network SPRING 05 / ISSUE 10
Combining the strengths of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester
THE MAGAZINE FOR MANCHESTER BUSINESS SCHOOL ALUMNI
Let’s Party! Looking for a great night out whilst catching up with old classmates? Then this year’s Alumni Reunion Ball is the perfect place. The Ball will be held on Saturday 1 October 2005 and promises to deliver a night of great entertainment and fun. This year the event will take place in the heart of Manchester city centre at the recently refurbished Renaissance Hotel. The evening will be one that you’ll remember for years to come, with surprises throughout the night. Enjoy live entertainment, roulette and blackjack tables, whilst catching up with classmates and members of faculty. The new Alumni Relations Team has revamped the ball, bringing fresh ideas to what has become the highlight of the alumni calendar. We’re looking forward to welcoming more of you than ever and would like to extend a special welcome to those alumni celebrating reunions from the classes of ’75,’80,’85,’90,’95 and 2000. Tickets for the event cost £50 and this includes a reception and an excellent three-course meal with wine. Accommodation is also available at the Renaissance Hotel at a special discounted rate. And the fun doesn’t stop there! We have an extended social programme throughout the weekend. Activities include golf on Saturday at High Legh Golf Club, Knutsford, other sporting events and social gatherings. We will also be arranging a night out on the Friday before the ball for those of you who are in Manchester early - we hope you will be able to make it. Places are limited, so please book your tickets now with Lisa Samberg at lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk +44 (0) 161 275 6485. Further details can also be found at: www.mbs.ac.uk/alumni
Contents
Editor’s Welcome
Page 2 Let's Party
Welcome to the Spring issue of Network - the magazine for all Manchester Business School alumni. The new format has been designed to reflect the expanding alumni network of the new School and this first issue focuses on entrepreneurship. We would like to say a big thank you to all those who have contributed to the relaunch of the magazine including Kamran Beg (MBA ’95), The Manchester Business School Incubator and the North West Business Network Group, as it would not have been possible without you.
Our aim over the coming months is to harness the wealth of resources offered by the new Manchester Business School network, to bring you a formidable range of enhanced services. These include: networking and business opportunities and social events, whether you are in the UK or overseas.
The School is now the largest campus-based business school in the UK. It combines the business, management, accounting, finance and innovation departments of The Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST, including the Institute of Innovation Research, the existing Manchester Business School, The Victoria University of Manchester’s School of Accounting and Finance and UMIST’s Manchester School of Management.
Lisa Samberg, editor
Page 3 Editor's Welcome Page 4 News Home Page 7 News Away Page 9 Marriage Innovation: The Match-Making Business Page 12 Entrepreneur Network Page 13 Animal Instincts Page 14 Book Reviews Page 15 Calendar of Events Page 16 Alumni News Page 18 Alumni Diary Page 19 Contacts
Network is your magazine and we hope that you enjoy this new format. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome, and we look forward to hearing your feedback.
It will continue to build on its heritage, competing on a global scale for the best students and staff, whilst generating cutting-edge research that is recognised by peers and practitioners across the globe. In addition to bringing together some of the UK’s leading business professionals, it has also created an alumni network of nearly 20,000, spread over more than 100 countries world-wide. You’re in good company, some of our more prominent graduates include Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive, Tesco; Brenda Smith, group managing director, AscentMedia Group and former managing director, Granada Television Ltd; and David Varney, executive chairman, Inland Revenue and Customs. We already have active alumni groups in the North West of England, London, New York, Greece, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Spain, and thanks to alumni of the new School we will spread this network further across the world. The merger has given us an exciting opportunity to expand the growing network and improve the services that we offer you.
03
News Home Ceremony Marks Launch of University’s Eddie Davies Library Manchester Business School’s graduate and research library was renamed The Eddie Davies Library at an official ceremony in October. Guest of honour, Eddie Davies OBE, owner of Bolton Wanderers Football Club, is a staunch supporter of the value of quality information and education. He attended the Business School in 1982 when he took an intensive Portuguese language course in preparation for a visit to Brazil. So impressed was he with the School, and with its library, that he decided to provide a substantial contribution to further its work. In recognition of this, the library is being renamed in his honour.
Russia, Hong Kong and China, and has received several awards for its activities and excellence. Strix has worked with UMIST in the past and continues to work with the new, single University of Manchester at many levels.
No.11 Calls on
Eddie Davies said: "I regard Manchester Business School in high esteem and I am only too pleased to have helped, especially as the new University develops."
Jill Rubery, director of the European Work and Employment Research Centre (EWERC) and professor of comparative employment systems was invited to represent Manchester Business School at the Gender and Productivity Summit at 11 Downing Street during December.
The Eddie Davies Library is part of the John Rylands University Library.
The Summit, hosted by Gordon Brown and Patricia Hewitt, brought together key opinion formers and academics to discuss how productivity is linked to gender and how the gender gap in sectors typically dominated by men, such as engineering and science, can be bridged. It also looked at ways to attract women to these sectors and how this would create a higher skills base.
Professor Alan Gilbert took part in the re-naming ceremony, along with Bill Simpson, the director of the John Rylands University Library, and staff from the Eddie Davies Library. Mr Davies has been Executive Chairman of Strix Group Ltd since 1984, one of the world’s leading companies in kettle control manufacturing. Strix Group Ltd employs 1,000 staff in the Isle of Man and elsewhere in the UK as well as in Belgium,
Vital Topics Michael Oglesby, chairman, Bruntwood Estates launched this year’s Vital Topics business lectures. His seminar, the life and times of a Manchester man of property, was well received by the enthralled audience who packed out the lecture theatre at Manchester Business School in February. There was also an overwhelming response to the second lecture of the series, when Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive of Tesco plc visited the School in March. A 400 strong audience attended the seminar on leading the market through innovation. The third lecture in April, welcomed David Varney (MBA ’71), chairman of the Inland Revenue and Customs & Excise to speak about managing change in organisations - the role of leadership.
