Merage Alum Paves New Roads at Toyota, and More – Los Angeles News
We’ve rounded up the biggest stories coming out of business schools in the Los Angeles metro this week.
Zack Hicks: Toyota’s Leader for the Digital Future – UCI Paul Merage Newsroom
Zack Hicks, alumna of the Executive MBA program at the Paul Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine, is leading the charge for digital intelligence at Toyota Motor North America. Using his experience from Merage’s EMBA program, Hicks charges forward as Toyota’s first-ever Chief Digital Officer, and CEO/president of Toyota Connected, a big data company that looks to use technology for improving the driving experience.
Zack Hicks, Merage EMBA alum and Toyota’s Chief Digital Officer, and CEO/president of Toyota Connected
In 22 years with the company, Hicks has served in a wide variety of departments, from financial services to IT. When deciding to go back for his MBA, he sought a program that would offer a new set of tools to draw from as he advanced in his career.
“I wasn’t interested in just checking the box, and I didn’t want to learn just theoretical aspects of business,” he commented. He also reflected on Merage’s diverse faculty and real-life business education: “I knew that made Merage a much richer learning environment,” he said in a recent interview with the UCI Paul Merage Newsroom.
Read more about Hicks’ work at Toyota and the EMBA program at Merage here.
Six Los Angeles Entrepreneurs Share Why Their City Is So Great For Starting a Business – Forbes
Though it may be better known as a city of dreams for Hollywood hopefuls, Los Angeles is also increasingly becoming a hub for business and entrepreneurship. Forbes recently compiled the insight of six members of the Forbes Los Angeles Business Council, sharing their thoughts on why Los Angeles is a top destination for entrepreneurs.
L.A. business leaders across a variety of industries shared their thoughts on the city as a perfect startup environment, including the city’s strong tech community, influx of startup talent, and its ‘second-mover’ advantage over Silicon Valley. “LA has the second-mover advantage when it comes to the startup scene,” commented Anna Nguyenova of TubeScience. “The office and living rent is significantly cheaper, there is more space to grow, more land to build on and it has one of the highest number of students graduating with a STEM degree.”
You can read more insights from L.A. entrepreneurs here.
G3X Conference Keynote Jan Masaoka to Examine the Challenges and Opportunities of the Nonprofit Sector – Mihaylo Newsroom
This August, the Mihaylo College of Business at California State University, Fullerton will host the weeklong G3X Conference to discuss issues in the social profit and social enterprise fields. The conference will be presented by the Mihaylo College Gianneschi Center.
Among the keynote speakers for the week will be Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits. Masaoka has been in the social sector in California for many years, serving from 2007 to 2015 as editor-in-cheif for Blue Avocado, an e-magazine for philanthropic professionals. In 2003, the Nonprofit Times named her the Nonprofit Executive of the year. In advance of the conference in August, Masaoka shared her thoughts on philanthropy and success in the field with Mihaylo.
“Start and perhaps stay with work that is close to the action,” Mihaylo commented, offering advice to young people looking to join the social profit sector. “Instead of seeking to be an art grantmaker, put in the time as the office manager of a community theater.”
You can read more about Masaoka and the upcoming G3X conference here.
How Online MBAs Use Technology to Enable Authentic Connections
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Technology has dramatically blurred the line between the digital and offline worlds; we can do almost anything online these days, ranging from ordering groceries to exploring Africa to attending college. However, one of the points of debate across nearly all fields is how the online experience compares to the parallel offline one; this has been especially true in online degree programs: Can online degrees provide the same value as their face-to-face counterparts?
The challenge of engaging and preparing students is two-fold for online degree programs. They need to cover the same key topics and transfer the same volume of knowledge as their on-ground counterparts. However, another part of the attraction of top MBA programs is that they not only develop students’ business acumen, they facilitate long-lasting connections that can lead to career opportunities and professional connections. That level of engagement presents a much bigger obstacle than catching someone’s attention long enough to complete a simple e-commerce transaction.
Technology in the Online Classroom: Two Major Lessons Learned
One of the things that makes a great online MBA successful is technology. Of course, if it were just an issue of investing in the latest and greatest tech solutions, every university would have successful digital learning programs. Further complicating things is the boom in technology built to solve this problem; which solution is best for the online classroom, and which will help build skills that will carry over into students’ careers.
