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Kelley School of Business

Kelley Direct online MBA and Master of Science programs ranked No. 1 by U.S. News

Posted on by George Vlahakis

Being No. 1 is something Kelley Direct faculty and students have grown accustomed to. The program celebrated another top ranking when it hosted students at Kelley on Campus last August.

Editor’s note: U.S. News & World Report has issued new rankings of the Kelley Direct Online MBA for 2025, which are available online.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Kelley Direct’s online MBA and Master of Science programs each returned to the No. 1 spot in in the latest U.S. News and World Report Best Online Education Program rankings.

Specialties in general management and finance also were ranked No. 1 and others in business analytics and marketing were ranked third and fourth, respectively.

The program also was ranked No. 1 among veterans for the second consecutive year.

“At Kelley, our faculty and staff never stop looking for ways to innovate and prepare our graduates for continued success.  We are pleased to see this reflected in U.S. News’ No. 1 rankings for the Kelley Direct Online MBA Program and Kelley’s other online master’s degree programs,” said Idalene “Idie” Kesner, dean of the IU Kelley School of Business and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management. “

“The Kelley Direct MBA Program offers students a solid general business foundation plus specialized business majors. Kelley’s Master of Science programs offer important business concentrations, which allow students the ability to gain advanced knowledge in areas where they are already working or build expertise in new areas where they hope to work in the future,” Kesner added. “This No. 1 ranking reinforces what we have long said — regardless of which Kelley online programs students enroll, the educational experience puts them on a path to achieve outstanding career momentum.”

Launched in 1999, Kelley Direct is the original online MBA program from a top-tier business school. It consistently has been ranked at or near the top in program rankings, and it remains innovative in design and how it serves the needs of students. In the past year, the Kelley Direct Online MBA program also was ranked first by the Princeton Review and No. 1 among U.S. schools by QSTop MBA. It was ranked second in the U.S. by the Financial Times.

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Worldwide Roundtable Discussion Series continues with focus on shared value creation

Posted on by George Vlahakis

Presenter Jon Racek, is founder of Play360, a nonprofit that trains NGOs to build low-cost educational resources in the developing world. It has built more than 130 playgrounds, including this one in Rwanda.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Several Indiana University and Kelley School of Business alumni will join other successful leaders in business and international development in roundtable discussions about creating economic value while also helping society to address its needs and challenges.

The live panel discussions – presented virtually and originating from Jakarta, Indonesia, Mexico City and Berlin – are being presented Jan. 24-26 by Kelley’s Institute for International Business and are part of its Worldwide Roundtable Discussion Series.

The theme for the discussions is “Business Shared Value Creation.” Each discussion will focus on shared value creation and business being a changemaker for good.

Each event will include a panel discussion followed by a Q&A period to explore and expand ideas and thoughts from the discussion. These regional events are presented in partnership with the Kelley School of Business Alumni Association, the IU Alumni Association, the IU Office of the Vice President for International Affairs and IU’s Global Gateway Network.

The roundtable discussions are free and open to all, including Kelley and IU alumni. Register for one discussion or for the sessions.

The events will begin with a discussion that will begin at 8 pm Eastern) on Jan. 24 (8 am Jan. 25 in Jakarta) featuring Bambang Panutomo, a 1984 Kelley graduate and founder of Batavia Prosperindo International, and Patrick Decker, a 1987 Kelley graduate and president and CEO of Xylem Inc. Both are members of Kelley’s Global Deans Council. Peter Boonjarern, a 2000 Kelley graduate and director of the Indiana University ASEAN Gateway office, will moderate.

The conversations will continue Jan. 25 with a presentation from Mexico featuring Marieli Rojas, who received a Master of Arts degree in philanthropic studies from the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in 2015 and director of FUNED; Ana Silva, a 2004 Kelley graduate and founder of 20 Degrees Consulting; and Jon Racek, CEO of Play360. Molly Fisher, director of the IU Mexico Gateway Office, will moderate the discussion, which begins at 11 am Eastern (10 am in Mexico City).

