February 2002
Revised Insider Trading Disclosure Rules Could Lower Trading Costs
Allegations of accounting irregularities and insider trading underlie the lion's share of federal securities law class-action litigation, and there is a growing chorus for a change in regulations governing insider trading and disclosure.
Trends in Corporate Training
These days, hanging tough with the investment in corporate training is a challenge, but worth it. In 2000, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) examined training investments of 575 U.S. based, publicly traded firms during the prior 3 years. Controlling for a variety of differences among firms such as industry, company size and prior performance, an increase of $680 in a firm's training expenditures per employee generated, on average, a 6% improvement in total shareholder return the following year. Total shareholder return was measured as a combination of increased stock price and dividends awarded during a given year. Further to the ASTD study, firms in the top quarter in terms of average expenditures on training enjoyed significantly higher profit margins, higher income per employee, and higher price-to-book ratios than firms in the bottom quarter.
Honor Systems Should Stay
Campuses should not abandon their honor systems in the wake of some recent highly publicized cheating scandals across the nation.
Developing Executives Find Results Through Executive Education This Spring
Penn State Executive Programs in the Smeal College of Business Administration--ranked among the top 25 providers of executive education worldwide and ranked among the top 12 in the United States -- announces its spring 2002 open-enrollment schedule with new professional development opportunities in supply chain management, general management and finance. "Developing leaders. Delivering results" is the new mantra taking shape for 2002.
Diamonds May Be A Warlord's Best Friend
While bachelors may find Valentine's Day a perfect time to propose marriage, a Penn State instructor of marketing urges consumers to learn the diamond's origin in order to avoid purchasing a "dirty diamond."
About Hiring A Consultant
There are times in the course of business when it makes sense to hire a consultant. Reasons vary. You might have a need for a temporary or permanent outsourcing solution, particular expertise or analysis lacking inside the company, impartial analysis of the pros and cons of a strategic position, third party review of the strengths of a key manager or department, confidential advice that's too sensitive to be sought internally, or the formulation and management of change or restructuring strategies. Sometimes, you need a credible third party to help validate and shoulder a controversial or contentious decision. When things click, consultants can be extremely cost-effective, creative problem solvers, or the source of magnificent insights and business advances. When they don't, they can be a royal waste of money, or worse yet, unsettle, divide, or derail important aspects of a business. How can you maximize the positive returns from a consulting assignment, and avoid the potential negatives?
Smeal College Alumnus Endows $1 Million Professorship To Enhance Diversity
William A. Donan's long standing goal to endow a chair to promote racial diversity at Penn State's Smeal College of Business Administration has now been achieved.
Outsourcing Global Trade Management To Third-Party Providers Leads To Significant Savings, Says Penn State Study
Outsourcing global trade management to third-party providers can save global companies billions, reports a new study led by researchers in Penn State's Smeal College of Business.
Smeal College Announces Additions To Faculty & Staff
There will be several additions to Penn State's Smeal College of Business in March.
Vision For Women In 2005 Is Topic Of Upcoming Lecture
The Penn State community will gain insights on the future of women at one of the nation's leading professional services firms during the inaugural presentation of a new lectureship series in the Smeal College of Business.
New Shipping Venture Topic Of Upcoming Lecture
Penn State's Smeal College of Business has announced that Roland K. Bullard, II, president and CEO of FastShip, Inc. in Philadelphia, PA, will be the speaker for the annual Spisak Lecture in Business Logistics. The lecture is scheduled to take place at 2:30 p.m., Monday, March 18, in Room 112 Kern Building on the University Park campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Juggling Life And Work
The juggling act is getting tougher. While job satisfaction is generally high, many employees - - men and women - - are finding it harder to balance life and work. Ninety-five percent of respondents to a Rutgers University Survey in 1999 worried that work is taking too much time away from their families. In a 2000 survey of over 2500 graduating students from 11 countries, PricewaterhouseCoopers reported that for 57% of these graduates, balancing work and personal life was their most important goal, up from 45% 2 years ago. This is true also for young men. The Radcliff Public Policy Center asked over 1,000 males aged 20-39 about their job preferences in 2000. Spending more time with their family was their most important career goal. Seventy percent of men in their twenties said that they were willing to give up some pay in exchange for more family time. Is this a new breed of man?
Alumna Hopes Lectureship Series Helps Students Embrace Women As Leaders
Arlene Shapiro Kaplan was 16 years old when she arrived at Penn State, and the young sociology major spent the next four years earning her degree and taking as many business electives as possible during a time period when many people in the country felt women didn't belong attending college, yet alone majoring in business.
Smeal College Faculty & Staff To Receive Accolades For Teaching And Advising
Penn State's Smeal College of Business will recognize members of its faculty and staff for their efforts in teaching and advising at an upcoming award ceremony.
Shaping Tweens' Values: Can Marketers Help Create A Healthy Balance?
Marvin Goldberg of Penn State's Smeal College of Business will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Ninth Annual Kid Power Spring Conference.
Upcoming Programs Focus On Dressing And Dining For Business Success
Several upcoming programs in Penn State's Smeal College of Business will provide students with valuable insights for avoiding both fashion and dining faux pas in business settings.
Enron Debacle May Reverse Downsizing Trend In Ethics Programs
Many researchers in the ethics arena have been seeing the downsizing or dismantling of some ethics programs in big firms in recent months. This Enron debacle may slow or halt that process, notes Linda K. Treviño, professor of Organizational Behavior and Chair of the Department of Management and Organization in Penn State's Smeal College of Business.
The Next Phase Of eBusiness Topic Of Upcoming Presentation
Penn State's eBusiness Research Center will continue its "Distinguished Speaker Series on e-Business" this week with a presentation by noted author and researcher Bernie Jaworski. His presentation will focus on the next phase of e-business. The event begins at 4 p.m., Thursday, February 7, in Room 208 of the Business Administration Building on the University Park campus. The event is free and open to the public.
Diversity Issues Topic Of Upcoming Conference
Diversity in the workplace will be one of the many issues discussed at the Third Annual S.T.A.R.T. Conference to be held at Penn State.
Design Of New Building Continues
Penn State's Smeal College of Business continues to advance with the fundraising and design of a new building. Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) in association with Bower Lewis Thrower Architects (BLTA) were selected to design the new home for business education at University Park.
The Government Should Be In Debt
It would surprise most Americans to hear that our government should always be in debt and always running a deficit, but nevertheless it's true.
Working For The Best Companies
This week's Fortune Magazine includes their annual list of the 100 "Best Companies to Work For." You have to take these ratings with a grain of salt. For example, in 2000 Enron was number 24 on the list, Amgen (a biotech firm) was 27, and Janus (a fund management firm) was 35. None are listed in this year's top 100, and I imagine that Enron would now occupy the top spot on the list of the100 worst companies to work for in the eyes of most of its employees.
Alumni Mentors Valuable Link To Success
Penn State alumni have an opportunity to provide students with insights into real-world issues and assist with career planning during the 2002 Smeal Alumni Society Board Student Mentoring Day.
