Featured Business News

Navy Veteran Sets Sail for Consulting Job

Chad Cisco MBA ’11 has had an exciting 20-year career in the U.S. Navy in various positions, including a nuclear power plant operator, tactics instructor and executive officer on a ballistic missile submarine.

Is There a Dark Side to Moving in Sync?

Moving in harmony can make people feel more connected to one another and, as a result, lead to positive collective action. Think of those feel-good vibes created in a yoga class as students move in unison through their downward-facing dogs.

Young Entrepreneurs on the Clock

In just 12 weeks, USC Marshall School of Business graduate student Jennifer Chang and her team found a viable commercial application for laser technology developed by a Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist for NASA’s latest Mars mission.

USC Marshall Hosts First Wellness Fair

The USC Marshall School of Business helped students, faculty and staff members keep their New Year’s resolutions by hosting the first annual USC Marshall Health and Wellness Fair.

USC Marshall Professors Named to ‘A-List’

University Professor Warren Bennis and Edward E. Lawler III of the USC Marshall School of Business were named to the 2011 “A-List of Management Academics,” an honorary list featuring some of the most accomplished and distinguished professors in U.S. academia.

USC Marshall Hosts Hong Kong Financial Secretary

Financial secretary of Hong Kong John C. Tsang spoke about the burgeoning opportunities for his city and Los Angeles at an event hosted by the USC Marshall School of Business.

Making Financial Literacy Fun for Youngsters

On a rainy November morning, two busloads of USC Marshall School of Business MBA students pulled up in front of Charles Barrett Elementary School in South Los Angeles.

The Enron Scandal: 10 Years Later

Ten years ago, before credit default swaps and underwater mortgages became familiar terms and before the economy began a period of contraction to rival the Great Depression, a corporation called Enron went bankrupt.

Striving for New Heights in China

Not many people gain access to the rooftop above the 88th floor of Hong Kong’s International Finance Centre Tower 2, the world’s ninth tallest building.

A Conversation With Lynda Resnick

Lynda Resnick, vice chairman of Roll Global and the marketing force behind leading companies such as POM Wonderful and Teleflora, began her career as a child actress. Her business career began at the ripe old age of 19 after she left college to open her own advertising agency.

Entrepreneurs in Action

For a prime example of what participants gained from USC’s Startup Weekend, look no further than the budding entrepreneurs who helped organize this year’s three-day held Sept. 23-25.

Power Corrupts When It Lacks Status

Ever wonder why that government clerk was so rude and condescending? Or why the mid-level manager at your company always doles out the most demeaning tasks?

USC Marshall Professor Receives Small Business Award

USC Marshall School of Business professor Steven Mednick will receive a State Star award from the TriTech Small Business Development Center.

USC Trustee Benioff Lands Cover of Forbes

USC trustee Marc R. Benioff ’86 was featured on the latest cover of Forbes for his work in leading the world’s most innovative company, beating out Amazon, Google and Apple.

MBA Students Help Central African City Improve Its Economy

When you need an entrepreneurial jump-start, ask an MBA. At least that’s how it worked when USC Marshall School of Business associate professor Sriram Dasu attempted to establish entrepreneurship in low-income communities in Central Africa.

Slam Dunk to Success

USC alumni Adam and Ryan Goldston used their entrepreneurial spirit to launch shoe company, Athletic Propulsion Labs, in 2009, two months before they graduated. And they don’t plan to stop at basketball. They hope to carve a niche in other areas such as women’s running.

A Senator and a Trojan

Dean Heller ’85, a USC Marshall School of Business alum and former U.S. representative from Nevada, became a United States senator on May 9, filling a vacancy caused by the resignation of John E. Ensign.

USC Marshall Professors Receive Mellon Awards

Two professors from the USC Marshall School of Business have been honored with Mellon Mentoring Awards this year.

William Holder Named Dean of USC Leventhal

William W. Holder has been appointed dean of the USC Leventhal School of Accounting, effective July 1, the USC Marshall School of Business announced. He will replace dean Randolph Beatty, who will step down at the end of June.

Lord and Lady Eatwell to Join USC Faculty

Lord John Eatwell, a well-known British economist, member of the House of Lords and president of Queens’ College, Cambridge, and Lady Eatwell (known professionally as Suzi Digby), an acclaimed choral conductor and recipient of the Order of the British Empire for services to music education, have been appointed to the USC faculty for the fall semester.

