Beedie School of Business News

The 2011 SFU Nancy McKinstry Awards for Leadership in Diversity is issuing a call for nominations for the Corporate Diversity Award. Nominations are open to all companies with operations in British Columbia, and recognizes one that excels in the area of diversity. The winner of the Corporate Diversity Award will be announced at the awards breakfast. Nominations and finalists will be confidentially held and resubmitted with future nominations for a period of two years.

Nominees will be measured against the attached Nomination Criteria by the Awards Selection Committee, appointed by the University. Nominees are encouraged to provide examples of their accomplishments or Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the Objectives listed.

Senior management from the winning organization will be provided with an opportunity to speak about their successes at the awards breakfast, when a graduate student entrance award designed to support the diversity and efforts of the SFU Beedie School of Business will also be awarded. Any proceeds from the event are directed to the Nancy McKinstry Endowment that supports this award.

Deadline: The nomination deadline is Friday, June 24, 2011.

Event Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2011, at SFU’s Segal Graduate School of Business.

Please submit your nomination package to:
Jennifer Peng, Director of Advancement
Beedie School of Business, c/o Segal Graduate School of Business
500 Granville Street, Vancouver, B.C.   V6C 1W6
Phone: 778-782-5209 | Fax: 778-782-7831 | Email: jen_peng@sfu.ca

Sponsorship: A limited number of sponsorship opportunities exist for the awards.  Please contact Gloria Chu, SFU Ceremonies and Events for more information at 778.782.5301 or gloria_chu@sfu.ca

Please click here to download a copy of the nomination criteria.

On April 6, 2011, Judy Estrin, CEO of JLABS, was the keynote presenter at a special presentation hosted by the Beedie School of Business in collaboration with the Whistler Foundation. The event, which took place at the Segal Graduate School campus in downtown Vancouver, was attended by a number of industry leaders from the Vancouver technology and entrepreneurship communities. Keep reading…

VANCOUVER— The Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University – @sfubeedie – lays claim to the highest-rated Klout score among Canadian business schools – positioning it as a leader for social media influence and impact.

Increasingly, universities and other post-secondary institutions are being measured for social media influence by Klout scores, considered by many as the “gold standard Twitter ranking system.” Klout measures influence by using a number of data points from Twitter, including follower counts, retweets, list memberships, unique mentions and more.

With a Klout score of 52 as of April 12, 2011, SFU’s business school edged out the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto (Klout score of 51) and Concordia’s John Molson School of Business (Klout score of 47).

The Beedie School began tweeting in early 2010 to stay connected with its many stakeholders – including students, alumni, academics and business practitioners. Since then, it has used Twitter to follow and learn what they are up to; to disseminate school news and research; and to further dialogue with this community. The Twitter presence has since evolved into an optimal channel for two-way sharing, engagement and learning.

The school benefits from a highly energized network that also includes entrepreneurs and business leaders, as well as a growing number of professors immersed in industry and academic outreach. They include Ian McCarthy, Beedie School of Business Professor and Canada Research Chair in Technology and Operations Management (@Toffeemen68), who enjoys a Klout score of 57 and a fast-growing Twitter followership of over 4,400.

The school’s dean, Daniel Shapiro ( @sfubeediedean ), also shares academic research and business opinions via the Twitter medium – making him among the few business school deans in North America to actively engage with the medium.

The Beedie School’s top score comes in the wake of the website studentaffairs.com ranking SFU as the No. 1 social-media influencer amongst Canadian universities and colleges. Results were also based on Klout scores of the schools’ Twitter accounts.

