Media Coverage: November 2004

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , 11/28/2004— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, discusses the impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on the accounting industry including the benefits to recent business school graduates. "More of them are getting jobs with the better firms than in the past few years," he says ( New SOX Rocks Accounting Industry ). Read more about Ketz at http://php.smeal.psu.edu/smeal/dirbio/displayBio.php?t_user_id=k55 .

MSNBC.com, 11/24/2004— Fariborz Ghadar , director of the Center for Global Business Studies, discusses the ability of U.S. stock markets to keep pace with overseas competition. "Is the United States falling behind? Yes, it is," Ghadar says. "Many exchanges are really upgrading their technology and infrastructure, and they're going to be more transparent and from the perspective of the consumer deliver a better service. But the problem is these exchanges don't have the breadth and depth of big U.S. exchanges—that doesn't make the U.S. exchanges better, they're still antiquated" ( Are U.S. Financial Markets Losing Their Edge? ). Read more about the Center for Global Business Studies at http://www.smeal.psu.edu/cgbs/index.html .

Scripps Howard News Service , 11/19/2004— Judy Olian , dean of the Smeal College, writes in a column that the trick with e-mail is to manage the downsides as effectively as possible with firewalls, e-mail management and "netiquette" guidelines, sound legal procedures, and strategies to counter the impersonality of the medium" ( The Dark Side Of E-mail ). Read the column at http://www.smeal.psu.edu/news/releases/nov04/email.html .

Centre Daily Times , 11/18/2004— The Smeal Trading Room is featured in a story about the college's Community Initiative , the driving force behind a project to bring high school students to Smeal for an introduction to financial markets provided by Students In Free Enterprise ( Project Makes Sense Of Stocks ). Read more about the Community Initiative at http://www.smeal.psu.edu/news/releases/nov04/comminit.html .

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , 11/17/2004—The 2004/2005 executive committee board of The Pittsburgh Chapter of the Smeal Business Club is named: chairman, Justin Schell, Ernst & Young LLP; president, Cara Caruso, Legg Mason; vice president of membership, Brian Devine, PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP; treasurer, Bob Courier, Sherrard German & Kelly; secretary, Tracey Mitcheltree, CleanCare; and vice president of student mentoring program, Colleen Carr, WR Advisors ( People On The Move ). Read more about the college's alumni clubs and networks at http://www.smeal.psu.edu/alumni/clubs.html .

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , 11/16/2004— Albert Vicere , professor of strategic leadership, writes in his regular column that "for years, experts have been pointing to a crisis in leadership. But this isn't a crisis of accountability, it is a crisis of availability. We're running short of leaders" ( Talent Management Key To Filling Leadership Gap ). Read the column at http://www.smeal.psu.edu/news/releases/oct04/opedtal.html .

Associated Press , 11/15/2004— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, discusses Sarbanes-Oxley regulations that require companies to audit their internal controls. "This whole process is an expensive one. It takes a lot of time, and it takes a lot of staff," Ketz says. "Large companies have probably been doing a lot of this stuff already and the small companies have probably not been doing all of this entirely and so for them it's a lot of work" ( Companies Rush To Meet New Regulation Mandate ). The story appeared on the Web sites of Information Week , Winston-Salem Journal , New York Newsday , Boston.com , Forbes , Macon Telegraph , Columbus Ledger-Enquirer , News & Observer , The State , Myrtle Beach Sun News , San Luis Obispo Tribune , MLive.com , Fort Worth Star Telegram , The Ledger , Kansas City Star , Monterey County Herald , Los Angeles Times , Kansas.com , Akron Beacon Journal , Charlotte Observer , Worcester Telegram , Grand Forks Herald , Times Daily , Tallahassee.com , Duluth News Tribune , Bradenton Herald , Ocala Star-Banner , WTOP , Kentucky.com , Fort Wayne News Sentinel , Biloxi Sun Herald , Philadelphia Inquirer , Miami Herald , Seattle Post Intelligencer , and San Jose Mercury News

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , 11/09/2004— Judy Olian , dean of the Smeal College, writes in a column that "65 percent of women (compared to 82 percent of men) believe that opportunities for women have at least somewhat improved over the last five years. OK—so things might be a little better, but isn't it disheartening, not to mention unacceptable, that women still report experiencing such arcane barriers to their success?" ( Leadership Aspirations Show No Regard For Gender ). Read the column at http://www.smeal.psu.edu/news/releases/oct04/aspire.html .

Associated Press , 11/08/2004— Fariborz Ghadar , director of the Center for Global Business Studies, discusses West Virginia's vote for a republican president, the first time that has happened in back-to-back elections in 80 years. "From an economic point of view, we are no longer large companies, unionized, with a them-against-us attitude," Ghadar says. "That constituency of the Democrats has really eroded" ( W.Va. Support For GOP President Makes A Mark ).

Seattle Times , 11/07/2004— Judy Olian , dean of the Smeal College, discusses what corporate boards are looking for in a leader following many high-profile debacles in recent years. "[Boards] want it to be obvious to everyone around that this person is skilled," Olian says. "The easiest signal is that they've done it in the past, and they're well known. In that sense, 'rock star' CEOs provide that signal. But it's not just that they are flamboyant, it's the track record of performance" ( Pursuit Of Star CEO Slows ). Read more about Olian at http://php.smeal.psu.edu/smeal/dirbio/displayBio.php?t_user_id=jdo10 .