In Memoriam: Sidney Harman, 92

Sidney Harman, philanthropist, audio pioneer, husband of former Democratic congresswoman Jane Harman and business tycoon who purchased Newsweek from The Washington Post Co. last year, died in Washington, D.C., on April 12 of complications from leukemia.

Engage Your Audience or Risk Losing It

Winning in the ever-evolving business world is not just about innovating, it is also about adapting.

Statistics: The New Frontier

In an era when a mere swipe of a club card at the grocery store or a quick stock trade can generate a flood of data, the demand for experts who know how to navigate this deluge of information has never been stronger.

New Global Equity Fund for MBA Students

USC Marshall MBA alumnus David Iben and his wife, Nancy Iben, have provided the initial funding of $750,000 for a new graduate student-managed Global Equity Fund.

Trillions at Stake for American Businesses

While it is widely known that Asian markets have the potential to boost U.S. companies’ bottom lines as a result of rapidly expanding appetites for American exports, most business leaders can benefit from learning how to better navigate the challenges of working in these potentially lucrative markets, said Dick Drobnick, director of the Center for International Business Education and Research at the USC Marshall School of Business.

Get Going, Get Inspired

USC Marshall School of Business alumnus Paul Orfalea retired a decade ago as chief executive officer of Kinko’s, the multibillion-dollar copying firm he started with just $5,000.

Recycling Solution Helps USC Marshall Team

A team of four USC Marshall School of Business MBAs came up with an innovative recycling solution to take second place at the Net Impact Case Competition.

Sharing Ideas and Making New Connections

The seventh annual EVMA Entrepreneurs’ Roundtable brought together USC Marshall School of Business MBA students and more than 40 entrepreneurs on Feb. 4.

Getting Their Names in Lights

Winning an American Eagle Outfitters case competition gave USC Marshall School of Business students a chance to present their ideas to the company’s top executives and a $5,000 prize.

Badame Named Assistant Dean at USC Marshall

Diane Badame has been appointed assistant dean and academic director of the full-time MBA program at the USC Marshall School of Business.

Fundraiser Matt DeVecchi to Join USC Marshall

Matt DeVecchi has been appointed assistant dean for development at the USC Marshall School of Business.

Pro Hockey Shoots and Scores With Fans

Speaking to a packed house at Town & Gown, National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman shared the keys to the league’s success in spite of the country’s economic doldrums.

David M. Carter Delves Into Money Games

David M. Carter has written a new book that analyzes the evolution of sports.

USC Teams Get Funding to Launch New Businesses

Budding entrepreneurs representing a cross-section of the university were awarded more than $50,000 to help launch new businesses Dec. 2 as part of the sixth annual New Venture Seed Competition.

Businesses Slow to Invest in Sustainable Energy

A research team of USC Marshall MBA students has concluded that a sustainable world is not within immediate reach as issues surrounding unclear global policies, affordability and myopia among political leaders and consumers are thwarting businesses from investing in sustainable energy.

Cinematic Arts Student Grooms for Success

It didn’t take a business degree for USC senior Matthew Taylor Ruggieri to realize that there was a big opportunity in the men’s grooming market.

Technical Experts Embrace Change at USC Event

For the highly technical crowd attending the Institute for Communication Technology Management’s 25th annual executive roundtable, held by the USC Marshall School of Business on Oct. 28, change is nothing new.

A Conversation With Warren Bennis

University Professor Warren Bennis served as one of the youngest infantry officers in World War II, earning a Bronze Star and Purple Heart as a 19-year-old leading his platoon in the Battle of the Bulge.

Do Election Reforms Reflect Public Opinion?

A new USC study examines 10 high-profile issues in 50 states to determine whether public policies match the will of the American populace.

Teachers for a Day

It’s not unusual for MBA students to spend their mornings in a classroom talking economics. But on Oct. 1, they took it a step further - as instructors.

USC Marshall Lab Brings Social Innovation to Campus

In an ongoing effort to bring the best minds in social innovation to USC’s campus, the USC Marshall School of Business’ Society and Business Lab has secured top talent to serve as its inaugural team of senior fellows.

Making It Big in Hollywood

The USC Marshall School of Business stood at the epicenter of business and entertainment on Sept. 27, hosting actor Rob Lowe and real estate leader Thomas J. Barrack Jr., ’69 for “Making Movies, Making Deals and Making It Big.”

USC Marshall Undergrads Win International Case Competition

Four USC Marshall undergraduates won the NUS-DBS International Case Competition on Sept. 16 at the National University of Singapore.