MBS Expertise
Jill has also been invited to give evidence to the Work and Women Commission set up by the government this summer. Chaired by Margaret Prosser, the Commission is due to report on issues such as the gender pay gap in 2005. Librarian Kathy Kirby with Eddie Davies
The series is once again sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland and media partner, The Manchester Evening News. It covers new areas reflecting the variety and diversity of the UK’s vibrant economy. It also features some of the most dynamic industries - and people - around. The remaining lecture is: Tuesday 24 May 2005: Alison Ritchie, chief broadband officer, British Telecom plc building a broadband nation. Professor John Arnold, director of Manchester Business School said: “This year’s aspirational line up brings together the cream of the UK’s business community - keeping Vital Topics fresh, diverse and relevant to the region’s business community. This series reflects The Business School’s dynamic and progressive culture and aims to inspire our business leaders of the future.”
Gary Kirkman, regional director of corporate banking at The Royal Bank of Scotland said: “Sponsorship of Vital Topics reflects our commitment, not only to Manchester, but also one of the world’s finest business schools. The line up for 2005 is outstanding and we can only urge you to find out for yourselves how remarkable these lectures are.” There are a limited number of free tickets available for alumni. If you would like more details or to register for these events, please visit www.mbs.ac.uk/vitaltopics, email marketing@mbs.ac.uk or telephone the Manchester Business School finance office on +44 (0)161 275 7135.
News Home Key Account Management Seminar
Karen Guerra Speaks At Manchester Business School
Professor Noel Capon from Columbia Graduate Business School, USA recently visited Manchester Business School to lead a sell-out one-day seminar for marketing professionals on key account management. Professor Capon, who studied at Manchester Business School, is the professor of International Marketing at Columbia Graduate Business School and is one of the world’s leading experts on strategic key account management. Delegates learned about the importance of identifying and managing key accounts - those customers who buy the most products or services from a company.
Manchester Business School Tops World Rankings in Technology Management Manchester Business School has emerged as the world’s leading business school engaged in research on technology management in a peer-reviewed study of the performance of the world’s business schools. The School was also identified as having the largest number of active researchers publishing in key journals. Technology management encompasses work on innovation and research management and policy. At Manchester Business School work is focused in the TIEMPO (Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Management and Policy), in the OPTIMA division, with research concentrated in the PREST (Policy Research in Engineering, Science and Technology) and CRIC (Centre for Research on Innovation and Competition) research centres. This excellence is not confined to academic research - our work has had substantial influence on the research and innovation strategies of the UK and foreign governments, international organisations and major firms. We also have top-ranked (24/24QAA rating) Masters programmes and a large group of doctoral researchers.
Karen Guerra
November 2004, saw Manchester Business School play host to one of France’s top business women. Karen Guerra, vice president and general manager of Colgate-Palmolive, spoke to a 200 strong audience at the joint Women in Management and Executive MBA Sponsor’s Club lecture. She spoke about her experiences at the top of an international organisation and the challenges facing women in the workplace. Karen, a graduate of Manchester School of Management, is one of the select club of women in France running a major consumer goods company. A UK national, she has spent a large part of her career with Colgate, heading up the French company since 1999. Prior to this, she was
Let the Games Commence!
chairman and managing director of the UK subsidiary and non-executive director of More Group, a media Plc. This was one of the first major events to take place in the new Manchester Business School and the first time that the Women in Management lecture has been combined with the Executive MBA Sponsor’s Club, an annual event for Executive MBA participants and their employers. Both events have run successfully for many years at the School of Management, UMIST and Manchester Business School, respectively. The audience also included members of the region’s business community, as well as alumni.
The MBA Class of 2006 is sending a 75 strong team to take part in the fiercely contested MBA Tournament, being held at HEC School of Management at Jouy-En-Josas, near Paris from the 27 to 29 of May. Now in its 15th year, the MBA Tournament brings together nearly 2,000 MBA students from 10 leading European business schools. Our team of budding athletes will be taking part in a variety of diverse events including football, rollerblading, salsa and the tug-of-war. The three-day sporting event brings together the leaders of tomorrow in an exciting setting to develop networks and encourage teamwork.
05
News Home TeleGeneration Celebrates Wireless Success
across the city. The TeleGeneration team has installed over 100 access points and more points will be installed over the coming months.
TeleGeneration, the wireless company set up by Manchester Business School graduates, Mike Beatty and Andrew Birchall has won a contract to supply wireless internet access to over 60,000 students in Nottingham.
This latest contract follows the successful model that won best wireless project for TeleGeneration at the Big Chip Awards in Manchester. The award-winning initiative with Preston City Council and the University of Central Lancashire, gave wireless internet access to 33,000 students, businesses and members of the public in Preston. Following the success of the initial roll-out, TeleGeneration also worked closely with Preston City Council to provide wireless access for in the City Council headquarters and its councillors.
The initiative will give free wireless access to staff and students at Nottingham and Nottingham Trent Universities. TeleGeneration has enlisted the help of students to identify key access locations at popular cafes and bars in both campuses and
Manchester Business School hosted the third research workshop of the Product Development & Management Association (PDMA) in January which was attended by academics from the UK, Ireland and the United States. Dr. Helen Perks chaired the one-day event, which focused on unravelling and debating emerging research in new product innovation. Academics attended from Aston, Bath, LBS, Cranfield, Cork, Limerick and Tennessee.