After looking at some of the technology decisions at the University of Southern California’s Online MBA program, we found two major lessons for how to be successful with the kind of engagement these programs need to facilitate.
1. Innovate With Purpose
It’s easy to see the concerns over rapid technology evolution, whether you consider this 2015 New York Times article about innovation happening too quickly for businesses to keep up, or William Smith’s Morley, in which he wrote that widely available news and faster travel options would destroy relaxation as we know it, in 1886.
The technology we use will always be changing, whether it’s 1886 or 2186. One of the things that is hard to admit, though, is that the thinkers who said it would be impossible to keep up were right. Particularly at an organizational level, it really is impossible to stay current with every technology innovation that emerges.
The difference between success and failure—in the virtual classroom and in global business—is how they adapt new technologies to their environments.
One example of this in action comes from the University of Southern California’s Online MBA program. There are countless options for encouraging deeper collaboration and facilitating connections in an online setting, including a growing list of business collaboration tools as well as universities who opt to build their own social collaboration platforms. Sometimes, though, the answer is much simpler.
One of the things that stood out from USC’s Online MBA is that, in addition to the classroom sessions and videoconferencing, students chat and connect over WhatsApp. One of the biggest lessons from this experience is the fact that, sometimes, the best solution for a given problem is something students or employees are already using; it just needs to be embraced in a way that supports desired outcomes.
Why it Matters: Both businesses and universities may be reticent to allow important work and collaboration to exist outside of the platforms they control; and, there are certain instances (i.e. regulation) where allowing consumer-grade technology is a poor choice. However, embracing a student or employee-driven approach to collaboration is essential to making it work, particularly in a virtual setting. Rather than try to force students off the tool they’re comfortably using, USC can focus on smarter investments in other areas that are critical to online learning, like high quality video conferencing and learning management systems.
2. Outcomes First, Technology Second
It may seem counterintuitive at first, but the best strategies for utilizing technology don’t start by considering technology—they start by considering desired outcomes. If the goal is to facilitate the creation of real connections in a virtual space, using technology to enable this will need to feel natural and incorporate features that bring some of the same qualities of face-to-face interaction.
For online MBAs, there is a second and critical part to solving this challenge: Increasing students’ familiarity with tools that they will need to use in their professional lives.
For both businesses and higher education institutions, approaching this problem primarily from a technology perspective is the wrong approach. By thinking about desired outcomes, organizations can better guide their technology choices.
For example, with software for videoconferencing, there are myriad options. From a purely technical standpoint, many schools might first consider a solution like Blackboard Collaborate or Canvas’ built-in conference tools because so many already have Blackboard or Canvas for their Learning Management Systems.
These platforms may be enough from a functional standpoint, but, for developing true connections in an online MBA, user experience is an even more critical element of software used for video and teleconferencing. Considerations like these led USC’s Online MBA program to leverage Zoom, a dedicated communications platform, for conferencing in addition to the Canvas LMS for facilitating learning. Zoom lets students see the instructor, as well as their fellow classmates on live video, making it closer to face-to-face interaction than many alternatives. It’s also easier to schedule meetings on short notice with the ability to send calendar invites, offering similarity to the spontaneous brainstorming sessions that might happen in a classroom or office.
Why it Matters: The best solution for a given problem isn’t always the one that comes integrated with the rest of the software organizations already have. Especially for an online MBA, it’s also important to consider technology that has value beyond the classroom, as this will better equip students to succeed in their careers. The second component of this is to think about software that readily integrates with platforms people use in their daily lives anyway. Even if it is just the ability to send a meeting invite over Google Calendar, individual features can make the difference.
The Results: When Technology is Used Effectively
The biggest result of USC’s smart use of technology is that students can and do form real connections that lead to face-to-face interaction. For example, many students organize meet-ups in their area, so that those who live away from campus can still participate in the Online MBA community.
The deeper social connections, coupled with classroom learning and group discussions, also create unique opportunities that would not be as easily made without digital engagement. In USC’s case, one team of students in the recent cohort is planning to open their own business together.
