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Business Networks | April, 2008 | Volume 6, Issue 4
Seller beware: Research shows that ethical behavior matters to consumers and economy.
Caveat emptor. That familiar caution, “let the buyer beware,” deals with only half of the buyer-seller equation. “Consumers and businesses enter into a relationship based on trust,” said John Tsalikis, BMI associate professor of marketing in the College of Business Administration. “If companies break that trust, their businesses—and ultimately, the economy—will suffer.”
Tsalikis, who has researched business ethics for twenty years, took note of the Enron scandal and decided to measure how people think about the ethical treatment they receive from businesses. Although there are indices of consumer confidence and many company-specific customer satisfaction surveys, no one else was zeroing in on ethics. Read more. Blog this. Listen.
Mexican business leader reflects on banking...and what “rich” means.
“If you like what you do, take some risks, and work hard, you can achieve anything.” According to José Aldrich, managing partner, tax and legal services, Latin America tax leader–South Florida business unit, KPMG, LLP; a member of the Dean’s Council of the College of Administration; and an attendee at the first Wertheim Lecture of 2008, that message was at the core of remarks made by Ricardo Benjamin Salinas Pliego, founder and chairman, Grupo Salinas, and founder and CEO, Grupo Elektra in Mexico. Aldrich was one of an audience of about 200 faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of the business community who heard Salinas, included since 2002 in Forbes’ annual list of the “World’s Richest People,” speak about “Selling to the Poor: A 100-Year Success Story.” Read more. Blog this. Listen. Mean what you say and say what you mean: Communication skills can make or break businesses.
Business letters. Emails. Instant messages. Memos. Reports. No matter what the business or industry, written communication plays a vital role in getting the job done right. In fact, according to a recent study published by American Press International, people at work spend twenty percent of their day writing. Add to that another surprising statistic: thirty percent of that writing time is spent clarifying things that weren’t written properly the first time. “Clearly, effective writing and communication are more important than ever—and bear a significant impact on business productivity,” said James Bussey (MBA ’99), chief of staff, Executive Dean’s Office and instructor, Executive and Professional Education (EPE) in the College of Business Administration. Read more. Blog this. Listen. Case competition benefits Disney and College of Business Administration team.
Say “Disney” and listeners might recall their childhood absorption in cartoons, or agitating for a trip to Disney World or Disneyland. However, for five members of the College of Business Administration’s Professional MBA (PMBA) program, the word meant something far more serious. Over an intense weekend, they had to devise strategic business recommendations for Walt Disney World Co., noting ethical considerations, and then present their proposals to seven individuals, including four from Disney itself, at the 2008 Intercollegiate Case Competition, hosted by the University of South Florida in Tampa. Well before the competition, which ran from February 21-23, 2008, the team—Otis Croney, Oscar Fajardo, Ger Kamminga, Nalene Rampersaud, and Marvin Rivas (BBA ’06)—practiced using cases from previous years. Three members of the winning 2007 team offered suggestions in person; a fourth, no longer in the area, sent encouragement and tips by email. Read more. Blog this. Listen. Women leaders and students connect at conference.
As successful career women demonstrated at the “Women Who Lead” conference recently, they take their responsibility to female students seriously—as role models, mentors, or both. “I had several women mentors along the way who took the time to share their journeys, and that is why it’s important for me to give back to other women,” said Maria Hernandez, executive director for the Central American Region, IBM Corp. “Although I had excellent mentors throughout my career, there were very few role models,” said Carmen M. Perez (BBA ’82), president, FPL FiberNet. “A conference such as this one allows students to get exposed to the many different roles women play these days.” Hernandez and Perez were among the leaders—from business, law, public health, politics, athletics, and other sectors—who showed women students the opportunities that await them. Organized by the Women’s Center at Florida International University, the conference on February 29, 2008, included panels, workshops, a speech titled “Vote, Run, Lead,” and networking. Approximately 425 students attended. Read more. Blog this. Listen.
Global Leadership and Service Project remains a transforming experience.
Reaching beyond the limits of language directly into the hearts of Thai children and having their hearts touched in return was the order of the day for participants in the Global Leadership and Service Project (GLSP)–Bangkok, now in its fourth year. Composition of group shows global range. The 2008 GLSP-Bangkok, which took place from March 13-24, 2008, brought 24 students from Florida International University together with two recipients of travel grants from the College of Business Administration, one from Baruch College and one from George Washington University; a student from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas; a student from Colombia, the head of the international business department at Arkansas University; Robert Hogner, associate professor, Department of Management and International Business and coordinator of the college’s Civic Engagement Initiative; and 21 students from partner university Chandrakasem Rajabaht University’s (CRU) English Club and Community Development Department. Read more. Blog this.
Raul Cremata (BBA ’82)
Areas of Study: Accounting and International Business There to Here: Cremata worked as an accountant for a developer until 2005. When the company decided to close its doors, he decided he would work at his passion: the arts. He and his wife Lourdes, seasoned world travelers and avid art collectors for the better part of their lives, decided to become curators and seek out exceptional Latin American artists in order to introduce their work in the United States. Company: Cremata Fine Art Gallery, which opened in February, 2006, showcases the works of many of distinguished artists, including Cremata’s own. He bought 300 pieces of artwork before he opened the gallery but never intended to make the gallery his studio. Once the gallery was open, though, he decided to paint more, since he had been painting for years and had sold his paintings to art dealers with private collections. Read more. Blog this. 2008 Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame inductees have been selected.
The ninth annual Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Luncheon and Induction Ceremony on Thursday, May 8, 2008, at Jungle Island will induct two alumni selected on January 25 by a panel of judges consisting of sponsors and previous honorees. Read more. Blog this. Art of Networking series finale takes place April 17. Join the Business Alumni Chapter for the series finale of the Art of Networking, sponsored by Progressive, at a cool and hip gallery owned by college alumnus and gallery-owner Raul Cremata. Read more. Blog this. Alumni Notes
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