MBS Wins AT Kearney European Final Manchester Business School has won the European finals of the AT Kearney Case Competition, in Amsterdam. Four MBA students saw off fierce competition from world leading business schools including Judge, London Business School, Rotterdam, Cranfield and Instituto de Impressa, to win the 12,000 Euro prize.
The first Webtrends report - which measures visits to websites - for the new www.mbs.ac.uk site shows a significant increase in visitors during its first month in action. The report showed: * 7,700 new visitors
* 3,800 pdfs downloaded
* 52,000 site visits
* 175,000 pages viewed
Two years ago, we were on 152,000 pages viewed and 40,200 site visits, it’s great to see so many new users visiting the re-vamped site.
Product Development Workshop Presentations looked at best practice, the shifting role of design in the product development process, and the management of discontinuous innovations. Participants took part in a workshop identifying and discussing key research gaps in product innovation and opportunities for collaboration. A final feedback session brought the day to a close.
The PDMA is a not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to improving the effectiveness of people engaged in developing and managing new products - both manufactured goods and services. It was established in 1976 and is led by Helen Perks in the UK and Ireland. For further information, please contact helen.perks@mbs.ac.uk.
for a new automotive company that would give consumers affordability and peace of mind.
Alumni Research Portal
Alison Edmonds, director of career management services, said: “This is an excellent and tremendously important achievement for Virtual Intelligence and the Business School. The team led the way with an exceptional performance driven by considerable hard work and commitment.”
The Alumni Research Portal (ARP) continues to be successful with an ever-increasing number of alumni accessing the library information. Feedback from those alumni using the service has been positive, with an equal number using the system for both business research and private use to research for job interviews and private projects. The most widely used sites are ProQuest (abstracts and full-text of articles from over 2,400 academic and trade journals) and Infotrac (wide range of international trade and industry publications).
Teams from MBA courses act as management consultants and create solutions for a case study from AT Kearney. The delegates, under the team name Virtual Intelligence, presented a start-up business plan
Finger Clicking Good!
The winning team
News Away Asian Adventure Louise Gardiner, senior MBA marketing officer, visited Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong in November as part of the World MBA Fair. As well as meeting prospective MBA applicants, she was joined by alumni and current MBA participants who were on exchange. During a rare moment of relaxation during the trip, she managed to include a visit to the Great Wall of China.
Hong (right) pictured with Ge Honglin, the Mayor of Chengdu.
High-Tech Advice Dr Hong Liu has been appointed as advisor to the regional government of Sichuan, China. Hong will be supporting the government on high-tech policy and strategy issues. The appointment followed his attendance at a conference on technology and economic development in the provincial capital of Chengdu in December. Hong was one of 14 experts from around the world each invited to present a “golden idea” to the regional government. “Three people have been appointed worldwide for the same advisory role, and I think when there is any major strategic decisions or events in Chengdu - particularly high-tech related - we would be invited to give our views,” explains Hong.
MBS in India Whilst attending the MBA World Tour in New Delhi, at the end of November last year Prof Jikyeong Kang attended an alumni reunion dinner arranged by Piyush Seth (MBA ’04) at the Hotel Taj Mansingh. Those alumni who attended were Lokesh Bhan (MBA ’04), Tushar Agarwal (MBA ’98), Alan Pengelly (MBA ’02), Dave Greenwood (MBA ’02) and Rahul Radhu (MBA ’97). Many thanks also go to Vivek Agarwalla (MBA ’98) and Sudhanshu Kejriwal (MBA ’01) who were present at the MBA fair.
Jikyeong Kang & Alumni
07
News Away European Tour
A recent event in Frankfurt saw the School attract a full house. Representatives from a number of departments worked together on the project, pooling contacts and resources. Over 40 guests attended the event, where Gordon Mandry gave a lecture on The Customer Focused Organisation. The audience included alumni from post - and undergraduate programmes, corporate contacts and prospective postgraduate students. The feedback was positive and the project team from central marketing, international business projects, alumni, career management services and MBA marketing - are still following some of the leads generated.
Gordon Mandry
Winners and Losers in Mergers & Acquisitions During his stay in Hong Kong on an extended trip to China and the Far East last September, Dr Nick Collett gave a seminar to 45 alumni, many of whom had completed the Distance Learning MBA in Finance during the last 10 years.
It was the first time the School had run a cross-departmental initiative like this.
He highlighted some of the different economic, financial and strategic characteristics found in acquisitions that create shareholder value, and those that decrease value. The renewed interest in M&A in the developed world is mirrored by significant deal of activity in Asia, in particular in China. Dr. Collett had an opportunity to discuss both local and global trends with the audience.
Dr Rosa Chun
Global Reputation Seminar Speaking to an audience of 25 senior and middle management alumni at a lunchtime seminar in Singapore last November, Dr Rosa Chun discussed her research study about the reputation character of Fortune Global 500 firms. Rosa presented a content analysis of ethical value statements to 131 Global 500 firms across five industries (airlines, petroleum, commercial banks, food retailers, pharmaceuticals) each company was rated for its ethical facets, namely integrity, empathy, courage, warmth, zeal, and conscientiousness (Chun 2005 forthcoming with Journal of Business Ethics). The relative frequencies of key words from each of the firm’s materials were presented in a positioning map by industry.
Dr Nick Collett speaking in Hong Kong
The results showed clear differences in emphasis on aspects of ethical character by industry and country of origin. Overall, US firms tend to emphasise courage the most, and integrity the least; whilst European firms tend to place importance on integrity. The profiles of Asian firms, were closer to the culture of their UK counterparts, rather than US firms.
