Newsletter • MartiN V. sMith school of BusiNess aNd ecoNoMics • VoluMe 1, fall 2009

director’s welcoMe

Dear Readers,

I’m excited to introduce the first issue of the Mar tin V. Smith School of Business and Economics newsletter – Good Sense. On behalf of our authors, I hope you enjoy reading about the latest happenings in our community.

The Smith School offers four degrees: B.S. in Business, B.A. in Economics, M.B.A. and a Dual Degree (M.B.A. / M.S. in Biotechnology).

Our undergraduate degrees have a liberal ar ts and interdisciplinar y focus built around the concepts of critical thinking, collaboration and communication…..what we call the “3 Cs”.

In the B.S. in Business program, students learn the fundamentals of accounting, economics, finance, information sys-tems, management and marketing – as applied in a variety of organizational settings. A distinguishing aspect of the B.S. in Business is the requirement to take courses developed in conjunction with disciplines outside the tradition-al business curriculum. In addition, a capstone course provides students with the oppor tunity to integrate their knowledge through a Global Strategy Simulation exercise. To foster an integrative and cross disciplinar y experi-ence, students may select one of five options which draw on upper-division courses to offer an in-depth perspec-tive into five critical areas of business.

In the B.A. in Economics program, students focus on the integration of core economics analysis with relevant interdisciplinar y applications. The degree develops analytical tools and communication skills in the context of economic theory and its linkages to a broad array of human decisions. Economics, as a social science, seeks to explain and predict the behavior of consumers, producers, managers, government officials and citizens by exam-ining the interactions of incentives and constraints in an environment of ever-present scarcity of time, skills and resources. The BA in Economics offers three emphases: General Economics, International Economics and Manage-rial Economics.

William P. Cordeiro

iN this issue:

Spring Break in New York City ..................................2Annual MBA Trip to China ............................................3Por tfolio Investment Challenge ...................................4Featured Business Students ..........................................4

Speakers of Experience .................................................6Meet Dr. Smith, .................................................................7Looking Forward: Spring 2010 .....................................8Credits ................................................................................8

2Good seNse, VoluMe 1, fall 2009

spriNG BreakiN New York citY By: Joseph Massimini

In the spring of 2009, the Mar tin V. Smith Busi-ness Club traveled to New York City to learn about the financial crisis and experience the cul-ture of a city that truly never sleeps. What began as a simple idea from a group of undergraduate business students developed into a five day ex-cursion for twelve students led by professor and banker, Rudolph Estrada.

Students began their learning by touring the Fi-nancial District with guide, Annaline Dinkelmann. Ms. Dinkelmann shared with students the histor y of Wall Street from its humble beginnings as a place to trade stocks under a buttonwood tree. Along with walking this historical avenue, students heard about Ms. Dinkelmann’s firsthand experience during the meltdown of Lehman Brothers and the AIG scare. With all the sophistication at-tributed to big time bankers, there was a sense that these men and women don’t do anything remarkable except collect huge paychecks. A strikingly ethical note on the tour was the sculpture on the NYSE building reminding bankers to maintain integrity when entrusted with the wages of capital earners.

After touring Wall Street on the first day of the trip, students sat in on a press conference at the Museum of American Finance for the opening of a financial crisis exhibit, met with two par tners from the consulting firm McKinsey and Company, listened to the New York Philharmonic Symphony, and laughed at the hilarious performance of Avenue Q on Broadway. Students took advantage of scheduled time to explore Times Square, Central Park, Museum of Contem-porar y Ar t, NYU and the fashion district of SOHO.

With all the student inter-est in banking and finance, Professor Estrada offered a

great saying for students to remember, “During the years I made the most money, I was the least happy.” From more than one student, I heard the desire to return to New York for possible careers in finance and consulting, plus the amazing pizza in Little Italy.