Pacific Rim Collaboration Earns Grant

A team of faculty members from USC College and the USC Marshall School of Business has received a three-year grant through the inaugural USC Research Collaboration Fund for Pacific Rim studies.

A Quiet Logo Can Speak Volumes

The logo on your designer handbag or sports car may say far more about your social status and social aspirations than the brand name itself, according to a new study from the USC Marshall School of Business.

Rudeness vs. Incompetence

Rude behavior among employees can negatively affect consumer perceptions - even when the incivility isn't directed at the customer.

Bennis Gauges College Leadership

University Professor and leadership expert Warren Bennis was asked by The Washington Post to assess the leadership of college presidents in embracing new technology and innovative teaching.

USC Marshall Students Make the Sale

Team of six undergraduates wins the International Real Estate Case Competition for the first time.

Unique Perspectives Highlight Conference

The USC Marshall School of Business, through its Center for International Business Education and Research, joined with the U.S. Department of Commerce to present the 23rd annual Asia Pacific Business Outlook conference.

USC Marshall Earns a Victory for Charity

USC Marshall School of Business MBA students won the school's second Golden Briefcase award by volunteering 3,500 hours in their community.

Robert Iger Shares ‘Unbelievable Odyssey’

How did a college weatherman with aspirations of becoming an anchorman end up as president and CEO of the Walt Disney Co.?

USC Marshall Announces Curriculum Revisions

The USC Marshall School of Business has announced major revisions designed to provide a broader academic experience in its undergraduate curriculum.

USC Marshall MBAs Show Military Might

When MBA students talk about getting firsthand experience in companies, it is usually in the context of private enterprise - not military units.

USC Marshall Undergrads Return to Panama

Twenty-six undergraduates in the USC chapter of Global Business Brigade spent their final week of winter break sharing business skills with a rural farming community in Panama.

Film Fest Gets Down to Business

A recent USC Marshall School of Business showcase of student filmmakers from across the country proved that the inclusion of business themes in film does not always produce imitations of Wall Street.

University of Melbourne Wins Marshall Cup

Four undergraduates from the University of Melbourne won the 11th annual USC Marshall International Case Competition, the largest undergraduate academic contest of its kind in the world.

Gift Goes to Center for Global Innovation

A $1 million gift from Don Murray of Resources Global Professionals will support the ongoing research of the USC Marshall Center for Global Innovation.

Warren Bennis Receives Leadership Award

University Professor Warren Bennis received the inaugural FrED Leadership Award in December.

A Sense of Completion

For 29 years, USC Marshall School of Business graduate Michael Karlin ’76 felt something of a void. Not that it impeded his success as an accountant at a Los Angeles firm whose high-profile clients include Van Halen, Madonna and David Letterman.

USC Taps Leading Interdisciplinary Scholar

USC has recruited Mathew D. McCubbins, a nationally recognized interdisciplinary scholar at the University of California, San Diego, to join the faculty in January as a Provost Professor.

After 50 Years, Barbie’s Still a Living Doll

When it comes to global influence, few brands can claim the reach of Mattel’s Barbie, which for generations has shaped the lives and ambitions of children around the world.

People Like to Play the Blame Game

Merely observing someone publicly blame an individual in an organization for a problem - even when the target is innocent - greatly increases the odds that the practice of blaming others will spread with the tenacity of the H1N1 flu, according to new research from the USC Marshall School of Business and Stanford University.

Greif Scholarship Winner Meets Obama

When 17-year-old Kalief Rollins of Carson met President Barack Obama on Oct. 19, he gave the president a custom-made “Caution: Educated African American Male” T-shirt.

Cox and Steele to Speak at Business Summit

USC alum Christopher Cox, a former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, will be a keynote speaker at the fourth annual USC Corporate Governance Summit set for Nov. 12-13.

The Whole Nine Yards

Jeff Byers came to USC for the football, but will leave with so much more.

Why Do Some Bosses Go Ballistic?

Many people who have been in the workplace long enough have witnessed the boss who inexplicably lashes out at and humiliates subordinates for seemingly small infractions.

Getting Into the Swing of Creativity

As the sun sets over Santa Monica Pier, a group of nervous USC Marshall School of Business students get ready to make the biggest leap of their lives.

Business Students Develop Projects in Africa

A summer in Mozambique is not usually part of the required writing class at the USC Marshall School of Business.

It Pays to Be Nice

Your mother was right: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Even in corporate America, where being nice can save a company millions of dollars.