The Bottom Line: Universities have historically struggled to keep pace with technology adoption. Regardless of whether a program is online, offered on-campus or uses a hybrid approach, though, the best MBA programs will stay ahead of the curve by considering outcomes first and avoiding the temptation to innovate without a clear purpose.
To learn more about the USC Marshall School of Business Online MBA, visit the Marshall website.
June MBA Deadlines You Need to Know
Don’t be left behind, and get a jump on the MBA application process this June! Here’s your guide to this month’s MBA admissions deadlines in our top metros. Continue reading…
How Much Do Trade Wars Matter for Business Owners? – Los Angeles News
Happy Friday! And for our U.S. readers, happy (soon) Memorial Day weekend! Check up on the latest business news stories coming out of the Los Angeles metro this week.
Survey Finds Trade Wars Do Not Rattle Business Owner Confidence – SC Now
A recent report published in part by the Pepperdine Private Capital Market Project at the Pepperdine Graziado Business School finds business brokers optimistic about the M&A market in 2018, even during a time of economic uncertainty throughout the country.
Since the early May announcement that President Trump would be delaying steel and aluminium tariffs, many throughout the country have been preparing for a trade war. However, the Q1 Market Pulse Report, put out by the Pepperdine Private Capital Market Project, M&A Source, and the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), finds a majority of advisers unconcerned about any impact the tariffs might have on business. According to the report, 86 percent of advisers actually believe business owner confidence is better than where it was a year ago.
“The industry as a whole is keeping a close eye on the tariff situation, but right now we do not see the trade wars impacting buyer confidence,” commented Mike Camerota, the Founder of Touchstone Advisers. “Many businesses are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach as current economic growth could make an increase in raw material pricing tolerable.”
Learn more about the Market Pulse report and the Graziado Business School here.
A Data-Driven Road to Better Public Health – UCLA Anderson Blogs
The Anderson School of Management at UCLA recently took a look at some of the ways their MBA students and graduates are already making big changes in the world. For Arash Nasibi (’14), his work would begin while still an MBA student in his core strategy class with professor Philip Leslie. After a recommendation to search for opportunity in “sleepy niche markets,” Nasibi joined Leslie as a research assistant in the field of restaurant inspection data. Over time, his research evolved into the creation of a nationwide standardized database on food safety inspection.
Eventually, this work would become Hazel Analytics, a data analytics companies that works with restaurants and food retailers focus better on food safety. By the end of 2018, Nasibi expects that at least 100 of the country’s largest food retail brands will be using the technology platform created by his company.
To read more about Nasibi’s work and the work of other Anderson MBA alumni, click here.
The Fastest MBA You Can Earn in Los Angeles – MetroMBA
Yesterday, we highlighted five of the fastest MBA degrees you can earn in the Los Angeles metro, of which include the aforementioned UCLA Anderson School of Management, as well as USC Marshall, which offers a IBEAR MBA program that can be completed in just 12 months.
Find out more about the fastest LA MBA’s here.
Mount Saint Mary’s MBAs Head to China, and More – Los Angeles News
We’ve rounded up some of the top stories coming out of Los Angeles metro area business schools this week.
Business Trip to China – Mount Saint Mary’s Newsroom
MBA students at the Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles recently took a nine-day trip to China as part of their studies in global business. Gannan University, a sister school of Mount Saint Mary’s, recently hosted the students in their third semester in the MBA program.
The trip, which was led by alumna and associate professor Katherine Whitman, included visits to several companies and the opportunity to take a deeper look into the country’s business operations. Students got the chance to go inside the factory of a joint Canadian-Chinese venture in auto transmissions, the research and development labs of a pharmaceutical company and more. And thankfully, even this business trip wasn’t all business- students had the chance for several cultural excursions and a final stop in one of the world’s largest financial centers, Hong Kong.
Read more about the Mount St. Mary’s MBA trip to China and their immersive global business education here.
Why Would a Former Investment Banker Want to Run Los Angeles Schools?– Marketplace.org
Austin Beutner, a former investment banker and past deputy mayor of Los Angeles, has recently been appointed as superintendent for the Los Angeles Unified School district. The second largest school district in the country, the LAUSD currently includes more than 640,000 students in schools across southern California. This week, Beutner was interviewed by Marketplace to discuss his change from business to education, and how this could inform the way he leads the district.