Cover Story In the UK alone, there are over 200,000 more small businesses now than ten years ago and 2004 showed the fastest increase in self-employment since the late 1980's. With 3.4 million people currently working for themselves, self-employment is at its highest level since 1991 and prospects for business survival are better than ever. More and more recent MBA graduates are setting up their own businesses, and a large proportion of those currently studying are interested in getting involved in an entrepreneurial venture at some point during their career. As you will remember, the Manchester Business School project-based learning experience provides the necessary components required to become a successful entrepreneur.
We caught up with one of our alumni, Kamran Beg (MBA '95) who took the plunge and has set up a company, Kamran A Beg Events, that arranges marriage events for Muslim professionals across the world. Although Kamran has only been match-making since July 2003, he has already played Cupid to nearly 100 couples across the world. He's arranged 65 marriages in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia, and 37 engagements worldwide. Kamran also finds time to run his own successful management consultancy, working with board-level executives on strategy issues.
Marriage Innovationthe Match-Making Business
09
Why did you choose Manchester Business School? Having just completed my undergraduate degree, I felt that the MBA programme at Manchester Business School would provide me with a much needed challenge, as well as the right amount of business acumen needed to make my way in the world of business. I was also attracted to the Manchester Method, the School's unique action-learning programme, which gave me the opportunity to work on live commercial projects. During the course I undertook several consultancy projects, which culminated in the International Business Project, where I travelled to Hong Kong and China to research local business data.
What were the best aspects of the programme? The balance between strategy, finance, marketing and management established a base from which I could develop my practical consultancy skills. The lecturers were exceptional, allowing time for students to process information, with constant encouragement to challenge and question.
Who was your most influential tutor? My mentor Jeff Henderson inspired me to set up my own business. He taught me to channel my enthusiasm and recognised my flair for business. He lead by example and this practical way of learning has helped me throughout my career.
“ Having since undertaken executive development courses at both Harvard University and MIT, I can honestly say that my time at Manchester Business School has played the most influential part in my career development.�
How did the international make-up of the course help?
Can you tell us a little more behind the concept of Kamran A Beg Events?
The School's global appeal is reflected in an outstandingly international faculty and student body. This diverse international make-up was the perfect starting point for my career in a truly global market place. It equips tomorrow's executives with an international perspective that enables them to lead their enterprises proactively and convincingly all over the world.
The Events Programme was set up to deal with the social issue of marriage within the Muslim community. Over the last 20 to 30 years more and more professional Muslim women either become subjected to arranged marriages or find themselves unable to meet suitable partners and therefore increasingly look outside of the religion for compatible partners. The aim of the Programme therefore, is to bring together like-minded Muslim professionals with the view to marriage, whilst adhering to Islamic laws and ensuring all participants are chaperoned (although these chaperones are not parents as this would be too restrictive.)
How has your MBA helped shape your career? Before joining the programme, I had little vision, and through careful nurturing from faculty members who I feel respect students, I was able to cultivate, refine and develop that talent fully. These elements, intrinsic to the unique Manchester Business School culture, have contributed significantly to my career and continue to influence, at every level, my career.
How does running your own business compare with jobs that you held previously?
Each person is put through a strict vetting procedure, including one-to-one interviews, to ensure suitability before being invited to a group meeting of between 70 and 80 participants. It must be remembered that this is a marriage event not a dating agency, so if an applicant is not seriously interested in meeting a lifetime partner, they are rejected from the programme.
So how do the meetings work? Although I sometimes miss the buzz of working for blue chip companies, running my own business is certainly more challenging. I now have greater flexibility and have more time to focus on creativity than was possible in earlier roles. Through running my own company I have acquired many different skills that are essential for the successful entrepreneur, such as understanding the risks involved in branching out on your own and ensuring prioritisation of two or three key business goals. The Events Programme has also allowed me to apply my corporate skills to a social project.
The meetings take place in a group format, as it takes the pressure off the guests and helps to put everyone at ease. Each mixed table seats eight - with the men and women on either side each “couple” has the chance to chat and get to know each other for 15 minutes or so and then one side of the table moves up a place, so that over the course of the evening everyone gets a chance to talk to each other. It's important that there's a chaperone in attendance, so that everyone feels totally at ease. Following the initial meeting, if participants want to get in touch with someone they have met, then the first contact is made through me. In this way, both parties feel safer knowing that they have consented for their details to be passed on.
What's next? Following the great success of the programme and requests received from our attendees, I launched the on-line service in February of this year, which is designed to optimise the chances of meeting and conversing with like-minded people. This service encompasses a chat room and an email centre. Although it is impossible to police all contact made between members, there are still strict registration rules that all users must stick to. All on-line subscribers are interviewed on a one-to-one basis to ensure that they share the same values as other members.
What advice would you give to other would-be entrepreneurs? • Good theory precedes good practice • Always have a clearly defined vision focusing on customer needs • Articulate your vision in a succinct and customer-focused business plan • Derive a coherent set of strategic goals in the first six to nine months and stick to them. Generate a set of performance measures, which allows you to see to what extent your vision is being accomplished • Always add value for the customer, thus enabling customer lock-on • Develop a robust strategy for customer relationship management, which allows you to retain existing customers, whilst attracting new ones • Fuse sound leadership and effective management • Foster a culture which values learning • Learn to manage risk, don't be managed by it • Do not feel constrained by a lack of resources, instead forge intelligent partnerships with other organisations
In sum, never lose sight of the vision!