The third and final discussion will originate from Berlin and feature Alexandra Christina, the Countess of Frederiksborg in Denmark, a previous Poling Chair at Kelley and a member of several European philanthropic and corporate boards; Zahid Torres, founder of Business Fights Poverty; and Per Saxegaard, CEO of Business for Peace. Tim Fort, the Eveleigh Professorship in Business Ethics, will moderate the conversation, which begins at 10 am Eastern (4 pm in Berlin) on Jan. 26.

Previous events in the Worldwide Roundtable Discussion Series have included those the themes “The Importance of Global Connectedness during Disruption and Beyond” and “Economic Recovery Post-Pandemic.” If you are unable to attend the live sessions, they will be recorded and available at the series’ YouTube channel.

For more information, contact Tim Smith at smithtim@indiana.edu or 812-855-3364.

National Diversity Case Competition promotes inclusion and provides career opportunities

Posted on by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Indiana University Kelley School of Business hosted the 11th National Diversity Case Competition, a special event that provides career opportunities for top-level, diverse talent from colleges and universities across the country.

The competition, held annually the weekend before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, took place virtually for a second straight year, but continued to challenge participants to solve diversity-related business issues and share ideas while benefiting from workshops and networking with companies that value inclusion.

A team from Kelley won the National Diversity Case Competition in 2021.

About 140 undergraduate students from 35 business schools participated this year. Teams included students from Big Ten peers at the universities of Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland and Nebraska, Pennsylvania State University and Purdue University.

Participants also included those from three historically black institutions — Claflin University, Delaware State University and Xavier University of Louisiana.

Each four-student team included two members from an underrepresented population. Many students find that participating in the event leads to leadership opportunities, internships, and jobs after graduation. They competed for $22,000 in prize money.

“We are proud to once again host this competition. A founding principle of this event is that diversity in business benefits all of us. The value to society of this event is as important today as it was when we welcomed the first NDCC participants to Kelley in 2012,” said Idalene “Idie” Kesner, dean of the Kelley School and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management.

“Through this event, our faculty and staff appreciate the opportunity to introduce many talented students from underrepresented minority backgrounds to corporate recruiters from national organizations,” Kesner added. “Whether virtual as is the case this year, or in-person as in the past, this event provides a platform where students can showcase their talents and recruiters can exhibit their company’s diversity efforts. Our corporate partners see the significant value of participating in this event as a way of fostering greater diversity within their organizations.”

The University of Richmond won in 2020, the last time the event was held in person.

Students normally would travel to Bloomington, but the event on Jan. 14-15 was again being held online because of the pandemic. But they still benefited from networking opportunities and workshops designed to support career opportunities for diverse students in Fortune 500 companies.

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Donald Kuratko, Kelley’s entrepreneurial leader, receives prestigious lifetime achievement award

Posted on by George Vlahakis

Donald Kuratko is speaking with someone at the IU Entrepreneurial Connection Day took place on September 6, 2019

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Donald F. Kuratko, a distinguished scholar at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and executive and academic director of the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, has received the highest honor presented by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

The award was presented to Kuratko on Jan. 9, during the association’s annual conference. He received the Max S. Wortman/USASBE Lifetime Achievement Award for Entrepreneurship, which is given to an entrepreneurship educator who encompasses the ideals of entrepreneurial activity.

“Don Kuratko’s energy and passion for entrepreneurship education, commitment to fielding an excellent team of faculty, and acumen at building dynamic and forward-thinking entrepreneurship programs are all important factors in his receiving the Max S. Wortman Award. But also exceptional about Don is his generosity of time and expertise with upcoming educators in the field,” said Julianne Shields, president and CEO of USASBE. “His impact is even greater by coaching and mentoring professionals throughout the field.”

Founded in 1981, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship is an inclusive community of educators, researchers and entrepreneurs advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship, and practice. USASBE also publishes a peer-reviewed academic journal, Entrepreneurship Education & Pedagogy, and develops a variety of helpful resources and professional development opportunities for entrepreneurship educators as they create a positive impact.

