Is the Ivy League really killing innovation?

A new Business Week article criticizes "big business" for failing to provide us with any remarkable new innovations. The article blames this lack of innovation on the idea that managers hire Ivy League professors (or similar counterparts) to help standardize all the processes in a business, whereby innovation and creativity are stifled. Their argument is that "big business" need to gain back the entrepreneurial spirit they once possessed. This entrepreneurial spirit is what helped the largest of the large companies end up where they are now.

An interesting point raised is because established companies have become so risk averse, now when a creative mind attempts an innovation and fails, they innovator is subsequently fired for failing. Therefore, the managers who allow such attempts are reprimanded and unlikely to allow further attempts at innovating something new. The authors argue, instead of the innovator being fired, they should be given a raise and an atta-boy and told to continue their pursuit.

(we know prof. wadhwani is NOT one of those stifling ivy league types!!)


How the Ivy League Is Killing Innovation

A Pacific MBA's entrepreneurial accomplishments

Below is an overview of a Company which Pacific MBA student Faisal Al-Reshaid is involved:

Saracens Tournament (ST) is the first organized e-sports (Electronic Sports) tournament held in Kuwait. Founded by gamers with extensive experience in the industry, Saracens Tournament holds large annual and smaller monthly tournaments for all gamers to meet and compete with each other. Tournament winners are rewarded with many different prizes, but most importantly, the title of “Saracens Tournament Champion” which comes with a year’s supply of bragging rights!

The tournaments are located in Kuwait, but serve all competitive gamers around the world that enjoy playing console, hand-held, and PC games. Currently, the majority of Saracen’s Tournament participants come from the Middle East and North Africa.

The launch of Saracens in 2009 has been followed with numerous successes. The First Annual Tournament featured “Street Fighter 4” and was a huge success hosting over 400 spectators and participants. After the first tournament, one of the largest electronic retailers in Kuwait asked Saracens Tournament to host mini and annual tournaments, which they would sponsor to help promote their products. This was a great opportunity for ST to penetrate the market with minimal costs. At the moment, ST depends heavily on spectators and participants for generating revenue yet their success will create new sources of revenue when ST opens up its first hub (gaming café) in the near future.

Not only does ST plan on opening a hub for gamers to meet, practice, or simply challenge each other, but also plans on featuring multiple games during an annual tournament instead of one game. Even more, performances, exhibitions, and conferences will soon be part of the annual tournament to add more excitement and energy for the spectators! Finally, ST plans on supporting their champions to participate in other world-wide cyber games tournaments in order to provide their participants with continuous priceless rewards and also to gain exposure into the global e-sport market.

Below is a a link to the forum

http://www.topdark.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=7

Shark Tank is back!

For all of you reality TV junkies, Shark Tank, the hyper-sensational show which matches potential investors with everyday entrepreneurs, is back for season 3. This season includes 'guest' investors - Mark Cuban and Jeff Foxworthy. If for nothing else, the show is entertaining. However there are concepts to be learned from these investors. All the investors started as entrepreneurs so they discuss the complexities of business models, sustainable revenue streams, market size and potential and of course, RISK.

The show can be watched on ABC, check your local listings. It does appear the season premier is Friday March 25th around 8pm. Additionally, some episodes can be viewed at http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/index

PRESIDENTIAL INFLUENCE ON SMALL BUSINESS

Our distinguished Professor Wadhwani was recently interviewed by Entrepreneur Magazine, for his perspective on the influence exerted on small business by our current and past presidents.

Overall, Professor Wadwhani does not think the Office of the President has much of an influence on the success of small businesses despite the efforts.

The article is a good read and worth the few minutes, even if you only search for his quotes on each presidents' efforts.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218168

The Woz comes to Sacramento

Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak will be speaking in Sacramento on Friday March 25th at SARTA's 2011 Tech Index Celebration luncheon.

Tickets will sell quickly for this event, so follow the link on how to get register.

http://www.sarta.org/go/sarta/news-events/events/sartas-2011-tech-index-celebration-luncheon/