11
Entrenpreneur Network NW Business Network Generates Success 2004 saw two of our alumni, Alistair Nicholls (MBA ’92) and Lee Williams (MBA ’01), set up the NW Business Network Group with the aim not only of providing social contacts for alumni outside of the office, but also increasing business opportunities and providing a network for career progression. Since July numbers of the group have increased steadily and a core group of around 40 regular alumni, including entrepreneurs, consultants and business executives, now meet once a month for
breakfast in the Alumni Club Room at Manchester Business School, for lively networking and debate. With regular presentations by the participants, the meetings have become a major part of the NW Alumni Association calendar providing the opportunity for like-minded individuals to meet up. To find out more, please contact Claire Smith in the Alumni Relations Office on 0161 275 6514 or claire.smith@mbs.ac.uk
Paul Handforth and Leigh Wharton (right) at a breakfast meeting
Inspiration and Bacon Butties Leigh Wharton (MBA ’01), manager of the Manchester Business School Incubator spoke to the NW Business Network Group at a recent breakfast to highlight the benefits and opportunities that now exist within the Incubator. The Incubator has been generating start-ups for nearly three years and has a pipeline of emerging businesses in different stages of development. It is at the heart of a growing network of entrepreneurs and support services at the Business School, and is backed by three large commercial partners Addleshaw Goddard, N M Rothschild and The Royal Bank of Scotland. It is also supported by a number of associate organisations that offer advice on subjects including accounting, insurance, sales and marketing.
Leigh explains:“There is a wealth of untapped resource within the alumni network and by working alongside them, we can create new business opportunities. The Incubator offers entrepreneurs the chance to set up new ventures across a wide range of sectors and benefit from the expert advice on offer.” Please get in touch with Leigh if you have a new business idea: 07950 300 455 incubator@mbs.ac.uk www.mbs.ac.uk/incubator
Animal Instincts Tudor Rickards and his research partner Dr. Murray Clark, visiting fellow from Sheffield Hallam University, have revealed their animal instincts with their latest research, that links animal behaviours with leadership types. The research, that will be published later this year, has identified that mandrills, the red-faced baboons, are aggressive bullies who only survive at the top for two years; where as the multi-tasking elephant tends to be a strong woman manager leading from the front.
Following the success of Tudor’s original research with the Horse Whisperer, Monty Roberts, he decided to look at a wider range of animal behaviors. With the help from alumnus, Dr Stephen McKeown, head of education programmes at Chester Zoo, Tudor and Murray were able to gain some interesting insights into group animal behaviours, and it also gave them the opportunity to meet some fascinating animals. The origins of Tudor and Murray’s research can be found in the well-established theory of human behaviour known as the Triune Brain model. It is based on the view that the human brain is layered, with influences at the ’lower’ levels from our animal ancestors. At these levels we have processes, which seem more associated with affiliative behaviours of herd animals such as horses, and at the deepest and most primitive levels, we have behaviors associated with our reptilian ancestors. There is an argument that today’s gangland ’Turf Wars’ that are splashed across the tabloids, may well be replays of reptilian battles for territory. At the other end of the spectrum in the most newly developed parts of the brain, we have the reasoning powers that are associated with rational human behaviors. Tudor and Murray have applied these concepts to the world of business to show how they affect what type of leadership style we have. There is certainly evidence for what might, in the future, be called ‘Mandrill Management.’ One independent survey, by management-guru Jim Peters, estimated that over 60% of major American companies were lead by people with over-inflated egos, and an aggressive leadership style. This leadership style is very similar to that of the Mandrill, the animals that score highest on aggressive leadership. Tudor and Murray suggest that by identifying the socio-biological patterns of alpha-male aggression in animals, new more effective leadership processes in humans can be identified. Read more about mandrill management in Tudor and Murray’s new book “Dilemmas of leadership - maps, myths and mandrills”, published by Routledge later this year.
13
Book Reviews Innovation in Construction: A European Analysis Marcela Miozzo, senior lecturer in innovation studies and Paul Dewick, lecturer in technology management, Institute of Innovation Research, Manchester Business School
This book deals with some of the most important questions in innovation research such as the role of corporate governance, national systems of innovation, and government regulation in the development and adoption of innovations. In particular, it presents new evidence on the factors, which shape innovation in construction by drawing on extensive interviews with construction firms across Europe.
Changing Capitalisms? Internationalisation, Institutional Change, and Systems of Economic Organisation Glenn Morgan, Richard Whitley and Eli Moen February 2005, Oxford University Press. This book shows how institutions shape firm behaviour and economic performance.
The Crisis of Innovation in Water and Wastewater Duncan A. Thomas, University of Manchester and Roger R. Ford, University of Salford. This book explores how technological innovation is vital to help provide sustainable water in both the UK and developing countries. However, innovation is being overlooked in the face of global trends to privatise and regulate water utilities. The authors highlight how the global water sector is failing to respond to increasingly complex world needs and continues to build largely unsustainable centralised infrastructures, opposing more appropriate, distributed and local modern technologies.
It looks at the causes and directions of change within national institutional settings and at the level of firm behaviour. Including theoretical and empirical contributions from a range of disciplines, bringing together the key authors in debates surrounding the relationship of firms and institutional settings.
Globalising Human Resource Management 2004 Routledge Paul R. Sparrow, Ford professor of international human resource management, Manchester Business School, UK. Chris Brewster, professor of international HRM, Henley Management College, Hilary Harris, director, Centre for Research into the Management of Expatriation, Cranfield School of Management. Key Features: Establishes the agenda for the field of global HR as seen by HR professionals themselves. Draws upon research conducted by the authors as part of the CIPD’s Globalisation Research Project Provides a coherent view of the field of Global HRM.
