Marshall Webinar Series

Business and Change in Hong Kong, China and Asia

Ronnie Chan is chairman of the Hang Lung Group, one of Greater China’s leading property companies, and global Co-Chair of the Asia Society. Mr. Chan received his MBA from USC in 1976 and has maintained close ties to the university ever since, serving as a longtime Trustee and launching the USC Hong Kong Alumni Association. In this Dean’s Dialogue with Geoff Garrett he will discuss the future of business and the economy in Hong Kong and mainland China as well as the implications for Asia of changing Sino-American relations.

Gojek: Building Indonesia’s Digital Powerhouse

February 23, 2021

If you’re anywhere in Indonesia and need a ride, a lunch, or something delivered, you’ll likely simply open the Gojek app. Kevin Aluwi ’09 joined this startup as co-founder and co-CEO not long after he returned to Indonesia from L.A. He’s since captured the market for on-demand transportation and online payments in his home country, and his empire is growing. Dean Geoff Garrett gets the details of Aluwi’s entrepreneurial journey in this Dean’s Dialogue.

Do You Have to Choose? Ethics with Success on the Job

Some people insist that a business or professional leader must choose between acting ethically or making a profit, as one can't have both. University Trustees Ron Sugar and Jerry Neely disagree with that premise and have many years of business experience to explain why. Acting ethically on the job isn't always easy, nor is it often the popular thing to do, but it is possible and to good effect. The careers of these two leaders demonstrate why they think it to be so.

The GameStop Short-Squeeze and Its Risks to Our Economy

February 3, 2021

This webinar will explain why prices and volumes in GameStop skyrocketed and how this extraordinary event will affect trading and the economy going forward. The panelists will address the price manipulation, the certain loss that many retail investors will face, the anger young traders have towards hedge funds, how brokers handled the episode, and its long-term impact on our capital markets and economy.

The Future of Entertainment

December 4, 2020

This webinar will focus on how the entertainment business has dealt with the impact of the pandemic as some sectors have been devastated, while others have flourished. This panel will be moderated by Professor S. Mark Young who also holds the George Bozanic and Holman G. Hurt Chair in Sports Entertainment Business. Joining him are three other experts from the industry: Joshua B. Grode (CEO of Legendary Entertainment), John Nendick (Founder Malaga Consulting and former Global Leader M&E at Ernst & Young Consulting), and Elaine Paul (CFO and VP of Finance at Amazon Studios). We invite you to listen in on this important discussion on the current state of the industry and the path forward.

Strategy and Risks in Commercial Real Estate: The Future of the Office

November 18, 2020

COVID-19 has accelerated trends in commercial real estate, particularly with respect to office space. Associate Professor Kristen Jaconi discusses these trends with CBRE Advisory Services (Pacific Southwest) President Lew Horne. The conversation will cover topics such as the state of the Greater Los Angeles office market, the long-term impact of remote work on the market, the increasing importance of office space design, and the future of flexible office space.

How Algorithms Helped Greece Cope With COVID-19

November 13, 2020

Marshall Dean, Geoff Garrett, talks to Kimon Drakopoulos and Vishal Gupta, two Marshall data science professors, who developed advanced AI algorithms to help the Greek government admit tourists this past summer. They will discuss how “Project Eva” guided the Greek government on which tourists should be given scarce coronavirus tests based not on the conventional indicator of the symptoms they expressed but rather on where they were coming from and their demographic characteristics. The results were very impressive. Nearly twice as many people infected with the disease were tested than would have been the case relying on expressed symptoms. The success of Eva’s COVID-19 testing strategy in Greece has generated considerable interest from other countries as the virus continues to ravage the globe.

The Future of Venture Capital

November 10, 2020

Technology plays an ever-increasing role in our lives and the economy, and venture capital is instrumental in funding technological growth. In this webinar, Barry Eggers (Lightspeed Venture Partners), Minnie Ingersoll (TenOneTen Ventures) and Associate Professor Arthur Korteweg discuss longer-term trends shaping the future of venture capital, including emerging technologies, the impact of globalization, the lengthening time to liquidity for startups and trends in exits, and the importance of diversity and inclusion.

