UCI Professor Makes Football Tailgating a Science
As fans eagerly anticipate the NFL playoffs, a new study by Tonya Williams Bradford, an assistant professor of Marketing at the Paul Merage School of Business, examines college football tailgating in an article titled, “Dwelling dynamics in consumption encampments: Tailgating as emplaced brand community.” Continue reading…
UC Irvine FEMBA Students Visit Spain as Part of International Residency
A group of 30 Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) students from the Paul Merage School of Business recently traveled to Spain for their International Residential. The group, led by Professors Connie Pechmann and William Hernandez, toured the Spanish cities of Madrid, Santander, and Bilbao, visited with a number of different companies, and experienced an authentic cultural experience. Some of the trip’s highlights included visits to the corporate headquarters of Banco Santander and SENER.
Located in Santander, Banco Santander originated in the Spanish city but has since expanded to operate in Europe, Latin America, North America, and Asia.
“I was extremely impressed with the [Banco Santander] speaker’s knowledge and business prowess,” said Christopher Adams, ’18. “After this experience, most of the students are craving a west coast expansion by the bank and some way to work for this organization. What an unbelievable and exclusive experience.”
In Bilbao, the group visited Grupo SENER, which is a global engineering and construction company. “Their innovative value proposition of differentiation at higher value was clear,” said Bita Hosseini, ’18. “But, what was shocking to me was their ability to facilitate cross-functional collaboration with both public and private experts as they transformed more into a manufacturing strategy rather than a services strategy, similar to GE. Learning about various solar panel plants and the mix of science and business was eye opening.”
The MBAs also spent time studying at the University of Cantabria where they learned how business was conducted in Spain. The students participated in lectures that covered topics such as economics, law, sustainability strategies, and corporate governance.
All FEMBA students have the opportunity to participate in an International Residential. This one-week residential is a rare, firsthand opportunity to learn about the socio-economic, cultural, and political issues faced by businesses outside the United States. Other recent trips have been to major cities in China, and have focused on how the country became a dominant political and economic force throughout Asia. You can learn more about the FEMBA program here.
Paul Merage School of Business Remembers Pamela Adams, MBA ’98
The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine said goodbye to a beloved family member when Pamela Adams, MBA ’98, lost her battle with cancer earlier this fall. As an investment manager and certified financial planner, Adams built a successful career. However, it was her numerous contributions to her alma mater that makes her passing especially hard on UCI.
After graduating with an MBA from the Merage School in the late ’90s, Adams helped found the Dean’s Leadership Circle (DLC) in 2005 with then dean Andy Policano. The DCL is a business network for alumni and executives to help build stronger ties in the business community. Adams served on the DLC Advisory Board as a “Visionary” member until recently.
“Certainly, she will be missed,” dean Eric Spangenberg said. “Most definitely, she will be remembered. Always, Pam Adams will be cherished in the hearts of the Merage School family.”
Adams helped launch the school’s Center for Investment and Wealth Management (CIWM), chaired the CIWM Community Programs and served on its Advisory Board. Beginning in 2008, Adams served as a member of the Merage School Dean’s Advisory Board, and, just this past year, endowed scholarships for young students to attend the LifeVest financial literacy program hosted by the CIWM. In 2005 Adams was recognized as a UCI Lauds & Laurels Distinguished Alumni Award as one of the Merage School’s most outstanding alumni.
“Pam was a natural leader in every aspect of her life,” said Policano, who is currently the faculty director of the CIWM. “She was an iconic role model for our students and we are indeed fortunate to have been the beneficiaries of her guidance, generosity and friendship. Because of Pam, we have improved the community around us and enabled others who are less fortunate to have the opportunity to succeed.”
Paul Merage alum, member Pamela Adams.
Adams also dedicated much of her time to mentoring young people and supporting women in need. She was a founding member of the Girls Inc. Guild of Orange County, a nonprofit serving girls in need, and an active member of the National Association of Women Business Owners of Orange County who named her “Member of the Year” in 2007.
