Recent media coverage 

Oxford Business Students Get a New Way to Finance Their MBAs

The University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School will begin offering loans to international students through an exclusive pilot programwith Banco Santander (SAN) that starts next week. The program is designed to help students who may not have access to other financing options at a time when some banks have stopped lending to MBA candidates from outside the U.K., says Saïd Dean Peter Tufano.

Bank recruitment runs into red-faced factor

Speaking at Saïd Business School, António Horta-Osório, chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, said more than a quarter of students would be too embarrassed to admit to their friends that they were taking up a job in banking. The research, carried out by Lloyds, underlines the failure of banks to win over public opinion following the financial crisis.

Oxford’s Saïd school uses technology to link MBAs with alumni

Feature on the Said Business School’s ‘Global Opportunities and Threats, Oxford’ (Goto) website, which combines the teaching of a range of specialists from across the university on a single topic, using video, infographics and blogs to get the message across.

Needed: The Amphibious Leader

Pamela Hartigan suggests that organisations are now looking to recruit “amphibious leaders”; this means that they have expertise in one or more content areas, changed job positions every three to five years, preferably worked in multiple sectors and in different geographies and cultural contexts -- and has fluency in more than one language

Specialised MBAs.

In this day and age, there is a growing market for specialised and customized MBA programmes. Peter Tufano, Dean and Professor of Finance at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford discusses with Dhriti Menon the relevance and benefits of these unique MBA programs tailor-made for the corporate world

Goldman Sachs and business schools help small business thrive

Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses programme has helped increase revenues and boost employment across England according to a progress report from the business schools involved in the scheme. Fiona Reid comments that peer-to-peer learning is an essential part of the programme: “Unlike a standard MBA there is some theory and tools but there is a strong emphasis on the practical implementation of these.”

Council could flout its own height guidelines with Blavatnik building.

In an article that mentions that Oxford City Council’s officers have decided to overrule their own principles to pave the way for a controversial new five-storey building mentions Saïd’s spire that stands at 29.6m

A Call For Corporations: Making a “Firm Commitment” To Society

A new book by a business school professor lays out a plan for a radical rethink of the purpose of the corporation. In this interview, Colin Mayer explains his thinking.

Manchester Business School International Football Challenge 2013!

The Saïd Business School MBA students were victorious for the second year running in the annual Football Challenge.

Failure haunts Berlin ghost airport

The Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER) was once dubbed “Europe’s most modern airport”; however, the completion date has been pushed back from 3 June 2012 to 2015 and the cost has swollen from €1.7 billion in 2004 to €4.3bn at present. Bent Flybjerg explains that ‘we need to be much more realistic about risk and stop believing fairy tales’ when budgeting for projects.

Goldman Scheme creating jobs

Jobs are being created at Yorkshire small businesses that have participated in a business education programme supported by the investment bank Goldman Sachs, according to a new report produced by five leading UK institutions, including Saïd Business School.

Goldman Sachs: The American bank giving British small business a lift

This article discusses the positive impact that Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” programme is having on SMEs in the UK. The entrepreneurs are optimistic, enthusiastic and positive about the programme, and so it seems they should be. They have not only gained expert training designed by five leading UK academic institutions including Saïd Business School, but they have also cultured important business relationships with entrepreneurs from different sectors locally and nationally.

This article discusses the tough decisions students have to make on which sector to join after completing their MBA. Peter Tufano says that it ‘is the job of the business school to train its students to have the ability to look at the long horizon and see opportunities there.’

An MBA can make your business idea a reality

Article about how business schools are responding to the fact that many people who would traditionally have done an MBA are going straight into start-up companies mentions that the Saïd Business School has a seed fund that invests £15,000-£25,000 in start-ups led by Oxford students and alumni

Although excessive trading has been shown to dent returns, some research shows that fund managers have become more active over time. However, a study by Tarun Ramadorai that looked at the record of around 11.6m Indian investors between 2004 and 2012 found that the most experienced investors (ie, those who had their accounts for longer) steadily improved their performance.

Looking for the next Rightmove: PrimeResi meets Faisal Butt, property’s venture capitalist with the Caan-do attitude

Faisal Butt, a Saïd Business School alumnus, is a man on a mission to change the property industry, and, with James Caan by his side, he might just have the vision, backing and financial firepower to do it.

Nancy Puccinelli, an associate fellow at the Oxford’s Saïd Business School, is in agreement with Kristin A. Kassaw, a professor of psychiatry and behavioural science at Baylor who says "online shopping while drunk could have serious financial consequences."
Nancy explains further, adding "that because alcohol reduces working memory, at the time of purchase, you wouldn’t have the cognitive ability to think it through.”

Are Chinese State Owned Enterprises A Threat To U.S. Companies?

In his byline piece, Colin talks about the rapid growth not just of the Chinese economy but in particular of the Chinese state owned enterprises (SOEs). Do they represent the next major challenge for the U.S. or, as in the case of Japan; is this a flash in the pan that will in due course also implode with devastating consequences for the Chinese economy?

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, is looking to expand its presence in the online segment. The Business school wants to deliver more content online, to students and alumni, and aims to launch courses online. Peter Tufano, Dean and Professor of Finance, says, "Taking into account the demand for content on the online platform, from alumni and students, we are considering online courses and delivering more content online."

Finance theory must be rewritten

Professor Colin Mayer, who is probably the most prestigious UK financial economist, says that "The Anglo-Saxon world has had enough of its own corporate governance model.”

Disruption from Within: An Ongoing Challenge

In her new blog, Pamela Hartigan highlights how two courageous entrepreneurial leaders, operating in very different contexts, are leading their respective organizations in challenging what have been the operating business models for their respective "sectors." While vastly different in size and annual revenue, their implicit goal is similar: to transform inequitable and unsatisfactory systems and practices.

The Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, hosted the seventh annual Oxford India Business Forum on April 5, at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. The forum provided a platform for global business leaders, academics, policy-makers and sector specialists to debate pertinent issues affecting business, economic and social growth in India. 

Seven Oxfordshire projects have been shortlisted for the 2013 RIBA South Award by the Royal Institute of British Architects. They include the Radcliffe Humanities building on the University’s Radcliffe Observatory Quarter; the Oxford Molecular Pathology Institute; the Quincentenary project, Brasenose College; and the West Wing of the Saïd Business School.

