The Lauder Institute has new director.
Effective July 1, 2007, Mauro F. Guillén, the Dr. Felix Zandman Professor of International Management at Wharton and professor of sociology in Penn’s Arts and Sciences (SAS), will succeed Richard J. Herring, Wharton’s Jacob Safra Professor of International Banking and Professor of Finance, who served as director from 2000 to 2006.
The Lauder Institute, a collaboration of Wharton and SAS, integrates management education with language and international studies to prepare students for careers in global business. Lauder students follow a curriculum leading to an MBA in management and an MA in international studies. The Lauder curriculum requires advanced applied language study in one of eight languages, and a two month immersion course abroad. Last year a joint JD/MA Lauder program was launched, integrating Penn Law School students into Lauder after their first year of legal studies. “I differ from many other academics and journalists in that I don’t think globalization produces convergence, in the sense of only one best practice, or only one market theory.
Nor should it,” Guillén has said. “Countries should not try to adopt the same economic model because how could everyone possibly succeed if they imitate each other? The name of the game is to decide what your strengths are and play to those strengths in the global economy. Globalization should be an opportunity for countries and firms to differentiate themselves from others, to promote diversity, to enhance their own performance.” Guillén’s multifaceted research examines the impact of globalization on patterns of organization and the diffusion of innovations.
Recently he has focused on the rise and fall of business groups in emerging economies, including, for example, the Korean chaebol (e.g. Samsung, Hyundai), the Indian business houses (e.g. Tata, Birla), the conglomerates of Indonesia (e.g. Salim Group), and the Latin American and Spanish grupos (e.g. Perez Companc in Argentina and El Corte Ingles in Spain). While his research includes data from Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Taiwan, he has concentrated primarily on the emerging economies of South Korea, Argentina, and Spain.
His most recent book is The Rise of Spanish Multinationals (Cambridge University Press), and he has published in Spanish and English. In another book, Developing Difference: Organizations, Globalization, and Development in Argentina, South Korea, and Spain, Guillén urged the business community to work harder at understanding and supporting differences among the economic systems of individual countries—a goal in line with the Lauder Institute itself. A native of Leon, Spain, Guillén graduated from the Universidad de Oviedo with a BA and PhD in political economy and from Yale University with a master’s and PhD in sociology. He has been at Wharton since 1996, and received his secondary appointment in SAS in 2003.
The Lauder Institute was founded in 1983 by Leonard A. Lauder, W’54, and Ronald S. Lauder, W’65, in honor of their father, Joseph. Leonard Lauder is Chairman of The Estée Lauder Companies and Ronald Lauder is Chairman of The Clinique Laboratories.
In Brief
Wharton Hosts Panel at Sundance on State of Financing Films
Wharton, in conjunction with the Center for Applied Media in Park City, UT, held an event at the Sundance Film Festival titled, “Wharton@ Sundance: New Money and the State of Film Finance Today.” The event —an inaugural activity for the Wharton Media & Entertainment Initiative (WMEI), which is still in development—included panelists such as Clark N. Callander, managing director of Savvian, LLC; Michael Mendelsohn, president and CEO of Patriot Pictures; Robert Nathan of Cinetic Media; Hal S. Sadoff, head of International and Independent Film, International Creative Management (ICM); and Diane Stidham, managing director of Newbridge Film Capital, LLC. Nelson Gayton, a Wharton adjunct professor who teaches media and entertainment and serves as managing director of the new initiative, was the moderator.
Small Business Center Supports Nigerian Entrepreneurship
Wharton Small Business Development Center (WSBDC) hosted visitors from the Lagos Business School (now officially known as Pan-African University) for six weeks, ending December 14, 2006. Peter Bamkole, General Manager, Enterprise Development Services (EDS), and Olayinka David-West, Academic Director of EDS and Lecturer in Information Systems, visited Wharton to learn how to develop a program for entrepreneurs in Lagos. Nigeria’s president has mandated that all university students, regardless of major, will learn entrepreneurship as part of their curriculum.
Concentrating on early-stage ventures, the Lagos visitors sat in on SBDC sessions and courses and met with faculty. Their visit was supported by the Global Business Network, a program by the World Bank/International Finance Corporation meant to connect leading Western business schools with business schools in Africa.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program Celebrates Milestone
The Wharton Entrepreneur-in-Residence program welcomed its 100th entrepreneur since the program’s founding in 2001, with a visit in December from Ken Thompson, WG’89, vice chairman of Newview Technologies. The Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, created and managed by Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs, offers all Penn students the chance for one-on-one meetings with highly accomplished entrepreneurs.
