Knowledge at Wharton

The talk coming out of the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit (which opened on January 10 and closes on Sunday) was full of optimism about a turnaround for an industry that suffered a significant beating during the recent recession. The worldwide auto business emerging from the upheaval of recent years is much altered with several brands changing hands and manufacturers like General Motors and Chrysler restructuring after government bailouts and bankruptcy filings. In an interview with Knowledge at Wharton management professor John Paul MacDuffie discusses the outlook for 2011 and beyond.

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Just six months after paying a record $550 million to settle a federal fraud case Goldman Sachs finds itself in a new controversy over an investment in Facebook the social networking site. Some critics say the deal was designed to skirt securities regulations and is marred by conflict of interest while others argue that this type of investment puts taxpayers at risk since Goldman can support its business with cheap government loans. Wharton faculty and other experts weigh in.

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For more than 40 years Harold Evans has been a giant figure in the world of print on both sides of the Atlantic. Starting out as a 16-year-old cub reporter in the north of England Evans was still in his late 30s when he was named editor of The Sunday Times of London in 1967 for what turned out to be a 14-year reign. In 1984 he moved to the United States taking top jobs in magazines and book publishing before deciding to concentrate on writing books. Knowledge at Whartonspoke recently with Evans about his latest book My Paper Chase: True Stories of Vanished Times and about print’s rich past and uncertain future in the new digital age.

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Freddie Mac the government-supported mortgage finance company taken over by the government 18 months ago along with Fannie Mae is waiting for the Obama administration to come up with a plan that will revamp the two agencies along with the whole area of housing finance. Waiting in the wings to implement that plan is Charles ”Ed” Haldeman Jr. who was appointed CEO of Freddie Mac last July and has already moved ahead with a strategy to revive the somewhat demoralized 6 000-employee agency. During a recent interview with Knowledge at Wharton he discussed his approach to managing people his views on what’s ahead for the real estate sector and why he feels the work that Freddie Mac does is ”absolutely critical” to the country’s welfare.

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According to Wharton experts the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is a good start toward future financial stability but they warn that significant concerns remain unaddressed and stress that the details of implementation must be handled carefully to avoid creating new problems. ”I don’t think there’s a full appreciation of the major transformation of the financial structure that is upon us ” one faculty member says.

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Patience was the quality that best served LG Electronics during its seemingly rapid transformation from a relatively obscure maker of commodity goods to a premium brand. During a recent Wharton Leadership Lecture Michael Ahn who guided the branding effort for LG Electronics North America before stepping down as the group’s president and CEO last year described how the Korea-based company -- after four decades of marketing low-cost products under the Goldstar name -- successfully went upscale as the re-christened LG brand.

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These should be heady times for Jim Goodnight founder and CEO of SAS Institute an analytics software and services firm. His company bucked the economic downturn to make 2009 its third most profitable year on record and it is currently working on cutting-edge solutions to problems that range from advising Macy’s on product pricing to tracking a handful of endangered hippos in Africa. But during a recent presentation at Wharton Goodnight noted that his biggest priority these days is helping American schools turn out more scientists and mathematicians a goal he said is critical if the U.S wants to remain competitive.

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After nearly 20 years in the hospitality industry Wyndham Worldwide chairman and CEO Stephen Holmes says he has seen several ”shifts” in the sector -- from the way that consumers plan their vacations to what they expect to find when they stay at a hotel. The most recent catalyst for change has been the global economic downturn. Wyndham -- one of the world’s largest hospitality companies -- has weathered that storm and has actually grown since the recession began. In an interview with Knowledge at Wharton Holmes discusses what changes he has witnessed in the industry why timeshares have done surprisingly well during the downturn and what makes his stay at a hotel a happy one.

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Technology is transforming the world of philanthropy in ways that should ultimately give a voice to those people whom the charities aim to help  according to Mari Kuraishi co-founder and president of GlobalGiving a nonprofit that connects donors with groups that manage charitable projects via the web. In a keynote speech at the recent Wharton Social Impact Conference Kuraishi outlined the ways in which organizations are becoming more effective and shared insights from the sometimes tough lessons she has learned along the way.

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Now a billion dollar company Under Armour began with a single product -- a form-fitting moisture-wicking shirt that founder and CEO Kevin Plank developed to remedy his own problems with perspiration after a long day on the football field. At a recent presentation co-sponsored by the Wharton Leadership Lectures and the Jay H. Baker Retailing Initiative Plank discussed the company’s growth trajectory and shared the principles and slogans that guide him in his efforts to build ”the biggest baddest brand on the planet.”

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