There is a competitive trend among schools to make their EMBA courses more international. The 70 students on its EMBA programme from the Saïd Business School have just returned from a new week-long operations management module delivered in Bangalore. "The trip gave them an insight into case studies they'd already read," says Kathy Harvey, EMBA programme director.

The House of Lords European Union Committee has warned that a Financial Transaction Tax within parts of the European Union will have "far-reaching adverse consequences for UK resident institutions." Citing John Vella, a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation, the Commission suggests that distortion of competition will occur, and notes that some double taxation will occur

A Guide on the Road to Business School

An article that looks into the use and value of admissions consultants quotes Anna Farrus saying ‘An extremely well-structured essay may signal consultancy use, but spotting it otherwise is difficult,’ adding that any misrepresentation is far more likely to be spotted at interview if applicants answer in a scripted fashion.

Taxation by the will of the people is no way to run an Exchequer, but that doesn’t mean public outrage at the avoidance of corporation tax is unjustified. “We should be having a much clearer public debate about what the tax system is doing and what we think it ought to be trying to do,” says Professor Michael Devereux, director of the Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation.

MBA Supplement

The Healthy Shrimp team from the Saïd Business School pocketed £10,000 as winners of the recent Tata Idea Idol competition held at Oxford University.

Colin Mayer’s focus in ‘Firm Commitment: Why the Corporation is Failing Us and How to Restore Trust In It ‘ is narrower on the corporation, which he sees as a remarkable creation, but one that has transformed itself  with the aid of governments from servant to monster.

The Saïd Business School, University of Oxford will host the seventh annual Oxford India Business Forum on April 5th. The forum will provide a platform for global business leaders, academics, policy makers and sector specialists to debate some of the most pertinent issues affecting business, economic.

“Kindly do not write them off as dumb or people with hearing impairment, they are just deaf,” comes the polite but firm request from the CEO and founder of Mirakle Couriers, Dhruv Lakra. “The word dumb has a negative connotation,” explains Dhruv, an MBA in social entrepreneurship from Said Business School, Oxford University.

India Business Forum discusses implications of Big Data on Strategic Change and Innovation

The Saïd Business School, University of Oxford will host the 7th annual Oxford India Business Forum on 5 April, 2012 at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. The Forum will focus on the role big data can play in achieving strategic change and innovation within firms.

In a lecture at Seoul National University,Colin Mayer said that the National Pension Service (NPS) should be encouraged to use voting rights as large shareholders in many chaebol firms in order to keep them on their toe.

Kicking Booze, One Country at a Time

Chris Raine, founder of “Hello Sunday Morning”, will start his MBA at the prestigious university in October after being awarded a coveted Skoll scholarship - the equivalent of a Rhodes scholarship for social pioneers. Dr Pamela Hartigan, director of Oxford University's Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, said Raine was the perfect fit for the scholarship.

Mainstreaming Impact Investing & Thinking BIG

The Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship will convene social entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and strategic partners in April at the Said Business School in Oxford to exchange their ideas and solutions.

Das Vertrauen in den Bauherren Staat schwindet

An article critical of Germany’s ability to manage major construction projects includes comment from Bent Flyvbjerg whose research found that of 258 construction projects world-wide, a third were over budget.

Almost 200 young people from the Mena region attended a two-day conference in Dubai for budding social entrepreneurs. Following a speech by Soushiant  Zanganehphour of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Maryam Al Hersi, 31, from Ajman, said "I liked what Soushiant said regarding setting up your own business. He said that one needs to look at the gap in her society and build ideas."

In a study of more than 1,100 IT professionals in 95 countries, conducted by IBM and the Saïd Business School, it was discovered that a third of the companies were implementing "big data" initiatives.

The Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation said that, when capital investment allowances were taken into account – a crucial element for investment decisions – the UK would rank fifth or ninth for its effective corporation tax rate, depending on the method of calculation.

An Impact Investing Program has been established in the UK to bring together philanthropic and finance professionals from around the world to develop an advanced understanding of the growing field of impact investing. The program has been established between the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF

One of the trickiest parts about being in a one-year MBA program like mine is balancing between accomplishing what you came to business school for, the education and diving into the job hunt, says Nupur Sharma, an MBA student at the Saïd Business school

Private-equity firms have generally been conservative when it comes to valuing their portfolio investments—with the exception, no big surprise, of when they’re in the market raising money, according to a new academic paper co-authored by Tim Jenkinson and Rüdiger Stucke of Saïd Business School.

Speaking at the Private Equity Forum at Saïd Business School in March, Oaktree Capital co-founder Howard Marks said “Only exceptional people should get exceptional compensation. There are 40,000 people in 8,000 hedge funds making decisions and getting 20% of profits.

Pamela Hartigan on the Promise of ‘Entrepreneuring’

In her new blog in Huffington Post, Pamela Hartigan reflects that it is that time of the year when men and women, who have combined innovation, resourcefulness and opportunity in transforming the lives of people, now receive the Skoll award for social entrepreneurship.

Colin Mayer in his book “The Firm Commitment; Why the corporation is Failing Us and How to Restore Trust in It” wants to put a little order on the discourse on corporate social responsibility. Mayer argues that the obligation of a company goes beyond mere contractual provisions

DP World Forges More Links with Oxford University

DP World, in partnership with the Saïd Business School at Oxford University, has led a workshop on scenario planning for its EMBA students. The partnership with the Business School started last year with the aim of engaging with tomorrow's leaders and discussing long term strategy and responses to future industry challenges.

Investors Crushed Under Dodgy Infrastructure

The story of toll roads operator Brisconnections whacked into administration is a warning about bad infrastructure projects that no one. According to a new global study by Bent Flyvbjerg, this might be par for the course. The study found that traffic forecasts for infrastructure projects around the world are usually way off target.

Men are seduced by red price labels while women see through the marketing ploy when shopping. Faced with sales prices written in red, men in the British study believed they were saving nearly twice as much as when the cost was laid out in black and white. Lead researcher Dr Nancy Puccinelli of Oxford University explains the study.

