MBS Media coverage

The downside of being nice

AFR, pg 59, 17 November 2009
Bullying might work for some bosses but striking a balance provides the best chance for success. Mara Olekalns, professor of management at Melbourne Business School, says being nice all the time can encourage workplace conflict because people are too polite to tackle issues as they arise.

Get a real read on your boss

Australian Financial Review, pg 3, 13 November 2009
The art of negotiation, according to new academic research, lies not in establishing a rapport but instead in showing competence so that other parties are not tempted to manipulate the outcome of discussions. “All the advice given about negotiation is that you should start by building a relationship and establishing trust that you’ll act in good faith. But if you overplay that strategy, people think you’re a soft touch and are more likely to deceive you,” says Mara Olekalns, professor of management at Melbourne Business School.

Taking the next step

HR Monthly, pg 33, 13 November 2009
"The MBA is a generalist degree for people who are looking to build strong corporate careers,” explains Jane Prior, director of academic programs at Melbourne Business School. She says that a deeper understanding of business as a whole not only makes for a better professional, but allows that professional to contribute to the strategic conversations that have to take place in the upper echelons of a large organisation.

Asking for a raise

ABC 720 Perth Mornings, 13 November 2009
Mara Olekalns, Professor of Management and Negotiation at Melbourne Business School gives listeners advice on how to successfully negotiate a pay rise. Olekalns explains that building rapport with a boss, having shared interests, or simply discussing future aspirations helps when asking for a raise.

How to best motivate your employees

Human Resources Leader, pg 7, 10 November 2009
Managers who understand the motivations of their staff will be better able to nurture and sustain their employees’ self confidence, especially during challenging climates, and manage their performance beyond the formal performance management process. Helen Ormond, program director, Mt Eliza Executive Education, part of Melbourne Business School, said that employees are currently feeling high levels of anxiety, fear and even panic about losing their jobs or having to reduce their hours as well as the strain of increased workloads as their companies reduce headcount.

When to see consultants

BRW, pg 46, 05 November 2009
Organisations should select a consultant who can co-develop customised (as opposed to off-the-self) and practical (as opposed to theoretical) solutions. Consultants should have a proven track record and demonstrated ability in not only developing practical solutions but also implementing them successfully, writes Mt Eliza Executive Education’s Marc Stigter.

New leadership programs

CFO, pg 10, 31 October 2009
The Institute of Chartered Accountants is about to launch a new leadership academy affiliated with Harvard Business School, Melbourne Business School and the Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

Suspect lies

ABC 891 Adelaide Afternoons, 30 October 2009
Compere Natasha Stott Despoja chats with Melbourne Business School Professor Karen Jehn about Jehn’s latest research. Jehn says that research shows that in many industries, people suspect that they are being lied to even when they are being told the truth.

Ups and downs of the global ratings game

The Australian, pg 30, 30 October 2009
It seems a little lightweight, but there’s enormous credence placed in course rankings when it comes to MBAs. One of the more credible lists recently released is The Economist’s report, Which MBA? If placed four Australian business schools among the world’s elite, including Melbourne Business School at number 17 globally.

Myer: just window dressing?

Jody Evans, The Age, pg 6, 20 October 2009
A leap of faith is required to believe Myer's forecasts, writes MBS senior lecturer Jody Evans. Read the full article.

MBS the top business school in Asia-Pacific: The Economist

Human Capital, 19 October 2009
The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) 2010 'Which MBA?' report has named its annual list of the best business schools in the world. Ranked the number one full-time MBA program in Asia Pacific and 17th on the world stage in this year's rankings was Melbourne Business School (up from 26th last year). Internationally MBS has placed ahead of prestigious schools such as Columbia, (20) and MIT Sloan School of Management (19). No other business school in Australia ranked in the top 50. Read the full article.

Myer shares gift-wrapped

The Courier Mail, pg 9, 19 October 2009
It’s float time again on the share market, after a two-year drought caused by the global financial crisis. The biggest sale in Australia is on at Myer right now as the iconic 109-year-old department store - not so long ago part of the Coles Myer group - prepares for a new life as a reinvigorated publicly listed company next month. Melbourne Business School professor Paul Kerin says Myer's float marketing pitch has been cleverly targeting its shoppers, which are mostly middle to high-income women. "These are the people who can afford to buy shares so there is a dual benefit," he says. The approach is slick but not so unusual overseas."

Company earnings decide stock returns

Mark Crosby, The Australian Financial Review, pg 62, 17 October 2009
For current investors, the reality is that what actually happens will depend, as in the past, on corporate earnings writes MBS Associate Professor Mark Crosby. On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 10,000, though the Dow and the S&P are still below 1999 peaks. Market expert Warren Buffet once predicted that the S&P 500 would rise to 2900 by 2016, but that would require more than 14 percent growth between now and then. In Australia, the news is far more positive, with the S&P/ASX 200 delivering healthy returns for long term investors.

WSJ weighs in with 'Aussie Mac' in the making

Joshua Gans, Crikey, 16 October 2009
Four days after the Treasurer announced a further $8 billion of government purchases of residential mortgage-backed securities through the Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM), the Wall Street Journal decided to weigh in, calling the scheme an "Aussie Mac in the making", writes MBS Professor Joshua Gans. Read the full article.

Australia climbs ranks of finance service hubs

The West Australian, pg 92, 13 October 2009
Australia has risen to second position in an international ranking of global financial services that downgraded many major economies because of instability in their financial sectors. "I think that we are the Steve Bradbury of financial development," said senior fellow at Melbourne Business School, Dr Sam Wylie. "Our score would have positioned us 14th last year, (but) this year it puts us second. "Our improvement is not very large, it's just that everyone has fallen away so badly, and it really reflects how well Australia has done in the global financial crisis."

The correct call

ABC2 News Breakfast, 13 October 2009
MBS Associate Professor Mark Crosby is interviewed. He believes that Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan’s decision not to wind back the stimulus is correct because the economy is still quite weak.

My store, my share portfolio

The Courier Mail, pg 24, 13 October 2009
Melbourne Business School professor Paul Kerin compliments the marketing strategy for the Myer float. "As a department store they target middle to high income women, the same people they want as their shareholders," Prof Kerin said. "These are the people who can afford to buy shares, so there is a dual benefit." The school's associate professor of economics Andrew John said the strategy maybe as much about consolidating customer loyalty as generating demand for the share issue.

Work issues drive high-flyers to spread their wings

Australian Financial Review, pg 58, 13 October 2009
Melbourne Business School associate professor Isabel Metz has managed to survey a cohort of senior women who left the banking and finance sector a few years ago, and to verify their reasons for departure. The small sample – 44 women – reflects the small overall numbers of senior women in the sector, but all were happy to respond to the survey.

Are you selling me porkies?

The Courier Mail, pg 4, 10 October 2009
How’s this for a twist? Australian customers often feel they are being lied to by staff who are in fact telling the truth. Research by Melbourne Business School Professor Karen Jehn found that in 80 per cent of cases, customers thought they were being lied to when they were being told the truth. Jehn's advice: Staff should be trained to "appear" to be telling the truth when they in fact are.

Most customers think you’re a liar

Australian Anthill Magazine, 09 October 2009
New research by Melbourne Business School Professor Karen Jehn has revealed that, in 80 percent of cases, customers who were actually being told the truth thought that they were being lied to. You could chalk this result up to the impact of glib sales people or general consumer cynicism, but the reality is plain: most of your customers think you’re a liar. Read the full article.