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| COURSE CONNECTOR |
| ARTICLE SUMMARIES AND QUESTIONS |
"Mr. Paulson Goes to Washington," pp. 140-148: When President Bush confessed that he was stunned by the GOP's "thumpin'" in the midterm elections, he also announced his intention to stay in the domestic-policy game — with Treasury Secretary Henry M. "Hank" Paulson Jr. as his running back. Now, with the Democrats set to take control of Congress, Paulson is positioned to emerge as the most important Republican economic figure in Washington. The former Goldman Sachs CEO, initially reluctant to accept the job, has brought to the office in a mere four months an aura of gravitas that eluded his two predecessors. Just as important, he has cultivated ties to leading Democrats — something sorely lacking inside the Bush White House. Paulson also provides the deepest relationship with official China of any American in public life, giving him a unique vantage for shaping the global economic landscape and aiding on critical foreign policy concerns, such as stopping a nuclear-armed North Korea. Other issues that top his to-do list include renewing the charge to reform Social Security and Medicare, blocking Democratic tax hikes, revisiting corporate-governance standards, and halting, as President Bush has put it, "America’s addiction to oil," by promoting alternative energy. Still, Washington isn't Wall Street — and it remains an open question whether this dealmaker, known for his rigid discipline and follow-through, can break through the partisan stalemate and make Bush's last two years in office count for something. This article reveals the plans and priorities of one of Washington's most influential economic figures, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. Discussion Questions:
"Long Island Confidential," pp. 172-186: Computer Associates may easily qualify for the dubious distinction of being the most dysfunctional corporation in America. Two years ago the company admitted to $2.2 billion in fraud in an accounting scandal that resulted in eight former senior executives' pleading guilty. Since then its CEO, John Swainson, a longtime IBM executive who joined CA at the climax of its legal woes, has embarked on an energetic and comprehensive series of reforms in an effort to turn the company around. But for CA, shoddy ethics have been replaced by bumbling execution. While revenues and earnings have inched upward, cash flow — the constant that has sustained the company during its darkest moments and persuaded a coterie of investors to remain shockingly loyal to its stock — is sagging. In September the company had to admit that two years after agreeing to fix its accounting systems, its processes are still broken. Ironically, the $4 billion business-software powerhouse had never bothered to use business software to manage its own internal systems. CA also has to mend deeply troubled relationships with its customers, a challenge that will take nothing less than a transformation of the company's culture from a "whatever-it-takes-to-get-my-commission" operation to one that values collaboration and customer service. While some have doubted Swainson's ability to get the job done, CA's directors remain solidly behind him, recognizing how much progress he has made in unusually difficult circumstances. That sentiment is not likely to endure, however, if CA continues to stumble. Students take a closer look at Computer Associates, the beleaguered software company in the midst of a cultural transformation led by its CEO, John Swainson. Discussion Questions:
"An Eye for Talent," pp. 200-208: There's a hole in higher education that few people know about. At the top 20 American law and medical schools, 14 to 15% of the students are black or Hispanic. But at the top 20 business schools, they represent just 7% of the student body — or roughly 900 people in the current second-year class. This creates an obvious problem for companies struggling to diversify their ranks. John Rice thinks he has the solution, and he's gained support from the likes of McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, McGraw-Hill, the NBA, Citigroup, and a prestigious smattering of business schools. It's called Management Leadership for Tomorrow, and it has become the No. 1 source of minorities for the top ten MBA programs. MLT is an 18-month program that introduces black and Hispanic college graduates to the business world through seminars, coaching, and test prep. Rice, a Harvard Business School graduate himself, began MLT on the belief that talented minorities don't pass business by because they aren't interested or won't succeed; they simply don't see the opportunities because they lack early exposure to the corporate world. MLT's goal is to change that — and it has. Forty percent of minorities entering HBS in 2005 were MLT alums, and 55% of MLT applications to top ten MBA programs in 2005 were accepted, three times the average of 18% for all applications. With stats like that, Rice is definitely onto something, and he's bringing hope not only to minority students but also to the companies looking to hire them. In this article, students read about John Rice's ambitious and highly successful business program for minorities, Management Leadership for Tomorrow. Discussion Questions:
"You’re Sooooooooo Predictable," pp. 224-234: Who knows you best? Your mom? Your best friend? Your significant other? It might be your computer! That’s what scores of companies known as "recommenders" are banking on in the race to create the next Google. As online consumers, we now routinely purchase products and rank experiences on the web. Every time we do, we leave another piece of data in a puzzle that, once assembled, creates a clear picture of who we are. Recommenders aim to tap into that information to suggest other products or services we might enjoy. Right now, recommenders are somewhat limited in scope; for example, they can recommend movies or music you might like based on information you supply. The real marketer's dream will be the company that can decipher all the information available about you to pinpoint your tastes across product categories — in short, a company that is to discovery what Google is to search. How are they different? Search is what you do when you’re looking for something. Discovery is when something wonderful that you didn't know existed, or didn't know how to ask for, finds you. Recommenders believe the era of search is over, and discovery is the way the web is going. Of course, building a personalized discovery mechanism will mean tapping into all the manners of expression, categorization, and opinions that exist on the web today. It's no easy feat, but if a company can pull it off, such a tool could change not just marketing, but all of commerce. Students examine how recommender systems work and their potential for transforming advertising and retail. Discussion Questions:
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