Knowledge Network: Faculty & Research

By Bill Youngdahl, Thunderbird Professor

I’ve always been impressed by how excited leaders get about visions but how detached they can be from the work that goes into implementing a vision. I believe work, implemented through projects and initiatives, is the lifeblood of any vision. I am out to change the world, one organization at a time, by developing leaders at all levels who can integrate leadership acumen with project thinking. Join me on the journey of leadership development and organizational transformation. | Video: Leadership in a project-based world (2:36) | Blog: Prosper in a Project-Driven World
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China, India and other emerging economies will lead the world out of recession, but Thunderbird President Ángel Cabrera, Ph.D., said U.S. companies will play a key role in the recovery. “The United States continues to be one of the most attractive sources of investment in the world,” Cabrera said. He spoke Sept. 8, 2010, at the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Economic Outlook 2011 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. Watch his full presentation in the video below. | Video: Global Economic Outlook (27:03) | Blog: Ángel Cabrera on Global Leadership
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Global professionals need to keep an eye on China and India if they want to succeed, former Science Foundation Ireland director William Harris told students Sept. 1, 2010, at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona. “If you call yourself a global leader and are not paying attention to India and China, you are a fool,” said Harris, who is now president and CEO of Science Foundation Arizona.
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A corporate strategy article by Thunderbird students Ben Eldridge, Thomas Geissler, Todd Stevens, Chris Vadner and Geoffrey White

The global economic crisis of the past few years hit the international construction industry swiftly. As access to credit dried up, the ability for firms and sovereign entities to invest in large scale capital intensive projects to grow infrastructure was reduced. Foster Wheeler AG (FW), a global engineering, construction and power equipment provider, saw a 52 percent decline in 2010 second quarter profits year over year, and a decrease in backlog of 32 percent over the previous 18 months. Despite the decline, promise lay in the global energy market which is poised to grow 49 percent by 2035, according to the U.S. Energy Information Center, with 85 percent of that demand coming from the non-OECD countries. With an emerging emphasis on renewable energy and declining dependence on conventional fossil fuels, FW faces a portfolio dilemma.
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Private equity professionals met with Arizona Legislature candidates Aug. 25, 2010, at Thunderbird School of Global Management to network and share ideas on the best ways to stimulate job growth in the state. The Thunderbird Private Equity Center hosted the event in conjunction with The Water Resource Institute and Green Street Capital. Other sponsors included Blue Energy Partners, Bryan Cave LLP, Cave Creek Capital Management LLC, Risc LLC, Bankers Trust and Private Lenders Group. The discussion came one day after Arizona’s primary elections. | Video: Arizona District 4 Senate candidate Scott Bundgaard (1:46) | Video: Arizona District 6 Senate candidate Lori Klein (2:08) | Video: Arizona District 9 Senate candidate Rick Murphy (1:42)
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A corporate strategy article by Thunderbird students Nathan Byrd, Simon Chang, Benjamin Downey, Marko Dutta and Damon Green

At the start of 2010, the iPhone accounted for 25.3 percent of the United States smartphone market, and was second only to RIM’s famous Blackberry, which took an impressive, though falling, 41.6 percent of the market. Among the young and middle-aged alike, however, there’s simply been no comparison in terms of mob appeal. Sometimes tagged as a trendy hipster’s toy selling to a smaller market of 20-somethings, recent numbers on the iPhone’s popularity tell a different story.
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This article on corporate strategy is by Thunderbird students Mohamed Abouahmed, Patrick Connellan, Joshua Golka, Kenn Hamm and S. Boyd Karren

SHANGHAI – The Walt Disney Company has learned some hard lessons with its ventures in Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong. Can any of them be successfully applied to its upcoming venture in Shanghai? Or will a partnership with the Chinese government provide an altogether different kind of experience for Disney.
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By Nathan T. Washburn, Thunderbird Professor

BP, Toyota and other companies have taken public image beatings in recent months. Many would say deservedly so. But other firms linked to potentially bad behavior have escaped public outrage. What causes such discrepancies? I have developed a theory with Don Lange, Ph.D., a scholar at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Our research identifies three key elements that predict public perceptions of corporate irresponsibility. | Video: Understanding the BP backlash (2:51) | Podcast: Why some firms face ire and not others (13:46)
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The first thing analysts want to see when they evaluate a company is its sales figures and profits. But Thunderbird Professor Lena Booth, Ph.D., says financial statements that show rapid growth can be deceiving — especially when too many sales are made on credit. “You can be forced into bankruptcy even though your books look impressive and you have handsome profits,” says Booth, academic director of Thunderbird’s Executive Certificate in Global Finance. She says disaster often occurs during a credit crunch when a company’s bills come due before it can collect from its customers. | Video: When financial statements lie (1:30)

By Bill Youngdahl, Thunderbird Professor

This weekend I was fortunate to have a conversation with Phyllis Gebhardt, a human resource manager at Berlitz. She opened my eyes to the physics of influencing. “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,” she said. “When you use force, you’ll only strengthen the opposition.” This is especially true when it comes to influencing a boss or someone else in power. If you play the “I’m right and you’re not” card, the physics of influencing will throw those thoughts right back at you. A better option is to build a bridge of influence. Read the full post in my blog, Prosper in a Project-Driven World.