The Spring 2007 lineup includes Sashi Reddi, GrW’94, of AppLabs Technologies; David Trone, WG’85, of Total Wine; and Bob Bowman, WG’79, of Major League Baseball Advanced Media. During 30-minute sessions, the visiting entrepreneur is available for students to discuss ideas, opinions, and strategies for potential or actual business ventures.
MBA Students Spend Winter Break in India
A group of 36 MBA students traveled to India over winter break as part of the Global Immersion Program. During the trip, they met with key business, government, and non-profit leaders as part of an ongoing effort to learn more about the country’s dynamic economy and growing influence in the international marketplace. The students began their visit in Delhi, where they met with organizations including Indian Railways, Delhi Metro Rail, Ranbaxy, and Genesis Burson-Marsteller. The students also visited companies in Bangalore and Mumbai and toured Rajugella Village (Uttar Pradesh), Agra, Jaipur, and Goa.
MBA Team Wins National Real Estate Challenge
A Wharton MBA team recently won the 5th Annual National Real Estate Challenge. The challenge has become the preeminent real estate investment case competition in the country. The Wharton team was led by Jed Brawley, WG’07, and Joe Spector, WG’07, with three additional second-year students, Chris Bennett, Laura Campbell and Ian Cohen, as well as first-year student Josh Morris.
Citigroup Joins Wharton Global Family Alliance
Citigroup Global Wealth Management has joined the Wharton Global Family Alliance as its global supporting partner. Citigroup is now the lead contributor for Wharton GFA, helping further the Alliance’s research and teaching mission, with its primary focus on emerging issues in family business. The gift will promote study in philanthropy, wealth management, and governance. Citigroup Global Wealth Management and the Wharton Global Family Alliance have already begun to collaborate on a global wealth management study that will illuminate the structures employed by private family offices.
Wharton Alumni Give Scholarship and Fellowship Support
Wharton has announced two major gifts in support of scholarships and fellowships.
Alumna Judith Bollinger (née Comeau), WG’81, and her husband William made a gift of $6 million. Judith Bollinger is a director and strategic planning consultant for ABG Sundal Collier, a firm providing investment banking, stock brokerage, and corporate advisory services for international investors and Nordic corporate clients. Half of the Bollingers’ gift will be designated to establish the Judith and William Bollinger Endowed Scholarship, with the other $3 million creating the Judith and William Bollinger Endowed Fellowship.
Alumnus John Patience, WG’73, gave $1 million to the School to establish the John Patience Endowed Fellowship Fund. Patience is co-founder and general partner at Crabtree Partners LLC, located in Lake Forest, IL. The John Patience Endowed Fellowship Fund will be awarded each academic year, providing financial aid to an MBA student.
World Economic Forum Names Risk Management Center Managing Director a Young Global Leader in 2007
Erwann Michel-Kerjan, managing director of the Center for Risk Management and Decision Processes, was named one of 250 Young Global Leaders for 2007 by the World Economic Forum. This honor is awarded each year to acknowledge the top young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society, and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. Wharton alumni who have earned this honor in the past include Aditya Mittal, W’96, and Elon Musk, W’97.
Pictured: Z. John Zhang
Professor Zhang Named Finalist for O’Dell Award
Marketing Professor Z. John Zhang recently was named a finalist for the 2007 William F. O’Dell Award for the most impactful Journal of Marketing Research paper. The paper was titled, “Do We Care What Others Get? A Behaviorist Approach to Targeted Promotions.” The award is given each year to the paper which has had the largest impact five years after its original publication.
Penn Club of New York Wins 2006 Platinum Award
The Club Leaders Forum awarded the Penn Club of New York the 2006 Platinum Club of America award, an award given to the top 3% of 6,000 private clubs in the United States every three years. The Club also received this award in 2003. The award is based on excellence of services to membership, quality of club facilities, heritage, and enlightened leadership from management and board.
The Penn Club opened in 1994 as a distinct entity from the University of Pennsylvania and is the only alumni club that has its own clubhouse. Visit <www.pennclub.org> for more information.
