Cornell Business

Features Articles

Wine and Jams: A Tasty South African Consulting Gig

By Kristin O'Planick JGSM '10

The smell of strawberries and roses wafted out of the processing facility to where I was standing, soaking up the strong South African sun. I was in my version of paradise with the Ithaca winter long forgotten. I came to Johnson to gain the skills necessary to do capacity building work with African small and medium enterprises, and here I was in South Africa with the opportunity to do just that.

Reaching out for ROMBA

By Adam Conderman JGSM '11

Many people are aware of the wonderful national diversity conferences hosted by Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) and African-American MBAs (National Black), but there is another national diversity conference that gets less attention. The Reaching Out LGBT MBA Conference attracts over 1000 participants every year and specifically targets lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered MBA students across the country.

Through a Different Lens

By Meredith Gethin-Jones JGSM '11

As the snow hit Ithaca and there were warnings of school delays, 30+ MBAs were trekking through the slush to the tip of Manhattan. We later stood on the top floor in a raging blizzard (in a foot of snow) staring up at hundreds of blue solar panels and discussing the challenges facing the solar panel industry.

A Postcard from South Africa

By Brandon Ray JGSM '10

Dear Johnson School, It was a difficult decision to decide to leave Ithaca and study abroad for the last semester of the MBA, but if my experience at the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business so far (and my glowing tan) is any indication, it was the right one for me.

Earnings Season - It's Not Just Cost Cutting�

By Sean C. Meakim JGSM '11

With earnings season over, it's a good time to reflect on how the results fit with the market's expectations at the start of the year. It was another strong performance measured against analysts' expectations. According to data compiled by seekingalpha.com, 68% of S&P 500 firms beat expectations for the 3rd straight quarter.

Making Exercise a Priority

By Lacie Peterson JGSM '11 Partner

By now, I'm sure everyone knows the benefits of working out, why it's good for you, and so on. If people know how important it is to include a regular exercise routine in their lives, then why don't they do it? Could it be lack of time? Or maybe they don't have the money to join a gym.

Currency Wars

By Hayward Oblad, CFA, CPA JGSM '11

Chimerica I had a great time watching the soap opera "Chimerica" last month. The fight between the U.S. and China over the Yuan's value spilled out of the bedroom long ago, but the fighting occurs nearly every night now at the kitchen table in front of the kids.

From Higher Aims to Hired Hands

By Kiran Laxman JGSM '11

An innocuous question during a normal class of cost accounting recently ended up causing a lot of hand-wringing, all thanks to Jonathan Lewis. The discussion was on a production process in a factory and organizing it as actions performed by different departments, where each department performs the task as efficiently as possible.

Top 10 things admitted students should know about the Johnson School

By Cara O'Connor JGSM '11

1. Work up an appetite over the summer, between Sage Socials, Johnson Night Out, and post-exam sessions at Stella's you will learn why Vrinda proclaims "delicious!" 2. The Johnson School is also fond of eating in the form of contest. Pie throwing, jello eating and Pinesburger challenges offer most students an opportunity to shine.

Motivated, Motivated, Downright Motivated!

By Matt Bernard JGSM '11

"HOO-RAH!" - a motivated response from former Marine officer Pat Hulsy. Many military leaders, such as those currently attending The Johnson School, have learned and been taught the tricks of the trade from the good, the bad, and the ugliest leaders the military has to offer.

The Importance of Giving

By Brian B. Axline JGSM '11

"You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give." Winston Churchill I firmly believe in the philanthropic philosophy of Andrew Carnegie: giving and sharing wealth is one of the most important responsibilities of being wealthy. People are not remembered for the wealth they have accumulated, but rather for the resources they have contributed back to society.

Did you find a job/internship?

By Candace Maxian Manager, Projects Office

Finding a job in this economy is not easy. You have networked, gone on interviews but a job has not materialized to date. This year the Johnson School's Career Management Center is offering summer projects through the MBA Project Initiative. The MBA Project Initiative provides a paid eight- to ten week project experience over the summer for MBAs who graduate in May 2010 who are still seeking a full time job and also for 2011 graduates who are interested in this type of summer work experience, who have not connected with a summer internship opportunity.

We have a Grade Non-Disclosure Policy? You must be kidding!

By Piyush Tiwari JGSM '10

It indeed came as a surprise to me when I realized that the Johnson School has a grade non-disclosure policy. There is, however, a caveat. As per the existing policy, while the school can not disclose the grades to the recruiters, the students can. A question comes naturally to mind - what's the point of having this policy in the first place? Didn't we all learn about the Prisoner's dilemma in our core microeconomics, and then in core strategy, and (for those who really loved it) in game theory class? In spite of the current grade non-disclosure policy, the absence of grades on a resume would automatically categorize the student as a laggard in the recruiter's eye.

Eat Something: Old School Deli Delivers

By Noah Cain JGSM Partner

Hal's Deli on Aurora Street by the Ithaca Commons appears to have a lot of fancy food competition. But Hal's doesn't seem to care about the bright lights of the bars and brassieres surrounding it. The restaurant is no fuss, a comfortable atmosphere with helpful, easy-going staff.

Destination Washington, D.C.

By Meredith Gethin-Jones JGSM '11

What do the White House, DuPont, USAID, and National Geographic all have in common? If you were to ask the SGE Immersion trekkers, you'd likely hear that these groups all offered different perspectives on solving a common global issue: how to handle sustainability.

Eat Something: Pub Food Steps It Up Downtown

By Noah Cain Partner

In Ithaca, it may seem redundant to have another place that serves beer and pub food. But I put my money where my hungry mouth is and went downtown to Bandwagon, and I was impressed: this barely three-month-old brewpub is combining the right atmosphere with some well-focused flavors.

Fitness Focus: The Importance of Stretching and Warming up

By Lacie Peterson JGSM '11 Partner

A lot of people tend to skip the stretching and warming up period that should always be included in an exercise routine. By doing this, you could be putting yourself at increased risk for injury. A proper warm up that is specific to the chosen activity is important because by improving the flexibility of your muscles, you will be protecting yourself from injury.

Rafael Garcia was Right: Why We Need Laptops in Class

By Adam Beane JGSM '10

On February 17, 2010, in the middle of a class discussion in Oral Communication, Andrew Davis (MBA '10) eagerly raised his hand to define "Mythos," the fourth element of persuasion (after Ethos, Logos, and Pathos). Impressed by his contribution, Professor Noble-Grange asked where Mr.

My Dream Job: Summer Internship Thinking

By Jonathan Lewis JGSM '11

That was a little stressful. OK. A lot stressful. In one month's time, we had new classes, interviews, snow, and even Valentine's Day. And during that lightning paced month, it seemed like our Johnson School ROI expectations were unfolding before our eyes.

<< Back to main page