One Intense Week = Priceless Experience

Despite the concentrated schedule, junior Chase Emmerson said competing in the USC Marshall School’s fifth annual International Real Estate Case Competition may have been his best experience at the school to date.

She Heard It on the Grapevine

Faced with the threat of global climate change, businesses increasingly are focused on the development of sound environmental practices. Young entrepreneurs such as USC College alumna Andrea McBride ’07 are at the forefront of this worldwide green business movement.

Emily Laskin to Join USC Marshall

Emily Laskin has been appointed senior associate dean for external relations at the USC Marshall School of Business.

From Finance to Filmmaking

For USC Marshall School of Business alumnus Thomas “Tommy” J. Papa MBA ’00, an investment banker based in Newport Beach, one of his most recent ventures is turning out to be one of the most fulfilling.

In Memoriam: James Stancill, 76

USC Professor Emeritus of Finance James McNeill Stancill, a leading member of the USC Marshall School of Business faculty for 43 years, died June 17 of pulmonary fibrosis at his home in Pasadena. He was 76.

USC Marshall Professor Testifies in D.C.

USC Marshall School of Business professor Kevin Murphy appeared before the House Financial Services Committee to discuss executive compensation, his field of expertise.

When More Could Mean Less

Does an abundance of product choices really make consumers happier? That’s the question posed by USC Marshall School of Business assistant professor of marketing Kristin Diehl in a forthcoming article for the Journal of Marketing Research.

Digital Expert to Join USC Marshall

Innovative digital entertainment industry leader Lucy Hood has been appointed executive director of the Institute for Communication Technology Management (CTM) and assistant professor of clinical management and organization at the USC Marshall School of Business.

Consulting With the Community

Los Angeles Community Impact, a USC Marshall undergraduate student group, showcases projects that help local nonprofits and small businesses.

World Trade Week Honors USC Marshall Center

USC Marshall's Center for International Business and Education Research received a special recognition award for outstanding contributions to the trade community by a nonprofit organization at the 2009 World Trade Week Kickoff Breakfast.

Popular Imagination Shapes Administrations

In The Presidents We Imagine, USC Marshall assistant professor Jeff Smith examines the presidency’s ever-changing place in the American imagination.

USC Conference Premier Forum for Exports

The Asia Pacific Business Outlook Conference, sponsored by the USC Marshall School of Business and the U.S. Commerce Department, drew 300 entrepreneurs, experts and U.S. officials to the University Park campus to discuss opportunities in an overseas market predicted to grow despite the U.S. recession.

Business School Takes Third Global Trophy

In what is believed to be an unprecedented achievement, the USC Marshall School of Business won its third international case competition held this academic year on March 28 at McGill University in Montreal.

USC Hosts Forum on Renewable Energy

Local business chapter of Net Impact holds the second annual event raising awareness of energy issues.

Putting the Bee in Business

USC Marshall undergrads spend spring break in Panama to boost the buzz for a much-needed enterprise in a remote village.

On the Case in Copenhagen

USC Marshall team wins Europe’s largest academic business contest by devising a blueprint for a Norwegian company with multiple media holdings.

Students Learn Leadership From Marines

USC Marshall MBA candidates grasp business skills and strategy from military experts at the annual Leadership Challenge.

Thai Team Wins International Competition

Business undergrads from across the world vie at USC in the Marshall International Case Competition, the world’s largest such event.

New Study Shows Enterprise Zones Work

In the midst of the state’s financial woes, three USC professors outline the positive aspects of programs aimed at economic development and employment.

Rewrite the Future, Change the System

New management book from a USC Marshall expert outlines how individuals and organizations can increase performance.

USC Surveys Nation’s Venture Capitalists

The USC Stevens Institute for Innovation announces a report detailing the key factors associated with successful technology transfer.

MBA Students Discover Gap in Market

USC Marshall quintet estimates a $4.5 billion shortfall during a project that goes beyond the classroom.

Immigrants Spur Japanese Democracy

New book by USC College scholar examines the role of ‘associative activism’ in the state-dominated society.

Social Entrepreneurs Deliver a Fast Pitch

Local nonprofits with sights set on problem-solving compete for $20,000 in funding.

Banking on Uncertainty in Troubled Times

Financial institutions that create a collaborative culture filled with questions can better avoid miscalculations, says new book by a USC Marshall professor.

USC Launches MatchYard on Facebook

The new application can help Trojans build interdisciplinary teams working on innovative ideas and projects.