Related:

1. Understanding social media ecosystem top priority for middle managers: SFU Beedie research

2. Study: Engage consumers using social media

3. Chronicle of Higher Education: Ranking of Colleges’ Influence via Twitter

4. Most Influential B-Schools (outside of Canada) on Twitter

VANCOUVER– Time-crunched middle managers and dismissive executives should take note: Deferring social media to your organization’s marketers or techies will soon become a relic of the past. At companies large and small, social media is expanding beyond the jurisdiction of the communications, marketing or IT departments. It requires corporate level strategic attention. For that reason, according to researchers from Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business, social media sites — including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and FourSquare — should increasingly become a priority across organizations. And middle managers must figure out where their firms’ business activities intersect with these social media venues. Their article, published in the spring edition of the management journal Business Horizons, is entitled “Social Media? Get Serious! Understanding the Functional Building Blocks of Social Media.” It was authored by Simon Fraser University’s Jan Kietzmann, Ian McCarthy, Kristopher Hermkens and Bruno Silvestre. The authors present a number of recommendations for how firms should develop strategies for monitoring, understanding and responding to different social media activities – on the premise that different social media arenas correspond with different organizational functions – from employee recruitment to customer service to public relations. “This is a social media world, and yet a lot of middle managers know very little about social media, and as a result they are feeling the pressure,” said Ian McCarthy, Beedie School of Business Professor and Canada Research Chair in Technology & Operations Management. “There is an abundance of evidence indicating that it can significantly impact a firm’s reputation, sales and even survival. Even if you are in the potash industry, you need to be aware of how social media impacts your organization.” The authors point to a number of real-world social media situations – involving customer service, consumer feedback and brand reputation – that have had major business consequences for companies ranging from airlines to restaurants and retailers. To help managers understand the social media ecology they will inevitably confront, the authors have articulated a honeycomb model that reflects the spectrum of social media sites in terms of their scope and functionality. The model includes seven functional building blocks: identity, presence, relationships, conversations, groups, reputations and sharing. “Differences do matter in social media, which is why you need to set your priorities,” said Jan Kietzmann, Assistant Professor at the Beedie School of Business. “For example, LinkedIn is all about identity, while FourSquare is clearly about location. That’s why it is increasingly important for companies to understand and where necessary develop these social media platforms.” The research concludes that by carefully analyzing the layers of the social media ecosystem, firms can monitor and understand how these activities vary in terms of their function and impact – and act accordingly. To view a copy of the Business Horizons article in PDF format, click here.

Innovative new weekly digest to feature the useful and the fun from the world of apps

VANCOUVER– Two alumni from Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business — Maryam Mehrtash (BBA ’06) and Andy Baryer (MBA ’08) — are leading an effort to bring mobile applications to the living rooms of television viewers across Canada.

Mehrtash — an expert in social media, marketing and entertainment — will host the program along with Mike Agerbo. Baryer — who is also seen across BC regularly as a guest technology expert on Global Television — will serve as contributing host.

The weekly AppsTV will be a fast paced 30-minute ride through the world of apps – and help viewers pick the right apps to make the most of their smartphones, tablets, cars, TVs and more.

AppTV intends to go beyond the most commonly used apps, like Facebook and GPS apps, to delve into “the surprising variety of applications designed to help users go green, find the best deals, manage their money, keep mentally sharp and physically healthy and even stay groovy.”

“Apps have exploded,” said Mehrtash. “They’re everywhere – Canada has the highest penetration of smartphones in the world and is the fourth largest market on Facebook. There were 17 million tablets sold worldwide and sales are expected to increase more than 400% by 2012. Our mission is to test the numerous apps produced each day and inform audiences on which ones are fun and useful and which ones not to waste time or money on.”

Highlights of each episode will include:

HOT FIVE – A countdown of the top apps in a different category each week.

APP FEATURE – The inside scoop on the most popular apps and how to use them.

TIPS & TRICKS – A quick and easy tutorial on how to use short-cuts and suggestions on various smartphones.

AppTV will also delve into how apps are made with special guest interviews. Episodes are scheduled to air on CHEK TV and SUN TV. The program is produced by Blink Media Words in partnership with TELUS.

For more information on the show please visit www.apptvonline.com

Watch video of Beedie professor Peter Tingling’s presentation to the MIT Sloan Sports Conference. Click here.

An innovative social enterprise aiming to provide people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with meaningful employment opportunities was the big winner at a Beedie School of Business entrepreneurship competition held at SFU’s Surrey campus.