“We owe a great debt of gratitude to Pam,” added Sandra Findly, Executive Director of Development in the Office of External Relations at the Merage School. “She has set the bar high and we are forever thankful for her dedication and commitment to making a difference in the lives our students and alumni, the people in our community, and in the lives of every single one of us who had the good fortune to know her.”
Paul Merage School of Business Full-Time MBA Earns Spot On Forbes’ Best Of List
The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine received some heavy honors from the recently-revealed Forbes list of the “Best Business Schools” in the U.S., which analyzes how much graduates typically earn five years after graduation. This year, the business school ended up 41st on the list overall, with a $47,000 USD five-year expected gain for full-time MBA grads.
Continue reading…
Paul Merage Study Stresses Importance of Corporate Transparency
A new study from co-authors Jone L. Pearce and Kenji Klein of the Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine explores the relationship between long-tenured employees and the organizations they serve. Unlike interpersonal relationships, which have been shown generally to yield greater trust in both parties over time, the study finds that employees are more likely to mistrust their organization the longer they work there.
The study delves into the co-authors’ theory that a lack of transparency about company policy may be a driving force in eroding employee trust. To support the idea behind their hypothesis, Pearce and Klein cite the reason for public court proceedings:
“Openness more effectively holds decision makers and claimants accountable for truthfulness and unbiased decisions, demonstrates that the rich or powerful have not bought off the weak, supports adaptation to changing norms, and enhances the legitimacy of state authority.”
Pearce and Klein suspect this truth translates to the workplace, and that organizations that shroud their policies and decisions in secrecy are apt to lose the trust of their staff.
A BenefitsPro article that featured the study raised the point that it is essential to examine what builds workers’ trust, as mistrust of an organization can infiltrate mentor/trainee relationships and leave new talent with a biased view of the company. Additionally, organizational secrecy leaves employees to speculate whether policies are being enforced consistently, and can lead to office gossip.
This possible consequence is particularly troubling, since and HRDIVE study found the, in the US, 79 percent of employees use their peers as their main source for company news.
In the conclusion, the authors express their hope that the study will lead to more exploration of the harmful effects of bureaucratic secrecy with regard to company policies. The study speculates that a lack of transparency in addressing policy violations stems from organizations’ risk of embarrassment.
The researchers denounce the validity of this attitude, writing, “As the Renaissance kings discovered, avoiding embarrassment comes at a price, and that price is a loss of trust in the authorities and their policies.”
The Best Information Technology MBA Programs in Los Angeles
As the line between business and information technology industries continues to blur, more and more tech professionals are looking to business schools and MBA programs to help give them a leg up on the competition. An MBA with a focus on information technology (IT) is a great path to landing any number of tech-related jobs, especially in the Los Angeles metro. Here’s a rundown of what the city has to offer:
Anderson School of Management – UCLA
Founded as the College of Business Administration in 1935, the UCLA Anderson School of Management initially taught vocational business skills to people who would be teaching others. The program was renamed the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA in 1987 in honor of Anderson’s $15 million gift to the program. Today, the school offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and two Global Executive MBA programs.
The UCLA Anderson Easton Technology Management Center prepares business students to drive change in technology through coursework, workshops and events covering tech in the business world. MBA students enrolled at Anderson are also able to specialize their degree through the Center with the Easton Technology Leadership concentration. Sample Courses include:
- Innovation in Media & Entertainment Technology
- Intellectual Property
- New Product Development
- Payment Technology
- Technology Management
Argyros School of Business – Chapman University
The Argyros School of Business at Chapman University gives students the opportunity to pursue a track during the MBA program, including Information Systems in Digital Times. While the track will not be recorded on the transcript or diploma, the coursework will come in handy while pursuing a career in technology and can be referenced on a resume. Students on the Information Systems in Digital Times track can choose from the following elective classes:
- Marketing Research
- Information Technology for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
- Statistical Models for Analytics
- Data Mining
- Marketing Analytics
California State University, Long Beach
California State Long Beach began offering business classes in 1949 with only 24 business students and four faculty members. Today, the College of Business Administration is located in state-of-the-art building, complete with decision support laboratories, classrooms with the latest in technology, multimedia capability and modern lecture halls. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International accredited school is also offers a Daytime Accelerated MBA program.