Forecasting Volatility in Financial Markets: A Practical Guide Ser-Huang Poon, professor of Finance, Manchester Business School. Wiley, April 2005. Primarily aimed at advanced Masters and PhD students in finance. An excellent reference for practitioners who manage or trade volatility.
Other Books Recently Published Work and Employment in China Cooke, Fang Lee, HRM. Routledge, December 2004. The book contemplates how human resource management policies and practices in China are shaped under the broader political, economic, legislative and social context of work and employment over the past 50 years.
The Real Life Guide to Accounting Research Humphrey, C. and Lee, B., (Eds.), Elsevier (2004), The book is a practical and intellectual companion for those undertaking research on the role of accounting in organisations and society.
International Retail Marketing: A Case Study Approach Bruce, M., Moore, C. and Birtwistle, G., (Eds.), Elsevier, 2004. Forward by Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive, Tesco. Offering both a raw theoretical overview of the topic and extended demonstration of retail strategems working in practice, this book is the ideal reference for all students and practitioners needing a comprehensive account of the field.
Calendar of Events Take a quick glance at the events already scheduled over the next few months. Please book early as many events have limited places. Date
Event
Contact
Thursday 19 May
Management Seminar (Madrid) Dr. Kimio Kase (DBA) IESE Business School 'Transformational CEOs - PIF (proto-image of the firm) and PA (profit-arithmetic) approaches'
Lisa Samberg Tel: +44 (0)161 275 6485 lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk
Tuesday 24 May 4:30pm for 5pm
Management Seminar (Manchester) Professor Ian Miles, IoIR, Manchester Business School ‘Who? What? Where? Who Cares?’
Claire Smith Tel: +44 (0)161 275 6514 claire.smith@mbs.ac.uk
Tuesday 24 May 6pm
Vital Topics (Manchester) Alison Ritchie, chief broadband officer, British Telecom ’Building a Broadband Nation’
Sue Huzar Tel: +44 (0)161 275 7257 sue.huzar@mbs.ac.uk
Friday 3 June 7:30am - 9am
NW Business Network Group (Manchester) Breakfast Meeting
Claire Smith Tel: +44 (0)161 275 6514 claire.smith@mbs.ac.uk
Tuesday 7 June All Day
Manchester Business School Golf Day in Aid of Christies Hospital Mere Golf and Country Club, Cheshire
Lisa Samberg Tel: +44 (0)161 275 6485 lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk
Tuesday 7 June 12:30pm - 5pm
Management Seminar Organised by Centre for Business Research (London) 'Breaking the Mould: Innovations in Retailing’
Lucy Daly Tel: +44 (0)161 275 0530 lucy.daly@mbs.ac.uk
Tuesday 9 June 6:30pm for 7pm
Management Seminar (AT Kearney Alumni Seminar Series) (London) More details to follow shortly
Claire Smith Tel: +44 (0)161 275 6514 claire.smith@mbs.ac.uk
Friday 1 July 7:30am - 9am
NW Business Network Group (Manchester) Breakfast Meeting. Jill Morris, Champion Accountants 'Tax Planning for Businesses'
Claire Smith Tel: +44 (0)161 275 6514 claire.smith@mbs.ac.uk
15
Alumni Group News Around the World NW Alumni Group
London The London Alumni Association (LLA) continues to thrive, with a new committee made up of Simone Collins (MBA ’98), Christian Frankic (MBA ’01), Jessica Trujillo (MBA ’03), John McConnell (MBA ’89) and Felix Martin (MBA ’99). We would like to take this opportunity to thank Alex Vinokourov (MBA ’01) and Helen Vaid (MBA ’97) for their great work in the past and wish Alex every success in Prague.
North West Over 60 alumni and MBA students gathered together on Monday 17 January to meet and chat whilst enjoying a really good curry. Following informal drinks in the Alumni Club Room at Manchester Business School the attendees moved to the Shaandaar Restaurant, Rusholme where they enjoyed a meal on Manchester’s famous curry mile. The event was so successful that it has now become a regular fixture in the North West Association events calendar.
Greece The Greek Alumni Group has been active for more than a decade and places a great emphasis on maintaining the tradition of being a dynamic group. The group, located in Athens, brings Manchester Business School graduates together and forges long-lasting relationships, whilst also acting as a focal point for potential applicants.
The new Manchester Business School office in Covent Garden is proving to be a great base for
Keep an eye on the events calendar for an exciting programme of events in the next few months. Felix Martin, chair, LAA. If you would like to give a presentation, please email the committee at Felixmar2002@yahoo.co.uk
Hong Kong Walk for Millions On Sunday 6 March, more than 20 members of the Manchester Business School staff, student and alumni community in Hong Kong, participated in the charity event ’Walk for Millions’ organised by the Community Chest, one of the largest charity funds in Hong Kong. Every year, thousands of people from across the world participate in the walk. Dressed in the School’s corporate colours and flagged by an Manchester Business School banner, they completed the 2-hour walk starting at the Sha Tin Racecourse and finishing at the Sha Tin Park.
China
At the finish line
Cyprus Michael Charakis (MBA ’01) has been liaising with the Alumni Relations Office with the view to establishing an alumni group in Cyprus.
All alumni are welcome, whether you are located in Greece or just visiting. We look forward to hearing from you. Contact: Christos Dimitriou, Chair (MBA ’99) Christos.dimitriou@gr.pwc.com
our senior alumni events, such as the talk by Tim St. Ather of Foxx Associates Ltd on “Difficult People Made Easy”. We have also welcomed presenters Amanda Bouch of Simons Maclean and Jane Townsend of Core Communications. On a lighter note, the welcome wine tasting event for the new Alumni which took place in November last year.