Philanthropic and business sectors are to gather for path-breaking program on impact investing at Saïd Business School. The program will help participants refine their impact investing strategy and will equip them with the practical skills to design innovative transactions to maximize societal change.

The project interview.

Bent Flyvbjerg talks about his career, his theories and teaching of major programme management and suggests how we can move towards a world in which all projects succeed

India is slipping in Global ICT

India’s imports of electronics products are surging. But the response to that should be to add value rather than just fret over curbing imports. The article compares the Chinese model and mentions work by Eric Thun that has shown that China’s gigantic market has also created incentives for Chinese firms to upgrade.

MasterCard Foundation: Learning From Young Leaders Who Are Transforming Africa

This article was originally written for the Skoll World Forum as part of an ongoing series titled “Our Theory of Change”, which highlights different strategies and approaches of investment organizations working for social impact.

Launch of Oxford business alumni

The British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, Francis Campbell has formally announced the launch of Oxford Business Alumni Pakistan at a ceremony held at the British Deputy High Commission. Professor Peter Tufano, in his video address, shed light on the importance and role of the virtual community across the globe.

In Europe's Tax Race, It's the Base, Not the Rate, That Counts

An article that examines the complexities of the European corporation tax rules and their impact on the location decisions of multinationals includes comment from Professor Michael Devereux. “There is no evidence that countries like Ireland or the Netherlands are breaking international tax rules” he says.

OFT will take the fizz out of Britvic merger

Prof Colin Mayer of the Saïd Business School thinks the corporation exists purely for the enrichment of its owners and needs to be brought under wider control. In Firm Commitment, published this week (OUP), he is whacking the greedy shareholders, especially those horrid short-term traders. 

Is the corporation to blame?

Yes. The corporation is to blame for a breakdown of trust and confidence, according to Saїd Business School’s Colin Mayer.

Barclays strategic review: for a culture to change, people must change

Colin Mayer, a Professor at the Saïd Business School comments on how Barclays urgently needs to re-establish trust among its customers, employees, investors, the public and how they can do this.

De olympiske pengeleker

Norway is preparing its bid to host the winter Olympics in 2022 but is conscious of budget failures for other games. This is far more than other large infrastructure budgets, according to a survey conducted by Professor Bent Flyvbjerg and Allison Stewart of the University of Oxford.

In defence of immigration: Economic benefits outweigh costs by Tarun Ramadorai

Tarun Ramadorai discusses why barriers to immigration (including low-skilled immigration) are a bad idea, both internationally and within India.

All-deaf courier service turns a social liability into an asset

Article on Dhruv Lakra MBA alumnus founder and CEO of Mirakle Couriers, an innovative Mumbai-based courier service manned entirely by a 48-member team of hearing-impaired boys and a back office run by 20 deaf women.

Prince says he wishes he had visited business school far earlier

Prince Charles joked he could have picked up some tips as he officially opened the new wing of the Saïd Business School yesterday.

Prince Charles has opened a new wing at Oxford's Saïd Business School

Live Blog: Prince Charles visits Oxford

Prince Charles has opened a new wing at Oxford's Said Business School and visited St Stephen's House.

Sustainable enterprises give students food for thought

Article about 'The Food Solutions Institute', an initiative targeted at MBA students, includes comment from Catherine Dolan at the Saïd Business School, who specialises in sustainable food and agriculture.

Blood bars and debt bunnies

The Doorways to Dreams (D2D) Fund (whose Chairman is Peter Tufano) is using video games to improve the finances of low- and middle-income consumers.

Politicians should stop posturing on corporate tax

Michael Devereux, professor of business taxation at Oxford University comments on government laws on corporate taxation arguing that there are clearly flaws in any regime that permits companies to shield high-value intangibles from tax.

Time to rethink an old business model

Tim Morris of Oxford’s Saïd Business School observes that partnerships are arguably harder to run because managers have to rely heavily on persuasion to influence highly autonomous partners.

Exploding the MBA

Business schools are offering combined and dual degrees that move beyond the traditional MBA format. The 1+1 MBA programme at Oxford’s Saïd Business School is one example.

TV: Tutu's Children, Al Jazeera International

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is heading up an experiment to build a new network of inspirational leaders. Programme three in the series shows them being taken to the Saïd Business School at Oxford University for a series of lectures in which they were pushed to analyse themselves as leaders.

Standing out from the crowd in a new market

MBA alumnus Jeff Lynn talks about his venture Seedrs, a peer-to-peer lending scheme for start-ups. “More and more crowdfunding companies are cropping up,” said Jeff. “But we’re the first to be regulated, and the fastest-growing in the UK.”

Are league tables the best guide when picking an MBA?

Article on MBA league tables mentions that the Said Business School is one of a number of universities jockeying for position at the top of the world rankings.

Questions asked over £800m Heads of the Valleys upgrade

Green campaigners cited a report by Oxford University professor Bent Flyvbjerg, an international expert on major projects, who claimed infrastructure forecasts were inaccurate.

What’s the best way to build up new markets?

Oxford University anthropologist Catherine Dolan who studies the intersection of business and poverty comments on how we ensure that opening up new markets helps to build up the economies of the developing world, and what role should women play in it.

Back a brain and earn 5% a year

Feature on Prodigy Finance, which offers loans to MBA students financed by bonds backed by individual savers who can commit at least £10,000 to the scheme.

Berlin takes a beating over airport woes

Bent Flyvbjerg, an expert from Oxford University, commented on the problems surrounding the opening of the German Capital's new airport

Coke’s US ads aim to educate about obesity

Allyson Stewart-Allen comments on the fizzy-drink giant Coca-Cola who has produced its first TV advert addressing obesity.

Is the value of Nike’s Rory McIlroy sponsorship worth the price?

Allyson Stewart-Allen comments on golfer Rory McIlroy, who has landed a major sponsorship deal with Nike, reportedly worth up to £156m.

Does a poor reputation actually matter?

Rupert Younger, Director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation comments that while the high street banks may have lost their reputation for integrity and perhaps reinforced their reputation for greed, their reputation for delivering efficient high street banking products remains reasonably untouched.