The business model was put forth by Team “Aspire” – consisting of Beedie School undergraduate students Alice Chen, Matt Armstrong, Joanne Chen, Robbie Hsieh, Justin Findlay. Their idea leverages the characteristics of autism as a competitive advantage in the software testing industry, while creating a suitable and nurturing work environment for the unique differences of those with ASD.

SFU student entrepreneurs showcased their class-produced ventures to the wider business community as part of Opportunity Fest on April 7. (See pictures of the event here).

Meanwhile, students Terrence Lee and Louise Khanjian were honoured as Mr. and Ms. Opportunity. The award recognized a male and female exhibitor who respectively best engaged the event judges from industry and academia in presenting their team’s opportunity.

“This is like a Capstone experience for these undergraduate students,” said Eric Gedajlovic, a professor at SFU’s Beedie School of Business. “In today’s inter-connected world, where things are happening so rapidly and your plans are outdated as soon as they are established, success and growth depends on your ability to continuously identify and pursue opportunities.”

Among other student-generated business ideas: a blue-tooth embedded ski helmet, a bus-tracking GPS device, inflatable skates, and smart exercise machines that upload workout data to the Internet.

“This event is a bit of Dragon’s Den and a bit of Apprentice,” Gedajlovic said. “The teams take this opportunity to develop a full-blown project. These are ideas and new ventures that come from dissatisfaction with the way things are done currently – and now represent viable business concepts.”

Student exhibits came with product prototypes, videos, graphical display boards and more. Judges from the wider business community informally met with participants to evaluate the products, and express their financial interest or commitment through investment of emulated venture capital dollars.

More than 50 students participated in the marketplace-style exhibition, which was open to the public. The event included themes of sustainability and social innovation along with traditional entrepreneurship and business strategy.

Gedajlovic says the event attracted students and entrepreneurs from a variety of fields who often identify opportunities in areas they feel passionate about — whether they are not-for-profit initiatives, environmental causes or cultural activities.

“It’s part experiential, but is also theory and problem driven,” added Gedajlovic. “The opportunities that people discover can be highly idiosyncratic and are typically derived from their own background or experiences or network – something that they will really care about.”

The full results are as follows:

First Place: Aspire

Team Members: Alice Chen, Matt Armstrong, Joanne Chen, Robbie Hsieh, Justin Findlay

Summary: “The social enterprise aims to provide people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) a meaningful employment opportunity that utilizes their autistic characteristics as a competitive advantage in the software testing industry, while creating a suitable and nurturing work environment for their unique differences.”

Second Place: Rate My Lot

Team Members: Stewart Wilkinson, Jessie Mann, Carrie Tsang, Ken Forsyth, Aman Deol, Jenny Wu.

Summary: “Parking lots! The dismal grey of a concrete tomb where you leave the second most expensive purchase you’re likely to make in the hands of potential vandals, thieves, and underpaid, under-motivated, parking lot attendants – if any are provided. It’s a risky business, but Ratemylot.com was developed to help you find safe, convenient, and clean parking lots by drawing on statistics from parking lot locations, prices, break-ins, and consumer feedback to empower you with the knowledge of where you’re actually leaving your car.”

Third Place: Bloogle

Team Members: Camy Wong, Mandeep Barn, Maggie Lo, Victor He, Will Wu.

Summary: “Bloogle is a dual-pane ski/snowboarding goggle specially designed to provide users with a unique ski/snowboarding experience. Bloogle is a combination between traditional goggles and a Bluetooth headset, which enables users to answer and end phone calls, voice dial, and listen to music freely while having a blast on the mountain.”

VANCOUVER– The research output of the Management Information Systems (MIS) area at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business has been ranked among the Top 30 in the world, according to a recently published analysis of publications in top academic journals. The ranking puts SFU in an elite class of business schools – and ahead of some of the world’s most prestigious research institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management and Stanford Graduate Business School.