Daily Collegian , 11/04/2004— Andrew Bergstein , instructor of marketing, discusses the outcome of the presidential election. "Never before have so many modern marketing tactics been used," he says. "It's a whole kind of industry" ( Results Surprise Professors ). Read more about Bergstein at http://php.smeal.psu.edu/smeal/dirbio/displayBio.php?t_user_id=axb35 .

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , 11/02/2004— Donald Hambrick , Smeal Chaired Professor of Management, discusses the threats of billionaire investor Carl Icahn to nominate his own slate of directors and oust the management team of Mylan Laboratories if Mylan proceeds with its acquisition of King Pharmaceuticals. "Mylan has anexceedingly high percentage of insiders or quasi-insiders compared to what's going on inside corporate America today," Hambrick says. "I can see why Icahn is trying to do what he is" ( Icahn Ups Pressure On Mylan ). Read more about Hambrick at http://php.smeal.psu.edu/smeal/dirbio/displayBio.php?t_user_id=dch14 .

Dow Jones Newswires , 11/02/2004— Fariborz Ghadar , director of the Center for Global Business Studies, discusses promises of litigation reform by the presidential candidates. According to Ghadar, neither would likely be able to do much to reduce costs, but the Republicans would be more likely to implement change at the margins ( Heated Contest Coming To End As US Voters Head to Polls ).

Christian Science Monitor , 11/02/2004— Albert Vicere , professor of strategic leadership, discusses the evolving nature of MBA programs. "The MBA is very much seen as a degree that, regardless of what your background is, certifies you as somebody who understands running a corporation, running a business, running an organization, and doing it effectively," Vicere says ( US Business Schools Reinvent The MBA ). The story also appeared on the Web sites of the News & Observer , Modesto Bee , and HispanicBusiness.com . Read more about Vicere at http://php.smeal.psu.edu/smeal/dirbio/displayBio.php?t_user_id=aav1 .

Baltimore Sun , 11/02/2004— Fred Hurvitz , instructor of marketing, discusses the impact of the presidential election on retail activity. "Shopping has become a social experience to some degree and people don't devote the effort when there is anything that has an impact on their free time and thoughts," Hurvitz says. "We notice certain types of retailers suffer when certain events are unfolding. Necessities will sell regardless. A lot of discretionary items won't" ( The CNN Effect ). Read more about Hurvitz at http://php.smeal.psu.edu/smeal/dirbio/displayBio.php?t_user_id=fbh1 .

Fortune , 11/01/2004— Robert Novack , associate professor of supply chain management, discusses the strategies FedEx has used to become an industry leader. including the purchase of Flying Tigers and its major Asian air routes in 1989. "Everyone wondered what the heck they were doing," Novack says ( Why FedEx Is Flying High ). Read more about Novack at http://php.smeal.psu.edu/smeal/dirbio/displayBio.php?t_user_id=osv .

Scripps Howard News Service , 11/01/2004— Albert Vicere , professor of strategic leadership, writes in his regular column that there is a "four-step framework for thinking through the challenge of transformation and making change happen." According to Vicere, leaders must stabilize operations, reshape the environment, think in "waves," and maintain momentum ( Four Steps To Successfully Control Change ). The column also appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , the Record-Searchlight , and the News & Observer . Read the column at http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=CEOCORNER-10-29-04 .

Entrepreneur , November 2004— Albert Vicere , professor of strategic leadership, discusses the process of implementing change within the corporate setting. According to Vicere, leaders must provide role models for change and make sure workers have the necessary skills to change. "The leaders of the change effort should not be external consultants but rather the senior leaders in the organization," Vicere says. "They should be the ones out front, teaching, leading and facilitating" ( A New Leaf ).

IndustryWeek , November 2004— Donald Hambrick , Smeal Chaired Professor of Management, and his co-authored research on what causes extreme behavior in executives, are covered. "CEOs at Mattel, Bristol-Myers Squibb, K-Mart, as well as highly visible cases at Enron, Tyco, Worldcom and Adelphia, were all widely criticized in the period 2000-2002 for aggressive, even ethically dubious acts," the researchers write, "but "in our estimation, extremely intense job demands also may have played a major role" (Extreme Demands, Extreme Behavior). Read more about the research at http://www.smeal.psu.edu/news/releases/sep04/study.html .

SmartPros.com , November 2004— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, writes about the legislation of morality in his regular column. "It is true that you cannot legislate honesty," he writes. "You can, however, create enough disincentives to make people most uncomfortable and unhappy if they lie. If anything, we need to create more deterrents and increase the probability of discovering falsehoods. Such a world would have much better financial reports than we do today" ( You Can't Legislate The Truth! ).

SmartPros.com , November 2004— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, writes in his regular column about the recommendation by the executive committee of the American Accounting Association to discontinue publishing two journals: Accounting Horizons and Issues in Accounting Education . "Last year, the AAA president Pete Wilson announced rapprochement," Ketz writes. "The executive committee voted to continue both publications for at least three years and initiate the new journal by 2007. Given what they are doing to the journals, why not just kill them now?" ( Educator Exasperation Over Journals ).

SmartPros.com , November 2004— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, offers advice to nonprofessional investors in his regular column. "Choose firms with realistic computations of its stock-based compensation expense that is not too large and is found on the income statement, reasonable, down-to-earth assumptions about their pension returns, and positive free cash flows," Ketz writes. "Any other business enterprise is too much like the lottery for my tastes" ( Advice To Nonprofessional Investors ).

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