A History of Political Deception in Germany

Article on problems with flagship German construction projects highlights a 2009 study, ‘Survival of the Unfittest: Why the Worst Infrastructure Gets Built’, by Bent Flyvbjerg.

Special Report - How Mario Draghi is reshaping Europe's central bank

Clemens Fuest comments that the Outright Monetary Transactions (Draghi’s bond buying plan) has confirmed in Germany what people expected or feared from him..

Majority of African MBAs Return Home

Saïd Business School was surveyed as one of the top ten American and European business schools as of November 2012.

Euro zone rescuer Draghi faces daunting 2013

Clemens Fuest, research director at Oxford University's Said Business School and an adviser to the German Finance Ministry, explained that Draghi's vow to "do whatever it takes" to save the euro and the development of his plan came at a time when Berlin was under intense pressure to hold the bloc together.

Wake up and smell the coffee

In both Britain and America, businesses have been lobbying for cuts in marginal corporate-tax rates, even if this meant losing a few small loopholes

Fanciful thoughts on corporation tax and the wealthy

Michael Devereux, Director, Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation, responds to a letter that was critical of the article by him on 4th December on corporation tax.

Tory MPs fear Starbucks tax ‘precedent’

Tax expert Judith Freedman, Professor of Taxation Law at Oxford University was said to be skeptical, describing the proposal as “totally incoherent”.

The rise of ‘tax shaming’

Michael Devereux, a tax expert at Oxford University’s Said Business School, comments on Starbucks’ decision to pay more taxes after negative media stories about its tax arrangements.

Social entrepreneurship: putting principles into practice

The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, part of the Saïd Business School within the University of Oxford, aims to attract innovative MBA students considering a career in social enterprise.

The Dueling Myths of Business

A couple of years ago, at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, a small group of researchers and writers conducted a scenario planning project on the risks and implications of the financial crisis.

Shakespeare in the Boardroom

Olivier Mythodrama, as used by Saïd on some executive education programmes, adapts some of the Bard’s greatest tales into lessons of corporate leadership.

All businesses will be social enterprises, says Institute of Directors leader

Speaking at the UnLtd's Global Entrepreneurship Week Soushiant Zanganehpour, said there was a sense from corporates and their staff that business should be conducted differently.

I consult therefore I am: a new Freakonomics Radio podcast

Chris McKenna gives a fascinating lesson on the history of management consulting.

Should the benefits mitigate the costs: PSL overhaul due?

In his regular column Tarun Ramadorai explains the policy of priority sector-lending (PSL) in India and argues that recent moves by the RBI to modify PSL limits might not go far enough.

Big Data: Businesses Wary of Analytics based on Unknown Social Media Data Quality

A report from IBM and Oxford's Saïd Business School found that two-thirds of organisations think that the use of Big Data could be useful to their organisation.

Master of Laws listing

The FT has compiled its annual listing of Master of Laws (LLM) programmes. Article notes that 25 law schools partner with a business school to offer joint master’s degrees, such as the University of Oxford

Michael Devereux, Director of the Centre for Business Taxation talks about three of his working papers including the competitiveness of the UK tax system and how sensitive taxable income is to the tax rate.

Goldman Sachs Announces 10,000 Small Businesses UK National Alumni Network

Goldman Sachs today announced the next stage in the development of its 10,000 Small Businesses UK (10KSB UK) programme with the launch of the 10,000 Small Businesses UK National Alumni Network.

7 reasons to Opt for Oxford Saïd Business School MBA

Saïd Business School, currently occupies the 20th slot worldwide according to Financial Times Rankings of 2012.

Mitt Romney’s Missed Opportunity

Mitt Romney arrived at Harvard just as the American economy collapsed bringing an emerging band of consultants with new ideas about how businesses should be run.

Information Management

Delivering Large-Scale IT Projects On Time, On Budget, and On Value

As IT systems become an important competitive element in many industries, technology projects are getting larger, touching more parts of the organization, and posing a risk to the company if something goes wrong. Unfortunately, things often do go wrong.

IBM and Oxford co-author Big Data survey

What do people mean when they talk about Big Data?

Discovery Visits for a Global Mindset with BAE Systems

Allyson Stewart-Allen sees that many high potential managers in large firms have not had the opportunity to experience different cultures and mindsets through international travel or assignments.

Oxford investor criticises private equity

Sandra Robertson, the head of Oxford University Endowment Management, has sharply criticised the standards of the private equity business.

The astute would protect the rest of us

John Thanassoulis’ describes the insights of some research work he is currently undertaking on astute versus regular consumers.

The devastating extent of the BER disaster

Professor Bent Flyvbjerg comments on Berlin Airport – the focus of a 45-minute ZDF-documentary summed up as "Germany's most embarrassing site" for its cost and time overrun.

Visit to Oxford Said Business School

Representatives from the China Media Global Summit came to meet the faculty and top students of Saïd Business School. This group of Chinese media representatives were the first guests to be welcomed to the new building at the School.

Other companies watching BBC sex scandal

Allyson Stewart-Allen, Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School talks about the BBC sex scandal, why it is the worst crises at the BBC in 50 years, and how it should be handled.

Name and shame is no way to close tax loopholes

Professor Michael Devereux hits back in response to the Starbucks tax debate, arguing that we should not be naming and shaming but perhaps looking at the tax system instead.  

Big Data Analytics and Social Business: An E-Book

The Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and the IBM Institute of Business Value have uncovered the state of ‘Big Data’ use in a joint study, ‘Analytics: The real-world use of big data’.

Richard Cuthbertson joins a panel to discuss career options in retail, key trends in the sector and the skills and experience needed to become a leader in the industry.

School profile: Ceibs

Mention of the China European International Business School (Ceibs) recruiting faculty from institutions including the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.

Rising in the east

Article on the dominance of China in the Executive MBA market notes that Executive MBA students at Oxford’s Saïd Business School will soon visit India and study the operation course of the programme there.

Focusing Strategy Research on Big Impact Firms

Richard Whittington argues that strategy researchers have a duty to study Facebook and other powerful and influential firms which have the greatest impact on society.

Interpreting the FDIC Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households

Peter Tufano’s blog piece on the lack of household savings, especially among low to moderate-income families - is the answer simply to get banks to do more?

