Alumni Association

Has Your Company Lost Its Core Competence?
GSB Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer shares his thoughts on how the recession has inspired some companies to shed businesses and activities that are outside of their core competence. He says it is a sensible idea, but challenging to figure out what is core and what isn't.
BNET, October 26, 2009 GSB Professor Pfeffer Blog

Cities of Difference
GSB Professor Saumitra Jha cautions in an opinion piece that India should be careful about pressure to move its slum out of urban areas as part of urban renewal work. India Express, October 6, 2009 Cities of Difference Details

Super-Premium Ice Cream - Merger Effects on Product Variety
GSB Professor Michaela Draganska studied the super premium ice cream market after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission cautioned that merger of Dreyers and Nestle could reduce competition and hurt customer choices. The result is the beginning of a new econometric model that would allow the FTC to forecast changes and their impact on consumers. Kellogg Insight, August 2009 Super-Premium Ice Cream Details

Why Admitting Doubt Can Increase Your Persuasive Power
When you are considered an expert in your field, does it undermine your authority when you admit uncertainty in your opinion? Absolutely not, according to new research from the GSB Professor Zakary L. Tormala. BNET, October 26, 2009 Increase Your Persuasive Power Blog

Debt Costs to Rise as Bank Collateral Re-use Falls
"When securities are less available to freely circulate in the market, the liquidity of those securities goes down," said GSB Professor Darrell Duffie. Reuters, September 21, 2009 as Bank Collateral Re-use Falls Details

How to Handle the Pessimist on Your Team
"The first step is to figure out what is causing your team member's negativity," says GSB Professor Roderick Kramer. "That it is the role of the leader to understand the underlying cause of the pessimism before acting." BusinessWeek, September 18, 2009 Pessimist on Your Team Details

CalPERS and CalSTRS: Moving Beyond 'Male, Pale, Stale'
"California's two big public pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS, are taking steps to break up the old-boy club at the top of corporations, pushing for more women and minority directors on boards, some say tend to be 'male, pale and stale'." The conference, "Diversity on Corporate Boards: When Difference Makes a Difference," was sponsored by CalPERS, CalSTRS, Stanford Law School and The Rock Center for Corporate Governance. Capitol Weekly, September 17, 2009 Moving Beyond 'Male, Pale, Stale' Details

Michael Spence Signals Slow Economic Recovery
2001 Economics Nobel Laureate and GSB Professor Emeritus, Michael Spence, said in a transcribed interview that the world would have to be prepared for a slow economic recovery and growth would take time. Moneycontrol.com, September 8, 2009 Michael Spence Signals Slow Economic Recovery Details

Stanford Business School Research Underpins SEC Scrutiny
of Scheduled Insider Trades
In the wake of alleged misconduct by executives at Countrywide Savings, Novatel, and Qwest, research by GSB Professor Alan Jagolinzer may be prompting the Securities and Exchange Commission to rethink rules that permit scheduled trading by insiders. SEC Scrutiny of Scheduled Insider Trades Details

More To Say On Executive Pay
"Any regulatory restriction on compensation can be and will be circumvented by any financial institution that wants to do so," asserts GSB Professor Dirk Jenter. Institutional Investor, September 2009 More to Say on Executive Pay Details

Forbes Ranks Stanford #1 MBA Program in 2009 Best US Business Schools
This biennial ranking measures return on investment. Forbes Magazine August 5, 2009 Forbes Ranks Stanford #1 MBA Program Details

Poder 360 Places Stanford as #1 Business School for Hispanics
This ranking was based on academic quality, selectivity, minority enrollment and scholarships, international curricula, and more.
Poder 360 Magazine, August 4, 2009 Stanford as #1 Business School for Hispanics Details

Creating "a Bigger Mess?" Battle Lines Are Drawn
on the Proxy Access Rule
The Securities and Exchange Commission is reviewing the "proxy access rule" and considering a change to the way directors are nominated to company boards. According to GSB Professor David F. Larcker, a co-director of the Stanford Rock Center for Corporate Governance, the SEC's proposal is "a big deal. It's sort of like shareholder democracy."
Knowledge@Wharton, September 2, 2009 Creating "a Bigger Mess?" Details

Facebook to Face Off with New Web Rivals
According to GSB Professor Haim Mendelson, "Facebook is likely not interested in going head-to-head in Internet search with Google. But the areas of overlap between the companies are increasing, and by beefing up search, Facebook could become more competitive with Google."
International Business News, August 2009 Facebook to Face Off with New Web Rivals Details