“I cannot think of a more deserving person than Professor Don Kuratko for this prestigious award. As an educator and scholar, Don is among the very best in the entrepreneurship field,” said Idalene “Idie” Kesner, dean of the Kelley School and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management.

“Add to this his stellar leadership of the Johnson Center at the Kelley School, his leadership in so many national entrepreneurship organizations and the countless awards he has won over decades of service to the field and it is obvious why Don was selected for the Wortman/USASBE  Award,” Kesner added. “He has indeed made a lifetime’s worth of outstanding contributions.”

The award is especially meaningful to Kuratko because it is named for Wortman, a friend who was an early innovator who made a lifetime commitment to teaching and research in entrepreneurship.

“To receive this award is very special because of my friendship with Max. It’s not just a name on an award, but it is an honor that reflects his values and what he stood for,” Kuratko said. Anyone who receives this award gets attached to him in some way. His legacy will live on through each recipient of this honor and I feel I have contributed to his legacy.

“I also appreciate that it represents a body of achievements over a lifetime of work. It means the world to me,” he added.

USASBE CEO Julienne Shields, Donald Kuratko and Kelley professor Sara Cochran.

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Kelley School’s Indiana Business Review offers a glimpse into what Hoosiers can expect in 2022

Posted on by George Vlahakis

 

Guideposts showing years pointing in opposite directions with a person standing the on 2022 guidepost

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — After a year off the road, economists and faculty members at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in November renewed their tradition of presenting an economic forecast for the coming year in person to groups of community and business leaders around the state.

Kelley faculty presented their 2022 Business Outlook forecast in 10 cities around Indiana, beginning in Indianapolis, and were joined by local panelists from other IU campuses and other universities, offering perspectives on the global, national, state, and local economies and financial markets.

Those perspectives and the complete forecast are now available in the new winter issue of the Indiana Business Review, a publication from the Indiana Business Research Center that has been published since 1926. That special, year-end issue can be found online.

Included are articles about the global economy and more than a dozen urban areas across the state — including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Kokomo, South Bend and Elkhart and Terre Haute — as well as Louisville. There also are reports on the outlooks for the financial and housing markets.

The Kelley School has presented its national, state and local forecasts in various Indiana cities each year since 1972.

In addition to the Indiana Business Review, consumers, policymakers and business executives alike will find many other resources year round at the Indiana Business Research Center website. They include a number of versatile web-based tools, including Indiana’s leading resource for economic and demographic data, STATS Indiana; and a broader, national version, StatsAmerica.

Each year, it can be challenging for economists at Kelley, IU and partner schools around the state to prepare the forecast. That was particularly true this year, as acknowledged by the co-authors of the Indiana forecast, Timothy Slaper, co-director of the Indiana Business Research Center, and Ryan Brewer, associate professor of finance in the Division of Business at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus.

“Quotes and quips about forecast risks, uncertainty and the unprecedented economic conditions would not do justice to the uncharted terrain where the U.S. and Indiana economies find themselves,” Slaper and Brewer wrote in the introduction to their article. “Turn on the radio or peruse a news outlet, and it would seem that each day brings another type of economic fallout resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This doesn’t mean that all is lost, but it does make it a challenge to know how to prioritize the economic risks and potential threats.”

Association for Information Systems presents Kelley professor its lifetime achievement award

Posted on by George Vlahakis

Alan Dennis headshot

Alan Dennis

AUSTIN, Texas – The Association for Information Systems presented Alan R. Dennis, professor of information systems and the John T. Chambers Chair of Internet Systems at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, with its lifetime achievement award.

Dennis received the LEO Award at the Association for Information Systems’ annual International Conference on Information Systems on Dec. 13 in Austin, Texas.

Established in 1999, the LEO Award is named for the world’s first business application of computing — The Lyons Electronic Office. It recognizes the lifetime achievements of truly outstanding individuals in the field of information systems. All recipients are scholars or practitioners who have made a global impact on the field of information systems.