Developed by Dr. Viswanath Venkatesh, Chair in Information Systems at the University of Arkansas, the ranking is based on the Association for Information Systems’ “Senior Scholars’ Basket of Journals.” The ranking tracks publications in three leading IS journals from 2006 to 2010. The three journals in the list are Information Systems Research, Journal of MIS and MIS Quarterly.

“The placing of the Beedie School of Business in the recent AIS Senior Scholars ranking is a testament to the breadth and depth of the MIS research environment that thrives here,” said SFU Beedie Dean Daniel Shapiro. “By generating groundbreaking new knowledge in the realms of technology and innovation, our faculty have demonstrated why they are thought leaders in these business areas that define the 21st century.”

The ten members of SFU’s MIS group have established research programs that span a wide range of topics, including online education and consumer engagement, adoption and diffusion of technologies, project management, systems analysis and design, and IT strategy and risk management.

“The MIS research group is very supportive of one another, although our research is very diverse,” said Blaize Horner Reich, RBC Professor of Technology and Innovation at Simon Fraser University. “We workshop new ideas for research and teaching and celebrate wins, whether it’s a conference acceptance or an international award.”

The complete ranking of universities is available at:
http://www.vvenkatesh.com/ISranking/RankingsMISQISRJMISbyUni.asp?RYear=5

Contact:

Eric Gedajlovic, 778.782.5168; erg@sfu.ca

Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.3210;marianne_meadahl@sfu.ca

April 4, 2011

Student entrepreneurs are preparing to showcase their class-produced ventures to the wider business community as part of Simon Fraser University Surrey’s Opportunity Fest on April 7 from 7 – 9 p.m.

They’re also vying for the chance to be crowned Mr. and Ms. Opportunity.

“This is like a Capstone experience for these undergraduate students,” said Eric Gedajlovic, a professor at SFU’s Beedie School of Business, which is sponsoring the event. “In today’s inter-connected world, where things are happening so rapidly and your plans are outdated as soon as they are established, success and growth depends on your ability to continuously identify and pursue opportunities.”

Among student-generated business ideas: a blue-tooth embedded ski helmet, a bus-tracking GPS device, inflatable skates, and smart exercise machines that upload workout data to the Internet.

“This event is a bit of Dragon’s Den and a bit of Apprentice,” he said. “The teams take this opportunity to develop a full-blown project. These are ideas and new ventures that come from dissatisfaction with the way things are done currently – and now represent viable business concepts.”

Student exhibits include product prototypes, videos, graphical display boards and more. Judges from industry, academia and the wider business community will informally meet with participants to evaluate the products, and express their financial interest or commitment through investment of emulated venture capital dollars.

More than 50 students will participate in the marketplace-style exhibition, which is open to the public. The event will include themes of sustainability and social innovation along with traditional entrepreneurship and business strategy.

Gedajlovic says the event attracts students and entrepreneurs from a variety of fields who often identify opportunities in areas they feel passionate about — whether they are not-for-profit initiatives, environmental causes or cultural activities.

“It’s part experiential, but is also theory and problem driven,” adds Gedajlovic. “The opportunities that people discover can be highly idiosyncratic and are typically derived from their own background or experiences or network – something that they will really care about.”

Anjali Bal, Kirk Plangger and Adam Mills — all marketing PhD students at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business — have been awarded scholarships by the Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) to attend the Academy’s upcoming conference in Coral Gables, Florida.

The Academy of Marketing Science is the largest marketing association in North America that caters only to marketing academics, and will be celebrating its 40th anniversary at the Coral Gables Conference, which will be attended by more than 700 marketing scholars from all over the world. The SFU students participated as reviewers in the submission stages of the conference, and have also all had papers accepted for presentation.

At the conference they will also act as session chairs and discussants in addition to presenting their own work, and attending the doctoral colloquium.

PhD scholarship awards are highly competitive. In responding to the students’ chair’s thanks for their acknowledgement, the AMS’s chair of doctoral student affairs responded, “SFU PhD students are always a good bet!”

For more information about the conference, visit:
http://www.ams-web.org/cde.cfm?event=312367