Mays Business Online

In his address as the inaugural speaker in the Dean’s Distinguished Scholar Lecture Series at Mays, C.K. Prahalad spoke about the transition from a firm-centric society to a consumer-centric society—one where consumers dictate what products are made and at what price they are sold, and businesses respond with products tailored specifically to the needs of their audience.

The past, present, and future of Mays Business School were embodied in the three guests of honor as the Benton Cocanougher Chair in Business was dedicated at a luncheon on October 23. Special guests by invitation of Dean Jerry Strawser were in attendance, as well as the men of the hour: Lowry Mays ’57, founder of Clear Channel Communications and benefactor of Mays Business School; Benton Cocanougher, dean of Mays Business School from 1987 to 2001 and current dean emeritus and professor emeritus at Texas A&M; and Luis Gomez-Mejia, professor of management and inaugural holder of the Cocanougher Chair.

The third annual H-E-B Day at Mays Business School featured more than a dozen H-E-B executives, including presidents, vice presidents, and directors. They addressed more than 2,300 students in 20 classes from agribusiness to accounting, giving practical lessons on topics such as assortment, marketing and promotions, and innovation.

Rising from the economic ashes as the holiday season approaches, store owners are realizing that the retail landscape has changed dramatically. New tactics are needed to woo customers who don’t shop the same way as they did before the recession.

Scott Lee and L. Murphy Smith were recently honored for their outstanding research efforts in their respective fields.

A group of five Mays students formed “Team Awesome” to participate in the annual xTax Competition, a national event hosted by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

As Congress debates historic changes to the health care system, the business community prepares to react. How will the pending legislation affect businesses?

This is the topic of the panel discussion “The business of health: expert insights and perspectives,” to be presented Thursday, November 12, in Houston. Hosted by the Executive MBA Program from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, the event is free and open to the public, though seating is limited.

The 100 fastest-growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led businesses in the world will be recognized Nov. 6 at the 5th Annual Aggie 100 program, sponsored by Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University.

Comparing MBA programs in the U.S. is now easier for prospective students, thanks to the recently published The Best 301 Business Schools: 2010 Edition from the Princeton Review. The Texas A&M University Full-Time MBA Program at Mays Business School makes the guidebook’s list once again this year—and with a new distinction: The 2010 edition ranks the program 5th in the “Most Competitive Students” category.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the 10,000 mark last week for the first time in more than a year. What does this mean for the economy? That is the sort of conversation starter you might hear in “Understanding the Wall Street Journal,” a one-hour seminar class taught by Jerry Strawser, dean of Mays Business School.