3Good seNse, VoluMe 1, fall 2009

aNNual MBa trip to chiNaBy: Christopher Ward Jones

The Graduate International Experience in China provided many thought provoking concepts and ideas and has since expanded my outlook both personally and professionally. China’s isolation-ist policies imposed under communism have gradually changed to an “open door policy”. For a country to become such an integral economic world power, yet retain its cultural roots, is quite an accomplishment. At the same time, China has a lot to improve upon in environmental protection and personal freedom. In this fast growing country, leaders who drive change in their respective organizations reap rewards but also go through growing pains.

The China itinerary was comprised of numerous activities that enabled students to learn about Chinese business practices and culture. We attended university lectures where professors lectured on topics such as banking, agri-culture, and FDI (foreign direct investment). We toured the manufacturing sites of Volkswagen Shanghai and Coca-Cola bottling where we saw how these multinational companies operated in a new cultural setting. We took full advantage of the rare oppor tunity to visit Chinese historical and cultural sites like the Great Wall and the Terra Cotta Warriors. Finally, we experi-enced China’s technology achievements with rides on Shanghai’s magnetic levitation train and in the Oriental Pear l Tower. Besides the wonderful lectures and tours, we observed traditional Chinese customs through our interactions with local residents. These experiences helped us gain an understanding of Chinese culture and exposed us to the foundations of Chinese business relationships, or as the Chinese call it, ‘guanxi’.

With China’s billion-plus population, it is evident why American enterpris-es want to capture Chinese market share. While some stores such as Best Buy, Subway, and Coldstone Creamery have only recently entered China, other well known establishments like Starbucks, McDonald’s, and KFC have had a significant presence for many years. Some of the menu offerings are quite different than their American counterpar ts, indicating how these businesses cater to local tastes to reach consumers.

The Annual MBA China trip facilitates many viewpoints concerning po-tential business in China. It included a precise itinerary, knowledgeable tour guides, oppor tunities to sample local cuisine, and time to venture out “solo”. Lastly, this trip was a phenomenal way to reward oneself for com-pleting the MBA program and celebrate the accomplishment with fellow classmates.

About the author : Christopher Ward Jones received his Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University. He currently is employed as an engineer at Semtech Corporation in Camarillo. In fall 2006, looking for higher education to compliment his technical background, Chris joined CSUCI to pursue a MBA. With a cumulative GPA of 3.7, he successfully graduated in May 2009. A long time resident of Thousand Oaks, Chris loves to travel around the world and visit new places.

4Good seNse, VoluMe 1, fall 2009

portfolio iNVestMeNt challeNGeBy: Whitney Van Blargen

The CSU Channel Islands MVS Business Club took on the theme of invest-ment for the fall 2009 semester and competed in a vir tual stock program called How The Market Works. Each group star ted with $35,000 of vir tual money to invest in the stock market. It was the responsibility of each team to research the stocks and decide how much to invest in specific stocks. There were no rules so one team chose to invest solely in one company and others decided to diversify. The program was a great learning tool to get students familiar with investing in the stock market without risking real money. Anyone with money can play the stock market but investing requires knowledge of company fundamentals and char t technicals. With this knowledge, the students leave with a skill few college graduates acquire without the risk of investing real money. The winning team comprised of Diana Milan, James Hubbard, and Joseph Massimini had a three month return of 13%. At the end of the semester, all the teams gained the cru-cial skill of how the market works.

featured BusiNess studeNtsBy: Jennifer Neely and Jonathan Neira

Earning a degree in business has become quite popular at California State University Channel Islands where roughly 16% of students choose this major. The business program continues to improve and expand everyday with the help of a dedicated group of student leaders on campus, the Mar tin V. Smith Business Club (MVSBC). This club fosters a network of undergraduate business students to learn more through guest speakers, team competitions, and an annual spring break field trip. Along with gaining knowledge of business practices, the organization seeks to build friendships among its members and create community within CSUCI.

Below are profiles of three business club members who par ticipate in the growth of the MVSBC. All three are seniors who have chosen to major in business at CSU Channel Islands.

