MIT Sloan School of Management Podcast

MIT Sloan's Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program bridges the gap between management and technology, providing critical knowledge for today's global operations managers. Program director Don Rosenfield talks about how the LGO has evolved and the impact of globalization on supply chain and operations.

This chapter in MIT Sloan's G-Lab podcast series focuses on a team of Sloan Fellows working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a local technology company. The company, whose flagship product was a type of smart card, was seeking a short-term action plan as well as an assessment of smart card trends and technology recommendations. The team, consisting of four Fellows with a variety of cultural and industry backgrounds, was able to leverage the benefits of diversity for the success of the project. Team member Camilo Syllos, SF '09, talks about the importance of managing expectations--on the part of the client and the team--and his belief that a successful G-Lab result requires creativity, dedication, and an openness to other cultures and ideas.

The first in a series of podcast exploring MIT Sloan's renowned Global Entrepreneurship Lab (G-Lab) focuses on a marketing challenge in Mumbai, India. A Mumbai-based entrepreneur hopes to capitalize on his belief that tourism in India will be growing--particularly among business travelers--by expanding his hotel business into other cities across the country. It's the job of the MIT Sloan G-Lab team to sift through his ever-shifting ideas and goals and steer him and his business in the right direction. Team members Gerardo Guzman and Karen Bruck (both MBA class of 2009) talk about zeroing in on the project's scope to build their client a solid business plan and the welcome assistance of MIT alumni contacts in India.

Kyle Maner does not quit. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2008, she faced her treatment with courage and strength and continued on the rigorous journey toward obtaining her MBA. With the support of her family, friends, and the MIT Sloan community, Kyle is well on the road to a full recovery and her degree--and back on the road as a long-distance runner. Listen as Kyle talks about the importance of self-exams and "knowing your boobs."

As the Obama administration's proposed stimulus package undergoes scrutiny, MIT Sloan economist Professor Simon Johnson gives his thoughts on what the plan will and will not accomplish. In this installment of his podcast series, Johnson also addresses the state of banking and the controversial executive pay cap.

John Sterman, Jay W. Forrester, Professor of Management and the Director of MIT System Dynamics Group, discusses the School's new portal for online case study -- MIT Sloan Teaching Innovation Resources (MSTIR). Offering free educational resources to all those interested in current management issues, MSTIR provides specific advantages over other program's case studies. Listen as Sterman discusses MIT Sloan's unique approach to the study of industry evolution, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.

Daya Fields' undergraduate degree was in engineering, but her career trajectory changed at MIT Sloan. We sat down with Fields, MBA '07, now presidential management associate at the Estee Lauder Companies, and her colleague Susan Akkad, senior vice president of corporate marketing, diversity, to discuss the marketing of luxury consumer beauty goods to ethnically diverse groups. Daya talks about her entrepreneurial spirit and finding her way into the consumer beauty world with connections and education gained at MIT Sloan. Susan reveals some information about upcoming projects between Estee Lauder and MIT Sloan students, addressing some of the issues facing those selling to the multi-cultural luxury beauty market.

By now, the global financial crisis is something we're becoming all too familiar with. But knowing about it and knowing what to do about it are two distinctly different things. In this exclusive podcast, MIT Sloan economics expert Professor Simon Johnson provides studied insights on what the government and financial institutions need to do to turn things around. For Johnson, who recently returned to MIT after serving as chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, proper policy is a key step towards setting things right, as is strong, decisive, coordinated action.

Abner Oliviera has spent much of his career getting to know the lay of the land. In his native Brazil, Oliviera works for a specialized engineering service that provides precise geographical data that is used to assist in business planning. This civil engineer and mapmaker joined the MIT Sloan Fellows program in part to complement his knowledge of topography with a solid set of business skills. In the process, Oliviera has also been touched—and educated—by the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives of his Fellow's classmates.

By now, the global financial crisis is something we're becoming all too familiar with. But knowing about it and knowing what to do about it are two distinctly different things. In this exclusive podcast, MIT Sloan economics expert Professor Simon Johnson provides studied insights on what the government and financial institutions need to do to turn things around. For Johnson, who recently returned to MIT after serving as chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, proper policy is a key step towards setting things right, as is strong, decisive, coordinated action.

By now, the global financial crisis is something we're becoming all too familiar with. But knowing about it and knowing what to do about it are two distinctly different things. In this exclusive podcast, MIT Sloan economics expert Professor Simon Johnson provides studied insights on what the government and financial institutions need to do to turn things around. For Johnson, who recently returned to MIT after serving as chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, proper policy is a key step towards setting things right, as is strong, decisive, coordinated action.

Assured Labor is the latest start-up to rise out of the notorious entrepreneurial ecosystem of MIT Sloan. The company -- which matches dependable workers with honest employers via mobile phone text messaging -- first came to life when three of its founders met in the School's Developmental Entrepreneurship class. Now, after graduation, the team is pushing full steam ahead to assure the future of Assured Labor. Co-founders Matt Albrecht, Joseph Bamber, and David Reich, talk about what it takes to turn a good idea into a successful business.

As Sr. Advisor of Swissnex Boston, Pascal Marmier, focuses on the high-tech collaboration among Swiss and U.S. scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators in hopes of achieving climate change. In his time with the MIT Sloan Fellows program, Marmier, SF 2008, advanced his knowledge of sustainability through access to faculty leaders and in his role as co-founder of the MIT Sloan Fellows Social Impact Group. The group -- representing more than 25 countries -- believes that giving back to society is not about self-sacrifice, it's about commitment.

Tanya Bodell believes joining the MIT Sloan Fellows Program was a leap of faith -- a leap that has paid off tenfold in professional opportunities and personal growth. As a vice president at CRA International, Tanya was looking to the Fellows program to prepare her for increasing leadership responsibilities, expand her skill set, and establish international relationships. What she also got was lifelong connections with classmates and an expanded perspective on the world. She also became an expert juggler: In her two years in the Fellow's flex format, she continued her duties at CRA, gave birth to her third child, and bought and renovated a new home.

With former NAACP President -- and MIT Sloan alum -- Bruce Gordon serving as a role model, Minority Business Club officers Stephanie Preston, Dwane Morgan, and Emmett Johnson are committed to advancing the position of minorities in education and the workforce. They're also dedicated to making the most of their MIT Sloan experience, for themselves, for their families, and their communities. Here, they discuss the value of diversity, the benefits of a tight-knit network, and their goals for community outreach.