Alumni at the China Annual Alumni Dinner, Shanghai, September 2004
If any alumni based in Cyprus would like to contribute or be involved please contact Michael directly at mcharakis@crccy.com
James Ndahiro pictured last year
Venezuela A big thank you goes to our Venezuelan Alumni Group who hosted an MBA Alumni Preview Event at the British Council Office in Caracas earlier this year.
Rwanda Only weeks after finishing his PhD, doctoral alumnus, James Ndahiro has dived straight into the next challenge. He's been appointed as the founding chairman of the Rwandan Stock Exchange. “The economy is growing quite fast in Rwanda, but setting up the stock exchange will be a big task. Initially I will be conducting an audit of the preparatory work that’s already been done, then I will begin identifying companies which are eligible for listing on the stock market,” explained James before he left the School. “The next step will then be to educate the population about financial markets, bonds and stocks and shares, so I’ll be busy for quite a while, I think!” James scored very highly in his PhD, which has helped him to prepare for his new role. He studied voluntary disclosure concerning research and development, and its impact on stock price. James joined the Manchester Business School doctoral programme in 2000. Having lost his sight in an accident 12 years ago, James was determined to build a new life for himself, working firstly in the financial sector, helping banks to consolidate their accounts and cope with the influx of people returning after the war. He then worked for the African Union for the Blind, as a project manager for Central Africa, looking after a variety of incomegenerating projects.
The event, which attracted over 25 candidates, was promoted to potential MBAs as an opportunity to hear the real life experience of our alumni the decision to pursue an MBA, the highs and lows of the programme and on life post-MBA. “The event was a success, we were joined by a great group of candidates armed with lots of questions! For some of the attendees, this was the first time they had heard about our school and all were very enthusiastic. The International Business project was definitely the selling point of the evening - grabbing everyone’s attention and generating many questions.” Jose Guracao (MBA ’04)
Eugenio kicks off the MBA Preview Event
(l-r) Eugenio, Jose, Joel, Hector and Luis
the British Council, for hosting the event; and to the whole alumni group for helping MBA marketing and admissions prepare and ensure a successful event!
Special thanks go to Eugenio Freire (MBA ’03), Jose Guracao (MBA ’04), Joel Guedes (MBA ’03), Hector Berge (MBA ’01), Luis Abarca (MBA ’02) and Liana Carusi, wife of Jose Guracao and assistant director of resources at
If you are interested in hosting a similar event, please contact Fiona Fraser from the MBA marketing and admissions team fiona.fraser@mbs.ac.uk / +44 (0)161 275 6338
Singapore
Spain
The Alumni Association in Singapore has held a number of successful and well-attended events over the last few months with more to follow.
Following December’s successful meeting of the Spanish Group, we are currently arranging an informal event where one of our alumni will talk about his new book about strategy and management, due to be published shortly. More details can be found in the calander of events.
One of the more recent events, held at the beginning of March, was an educational seminar on “Wills and Estate Planning” presented by Ms. Sunita Sonya Parhar, a practicing lawyer with the firm J.S. Yeh and Co. specialising in probate law. This seminar was aimed at raising the awareness on the importance of making wills. Further events are scheduled for the forthcoming months and these can be found on the Calendar of events page on the Alumni website.
If there are any alumni either living and working in Spain or travelling to the country, please don’t hesitate to make contact. Javier Martin (MBA ’96), chair
We wish him every success in his new role. Wayne Soo, (MBA ’01) hon president.
17
Alumni Diary This is your chance to let everyone know where you’ve been and what you’ve been up to since graduating from Manchester Business School. If you have news for the next issue, email lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk Jeff Dove (MBA ’04) has joined Deloitte MSC Limited as a consultant in strategy and operations. Gavin Hepburn (MBA ’04) and Jae lee Cho (MBA ’04) celebrated their marriage during March last year, after meeting on the MBA programme in September 2002. Gavin and Jae are living in Cheshire and working for ATG Access. Nick Horrocks (MBA ’04) has joined as a senior consultant at Accenture Financial Services Strategy in London. Michael Lodge (MBA ’04) has joined Mettler Toledo as European strategy and marketing manager. Abid Mukhtar (MBA ’04) married Ana Margrite Claudio Carvalho in the middle of 2004 and they are now expecting their first child. On completion of the MBA programme, Abid joined KPMG, Reading as an associate on the Private Equities and Mid-Markets Team in the Corporate Finance Department. David Fox (MBA Exec ’03) has recently been promoted to business and operations manager for In Vitro Percutaneous Absorption, Syngenta. He is responsible for delivering a scientific service to Syngenta and external clients. David is based in Cheshire. Nigel Fry (MBA ’03) has taken up the role of business director of the Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre. This is a new state of the art facility set-up to conduct translational research in oncology and neuroscience through the use of PET/ CT imaging. It’s based on the site of the Christie Hospital in Didsbury, Manchester.
Stuart Selby-Jerrold (MBA ’03) recently climbed Mount Kenya. Stuart is currently working for Barclays Capital and is based in London. For more information on Mount Kenya go to http://www.kws.org/mtkenya.htm. Ronghui Gao (MBA ’03) has recently returned to Suzhou, Jiangsu, near to Shanghai, China with his family, after living in Manchester for 3.5 years, in order to establish a healthcare consulting business. Ronghui would be interested in any contacts who are interested in doing business in China. Jeffrey Goddard (MBA ’03) returned to the Cayman Islands following graduation and works for Goldman Sachs in the Equities Division. Katie Hepworth (MBA ’03) has recently joined 3M as group category manager, Post-it. Katie is based in Bracknell. Simon Jones (MBA ’03) was promoted at the beginning of February this year to the role of director at the Blackburn Office (Lancashire) of Capita Symonds (the property arm of Capita Plc, FTSE 100). Oliver Lambert (MBA ’03) is working as business analyst in Group Marketing for Vodafone in Berkshire. Denise Qi (MBA ’03) has joined Molton Brown as purchasing director. She is based in London. Isabelle Tauzinat (MBA ’03) joined Accenture in March this year as a consultant in their supply chain/procurement team. Isabelle is based in London.