James Hubbard

Age: 23Hometown: West HillsWork Experience: EMT and ParamedicReason for choosing CSUCI: It’s close and convenient. I really like the small campus at Channel Islands as well as the teachers and size of the student body. Reason for majoring in business: It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. Campus Involvement: MVSBC One Way CSUCI can improve: I know that it will have to come in time, but I would like there to be a greater selection of classes and majors. Aspiring Career: MBA with a Masters in finance. I would like to work for a year and then hopefully attend a top ten business school. Hobbies/Unique Interests: I am currently playing ice hockey. My hobbies are wake boarding, snowboarding, and all outdoor activities.

continued on next page...

5Good seNse, VoluMe 1, fall 2009

featured BusiNess studeNts (continued)

Amanda Van Noy

Age: 20Hometown: Santa PaulaWork Experience: CSUCI police depar tment services and resident assistant Reason for choosing CSUCI: I wanted to stay local. I applied to San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Cal Lutheran. I got into all of them and CSUCI was my favorite. I loved the openness of the campus. Reason for majoring in business: I decided right away to be a business major. I never excelled in the other subjects. I’m decent with my grammar, but reading a lot of books isn’t my cup of tea. My dad opened his own appliance service busi-ness too so that was very inspiring to me.Campus Involvement: MVSBC officer, Associated Students Incorporated Board, “Student at Large” budget committeeOne Way CSUCI can improve: The limited size of the parking lots can make it difficult to find a spot. I look forward to the day that CI becomes a pedestrian campus with off-site parking. Aspiring Career: I would love to be in management someday. I like to deal with different backgrounds and diversity. Hobbies: I love spending time with my family, walking my dog Sophia, studying, hanging with coworkers and staying involved. Unique Experience: I was a football trainer while attending St Bonaventure, High School. I was a par t of the team and went to every single football event. I was even awarded with 2 CIF rings!

David Seery

Age: 23Hometown: Thousand Oaks Work Experience: Eco Star customer service and The Little Gym representativeReason for choosing CSUCI: It is local and the students create a tight knit com-munity of friends.Reason for majoring in business: I feel like it applies to a lot of things regard-less of what I end up doing in life. I actually didn’t decide to major in business until attending my fifth semester at Moorpark Junior College. Campus Involvement: MVSBC One way CSUCI can improve: The school needs a larger student body to broaden the network of students that we can call on later in life.Aspiring Career: I would love to work at the Dodger Stadium. Before I star t a career though, I would like to hopefully attend UCLA grad school or any other top notch MBA program.Hobbies: I love spor ts. Baseball and football are my favorites. I am also a huge Dodger fan! Unique Experience: When I was nineteen, I moved to Colorado and lived there by myself for a year. I moved back to California because I missed the warm weather. Colorado was nice, but freezing cold.

6Good seNse, VoluMe 1, fall 2009

speakers of experieNceBy: Alisha Leal

The MVS Business Club incorporated its fall 2009 finance theme with its selected guest speakers. All three guest speakers this semester shared one thing in common – a solid professional finance background. All were unique however in their experiences and each speaker related to content covered in undergraduate business classes.

On October 1, the club was for tunate to have Virginia Espinoza, Vice President & Branch Manager of RaboBank, share in-depth her responsibilities and career path within the banking industr y. Most intriguing was Ms. Espinoza’s extensive knowledge of Bank of America’s operations and strategies, which she was a par t of for over fifteen years. Club members were able to hear the philosophy behind RaboBank’s mission and reputation of becom-ing the world’s leading agricultural bank. Ms. Espinoza took club members into the world of commercial banking dependent on building personal relationships founded on trust. After taking ECON 310 Money and Banking, most students recalled the key essentials to understand the daily duties Ms. Espinoza engages in at RaboBank.