“I am deeply honored to receive the LEO award. I am grateful for the mentors, colleagues, and students who have taught me so much over the years,” Dennis said. “As a recipient of this award, my goal is to give back to the IS community through continued research, teaching, and service, so that together we can prepare the next generation of scholars.”

A Kelley faculty member in the Department of Operations & Decision Technologies since 2000, Dennis has written more than 150 research papers, most of which have been co-authored with doctoral students. He has chaired 16 dissertations.

“Alan Dennis’ contributions to his field as a highly productive researcher and mentor to rising scholars are notable and this recognition is most deserving,” said Idalene “Idie” Kesner, dean of the Kelley School and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management. “He is well known for his work showing how computer systems enable people to work together – whether they are in the same room or around the world. This honor, as well as others he has received, speak to Professor Dennis’ effectiveness in action as a scholar and teacher.” (more…)

How serving on a company’s board informs Kelley alum’s work leading a candy maker

Posted on by George Vlahakis

Anton Vincent

Anton Vincent

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Since graduating in 1993 with an MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, Anton Vincent has been responsible for indulging our sweet tooth through managing iconic brands such as Snickers®, M&M’S®, Betty Crocker desserts and ice cream.

Today, as the president of Mars Wrigley North America, maker of the world’s most beloved treats and snacks, Vincent was one of nine Kelley alumni who were among Savoy magazine’s 2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors.

Vincent, who previously was CEO of the fresh convenience food supplier Greencore USA and a top executive and 20-year veteran at General Mills, agreed to sit down for an interview about what the Savoy recognition means to him and how his experience as a corporate director informs his current role as Mars Wrigley’s president.

At General Mills, he was a founding member of General Mills’ renowned Black Champions Network (BCN). He serves on the board of directors for the International Paper Company and is a member of the Kelley Dean’s Council.

Vincent also was the latest guest in “Kelley’s Conversations with the C-Suite” webinar series on Dec. 2. Previous alumni who have participated in the series have included John Chambers, MBA’76, chairman emeritus of Cisco Systems and CEO of JC2 Ventures.

We discussed the value of having top executives serving on the boards of other companies. (more…)

Nine Kelley alumni among Savoy’s ‘2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors’

Posted on by George Vlahakis

Top row, from left, Brian Anderson, Barry Granger and Ted Manvitz; second row, Ernest Marshall, Deidra Merriwether and Derica Rice; third row, Kim Seymour, Anton Vincent and Darryl Wilson.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Nine alumni of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business are among Savoy magazine’s 2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors.

As the leading business magazine reporting on African American success and achievement, Savoy’s Most Influential Black Corporate Directory is a prestigious listing of executives, influencers, and achievers active on the boards of the world’s leading corporations and organizations.

“The Kelley School is so very proud of our alumni who were recognized on this prestigious list for their service on some of the country’s most important boards,” said Idalene “Idie” Kesner, dean of the Kelley School and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management. “Their board contributions are an outgrowth of their outstanding contributions to some of the country’s top organizations in business and government and an outgrowth of their significant contributions to community service. They also reflect the importance of inclusion in corporate governance, which is vital to these companies’ success.

“We thank those who were honored by this recognition for representing the Kelley School in such a distinguished way,” Kesner added. “They serve as role models to our students, who we hope will follow in their footsteps.”

Besides Kelley alumni, others featured in Savoy’s list include Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, acclaimed rapper and co-founder and majority owner of entertainment company Roc Nation LLC; Kenneth I. Chenault, former chairman and CEO of American Express; Kenneth Frazier, executive chairman of Merck; Ann C. Jenkins, CEO of AARP; and Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League.

Savoy’s list also includes a former Poling Chair at Kelley, Mae C. Jemison, the first woman of color to go into space and president and CEO of The Jemison Group, Inc.

Kelley is well represented on Savoy’s list, with nearly as many alumni being recognized as those from Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, Wabash College and Indiana State University combined (10 total). In addition, there were five alumni on the list from other schools at IU. (more…)

Kelley expert: Gift cards are a likely present this holiday season, due to supply chain issues

Posted on by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Amid supply chain issues resulting in emptying store shelves, the most common present under the Christmas tree this year may be a gift card, according to a retail expert at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

“Everything I have read says there’s plenty of demand. I wonder what it’s going to get spent on,” said John Talbott, director of the Center for Education and Research in Retailing at Kelley. “I think this is the year of the gift card for many retailers.