Andrew Barlow (MBA Exec ’02) and Adam Gandy (MBA Exec ’01) have set up business together. Their first company, Agilinx Ltd (www.agilinx.com), launched in 2002 creating visualisation solutions for companies with multiple complex assets. Agilinx won a large contract from BT in 2004 to deliver a bespoke solution for several hundred telephone exchanges across the UK. Adam and Andy have recently launched a second business, Kwosh (www.kwosh.co.uk) which helps companies save money on their overheads through renegotiation and switching of telecoms, energy and IT support contracts. Kwosh takes on the headache of the analysis and paperwork allowing businesses to free up their admin time and focus on driving their top line. Kwosh has achieved average savings of 32% for clients since it’s launch at the start of 2005. The pair still find time for family life though. Adam became a proud father in 2003 and his second child is due in July. Andy will no doubt be following suit having married in December 2004. Alan Pengelly (MBA ’02) working for Degussa Construction Chemicals in New Delhi, India as manager for underground construction. Michael Raynor (MBA ’02) currently working as a ceasefire monitor for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and presently based in Sudan.
Contacts Katrina Delargy (MBA Exec ’01) and Fiona Leteney (MBA Exec ’99) have recently had an article,“Measuring Competencies During Times of Change”, published in Knowledge Management Review March/April 2005, Volume 8, Issue 1. Katrina (Aventura) and Fiona (Feenix e-Learning) have complementary businesses that focus on improving organisational effectiveness. They started collaborating following a chance meeting at an Manchester Business School Alumni event in 2002. For more information and a copy of the article: www.aventura.co.uk and www.feenix.co.uk” Both Katrina and Fiona have previously co-authored articles with Dr. Stephen Chen a former member of faculty at Manchester Business School in 2002. Alexander Klein (MBA ’01) returned to Germany at the end of 2003 to turn around a business and is currently negotiating the sale. Paul Gorman (MBA ’01) and his wife Helen became the proud parents Erin Marie on 26 February. Congratulations to all the family. Paul works for Barclays Capital and is based in London. Denise Gilmour (MBA ’01) and Goncalo Guerreiro (MBA ’01) became the proud parents of a wonderful baby boy called Emanuel on 15 November at 5:12am. The birth was at Queen's Charlotte & Chelsea Hospital, London. The baby weighed an healthy 3.312Kg, since then Emanuel had put some serious weight - last count 7kg! All the family is very happy with the new addition. Richard Lewis (MBA ’01) and Caroline became the proud parents of Harrison on 7 February. Congratulations to all the family. Richard is currently living in Cheshire and works for WM Enterprise. John Ward (MBA ’00) has recently joined Booz Allen and Hamilton International (UK) Ltd as an associate. John is working in the Communications, Media and Technology (CMT) practice at the London Office.
Ambuj Gupta (MBA ’95) has recently moved from AT Kearney Ltd to become assistant director, Strategy and Planning at Barclays Bank (Retail Financial Services) in London.
UK
Stephen Hayers (MBA Exec ’95) is working at AT Kearney as an experienced manager for the Operations Practice. Stephen spent several years in the USA and Europe before spending a year setting up ATK’s Operations Practice in China. He is currently based in London but still lives in Manchester. Both his wife and son, Wendy and Michael are doing well.
London Felix Martin (MBA ‘99) felix@kelston.clara.net
Maria Parpou (MBA ’95) has recently moved from Booz Allen and Hamilton International (UK) Ltd to become group head of strategy and planning at Barclays Plc in London. Les Watt (MBA ’75) is married with two daughters and living in Cheshire. Since leaving corporate employment Les has been developing a portfolio of activities including IT strategy consulting and is also investigating opportunities for his active involvement with start-up / early stage businesses, including some sponsored by the Manchester Business School Incubator. Les and his wife are thoroughly enjoying semi-retirement, including travelling to countries he frequented on business but never really explored. Otherwise, his main leisure interests remain outdoor pursuits, as they were at Manchester Business School - mountain walking, skiing and some rock climbing. He’s also recently become a Peak Park Ranger.
Manchester Martin Burke (MBA ‘95) martin@emotionrecords.co.uk
International China Mijia Wu (MBA ‘01) Bob.wu@cn.abnamro.com Germany Paul Baker (MBA ‘94) Paul-david.baker@t-systems.com Greece Christos Dimitriou (MBA ‘99) Chistos.dimitriou@gr.pwcglobal.com Hong Kong Christina Siu Christina.siu@mbs-worldwide.edu.hk New York Larissa Hrabec (MBA ‘01) lhrabec@perriergroup.com Malika Talati (MBA ‘01) malika@us.ibm.com Portugal Joao Duque (PhD ‘95) jduque@iseg.utl.pt Scandinavia Louise Asp (MBA ‘00) louiseasp@hotmail.com Singapore Gabriel Lee g.lee@mbs-worldwide.edu.sg Wayne Soo hw.soo@pacific.net.sg Spain Javier Martin (MBA ‘96) javier.martin@bt.com
19