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June 2008

Volume 3 - Number 2

Latest Stock Return Model Beats all Prior Prediction Methods

Do stocks picked by skilled fund managers outperform those picked by unskilled managers? Russ Wermers, associate professor of finance at Smith, shows undeniable evidence that they do. To this end, his award-winning statistical model predicts – more accurately than any prior model – the future performance of individual stocks based on how heavily they are held or purchased by both successful and unsuccessful fund managers. Even when adjusted for risk, Wermers’ model beats former methods by as much as eight percent per year.
 

http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/research/ras/may2008/Wermers-StockPerformance.html

 

ARTICLE | AUDIO PODCAST 

Traditional Sales vs. New Media: Can Bundling Preserve Both?

In an age of increasing Web-focused attention, the publishing industry is struggling to maximize – and even maintain – hardcopy sales. The quandary: how can publishers prevent digital content from cannibalizing the market for printed material while still providing customers with new product options? P.K. Kannan, Smith’s Harvey Sanders Associate Professor of Marketing, helped the National Academies Press (NAP) develop a strategy that successfully maximized revenue from both.
 

http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/research/ras/may2008/Kannan-PricingOnline.html

 

ARTICLE | AUDIO PODCAST 

Why Outdoing Your Rivals is Really Doing Them Good

Competition is the name-of-the-game when it comes to being a successful in today’s fast-paced business world. Top players such as Southwest, Target and Nike have successfully edged out rivals with fast implementation of cutting-edge ideas. According to a study by Ken Smith, Dean’s Chair and Professor of Management and Organization, and Curt Grimm, Dean’s Professor of Supply Chain and Strategy, such big players are actually aiding their biggest competitors. Coined the “Red Queen” effect, the brutal pace of competition creates stronger and fitter industries and firms as a whole.
 

http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/research/ras/may2008/GrimSmith-RedQueen.html

 

ARTICLE | AUDIO PODCAST 

Books for Leaders

Going Global: It’s an Optimist’s World
First published in 2001, Anil Gupta’s The Quest for Global Dominance is now one of the most highly regarded books on global strategy. Exploring the questions surrounding global expansion strategies, global competitive strategies and the development of a global mindset, the book discusses how managers can discover the answers. According to Gupta, Smith’s Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Strategy and Organization and chair of the management and organization department, those who see opportunities will be able to capitalize on the benefits of globalization and avoid its pitfalls. “It comes down to how deeply knowledgeable a company’s managers are about the rest of the world, and how skilled they are at overcoming the barriers of distance, whether they’re geographical or cultural,” remarks Gupta. “Some people see insurmountable barriers, while others see opportunities.”
  http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/smithbusiness/fall2006/bookmarket.html  
Enter the Age of Customer Self-Service: Power is in Your Hands
Henry C. Lucas, chair of Smith’s decision, operations and information technologies department, helps readers understand and appreciate the opportunities and threats presented by a new, technology-driven global economy in Inside The Future: Surviving the Technology Revolution. According to Lucas, technology will speed up every process, reducing cycle times and driving inefficiencies out of the economy. What’s more, individuals, organizations and countries that resist technological change and fail to adapt will be left behind. This book is featured in the Smith School's "Fifth Annual Top 10 Summer Reading List for Business Leaders."
  http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/transformationage  

Smith Video Views

 

Human Resources: Waging the War for Talent

 

 

One of the biggest issues facing companies today is the war for top talent. Companies around the world are competing for the best and brightest employees. They have to work harder than ever before to recruit and retain the best, even in a contracting economy. In this Smith Business Video View, Dr. Joyce Russell uncovers why the war for talent exists and how to win.

AUDIO/VIDEO PODCAST 

 

Competition Flies With Airlines

 
Here’s the paradox: the more aggressively a firm competes, the greater its performance. But by competing so aggressively, it also forces its rivals to compete more aggressively, thus improving their performance, too. At the same time, if competition is too intense, it can be difficult for any firm to make money. Case in point: the U.S. airline industry. In this Smith Business Video View, Dr. Curt Grimm talks about how the brutal pace of competition, while it may have negative as well as positive effects for individual firms, creates stronger and fitter industries as a whole. He points to the airline industry as an example.

AUDIO/VIDEO PODCAST 

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Leading Business Intelligence is your source for business intelligence from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. No time to read? Log on to Smith Podcasts to download video and audio directly to your iPod or other MP3 player. Read it here, or get Smith business intelligence when and where you want it! Send e-mail to leading@rhsmith.umd.edu with comments or suggestions. 

 

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