Safe Hands

Professor Colin Mayer explains what corporations need to do to regain the public's trust. He talks of the dramatic differences in performance, and the way in which companies are regulated and run across the world.

The Double X Economy

Linda Scott’s blogs about the BBC documentary on the Avon in Africa study.

Iron enters the soul

How companies in the Eurozone are bracing themselves for more turmoil includes comment from Colin Mayer of the Saïd Business School and John Thanassoulis, another Oxford University economist, who is leading a study of European corporate finance during the crisis.

Euro Leaders Face October of Unrest After September Rallyeuro-leaders-face-october-of-unrest-after-september-rally.html

Talks in Athens between Greece’s international creditors and the government suggests Europe faces a month that may decide the success of the European Central Bank’s bid to end the debt crisis.

San Francisco Chronicle

Europe Face Crisis October of Unrest as Troika Returns to Athens

Greece’s international creditors and the government suggests Europe faces a month that may decide the success of the European Central Bank’s bid to end the debt crisis.

Business schools have been one of the great educational success stories of the last century. They now exist in almost every corner of the world and most leading companies can boast at least one MBA in the boardroom. Stuart Crainer looks at the key questions they now face.

Global Hotel Exchange names Harvard, MIT, Oxford professors to advisory board

Christopher McKenna of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, is a leading authority on business history and strategy evolution.

Clemens Fuest Professor of taxation at Oxford’s Saïd Business School says “The court has said clearly that responsibility for how this crisis is managed is with the governments, Its mandate is to intervene only when there is a constitutional problem.”

Responding to the European Central Banks’ new bond-buying program designed to ease the eurozone debt crisis, Clemens Fuest agreed that inflation isn't a concern in the short term but warned it could become one in the long term..

Nursing assistants and childcare workers are typically paid less. The study by Dr David Barron, reader in Organisational Sociology at Saïd Business School and Professor Elizabeth West at the University of Greenwich found grave discrepancies..

Peter Tufano Dean and Professor of Finance at the Saïd Business School, is the co-founder and chairman of the Doorways to Dreams Fund, a Boston nonprofit focused on promoting asset building for low-income families.

Pamela Hartigan of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School says “It used to be that the company dictated. Now the consumer is king and companies are competing for some emotional tie to that consumer.”

If the government does manage to pick a winner, for the Brazilian taxpayer it may be a case of fourth time unlucky.

Bent Flyvbjerg and Allison Stewart have found that from 1968 onwards, the average Olympic Games went over budget by 179% in real terms.

Article on Mitt Romney’s finances includes comment from Oxford University business professor Ludovic Phalippou.

Oxford business school professors Linda Scott and Catherine Dolan spent three years surveying poor black women who worked as Avon representatives in South Africa..

“I don't see much in it for the outside investor who has no control,” Tim Jenkinson, a professor of finance at Oxford University's Saïd Business School, told Reuters.

“It’s not the most natural place for Manchester United to list,” said Tim Jenkinson, a specialist on IPOs at Said Business School in Oxford. “Most obvious would have been the UK, then possibly Asia.

Allison Stewart’s view of the Olympic Games is that the whole purpose of the activity should be reframed. Rather than pushing for greater knowledge transfer, each installment of the Games should aspire to greater transparency and accountability.

Tim Jenkinson, a professor of finance at the University of Oxford said "This IPO really is an attempt get their debt levels back to manageable proportions,"

In short, it’s a complex work. Some of this complexity comes across very well in Natalie Abrahami’s admirable revival for Oxford’s Creation theatre company, which perches high up in the outdoor amphitheatre at the Saïd Business School.

"He has to be very careful not to lose this reputation of being the stability anchor within the ECB and within the euro zone," said Clemens Fuest, research director at Oxford University's Said Business School and an adviser to the German Finance Ministry.

London’s Loss? Why Hosting the Olympics Is Bad Business

Bent Flyvbjerg, a co-author of a new University of Oxford study that looks at Olympic budgeting, essentially blames cost overruns on two things: optimism and politics.

Allison Stewart Doctoral student at the Saïd Business School talks about the 2012 Olympic games - the largest peacetime logistics operation undertaken in the world.

Those who defend tax avoidance often blame the UK's voluminous tax code. But Judith Freedman, professor of taxation law and director of legal research at the University of Oxford's centre for business taxation says that does not mean it is complex.

What do lawyers have in common with meerkats? How can you tell the difference between a solicitor and a naked mole rat?

The University of Oxford Saïd Business School’s Executive Education Centre won the European Foundation for Management Development’s Excellence in Practice Award 2012.

Do lawyers have something important to learn from meerkats? Hugh Crisp moved into a new career, teaching business, law and management skills at the Saïd Business School in Oxford.

While stock market listings of large companies are common around the world, in most countries a small fraction of shares are held by dispersed shareholders and traded.

Jimmy Jia holds a BS and MS in Material Science and Engineering from MIT and an MBA from the University of Oxford.

Creation Theatre’s nine-strong company of actors supplies a lucid, touching and at times surprisingly funny account of one of Shakespeare’s most popular and enjoyable plays, The Merchant of Venice.

Beijing 2008 may cost more money, but the Chinese authorities have not published enough data to be able to check it.

Nancy Puccinelli talks about the difference between good and bad customer service.

“DOING good is in high demand. According to a recent survey by Net Impact, an industry association, more than 70% of college students and 50% of workers are looking for jobs with social impact.

The study, jointly written by Tomo Suzuki and Jaypal Jain of Said Business School, asks whether reporting in a common standard will really provide greater capital access to financial markets.

Working overtime
“I’ve seen a steady stream of graduate students knocking on my door to get guidance,” says Pamela Hartigan, director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University's Saïd Business School.

As business theories go, they don't come more seductive than Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) The reality – as presented by the panelists at a recent Saïd Business School event in Oxford – does not seem to support the theory. 

Adebayo Babalola, an MBA student at Saïd Business School, talks about how his award-winning blog, ‘Against Most Odds... my journey to Oxford for an MBA’, has helped both him and his readers through the veritable minefield of an MBA.

