Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category

Thanks to the Fundación de la Innovación Bankinter, I had a chance this last week to speak in Madrid on the issues facing higher education in Spain. To illustrate the relationship between higher education and national competitiveness I correlated the number of top universities (normalized by population) in each country with the country’s per capita income and its competitiveness.  Top universities were taken from the Shanghai Jiao Tong rankings, which are based on research output, and competitiveness indexes, from the World Economic Forum.

The following graphs show a strong relationship of 27% between the number of top universities and the country’s per capita income.  The relationship is even stronger (41%) between the number of top universities and its competitiveness.  The correlation with per capita income may raise questions of causality (it could well be that rich countries have better universities than poor ones because they can afford them).  But the strong correlation with competitiveness, an independent, forward-looking measure of the capacity of continuous productivity improvements into the future, would support the idea that strong universities may indeed be a factor in driving competitiveness.

Here’s the distribution of top 300 universities per 10M population in the world:

What a memorable two days at Thunderbird.  An incredibly inspiring inaugural Global Business Dialogue followed by a magical celebration hosted by trustee, alum and philanthropist Merle Hinrichs.

Here’s a list of a few pearls of wisdom from what turned out to be an incredibly enlightening Dialogue (other quotes available at Beth Cabrera’s blog):

“Leaders need to listen to the quietest voice in the room.” Robert W. Dudley, CEO, BP Group

“Denial is the worst enemy in crisis management.” Robert W. Dudley, CEO, BP Group

“If you want to be a leader, your responsibility is to serve.” Katherine Garrett-Cox, CEO and CIO Alliance Trust PLC

“When we hire people in our organization, we have an obligation to remove their barriers to success.” Marsha “Marty” Evans, Admiral (Ret.) U.S. Navy

“You cannot assume you will always hold the higher ground. Partnerships are crucial.” -R. Paul Kinscherff, CFO, International Finance, The Boeing Company

“The world will always accept talent with open arms. You can’t win unless you compete. A small deed done is better than a big deed planned.” Craig Barrett, Retired CEO/Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation

“Hire the best educated, most creative people you can find and get the hell out of the way.” Craig Barrett, Retired CEO/Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation

“Naming and shaming in social media is bringing the transparency necessary for us all to move forward.” Suhas Apte, VP Global Sustainability Kimberly-Clark

“Technology is not the barrier, imagination is!”- Shelly M. Esque President, Intel Foundation

“Financial literacy is the civil rights issue of our time. Without a bank account, you are an economic slave.” –John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO Operation HOPE

“If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, you need to stop doing it. You aren’t living your truth.” –John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO Operation HOPE

“Labels are for jam jars, not people.” –Caroline Casey, Founder and Social Entrepreneur Kanchi

“We don’t all need to be Bono or Richard Branson to make a difference… Whatever you do, do it bloody well!” – Caroline Casey, Founder and Social Entrepreneur Kanchi

“Go towards your fear. There is no greater power than moving through what you fear most.” – Gayle Lemmon, Author “The Dressmaker of Khair Khana”

“Girls, ambition is not a dirty word. Don’t apologize for wanting to be out there!” – Gayle Lemmon, Author “The Dressmaker of Khair Khana”

“The leaders of tomorrow need to be better equipped. They need to be listeners and need to be forever learners.” –Jose Maria Figueres, Former President of Costa Rica

“There is no planet ‘B.’” – Jose Maria Figueres, Former President of Costa Rica

“This is the time when we need value based leadership.” Manuel Sánchez, President and CEO, US Country Manager BBVA

“Delete “personal branding” from your vocabulary. Just be authentic.” -Brad Feld, Managing Director Foundry Group

“Customers are now the content creators. They are defining your brand, and that can make companies nervous.” Ekaterina Walter, Social Media Strategist Intel Corporation

“This world has been built on financial leverage, now it will be built on social leverage.” Mr. Howard Lindzon, Co-Founder and CEO StockTwits

“Just to annoy the Twitter people, I brought a newspaper.” -Jarl Kallberg, Director of Research and Professor of Global Finance Thunderbird School of Global Management

“Financial institutions tend to forget about what they can do to make the end users life better.” Carlos Danel, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President Compartamos Banco

“The idea of blaming the poor when really it was reckless risk-taking by the rich is outrageous. There needs to be engaging debate, not fights between the top one percent and the bottom 99 percent” -Matthew Bishop, Chief Business Writer/US Business Editor of The Economist

“Numbers + Creativity = Strategy.” – Mr. Mark Penn, Worldwide CEO, Burson-Marsteller; CEO, Penn Schoen Berland

“I’m not a Thunderbird, but I wish I was one.” –Mr. Mark Penn, Worldwide CEO, Burson-Marsteller; CEO, Penn Schoen Berland

Spanish comedians Gomaespuma (Guillermo Fesser and Juan Luis Cano) paid me a visit last month as part of their latest experiment, Yo De Mayor Quiero Ser Español (When I Grow Up I Want To Be Spanish), a series of interviews with Spaniards doing interesting things in a variety of fields, whether in Spain or abroad.  Other interviewees include “British idol” sensation Ruth Lorenzo, several scientists/inventors, or chef José Andrés (and I believe Spanish soccer national team and Chelsea FC star Fernando Torres is coming up).

It’s almost impossible to stay serious with these guys (as you can see in the video of my interview aired by Spanish national TV).  Gomaespuma became incredibly famous among Spanish teenagers right after college (and later among everyone else when they made it to prime-time) with an irreverent show that transformed Spanish radio for good.  I have been one of their fans since my high school days in Madrid.