Zoom and the New Normal

October 26, 2020

Marshall Dean, Geoff Garrett, talks to Eric Yuan, the CEO and founder of Zoom, the video platform that has seen astronomical growth during the pandemic and that now powers workplaces, universities and schools across the world. The conversation will cover topics such as the secret to Zoom’s success, the importance of lifelong learning, the value of customer feedback, and what the post-COVID world will look like for Zoom. In addition, Eric will be presented with the USC Marshall Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies’ Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

How high-culture social impact organizations are maintaining success in a virtual environment

October 8, 2020

The success of social impact organizations is often reliant on how participants and staff experience the culture of the enterprise. Charter schools achieve better results when their teachers create environments of high expectations that inspire their students to achieve. Even agencies helping people transition out of homelessness achieve higher results when the space and staff foster a culture of client success. Managers need to adapt in order to transfer the critical cultural component into a virtual environment. Two senior leaders will discuss the strategies they are using to address this challenge.

Leading Football Through Change; Leading Change Through Football

September 22, 2020

Marshall Dean, Geoff Garrett, discusses leadership with Pete Carroll, who is the executive vice president and head coach of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, and formerly the head coach of the USC football team.

The conversation touches on numerous topics, including the relationship between leadership and performance, the anatomy of coaching, what the future holds for football, and the impact Black Lives Matter movement is having on the NFL.

Antiracism in Business

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Marshall Dean, Geoff Garrett, discusses antiracism in business with three Marshall professors who are distinguished in their work in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism: Sharoni Little, Vice Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Professor of Clinical Business Communication; Sarah Townsend,  Associate Professor of Management and Organization; and Shaun Harper, Provost Professor of Management and Organization, Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership, and USC Race and Equity Center Executive Director. The conversation will cover how leaders can think about antiracism in the current moment, what it means for businesses and business education, and how it features in Marshall’s vision.

Work Reimagined: How We Adapt for the New Working World

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

While ensuring a safe transition of people back to the physical workplace, many organizations are simultaneously looking to reimagine the work of the future. There is an opportunity to capitalize on this moment to reimagine organizations and redefine the way they operate. This webinar will provide a roadmap for managing the difficult transition back to the physical workplace, sharing a range of perspectives on human-centered approaches and opportunities that will enable organizations to shift between the “two gears” of transitioning people back to physical work as we move beyond COVID-19.

Surreal Deals: Completing M&A and Corporate Finance Transactions in the Brave New World

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Buyers and sellers, investors and issuers, lenders and borrowers-all had to adjust to a radically changed capital markets environment virtually overnight.  Learn what transactions are happening, how they're getting done, who's doing them and what the "new normal" is for equity valuations, debt financing terms, and deal structures.

How Crowds Can Help Businesses Become Innovative

Friday, May 1st, 2020

For organizations of all kinds, now is the time to plan on how you can return to operations on a new normal.  Learn five operational steps for engaging the "crowd" and developing a closer connection to the people and parties who can provide you with diverse input about the next stage of your organization. 

Business Lessons Learned from the Front Lines of a Pandemic

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Health care providers had to quickly innovate and adapt in the new world of COVID-19. Insights on innovation in crisis mode and on how to maintain the innovation path in the new normal.

Small Business: What is Really Happening at the Street Level

Monday, April 13, 2020

Three Marshall MBA alumni talk about their businesses--a software company selling into the medical and insurance markets, a beverage company with national distribution, and a venture capitalist working with portfolio companies and corporate venture departments of large corporations. Let’s find out what is really going on.

Monetary Resources Available to Small Businesses in Today's COVID-19 Environment

Saturday, April 4th, 2020

Focus on the recent tax law changes affecting small business and provide listeners with the Small Business Administration’s available resources and programs to help small business get through these difficult times.

Coronavirus and its Disruption on Global Supply Chain (Part I of the series)

Supply chain webinars are not intended only for small businesses, but many small businesses would benefit from them as well.

Fight On Through Uncertain Times: Maximizing Remote Work

COVID-19: What's Next? (Part II of the series)

Supply chain webinars are not intended only for small businesses, but many small businesses would benefit from them as well.

Fight On Through Uncertain Times: Leading Virtual Teams