Lead smarter. That’s the goal with strategic management, which can help managers detect the early indicators that strategy isn’t working. In this edition of Smith Business Close-Up with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Dr. Oliver Schlake talks about management strategy.

The 2nd Annual Directors’ Institute at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business began on April 6, 2011, in the midst of Cherry Blossom season in Washington, D.C. Arriving from all corners of the United States, companies including Activision Blizzard, KPMG and Scotts Miracle-Gro Company were represented by attendees, who started their stay in the nation’s capital with a welcome cocktail reception.

With the economy still recovering from the burst of the housing bubble and the financial crisis, experts are combing the period before the crisis and after for all the clues that could help avoid similar economic problems in the future. According to new research, accounting numbers hold big clues to how the credit default market functions – both before and after the crisis.

Experts on business and the economy at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business are available to comment on the aftermath of the earthquake and devastating tsunami in Japan. Smith School experts can address the economic consequences and energy policy impacts; the use of technology and social media in disaster response; and the impact of the events on the bond market. The Smith School has a fiber-linked ReadyCam broadcast studio on premises for live and taped interviews. Louiqa Raschid on technology applications for disaster response:

Experts on business and the economy at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business are available to comment on the aftermath of the earthquake and devastating tsunami in Japan. Smith School experts can address the economic consequences and energy policy impacts; the use of technology and social media in disaster response; and the impact of the events on the bond market. The Smith School has a fiber-linked ReadyCam broadcast studio on premises for live and taped interviews.

Thursday, March 10, 2011, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 13, 2011, 7:30 a.m. Preventing Employee Sabotage     Why does it pay to be nice to your waiter? Because if you don’t, he’ll spit in your soup. That’s a concern not only for diners, but managers, who know that great customer service is key to building brand and customer loyalty. Most companies hope their employees are behaving in a friendly, professional and patient manner toward customers, and fulfilling their requests. But sometimes employees actively sabotage customers.

College Park, Md. — March 14, 2011 — U.S. small business owners say they plan to add nearly 3.8 million jobs this year, according to the latest Small Business Success Index, released by the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and partner Network Solutions LLC. The semiannual index surveys small business owners to measure the overall health of their businesses and understand how they are using technology.

On Wednesday March 9th, the Center for Financial Policy at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, in partnership with NYU’s Salomon Center, UC-Berkeley's Fisher Center and Carnegie Mellon's Center for Financial Markets, hosted a one day forum on systemic risk and data issues. A working group of academic, regulatory, and industry representatives discussed a wide range of issues to lay the groundwork for the larger conference that will be sponsored by the four partner university centers.

Why does it pay to be nice to your waiter? Because if you don’t, he’ll spit in your soup. That’s a concern not only for diners, but managers, who know that great customer service is key to building brand and customer loyalty. Most companies hope their employees are behaving in a friendly, professional and patient manner toward customers, and fulfilling their requests. But sometimes employees actively sabotage customers.

College Park, Md. – March 8, 2011 – The Center for Health Information and Decision Systems (CHIDS) at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business has developed a new framework to help states and the District of Columbia create self-sustaining and effective networks for the exchange of electronic health records. The center assessed the DC Regional Health Information Organization (DC RHIO), the District’s primary health information exchange (HIE).