As I watch their series of interviews I realize they are really onto something.  Denial is no solution against a severe crisis, as Spain’s current government so painfully learned.  But depression and self-defeat isn’t either.  I applaud Gomaespuma for trying to change conversations, for pointing out that, even amid a crisis, everyday folks can do valuable things and be competitive internationally, for offering a different narrative that may hopefully inspire some to pursue innovative, entrepreneurial endeavors.

Arizona ought to look at its border, its Hispanic heritage and cultural ties with Latin America, as an asset, not a liability, and turn them into a source of competitive advantage in the global economy.  We need to change the public discourse, strengthen the State’s reputation south of the border, revitalize commercial ties and even set in place coordinated industrial policies.

The attached interview (in Spanish) was taped yesterday in the context of today’s Economic Outlook Conference with the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.

I had a chance to visit the School’s archives today with my dear friend and beloved Thunderbird professor of over four decades Jorge Valdivieso. My colleagues Carol Hammond and Shannon Walker walked us through amazing memorabilia, including the desk of Thunderbird founder, U.S. Army Air Forces Lieutenant General Barton Kyle Yount.  In addition to the good laughs, it was inspiring and profoundly humbling to read some of the documents from the early days.  How much things have changed since 1946 but how ideals have if anything, grown stronger and more meaningful.  Here’s a sample:

From the School’s first brochure ever (then the American Institute of Foreign Trade at Thunderbird Field), 1946:

The world today stands on the threshold of a new era: an era in which, if mankind is to survive, an ever-expanding global trade must help foster mutual understanding and good will among nations.

From the School’s first strategic plan, 1948:

International trade is not alone a matter of production, distribution and profits. It is more fundamental. It is a sine qua non for the achievement of that durable peace, blessed with prosperity under freedom, for which the American people have fought so strenuously.

As the producer of one third of the world’s goods and the most important importer of raw materials and as the world’s leading exporter, the United States has the power and the responsibility to take the lead.

The Institute’s stated missions are:

A. To serve the cause of international understanding by establishing in its graduates an intelligent and sympathetic attitude toward foreign countries

B. Serve employers by creating a corps of trained personnel especially equipped for work abroad

Thunderbird Vision 2020, Global Leadership-Global Impact, asks that we focus outward, not inward and that we find new and better ways to change lives, to empower individuals to bring about opportunities around the world by building good businesses.  Here’s one example.

By Wynona Heim, Program Manager, Thunderbird for Good

The Vital Voices award ceremony was a wonderful event, and Fatema Akbari and her daughter Shahla did a beautiful job at the acceptance speech, and as Ambassadors for the 10,000 Women program, Project Artemis, and their native Afghanistan.  Fatema stole the show when she got up to the microphone at the end of the speech that her daughter had translated for her and said in English: “I want to make a special thank you to Vital Voices, the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program, and Thunderbird for all of their support of Afghan women.  Next time I come to the United States, I will speak only English.”  She was the ONLY awardee to get a standing ovation at the END of her speech.

Her Vital Voices video, which includes the interview with you, is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt6I_KNXUZ0

By now you will know that Thunderbird will inaugurate its new concept for a global community of learning and practice on Nov. 11 of 2011, that is 11.11.11, when we will host a global business forum exploring the role of business in creating sustainable prosperity worldwide.

I just received this interesting Cabala to add more mystery to the event!

By Joao Jorge ‘10

Caro Prof Cabrera,

I did fall in love with what I am calling T-bird’s idea of 11.11.11; I came across this one and thought I would share:
/Quote/
This year we will experience 4 unusual dates…. 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 … NOW go figure this out….
Take the last 2 digits of the year you were born plus the age you will be this year and it WILL EQUAL …. 111
Interesting !!
/Unquote/ – Unknown

I am not sure if from you or just the way I see it, I am calling it the year of equal opportunity.

Some thoughts I would like to share on Equality:
- Equality, beyond a right, is a source of development. Checking with people that have talent in Africa, I realized how much they turn the economy with the income they realize when given an opportunity; supporting family, neighbours, friends, producing more and seeking greater opportunities within their circuits.
- When the Gap is too wide, some of us will content with less. In Equality, we will seek more; will cause more circulation of wealth.
- As we grow in numbers and have to live closer, equality will increase the space we can share.
Hope to see you in November in campus. Joao.

Every once in a while I receive a letter from an alum that reminds me of the importance of our mission and how lucky we are to be able to be part of the lives of so many remarkable individuals.  I received this one from a parent today and it made my day!

Ángel,

My son, DG, graduated with a dual degree from Thunderbird and the University of Indiana. Approximately 3 years ago, when he asked me for my input, I strongly suggested/urged that he look at Thunderbird. Several years ago, a Thunderbird alumnus had been a client of mine and I learned of the school’s outstanding reputation and active alumni organization. That alumni organization played a key role in the client’s successful transition to a new position.

The graduation ceremony was a wonderful culmination of a long journey for DG and his family. When his children yelled “we love you Daddy” as Damon walked across the stage, tears of happiness were definitely flowing.

In today’s world, the Thunderbird Oath of Honor can be a key for the future. Those 5 statements are an excellent guide for making decisions, especially during difficult situations.

Sincerely, KS

By Joe Dion ‘03

Dr. Cabrera,

It was really great to meet you last week at the event in Seattle, and I’m very happy to see the school placing a stronger focus on the alumni. It’s an amazing network that most of us really can’t understand until we graduate and leave. Even with the current level of effort Thunderbird places on maintaining the Thunderbird “mystique”, it something that defies explanation. I loved the “misfit toys” analogy being someone that often has to explain myself (been to 55 countries to date and some that people don’t consider “safe”). To that, I now have to explain why my alumni network is more like a family than a normal MBA program alumni group. I can’t wait to see what programs come up in future year as a result of this 2020 vision project, and I’ll be looking to getting more involved than I have been so far.
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Download a one page summary of Thunderbird Vision 2020 here: 2020 Overview