Critical Mass - Watch out!

Do you know what day it is? The last friday of the month. If you have never heard of critical mass, it is an assemblage (over a 1000 at times) of bikers that get together to celebrate the spirit of biking. Here in San Francisco the bikers gather at 6 p.m. at Justin Herman Plaza to start the journey. Keep your eyes and ears out for the musical bikes! Here is a video I took from a recent ride. There are many other better quality and informative videos that appear on You Tube. Check some of those out, they are interesting (search Critical Mass, SF). Here is also a url for a wikipedia description.

www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass

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Fall Electives 2008

The time for fall registration will be here before we know it.  Many of us today were discussing the list of electives for the coming Fall Semester, so I thought that posting the elective list would stimulate some added excitement about the coming semester.  It will be interesting to see who we might have as classmates after our cohort session is over.  Here is a list of the courses being offered.

1. Financial Institutions & Management (all classes 3 credits)
2. Investment Management
3. Financial Stmnt. Reporting & Analysis
4. Marketing Research
5. Sales & Marketing Channel Mgmt.
6. International Marketing
7. Managing the Multinational Firm
8. Advanced Leadership Seminar
9. Trends in Global Communication
10. Entrepreneurial Management
11. Global Product Development
12. Creativity & Innovation
13. Spec. Topics: Sustainable Business
14. Spec. Topics: Negotiations (2 credits)

From what I understand, we are required to have 32 additional credits after the summer program for graduation. As many of us are planning to participate in the Study Tour, which is four credits, that would mean an additional 28 credits will be needed between the Fall and Spring Semesters.  Hard to believe that we are already preparing for the fall semester when we have only been here for two weeks!

Here is a poll we can all take to get an idea of how many of us will be taking which classes. 

Suggested Readings

Hey Everyone,

I was cleaning out my bookcase looking for the Lance Armstrong book and found a few more books that might be useful in relation to our current classes. If anyone is interested I have these for lending:

- Creating the Accountable Organization: A Practical Guide to Improve Performance Execution; Mark Samuel
- Managing UP: 59 Ways to Build a Career-Advancing Relationship With Your Boss; Michael & Deborah Singer Dobson
- What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful; Marshall Goldsmith
- Leading Change; John P. Kotter

My Inspiration

Hi guys, Kyle here.

I tried to post this video last week and discovered exactly how much I can learn about blog mechanics, so here's another go of it. The video is of a project the students of RISD just completed. The design challange was to create a new human powered vehicle. They developed this collapsable bike. I know what you are thinking - that collapsable bikes have been done before. And you are right. However this is the only one that uses a telescopic carbon fiber frame instead of a hinge, and a tension rod to automatically collapse the seat.

The video does not do the complexity of the bike justice. The carbon fiber frame was custom molded, and the bike also features over 30 custom designed and machined parts. The wheels are attached to the frame on only one side, creating a 'clean' side of the folded bike to protect the clothing of the rider. Also notice how light the bike is, as the rider can easily carry it in only one hand. The cherry on the top? The carrying case itself collapses into a backpack.

The students produced the finished product from scratch over a 12 week period. This included all concepting, design, and machination. Pretty impressive work for a group of design students without an engineer among them.

My brother is one of the students in this class. We spend a lot of time in out classes talking about changed thinking leading to changed results. Since my brother, Nate, has been in design school he has approached the world with a different mentality. Everywhere he goes he sees products and services with an eye towards improving them, and has literally dozens of new product ideas floating around his head at all times. He is part of my inspiration for being here, but can serve as testament to the result of changed thinking!

Enjoy,

Kyle

Winter Study Tour

Hi everyone,

This is a really early question regarding what y’all think about the Winter break Study Tour. Walking past the MBA Electives bulletin board today, I noticed the posting about the China Study Tour. I think that one reason why the program has decided to revisit Beijing and Shanghai is because the MBA program has previously experienced educational and networking successes in China. I forgot what companies the class will be visiting, but I think one is usually Google. And also from what I have seen on the website, our program has experienced India, Japan, Korea, and South America. Additionally on April 2^nd at the MBA program meet and greet, I was chatting with our classmate Ken Christopher and he stated a desire to inquire about a Study Tour to South Africa.

My main question is what is everyone’s perspective on traveling and learning abroad (for leisure and for business)?

Since each person has their own uniquely positive perspective, what Study Tour country would you want to travel to?

Also, is one of your desired MBA Study Tours going to occur within the upcoming year (Winter and/or next Summer)? If not, how feasible would it be to initiate your new Study Tour plan?

I am wondering these questions because during today’s break some of us started to lightly discuss this topic. I am also personally interested in everyone’s adventures, views, and ideas regarding travel because I love experiencing new foreign countries, cultures, and inspiration. I probably will participate during winter break, but it’s a matter of scrounging around and finding some funds.

Anyway, here are a few pieces of information that I can recall:
Dates of 12/12/2008 – 12/23/2008, 1 class and 4 units.

Thanks for reading my thoughts concerning this future class. It has been a great first 2 weeks thus far, and I believe our cohort will develop some great personal and team growth when our summer intensive courses come to close. I shall talk to everyone later.

Cory

An eco-friendly browser!

Well, maybe this browser isn't any more energy-efficient than other browsers (unlike Blackle, the energy-saving alternative to Google) or constructed from recycled html code, but it does bring you up to the minute green news from all over the world.

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The "Vic" Reading Assignment

Click here for Vic reading

Drunken Business Question

Alright Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here's a drunken business school question for all of you! A couple of us were having a brew the other night celebrating the close of our first week of MBAI, and yes we all agree, it is indeed I -- for Intense. I guess I should clarify; the question is not drunk, and neither were we actually, but it made for a catchy title.

My question is: If I decide to focus in Entrepreneurship during my MBAI, am I obligated to start my own business?

We were discussing the potential overlap in my Business Management undergraduate degree. If I decide NOT to start my own business, am I sacrificing knowledge that I could have gained in a different area, ex. International Business?

Are any of you feeling the same way as I am with this, maybe with a different field?

You're an Author!

Our goal is to make this blog a rich site for communication-related insights, information, and interaction. Here's how to contribute:

1. Sign in using your school email address. You will be asked to make up a password.

2. Click on "Dashboard" or "Customize" in the upper right corner of the screen.

3. Then click on the "Layout" tab.

4. Then click on "Add a New Page Element."

5. You will see displayed all the different kinds of contributions you can make to this blog--everything from a YouTube section to streaming news feeds to surveys to HTML features (such as calendars, sudoku, etc.). GO FOR IT--you won't break the blog. Try to add some new feature(s) that will amaze your classmates and keep them coming back to the blog. I will also be adding features from time to time.

6. Do we have to add a grade incentive for your participation? Let's just say that frequent, creative contributors will be favorably remembered when it comes time to put a letter grade next to your name at the end of the summer.

What Would You Like Your Classmates to Know About You?

Please share with us whatever you wish--your background, your goals for the future, your avocations, your opinions, your personality, your pets--"whatever."