Smith Business Close-Up

Smith Business Close-Up is co-produced by the Robert H. Smith School of Business and Maryland Public Television. The television segment focuses on the latest thinking in business management, and features in-depth interviews with Smith School faculty and other members of the school’s community of business leaders.

April 2012

The State of Cybersecurity
Cyber crime is on the rise, and the need to safeguard against cyber security attacks is real – and growing. No industry is exempt and the demand for experts who can battle using bits and bytes has never been greater. Maryland has become a hub of cybersecurity activity and the university is leading the way.

Gas Prices – Is a Proposed Gas Tax Hike the Answer?
Gas prices are rising with no end in sight, which would seem to indicate bad timing for a proposed gas tax hike in Maryland. Even with more pain at the pump, a tax increase could be the needed catalyst for Americans to shift to alternative energy sources.

March 2012

Your Cell Phone Makes You Selfish
Though cell phones are usually considered devices that connect people, they may make users less socially minded, finds a recent study from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Facebook IPO
Estimates are pegging Facebook’s current valuation at $100 billion with its initial public offering coming up this spring. The social media giant will no doubt have the year’s most talked about IPO, but is it a good deal?

February 2012

Active Listening
You may have heard what your client, boss or co-worker just said. But were you really listening?

Dealing with Difficult Co-Workers
Have you ever worked with someone you might consider “difficult?” Chances are good that someone fitting this description springs to mind. As it turns out, these aren’t just people with whom you may have a personality conflict. The key distinction that separates “difficult” co-workers from the merely “annoying” is their effect on job performance.

January 2012

Housing Outlook: 2012
In this edition of Smith Business Close-Up with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Clifford Rossi, executive-in-residence of finance, shares his prognosis for the housing market for the year ahead.

Global Innovation
With the economic struggles worldwide, leaders point to innovation and entrepreneurship as answer for growth and new opportunities. How can still developing economies, such as China, and even other players, including Israel, foster global innovation that can help grow the economy here at home?