Talk About Hypocrisy

One of the great things about working at a university is that you can have such interesting, illuminating conversations.  A recent one with Eliot Lloyd is an example.

We started on solid ground exploring how we can develop our teaching of strategy then ranged across Innocent Drinks, Eliot’s blog on Evernote, Antarctica, Ponseti technique, quantum cryptography and bungalows before landing lightly on the positive value of hypocrisy.  Not surprisingly after all that, we both had to get on with some work so we decided to continue the conversation through this blog. In fact we had reached the precise point where we were returning to business matters so this post will get us to that point again and then await a post from Eliot when he has some spare minutes.

The idea of hypocrisy as a positive thing is that there are some values which cannot be denied: they cannot be denied in speech but they cannot be totally denied in action either.  We are used to that idea with the divergence of public speech and private action.  The politician’s hypocrisy when they proclaim family values while having an affair is resented and condemned.

The Practice of Practice Weeks through the Eyes of an Outsider

Practice Weeks!? I have been hearing Business School students and staff discussions in the background on this rather new to me concept for quite a while. I have never had the chance to attend any of the Practice Weeks due to other arrangements up until now, when I was invited to support the PW team and 2nd year BA Business Management students on one of their practice sessions in Bedford. I have to admit that I am not directly engaged with this project and my discussion is thus following an outsider perspective.

What Practice Means for Students – and for me

When I first became a manager in the Business School, I could go whole weeks without missing teaching.  Now, largely because of our Practice Weeks I find myself pining for teaching.

Being head of a department doesn't allow for teaching, partly because of the size of the management task and partly because the flexibility needed doesn't mesh with the fixed nature of a timetable.  So teaching stopped when I took on my current role last year.  What I get to do instead, however, is go to the high points for students.  I am invited to see what is going on, to give profile and to present prizes.  High points can be events such as Vietnam’s Women’s Day for the Vietnamese Society but most often they are the Business School’s Practice Weeks.

Contemporary Organisations as Social Networks

You may have already associated the title above with Facebook or Twitter. This piece of text, however, is not about these or any other social networks on the cyber space. This is our Business School’s BedsBiz Blog and we talk Business here. My intention is then to shed a light into a different perspective of the term social networks and let you see how it fits within contemporary organisations.

Playing at Angels and Dragons

I invested in a start-up company making foldable electric bikes last week.  I have discovered crowd investing.

In particular, I have discovered Crowdcube.  Like other crowd investing sites, entrepreneurs and small businesses pitch their proposals for investment in start-up or early stage companies.  Investors can commit what we can afford to risk, even from as little as £10 in some cases, into the investment pool.  If the funding target is reached, we pay the money committed and become a shareholder in the business.

Modern Leadership Development

It is particularly pertinent at this time of year when the new wave of freshers start their leadership journey. These wide-eyed leaders of the future put their trust in University to start them off well. It is our responsibility to ensure we prepare them for the business world they face ahead rather than preach about the business world we knew at their age. All too often new generations of leaders are guided  only with the retrospective - and don't get me wrong - this is very useful. However, this is limited and must be accompanied by future led guidance. We must prepare this valuable young talent for the  next fast changing few years - not the ones just gone - or in some cases ones from a very long time ago - yawn.

Socks, notes and fluff. Is Evernote falling into a strategy trap?

Being both technologically literate and highly organised many of you will be well aware of Evernote. You will have downloaded the app and enjoyed the ease with which you can manage data; organise appointments; share across many platforms etc. etc. Soon you will be able to sit in your office chair organising your life and enjoying the comfort of a pair of socks made by ....Evernote. You could stuff them in your bag made by.... Evernote. You could write about the experience in a notebook made by... yes you've got it by now.