In February, the government announced training for senior civil servants to help them manage major projects, with the launch of the major projects leadership academy at Oxford University's Saïd Business School.

The summer Olympics, which begin on July 27 in London, are expected to be twice as expensive as originally budgeted. This is at least the belief by researchers of the Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford.

Avon calling for South Africa's jobless

The door-to-door beauty sales firm is providing women in South Africa with a route out of poverty, an academic study indicates.

What I Learned at…Oxford University’s Said Business School, Part 3

The Said Business School at Oxford made available a wide range of elective courses that allowed me to explore a number of different industries and specialties that I found interesting.

New research conducted at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford shows the London Olympic Games are on track to be the most expensive to date with a projected cost of £8.4 billion in real terms – 101% over budget.

Jerker Denrell from Oxford’s Saïd Business School, argues that the super-successful are outliers who achieve extraordinary things partly through luck.

At Saïd Business School guests were treated to valuable insights from 3 different perspectives - namely from Suwei Jiang (Partner and Senior China Advisor, China Business Group, PwC UK)

Timothy Kaan had spent all of his career in pharmacology and neuroscience. He earned a PhD from King's College London and engaged in post-doctoral work at the University of California before taking an MBA at Oxford University's Saïd Business School.

Greece: growth versus austerity

Dimitrios Tsomocos: “The main objective of the new Greek government is to restabilise market expectations, to restabilise market sentiment and the business confidence.

John Thanassoulis, director of the University of Oxford’s Masters in Financial Economics, taught jointly by the Saïd Business School and the university’s economics department, says: “It’s not about telling finance students not to take risks, but to increase their awareness of the sector’s social responsibilities.”

"The Greek economy has multi-organ failure but the wrong medicine has been prescribed," said Dimitri Tsomocos, an economic adviser to Mr Samaras.

The Financial Services Agency of the Japanese Government has announced that it will develop its international financial reporting policy in line with recommendations made in a new report by Professor Tomo Suzuki.

Pamela Hartigan of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the Saïd Business School of Oxford will speak on the “Paradigms for a New Civilization” panel at the Forum on Social Entrepreneurship and the New Economy.

Private Equity for the Rest of Us

Investment trusts are the most established way for individuals to access private equity.

Radio: Today Programme 0:24:00 on timeclock

Professor Tarun Ramadorai from Oxford University is interviewed about his research showing that 40 per cent of hedge funds have published inaccurate figures about the success of their investments.

Research by Tarun Ramadorai and Michael Streatfield of the Saïd Business School and Andrew Patton of Duke University has found Nearly 40% of hedge funds have published inaccurate figures about the success of their investments.

Long-promised civil-service reform is about to be delivered and includes high-flying civil servants being sent off from September to the Saïd Business School in Oxford, to learn contracting skills from the private sector.

DBS Law has made the The Sunday Times list of the top 100 companies to work for. Managing director Rob Bhol, who instigated a number of changes to improve employee happiness, gained great insight from listening to others, not least from course tutors at Saïd Business School, Oxford University, during the high-performance leadership programme.

Bent Flyvbjerg warns against China’s proposed new stimulus plan and notes that since political risks, corruption and logistical risks are more extensive in emerging economies, the prospect of failed infrastructure projects is higher.

Euro zone bank safety net leaves holes unplugged

As the euro zone ponders a possible Greek exit, policymakers have not yet built a shield robust enough to prevent a bank run in one country sending others in the bloc deeper into crisis.

An MBA versus an MSc is not a straight battle

Over the last few years, many schools have expanded their range of masters courses and have made a real push to recruit more students into them. Some, like the Said Business School, are experimenting with innovative ways of combining the benefits of both.

Business Insider

GERMAN GOVERNMENT ADVISOR: The Germans Will Blink After The Greek Election

The German government is likely to become more flexible to altering the terms of Greece's second bailout to prevent a Greek exit from the euro currency, says Clemens Fuest, a senior advisor to the German Finance Ministry and the future head of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW).

The B-School Olympics

This summer’s Olympic Games in London is providing business schools in the U.K. with a unique opportunity to have a front seat at the world’s biggest sporting event. With more than 500,000 visitors and 14,000 athletes from 205 Olympic teams descending upon the U.K. in July, the economics and business side of the games has proved irresistible for many of the country’s top business schools.

Why Facebook Is Not Google

Item on difference between the Facebook and Google IPOs includes comments from Tim Jenkinson, a professor of finance at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School.

Fun run raises £100000

On Sunday over 3,000 people, including a team from Saïd Business School, ran 10km through Oxford as part of the 31st Town and Gown Fun Run.

4th UPDATE: Facebook Boosts IPO Size As More Holders Sell Stock

The 100 most creative people in business 2012

MBA alumna Claire Diaz-Ortiz is was named #21 of the 100 most creative people in business by Fast Company. As Manager of Social Innovation at Twitter, Clare explains ‘how not-for-profit can help everyone not stink at Twitter.’

4th Oxford enterprise conference on Africa

The fourth Oxford Enterprise Africa conference was held at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School to highlight the potential and pitfalls for tangible growth and investment in Africa.

Fragen der Größenordnung

The opening of Berlin airport has been postponed until next year amid speculation that costs will increase. Research from Bent Flyvbjerg, a professor at the University of Oxford, shows that such cost increases on major projects are not the exception but the rule.

Europe May Need More Power to Deal With Bank Crisis

European governments face growing pressure to change course and give the European Union more power to shore up the region’s shakier lenders. Clemens Fuest is one of several academics who advocate the imposition of full-scale banking regulation at the European Union level and the creation of a banking resolution fund for the region.

Greeks reject austerity, risk euro zone crisis

As Greek voters send a resounding message to Europe’s leaders over the bailout in the latest elections, Dimitri Tsomocos, an economic adviser to Mr. Samaras, leader of the New Democracy party said: "The Greek economy has multi-organ failure but the wrong medicine has been prescribed." He continued, “Increases in corporation tax and VAT needed to be lowered to encourage investment, while the approach to government budgets should be that of a "surgeon and not a butcher."

Foreign executives' tax break

A letter to the Irish Times about the formulation of tax policy and its legislation mentions a recent study by the University of Oxford Centre for Business Taxation which found that in many countries, draft tax legislation is offered either privately, as in Germany, or publicly, as in the UK, for expert comment prior to enactment.

