Several world events, including President Clinton’s recent trip to China, inspired the global focus of this issue of the Graziadio Business Review. In this issue’s lead article, Marshall Nickles, Ed.D. and Graziadio School of Business and Management faculty, directs a tour of economic history en route to understanding the current economic interactions that dominate real-world business in today’s post-Keynesian marketplace. We have included a spreadsheet for applying Nickles’ concepts to your business.
Interest in China is booming, but understanding the Chinese remains a challenge for many western business practitioners. The Chinese experiences of L. Wayne Gertmenian, PhD, pre-date President Nixon’s historic 1972 trip to China. Professor Gertmenian continues to regularly travel to China, often with GSBM students and alumni. His insights on doing business in China are drawn from over 25 years of experience in doing business with the Chinese, plus extensive research on the subject.
Doing business globally in the next century will require a number of skills and talents. Mark Mallinger, PhD, explores what skills business academics and practitioners believe will be most important in the new millennium. Dr. Mallinger also details which of these skills a group of Graziadio faculty and practitioners who support the school listed as most important. I would also to invite you to participate in the study by completing the skill for the 21st century poll. You will find the poll link in Professor Mallinger’s article and in the Your Turn section.
The interactive case for this month studies the potential pitfall of firms integrating emerging and existing technologies. The case was developed by Russell Aebig, a GSBM student in the professional program, and Ann Feyerherm, PhD, a member of the GSBM faculty. Russell and Ann are available to respond to reader’s feedback and questions about the case and related material. See the appropriate link within the case. One important note: We attempted to serialize cases in the inaugural issue of the GBR. To put it simply: good idea, bad execution timing. As a result, this month’s case is presented in its entirety. We will present all of the serial chapters of the inaugural issue’s case at a later date.
Part of our mission is to address all aspects of the business practitioner’s life. One way we do that is to include at least one personally-focused article each issue. In this issue, David Hitchin, PhD, and Jill Hitchin, MA, MSOD, explore the idea of “middlaning” the science (art?) of living a reasonable and appropriately balanced life. The idea is intriguing and made even more so by David’s interview with Jeffrey Rigsby, a former bank executive who became an entrepreneur to discover the balance between work and life.
I would also suggest you check out The Loop, which features interesting insights and news to use on the many dimensions of business. Also, please take the time to take “Your Turn” and let us know what you see that you like, what you see that you like less, and what you don’t see that you’d like to see.
As the editor, I would specifically like to thank my colleagues who reviewed the articles in this edition: Seymour Siegel, Al Hagan, David Smith, Terry Young, and Bob Canady. Your insights, opinions, and thoughts are critical to shaping this electronic journal. I also want to thank our readers for the insights and encourage you to email me with your thoughts. The quickest way is to email my name at the top of this letter.
In any event, enjoy. Let us know what you think.