Next, MVSBC had the oppor tunity to informally chat with Stacy Peterson who is a member of MVS School’s Busi-ness Advisory Council as well as Senior Vice President & Capital Markets Director of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. Although Ms. Peterson has established herself with SBB&T, she had much to share on the obstacles encountered during her journey. Making her way up the corporate ladder, Ms. Peterson stressed the impor tance of organiza-tional culture and leadership; distinct personalities and individual interests do not stifle profit but instead create a productive environment. Naturally, everyone learns and works differently so appreciating diversity promotes a constructive atmosphere. The group caught on quickly as a result of the topics discussed in MGT 307 Management of Organizations regarding group behavior and conflict resolution.

Lastly, MVSBC took great pride in learning about the experiences that Brad Stark, co-founder of Mission Wealth Management, faced throughout his professional endeavors. Mr. Stark has been involved on various councils and ad-visory boards throughout his career, including the Business Advisory Council for the MVS School which he chaired from 2006-2008; not to mention his affiliation with the university as a professor in Corporate Finance. Mr. Stark’s positive insight into financial planning, mutual fund selection, and asset management opened avenues for potential career interests and cer tifications for club members.

Overall, the three guest speakers this semester provided the MVS Business Club with different perspectives of what it means to be a business professional in finance. Ideas, discussion, and collaboration filled the room as each of the guest speakers spoke of the journey he and she traveled to obtain current leadership roles.

7Good seNse, VoluMe 1, fall 2009

Meet dr. sMith,associate professor of MaNaGeMeNtBy: Dr. Goosby Smith & Joseph Massimini

Dr. Smith, it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to sit down and speak with you about your career and expertise in management. To start off, please tell us a bit about your educational background, credentials , and past work experience.

I joined the faculty at CSUCI in August 2007 from Butler University’s Col-lege of Business Administration. Previously I was a professor at Pepperdine University’s Seaver College, where I ser ved on the college and university diversity councils providing strategic planning and assessment guidance. I earned my M.B.A. and Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University and my B.S. in Computer Science from Spelman College. My specialization surrounds issues of diversity education & management, ethi-

cal decision-making, management education, and computer-mediated communication. Beyond academia, I am the President & Principal Consultant at DLPA Consulting, Inc. - a strategic diversity management and organizational development consulting firm.

Which classes do you instruct at the undergraduate level and also the masters program? What makes your classes unique learning experiences for students?

I teach most management courses: Human Resources, Management of Organizations, Project Management, and Organizational Behavior. In the classroom, I employ experiential learning, NFL Fantasy Football, film, oral presenta-tion, and reflective writing to help students become stronger individual contributors, team members, managers, leaders and global citizens. What are some of the research titles you are currently writing?

•CarefulWhatYouAskFor :HowInquir yStrategyInfluencesReadinessMode. [For thcoming 2009 at Organization Management Journal] •NFLHeadCoachesasSensemakersandSensegiversofIntentionalChange [For thcoming 2009 at Team Performance Management] •TheWho,What,Where,AndHowOfNon-FinancialMetricDisclosure:Anexploratoryqualitative examination of European multinational and Indian companies’ disclosure of non-financial metrics [For thcoming, 2009 Review of Business Research]

What is the most rewarding aspect of teaching at CSU Channel Islands?

The best par t of teaching management is seeing how students view the work environment. Their perspectives are not polluted by the traditional hierarchical corporate power structure and sometimes this results in students designing new and better forms of organizational management.

So to simplify management, how would you respond if Jay Leno walked up and asked, “Hey Dr. Smith, what is a good manager exactly?”

“Well, one “J” to another, a good manager keeps things humming, reduces uncer tainty, and maintains the status quo; a leader produces change and upsets the status quo.”

8Good seNse, VoluMe 1, fall 2009

lookiNG forward: spriNG 2010

•AnnualMBATriptoChina •EntrepreneurshipSpeakerSeries •MicrofinancewithMuhammadYunus •MVSBCTriptoLasVegasandDowntownLosAngeles

Good seNse credits

Editors: Janée Hoffman and Joseph MassiminiSpecial Thanks to Tom Emens and Hilda Serrano

We’d love to hear from you ! Let us know what you think of our e-Newsletter.Please send your thoughts to: Hilda Serrano at hilda.serrano@csuci.edu