Claudio Fernandez-Araoz, introduced his new book, Great People Decisions, recently at a Singapore Management University Distinguished Public Lecture, followed by a panel discussion featuring top executives in Singapore.
Advertisements In Your Office Building: A Look At Focus Media's Business Model, Knowledge@Smu
Advertisements In Your Office Building: A Look At Focus Media's Business Model, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Focus Media is the darling of investors. The company, which has placed LCD advertising screens in office buildings and other venues in some 50 cities around China, has been expanding throughout the country at a feverish rate, causing ad revenues to soar and setting share prices on a steady upward trend. Some say that the company is filling a real need in the market for advertisers trying to reach potential customers, and that the concept of advertising in confined spaces is a very good selling point. However, other observers doubt the impact and effectiveness of LCD advertising, and say there …
As Citigroup Increases Its High-Skilled Headcount In India, Will Others Follow?, Knowledge@Smu
As Citigroup Increases Its High-Skilled Headcount In India, Will Others Follow?, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
On April 11, Citigroup CEO Charles Prince announced a massive restructuring program that involves cutting 17,000 jobs and moving more than 9,500 to locations in low-cost countries. Citigroup watchers expect some 8,000 jobs to head for India, including the outsourcing of select high-end back-office functions. If that phenomenon gathers momentum beyond the financial services industry, the U.S. could lose far more jobs than previously predicted across the skills and wage spectrum. India Knowledge@Wharton spoke with Wharton professors to understand this emerging trend in global job movements. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Developing Story: Global Publishing Houses See New Potential In Indian Media, Knowledge@Smu
Developing Story: Global Publishing Houses See New Potential In Indian Media, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Global media houses have been systematically targeting India over the past two years, encouraged primarily by burgeoning readership levels and relaxed government policies on foreign investment in the industry. At the same time, deep-pocketed advertisers are zeroing in on a young, brand-aware population's rising income and literacy levels. In addition, foreign private equity investors and publishers have set up alliances with domestic players; new mainstream newspapers and niche magazines have been launched, and regional-language publishers have increased their reach. India Knowledge@Wharton spoke to publishers and market analysts about this media boom.