New centre to challenge conventional economic thinking

Felix Reed-Tsochas, James Martin Lecturer in Complex Systems at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford has been announced as joint Director of a new Complexity Economics Programme at INET@Oxford, an interdisciplinary research centre that will challenge conventional economic thinking.

Mehr Wachstum - ohne Schulden

Clemens Fuest believes there is potential for more growth in the euro zone without abandoning the fiscal discipline.

B-schools Report Slightly Improved Jobs Outlook

The MBA Career Services Council recently released its Fall 2011 Recruiting Trends Survey and there is tentatively welcome news for MBAs and prospective MBAs. But there are still challenges for MBAs according to Derek Walker, Director of Careers at Saïd: “Consulting remains very popular, but very competitive as well, maybe more so as many students are focusing on consulting instead of finance.”

Winners of Strategic Value in Corporate Reporting Awards announced

Richard Whittington delivered a keynote speech on the strategic importance in the “Age of Transparency” at the Strategic Planning Society (SPS) awards. The awards are presented to the FTSE 350 companies who put their strategic thinking, planning and management into practice.

Credit ratings are a poor predictor of corporate failure

Credit ratings agencies have played a high-profile and pivotal role in financial markets since the downturn. Regulators and industry experts have called into question the reliability and usefulness of credit rating agencies and, as new research by Mungo Wilson, University Lecturer in Finance at Saïd shows, for good reason. ‘Our research proves what many critics of credit ratings agencies have been arguing for years – that the accuracy and informational value of corporate credit ratings is dishearteningly low,’ said Mungo.

(Bottom of the) pyramid selling

"Is there anything more prestigious than business?" asks a team of researchers from Saïd Business School who have studied a sales programme that employs Bangladeshi women at the proverbial 'bottom of the pyramid' run by CARE. The case study illustrates the challenges of collaborations between non-profit organisations and business.

A globalised MBA can come in a host of different wrappings

Article about how business schools are adapting to the changing nature of the global economy includes comment by Stephan Chambers, MBA Director at Oxford University's Saïd Business School. Regarding diversity and global networking, for example, Chambers argues that Said "imports that diversity, in the form of students, rather than exports the students to a diverse foreign location."

Enterprising social event

Full-page feature on the recent Skoll World Forum held at the Saïd Business School. Jeff Skoll, millionaire founder of Internet auction site eBay, set up the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship in Oxford in 2004 with a £4.4m grant from his Skoll Foundation.

Pdf copy available on request

Why Congress should be concerned about Honolulu's pricey $5.3 billion rail to nowhere

Taxpayer opposition to a $5.3 billion niche transit project in Honolulu is growing. Opponents cite a longitudinal survey conducted by Dr. Bent Flyvbjerg which found that rail projects in particular experienced a cost overrun.

Executive education - On the slow track?

Dr. Andrew White, associate dean of executive education at University of Oxford Saïd Business School, discusses the reasons why executive education, as a workplace trend in India is taking time to gain momentum

Can 'saving' be 'fun'?

Dean of Saïd Business School, Dr Peter Tufano talks about Doorways to Dreams a non-profit organization which he set up in 2000 in order to improve the delivery of financial services to low-income communities in America. He explains the concept, products, methods and its success so far.

Inventing a new future: beyond our Humpty Dumpty world

Pamela Hartigan, Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University's Saïd Business School talks about Skoll World Forum, reviews the stories that grabbed our attention in 2011, comments on Oxford and its story-telling past and expresses her hopes for the future.

Edward DeBono for Finance Malta annual conference

Thought leader and author Edward DeBono and John Vella, senior research fellow at the Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation will be among the guest speakers at Finance Malta’s annual conference on May 18.

The social benefits of corporate partnerships

Writing from the Skoll World Forum, Andrew Hill reflects on increase in alliances between social venturers and established companies. While there were no 'big businesses' at the first Forum nine years ago, Pamela Hartigan considers it a good sign that there were a significant number of delegates from business this year.

Guide for the hard-knock office

Workplace bullying is a recurring problem, but there are strategies to help solve it. Nancy Puccinelli, professor and psychologist at the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School who is currently writing a paper about strategies for employees to deal with workplace hostilities, indentifies and explains two techniques proved to make people feel better.

The Chancellor sets out to woo world's business

Article that looks at the recent decrease of corporation tax, whether lowering it will lure firms to the UK and how long it will take before the UK sees the benefits of new businesses coming here. Comments from Oxford University's Centre for Business Taxation's, Professor Michael Devereux.

Effetto Finanziaria: Glaxo torna a Londra

Giorgia Maffini, researcher at the Centre for Business Taxation at Oxford University comments on the patent box and its effects on the UK and Ireland.

UK corporate tax: a missed opportunity

Two years ago the UK government announced that it wanted to create the most competitive corporate tax regime among the G20 economies. In Wednesday's Budget it took another step in that direction. Article includes findings from the Centre for Business Taxation at Oxford University about corporation tax.

Hope companies will spend cash piles

Article on the cut in corporation tax announced in the Budget, the effect it will have on companies and the consequences for the economy in the coming years includes comment from the Centre for Business Taxation at Oxford University's Saïd Business School.

Reputation: Used and abused

Article about a session on 'Research and Reputation' at the MRS Annual Conference notes comments made by Rupert Younger, director of the Centre for Corporate Reputation at the Oxford University Saïd Business School.

Five Ways to Rein in a Runaway IT Project Before It Happens

Last fall, Harvard Business Review published "Why Your IT Project May Be Riskier Than You Think," by Oxford University Saïd Business School's Bent Flyvbjerg and Alexander Budzier. It spurred a conversation at Verisk Analytics regarding how companies can avoid the risk of investing in disastrous IT projects.

Money poll: Does Mitt Romney really love you?

Christopher Mckenna of Oxford University's Saïd Business School, comments on Bain's business model, gives his views on hiring outside consultants to help run a business and explains how and why companies hire consultants.