“Schools don’t have a bottom line, but that doesn’t mean you can’t measure and hold accountable,” Beutner said, examining the differences between various environments. “It doesn’t mean you can’t make sure your workforce is well trained and have the tools they need to succeed.” According to Beutner, many of the same skills learned in business are applicable to running a school district, helping provide him with the background necessary to work towards closing the opportunity gap and better serve the needs of the kids. “… part of the challenge is going to be to have to make sure that where we are investing resources today reflects the mission of the organization,” Beutner commented in the interview, “which is to help every child achieve, and reflects the values of the community it serves.”
To read more of Beutner’s interview with Marketplace, click here.
Graduate Students Participate in University’s Inaugural Three Minute Thesis Competition for Cash Prize and Bragging Rights – Chapman University Newsroom
An MBA student at Argyros School of Business Chapman University recently took first prize in the annual Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT), among fourteen other Chapman graduate students across six colleges. The competition, which began ten years ago in Queensland, Australia, has today become an annual competition taking place at more than 200 universities across the globe. The competition forces students to think about their research in a way that can be fun and engaging for audiences outside of their field. Student presentations were judged based on effective communication, visuals, timing and delivery.
Chapman Argyros MBA Rowena Zahn, ’18 / Photo via blogs.chapman.edu
The first place winner was Rowena Zahn (MBA, Food Science ’18), who was awarded with $1,000. Zahn’s research, “Optimization of DNA-based methods to identify elasmobranch species in shark cartilage pills,” attempts to identify the species of shark used in dietary supplements (which often use shark cartilage for its anti-inflammatory effects) in order to identify mislabeled or vulnerable species in the pills.
You can read more about Zahn’s research and the 3MT competition here.
Starting a Franchise, Healthcare Management, and More – Los Angeles News
Let’s explore some of the most interesting stories that have come out of Los Angeles business schools this week.
So You Want to Start a Fitness Franchise? – Forbes
Katya Strombland, Los Angeles-based entrepreneur and MBA graduate of USC’s Marshall School of Business, was featured this week in an interview with Forbes. Strombland, who spent ten years working for Avery Office Products after earning her MBA, eventually found a way to combine her passion and profession—opening two Club Pilates franchises in the Los Angeles area.
The Forbes Q+A discusses how Strombland got involved with fitness franchising, and the process of investing, opening and ultimately profiting from the process. She also discusses both the rewards and challenges of franchising, as well as offering advice for those looking to get their foot in the door: “If you have the opportunity to work or volunteer at another franchisee’s location to learn the ropes from within, do it. It’s invaluable experience.”
Read more about Strombland and the process of franchising here.
Healthcare Management Students Extend Cal State LA’s Winning Streak – CBE Newsroom
A team of healthcare management students at the College of Business and Economics California State University, Los Angeles, recently placed among the top three winners at the Western Regional Healthcare Executives College Bowl Case Study Competition. The students faced off against eleven teams from graduate schools across five states to take the honor, working for more than 60 hours in three weeks to prepare.
Several of the participating students are already industry professionals, but nonetheless agreed that the competition will help shape their careers going forward. The challenge, which takes place over two rounds, requires students to develop solutions for a problem currently faced by a regional healthcare facility. Judges at the competition include all practicing C-suit executives from the healthcare management industry.
Find out more about the annual challenge and the healthcare management program at CalState LA here.
LMU Business Incubator Showcase to Spotlight Start-Up Companies – LMU Newsroom
The Loyola Marymount University College of Business Administration recently hosted its annual Business Incubator Showcase. Sponsored by the Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship, the event allows Loyola students and recent graduates to share their best business ideas with the community, while the incubator provides the necessary workspace and guidance to turn their ideas into reality.
A wide variety of business ideas were featured at the Business Incubator Showcase at the end of April, including Recupera, a meal service company for those with medical considerations, Influencer Line, which designs and markets products for influencers, and Bristl, a toothbrush that uses light therapy and sonic vibrations to boost oral healthcare.
“I am so proud of the men and women who, with the incubator’s help, have built innovative and promising businesses that are positioned for success in the marketplace,” commented Kiesner Center director David Choi.
You can read more about the business incubator here.