Long Beach offers an MBA Emphasis in Information Systems through the school’s IS department. Students on this track must take the IS core classes of Quantitative Methods for Managerial Decision Making and Management of Information Systems before selected three of the following electives:
- Internet Applications Development
- Business Telecommunications Management
- Network Modeling and Simulation
- Database Management Systems
- Electronic Commerce
Graziadio School of Business and Management – Pepperdine University
The Graziadio School of Business and Management offers a Digital Innovation & Information Systems MBA to its 15 and 20-Month MBA Students. According to the school, this program focuses on bridging the gap between business and technology and helps students gain an advanced and in-demand understanding of technology innovation. This degree prepares students for careers in the following fields:
- Systems or Technology Analyst
- Infrastructure Manager
- IT Director, CIO
- Business Intelligence Analyst/Manager
- Process Analyst/Manager
- IT Program/Project Manager
- Business-IT Relationship Management
- Digital Business Consultant
- Operations Management, COO
- Technology Product Management
Loyola Marymount University
Founded in 1911, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a premier Catholic university rooted in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions. LMU’s College of Business Administration (CBA) was established in 1926. Today, the college offers several undergraduate degree offerings and graduate degree offerings, including an MS in Accounting, MBA and Executive MBA.
Marymount offers various areas of emphasis for their MBA degree, including Information Technology. Six different IT courses are offered, such as Risk Analysis and Financial Modeling, which introduces advanced quantitative model building skills for financial risk analysis. Another high-level IT class offered for Marymount MBAs is Information Technology Security. The school describes the course as follows:
“After 9/11 and the fall of Enron—the 7th largest corporation in America—information technology security has become one of the fastest growing areas in the business world. The need to know how to protect corporate information from attacks both from terrorists and business insiders are enormous. The main objective of this course is to provide students an exposure to the complex information security management issues in the US today. This course offers business professionals a unique blend of technical knowledge and managerial training to investigate digital threats, study corporate security needs, modeling potential risk, and explore possible strategies that management can adapt to protect valuable corporate assets.”
Mihaylo College of Business – California State University, Fullerton
The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics was founded in 1963. The college is named for Steven G. Mihaylo, a 1969 Cal State Fullerton graduate-turned-businessman who made significant contributions to the university. The school has offered MBA degrees since its inception, and today offers MBA, MA and MS programs, including online programs and programs for working professionals.
The Information Systems And Decision Sciences Department at Mihaylo offers concentrations in Information Systems to MBA students. Coursework includes:
- Integrated Enterprise Information Systems
- Information Privacy and Security
- Systems Analysis, Design and Development
Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management – Claremont Graduate University
The Peter F. Drucker & Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management was founded in 1971 and in 1987 was named in honor of Peter Drucker, a pioneer in management theory who helped create one of the first EMBA programs in the United States. In addition to the traditional full-time MBA, the Drucker School of Management offers a part-time and an Executive MBA.
Drucker offers a dual MS in Information Systems & Technology/MBA degree that teaches foundations in technology and management. The special degree is presented in partnership with the Center for Information Systems & Technology (CISAT) and features a curriculum that teaches best practices in both IS&T and management. Students earn two degrees simultaneously and consists of 19 courses.
The Paul Merage School of Business – University of California, Irvine
Located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, the UC Irvine campus is just ten minutes away from the coastal communities of Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. The UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and Healthcare Executive MBA programs.
The Merage School offers some Information Systems coursework for MBA students. All MBAs must take the core Information Technology class. These electives include:
- Critical IT Decisions for Business Executives
- Business Intelligence for Analytical Decisions
- Digital Strategies and Markets
- Special Topics in Information Systems
