Media Coverage: November 2005

The Associated Press , 11/30/2005— Fred Hurvitz , instructor of marketing, discusses the success of businesses in college towns. "Many small businesses have thrived in State College, Pa., where Pennsylvania State is located, because recessions aren't felt as much as in other parts of the country, said Fred Hurvitz, a former small-business owner who teaches marketing at Penn State's Smeal College of Business. 'Parents make sure the students have spending money,' Hurvitz said." ( College Towns Make The Grade With Entrepreneurs ). This article also appeared on about 20 news Web sites.

Cape Business News (Cape Town, South Africa), 11/30/2005— Smeal mentioned in an article on The Economist 's Executive Education Rankings. "The UCT GSB received a score of 3.9, placing it on par in tenth place with top names such as Stanford Graduate School of Business, Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University, and Smeal College of Business at Penn State." ( GSB Short Business Courses On Top ).

The Detroit News , 11/21/2005— Fariborz Ghadar , director of the Center for Global Business Studies, discusses the microwave in an article on its 60th anniversary. "With most new technologies, you suggest it's going to have the widest possible use," he says. "Remember—your PC was going to make your coffee and bring up your calendar at the same time." ( Don't Dry The Dog ). This article also appeared in The Indianapolis Star .

MarketWatch , 11/20/2005— Fariborz Ghadar , director of the Center for Global Business Studies, discusses President Bush's visit to China. "I thought he had soft gloves on his hands when he was talking to them on the economic front," Ghadar said. "It is understandable. China is now a huge trading partner and while they have a $200 billion surplus, they turn around and spend that money buying our financial instruments." ( Bush Handles China With Soft Gloves ). This article also appeared on Investors.com .

The Wall Street Journal , 11/18/2005— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, discusses the FASB's plan to change lease-accounting rules. "A lot of companies, Prof. Ketz said, have structured their leases to have that percentage come in at 89.9% and thus avoid the requirement." ( Lease Accounting Draws Scrutiny ).

Dow Jones Newswire , 11/17/2005— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, discusses the FASB's plan to change lease-accounting rules. Ketz said "there are several things that would be good to look at" if FASB opts to revamp lease accounting. Companies, he said, "will do things to leases that will skirt specific rules." ( FASB Chairman Says Board May Add Lease-Accounting Project ).

CNBC's "Closing Bell," 11/16/2005— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, discusses pension accounting rules.

United Press International , 11/15/2005—Article on research by Hans Baumgartner , professor of markerting. "Scientists at Pennsylvania State University and at Tilburg University in the Netherlands say extraneous emotions can affect consumer purchases. 'Although previous studies have shown that people in a positive mood evaluate products more favorably than people in a negative mood, little is known about how specific extraneous emotions impact evaluations,' write the authors of the study." ( Consumer Behavior Linked With Emotions ). This article also appeared on several Web sites.

Financial Times , 11/14/2005—News brief on the appointment of Kenneth Lusht , chair of Insurance and Real Estate, as interim dean.

The Associated Press , 11/10/2005— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, is quoted on the FASB's new rules regarding pension plan reporting. "It's long overdue," Ketz said. "They're moving in the right direction in terms of studying the issue. We're not 100 percent sure what they will do as a final rule. ...I would rather see truth in accounting even if the truth hurts us." ( Nation's Accounting Rulemaker Plans Pension Reporting Changes ). This article also appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , The Seattle Times , the Deseret Morning News , and on more than 50 news Web sites.

Centre Daily Times , 11/06/2005—Story on Smeal MBA case competition win. "A team of second-year MBA students from Penn State's Smeal College of Business placed third in the National Black MBA Association Case Competition." ( PSU Students Finish Third In Contest ).

Centre Daily Times , 11/06/2005—Story on the appointment of Kenneth Lusht , chair of the insurance and real estate department, as interim dean. "Kenneth M. Lusht has been named interim dean of Penn State's Smeal College of Business, effective Jan. 1." ( Business People: Education ).

BusinessWeek Online , 11/03/2005— James Miles and Randall Woolridge , professors of finance, have their 1993 research paper on spin-offs cited. ( Spin Off, Buy Up, Cash In ).

Harrisburg Patriot-News , 11/01/2005— Evelyn Thomchick , associate professor of supply chain management, and John Spychalski , professor of supply chain management, discuss in an op-ed the Corridor One regional rail project proposed to connect Carlisle, Harrisburg, and Lancaster. "Building Corridor One now rather than later, while the opportunity to access existing infrastructure is available, would ensure that this need can be met. It is time to seize that opportunity." ( Outside Analysis Backs Regional Rail Concept ).

Money , 11/01/2005— Smeal research on spin-offs is mentioned. "Several well-known recent spin-offs ... have crushed the market during the past year. That's no anomaly, according to research by two finance professors at Penn State's Smeal College of Business: In the first three years of independence, the average spin-off beat the market by 31%." ( A Profitable Spin For Shareholders ).

Best's Review , 11/01/2005— Fariborz Ghadar , director of the Center for Global Business Studies, discusses the impact of an avian flu pandemic on international business. "Ghadar said international supply chains for poultry and waterfowl will be disrupted, with trickle-down effects on restaurants and other food outlets." ( Disaster On The Wing ).

Marketing News , 11/01/2005— Anthony Warren , Farrell Clinical Professor of Entrepreneurship, and Gerald Susman , associate dean for research, are cited regarding their innovation research. "Corporate culture, a willingness to work closely with customers and other parners, and the ability to tap external sources of technology are also critial determinants of success, report Anthony Warren and Gerald Susman of the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Their think tank, like ISBM, based in Penn State's Smeal College of Business, has studied innovation management practices worldwide. ( Marketers: Rethink Innovation Approach ).

Logistics Management , 11/01/2005—Article mentions Smeal 's Supply Chain Laboratory. " IBM goes back to school, teaming with Penn State University to build and operate a new Supply Chain Laboratory at Penn State's Smeal College of Business. The new lab, opened on Oct. 28, is outfitted with IBM hardware and will double as a classroom for Smeal students. Penn State's lab is linked with similar IBM labs at Michigan State University, Arizona State University, University College Dublin, and National University of Singapore." ( Management Update ).

SmartPros.com , November 2005— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, discusses accounting liability issues in his column. "Our society has a peculiar view of personal responsibility. When a person succeeds at some task, he or she takes full credit for the achievement. When an individual fails, however, somebody else is responsible. After all, we can't let our self-esteem suffer! Such nonsense pervades the American culture, and that includes investing activities." ( Investors And Financial Analysts: Shouldn't They Be Liable Too? ).

SmartPros.com , November 2005— J. Edward Ketz , associate professor of accounting, discusses accounting education and accounting fraud in his column. "Criticism of higher education is correct to the extent that we can do more with respect to rigorous instruction and teaching more practical skills along with the concepts. But the criticism goes only so far because the accounting firms need to teach the students more specific skills and inculcate the values of our profession." ( Accounting Students Aren't Ready To Fight Fraud ).

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