John Talbott

John Talbott

“Companies like Target, Walmart, and Amazon have been able to use their scale and influence to overcome some of the supply issues that we all are experiencing.  Target’s CEO was adamant in stating the their shelves will be full and ready for customers during the most recent earnings call from the company. Still, I expect that there will still be specific items that will not be available, which makes gift cards a strong alternative to capture the consumers demand without having the specific item.

“I got on Home Depot’s website just the other day and the first thing they showed were gift cards,” Talbott added “So, I’m wondering if store management is already having these discussions, that ‘if we don’t have what they want, we’ll have it for them later. Let’s make sure they buy a gift card instead.”

Interestingly, if that is the approach of these publicly traded retail companies, they better talk to Wall Street, because gift card purchases won’t count as a sale from an accounting standpoint. Of course, stores will get that sales revenue later when consumers use the gift cards and it may be even more profitable because a significant percentage of gift cards are never used.

“If there’s a 5 or 6 percent shift to gift card purchases instead of physical items, that’s a 5 percent reduction in sales,” he said. “It’s going to be an interesting thing to keep an eye on and how the financial communications arms of these big public companies make sure Wall Street is aware that demand is being captured, just not reported as a sale.”

While adults may appreciate that a gift card represents money that can be spent at a future time, Talbott understands that message will not be cheerfully received by many children. He suggests that parents need to explain the concept of patience and perhaps consider spreading their gift giving throughout the “12 Days of Christmas” and not just on Dec. 25.

“If it were my kids, I would be managing expectations,” Talbott said.

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Sexual harassment and workplace culture is focus of next Equity Now event Nov. 8

Posted on by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Leora Eisenstadt, associate professor of legal studies and the Murray Shusterman Research Fellow at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, will be the next presenter in Equity Now, a national online speaker series on race, gender, and how law and policy can facilitate equality, fairness and inclusion in organizations.

Eisenstadt will lead a discussion on the topic, “#MeToo and Beyond: Sexual Harassment and the Future of American Workplace Culture,” which will begin at 6 p.m. (Eastern) on Monday, Nov. 8.

The Kelley School of Business is co-sponsoring the Equity Now series along with the business schools at the University of Connecticut, Virginia Tech University, Temple University and the Academy of Legal Studies in Business. Registration is free and open to the public.

Speakers featured in the Equity Now series are esteemed business lawyers focused on legal and policy issues and how law and policy can promote diversity, equity and fairness in organizations and society.

In 1986, the Supreme Court defined sexual harassment in a case called Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, which involved allegations of coerced sexual intercourse. Beginning in 2017, the #MeToo Movement again focused attention on the role sexual harassment plays in the workplace and society more generally with a flood of allegations against figures in media, government, Hollywood, and corporate America.

Now, almost five years later, we can begin to reflect on the ways in which this movement altered or left intact workplace norms and the role of the law in making progress or hindering it. Eisenstadt will review the legal history and theory of sexual harassment, explore the implications of the #MeToo Movement, discuss recent efforts to use technology to detect and prevent harassment, and provide recommendations for business leaders to create healthy workplace cultures.

Prior to joining the faculty at the Fox School, Eisenstadt spent two years as a Freedman Teaching Fellow and lecturer in law at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. Her areas of scholarship and interest include employment law, business law, law and linguistics, work-family conflict, sex discrimination, race and the law and public policy.

Eisenstadt received her J.D., cum laude from New York University School of Law and her B.A. in History, cum laude from Yale University. In 2003-04, she was a Fulbright Fellow in Israel studying sex equality and the development of Israeli equal employment opportunity law. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable R. Barclay Surrick in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and spent several years in the Labor & Employment Group at Dechert LLP litigating cases and counseling clients in employment discrimination issues, general employment matters and Title IX-related litigation.

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