Yes I (Gulp) Can: Peter Henry's Obama Adventure
Economist Peter Henry spent 10 intense months in the maelstrom of national politics, leading then candidate Barack 0bama's group on Economics, Globalization and Trade Policy during the 2008 campaign. Peter Henry's Obama Adventure Details

Derivatives Get Second Look From US Congress
That Didn't Act
"Any of the world's largest hedge funds would be viewed as systemically important, and I'd forecast the Fed would include them among the financial players they'd keep an eye on under these new regulations," said GSB Professor Darrell Duffie. Bloomberg News, June 22, 2009Peter Henry's Obama Adventure
Details

The Only Public Health Plan We Need
A better public plan would not be a new government-run insurer at all, but rather a government-chartered mechanism that would let employers and individuals buy health coverage from private insurers in a manner that uses the three most essential market forces — choice, competition and incentives — to reduce the price and improve care according to GSB Professor Emeritus, Alain Enthoven. New York Times, June 25, 2009 Peter Henry's Obama Adventure Details

The Science of Sneezing: Modeling Spray Exposure
"It's a little surprising to me that the government isn't suggesting face protection (to protect against the flu virus), because it helps for all three modes of transmission," says GSB Professor Lawrence Wein. LiveScience, May 8, 2009 Science of Sneezing Details

Professors Strebulaev, Jagolinzer, and Shiv Honored
for Distinguished Teaching
Faculty members Ilya Strebulaev, Baba Shiv, and Alan Jagolinzer were honored with 2009 Distinguished Teaching Awards by students in the School's MBA, PhD, and Sloan Master's Program, respectively. Extreme Affordability Journal Details

Extreme Affordability Journal
The elective Design for Extreme Affordability takes students from their funky classroom/design studio to far flung corners of the world. Follow progress through the Extreme Affordability Journal. (Video Available) Extreme Affordability Journal Details

Risky and Necessary
Literally decades of empirical research reveals three things about senior leadership succession, according to GSB Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer. Washington Post, April 3, 2009 Risky and Necessary Details

Products for the Other 3 Billion
A new breed of idealistic technologist is building ultracheap baby incubators, medicine dispensers, and solar-powered lamps. Welcome to entrepreneurship circa 2009 and the multidisciplinary course Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability, taught by GSB Professor Jim Patell. Fortune, April 1, 2009 Products for the Other 3 Billion Details

Effectiveness of Board of Directors of Companies
GSB Professor David Larcker's article discusses board effectiveness and how the board characteristics commonly accepted as key (e.g. independence, etc.) may not be the right elements to focus on. The Economic Times, March 20, 2009 Effectiveness of Board of Directors Details

Stanford Professors Elected to NAE
Five Stanford University faculty, including GSB Professor Lawrence Wein, have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Stanford News Service, February 10, 2009 Wein Honored Details

The Trouble With TARP: Shareholders Trump Taxpayers
"Moral suasion is not so effective in influencing the decisions of a public corporation, whose primary responsibility is to their shareholders," GSB Professor Darrell Duffie. Washington Independent, February 16, 2009 Trouble with TARP Details

Treasury Department Sees Modest Cutback in Bank Lending
We don't have good data on the amount of loan demand that exists in this very weak economy, according to GSB Professor James Van Horne. "We have anecdotal evidence that banks strengthened their credit standards. Whether they have tightened too much is difficult to say." Los Angeles Times, February 18, 2009 Treasury Department Sees Details

Green Job May Be Best Bet for Stimulus
Stanford GSB Professor Hau Lee is quoted about green tech on ABC-7 News (article and video). ABC.com, January 20, 2009 Green Jobs Details

Can Apple Survive Without Jobs?
Plenty of companies with charismatic leaders can still thrive after they're gone, says Stanford GSB Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer. The trick lies in the ability of successors to understand what made a company great and preserve that part of the culture. Time, January 8, 2009 Can Apple Survive Details

Whatever Happened to Silicon Valley Innovation?
According to GSB Lecturer Andy Grove, "These days, people cobble something together. No capital. No technology. They measure eyeballs and sell advertising. Then they get rid of it. You can't build an empire out of this kind of concoction. You don't even try." BusinessWeek, December 31, 2009 Whatever Happened to Silicon Valley Innovation? Details

UK's Lancaster University Honors Barth
for Accounting Contributions
GSB Professor Mary Barth is described as an "international standard setter" by the Lancaster University Management School which has presented her with an honorary degree recognizing her service to the profession. UK's Lancaster University Honors Barth Details