Oxford date with Presidency & IIT

Oxford University vice-chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton is arriving in India with the message that financial background does not matter, you can still study at Oxford University. Dean of Saïd Business School Peter Tufano is one of the peope that will accompany Prof Hamilton when travelling to India.

Live discussion: How can big businesses collaborate with social enterprises?

The discussion will address how corporates can successfully push ahead with social enterprises partnerships and give examples of best practice in this form of collaboration. Pamela Hartigan from Oxford University's Saïd Business School, director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, will be part of the live panel. The discussion will take place on Thursday 22nd March, 3-5pm.

Experience trumps exams for strategists

The SPS, a 45-year-old charity, is throwing its weight behind the development of strategy as a formal discipline, complete with codes, courses, qualifications and a cadre of professionals with certified status. On Tuesday a conference hosted by Oxford University's Saïd Business School will attempt to map out what this might involve.

Whitehall pays a high price for project prejudice

The Cabinet Office's Major Projects Authority is focusing on departments and challenging them to give project leaders the clout to make a difference. The £6.7m Major Projects Leadership Academy, being created in partnership with Oxford's Saïd Business School, aims to transform the skills of senior project leaders across government to deliver complex projects, building up a bank of civil service expertise and reducing reliance on expensive external consultants.

Post GFC: It's time to be co-operative

An article written by Alex Nicholls, lecturer at the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Oxford, comments on the issue of whether banks need to be more socially responsible.

MBA Loans From an Unusual Source: Alumni

A lending program that relies on business school alumni to fund loans for international students has been gaining traction at European MBA programs. Saïd Business School was the first in the UK to offer its students loans from Prodigy Finance.

Analysis: Bain investors worry about returns, not Romney

An article discussing private equity firms, performance and the effect of Romney. Article refers to the 2011 study on U.S. buyout fund returns by University of Virginia'a Robert Harris, Oxford University's Tim Jenkinson, and University of Chicago's Steven Kaplan .

Buyer beware: Probe past headline figures

Each year the Financial Times creates an interactive guide to the world's best EMBA programmes. But the FT ranking should not be used without thought, as they show limitations as well as benefits. "Rankings are just one measure applicants should use," says Kathy Harvey, director of the EMBA programme at the Said Business School. The article goes on to highlight the issues with the way the rankings are compiled.

UK Managers Lacking Confidence in Senior Leaders

Only 36% of UK managers believe in their senior leaders, research by Edgecumbe Consulting Group suggests. Jon Cowell, Director at Edgecumbe Consulting Group and Associate Fellow at Oxford University's Saïd Business School, comments that the research implies leaders remain locked into a crisis mentality and this must change in order for the company to achieve success.

China's Explosive Debt Growth Can't Continue Much Longer

Article by Michael Pettis, a professor at Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, discussing overinvestment in China. Pettis comments on Saïd Business School's, Bent Flyvbjerg's, article, "Survival of the unfittest: why the worst infrastructure gets builtïand what we can do about it".

Cranfield Links with Prodigy to Secure MBA Student Loans

Cranfield School of Management has become the second UK business school to introduce an MBA loan scheme that enables prospective students to finance their degree through a fund organised by London-based Prodigy Finance and invested in by the university, alumni and friends of the school. Article notes that the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School formerly announced its scheme with Prodigy in December.

Jeff Randall Live: 7:50pm

The Daily Telegraph's cartoon 'Alex' is a contract indicator, according to research at Oxford University's Said Business School.

Disclosures Are Found to Change Financial Behaviour

Including financial disclosures on credit card statements can change financial behaviour, according to preliminary findings of an ongoing study. The study also found that translating complex financial calculations into plain language isn't so easy to do.The authors included Peter Tufano, dean of the Said Business School at Oxford University.

GAAR would remove competitive disadvantage, says BP's Head of Tax

The general anti-avoidance rule proposed by Graham Aaronson's study group and now being considered by the government is a realistic response to today's politics and would create a level playing field in the UK, according to John Bartlett, Head of Tax at BP plc. Bartlett, one of six tax experts who formed Aaronson's advisory committee, told delegates at a conference hosted by the Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation that the GAAR would ensure that 'the vast majority of corporates who do not undertake abusive planning are not at a competitive disadvantage to the few who do'.

Greek Rescue: package some economists to win billions from

Leading German economists have welcomed the agreement on the second rescue package for Greece. Oxford Professor Clemens Fuest from Saïd Business School gives his views on the potential success of the package, commenting although the package does deserve respect, it will probably have to be renegotiated and readjusted.

Video: Oxford atrai estudantes pelos seus sïculos de tradiïïo e ensino

Feature in Portuguese on Latin Americans studying at Oxford, and the distinctive nature of an Oxford education. Features interviews with Stephan Chambers, Director of the MBA programme; Brazilian MBA students Rafael Araujo and Guilherme Avila; and Anna Farrus, admissions officer for the Business School. Also includes interviews with Dr Timothy Power, Director of the Latin American Centre; Loren Griffith, Director of International Strategy at Oxford, who discusses funding for students; and Fabio Dragone, a former student at the Said Business School.

Danish professor to save Britain billions

Bent Flyvbjerg, a Danish professor from Oxford University's Saïd Business School, talks about his creation of a new training program that aims to strengthen the governance of mega-projects. The program is specially designed for British officials, and is called 'Major Programme Management'. Professor Flyvbjerg will accept the first 25 officers in October.

Keep calm and carry on

Life isn't as flush as it used to be for private-equity and British outfits, which managed £146 billion ($234 billion) and 19% of global buy-out assets in June 2011, are having a tougher time than their American peers. "Death is slow in private equity, and it's not in penury," says Tim Jenkinson.

University Teams Tap Mobile Phones and Social Networks to Fight Non-communicable Diseases

Two teams from Saïd were runners up in the the NCD Challenge, a global competition sponsored by IBM and Novartis, designed to bring together industry and academia to create innovative, easy-to-use solutions that fight the human and social burden of NCDs.

Alex - the cartoon banker with a remarkable feel for the markets

Oxford University's Saïd Business School has analysed the text of the last 5,800 Alex cartoons to see how the wording and subjects correlate with financial, social and political trends. The results are fascinating.

Goldman's P.R. Chief to Retire

Article about the retirement of Goldman Sachs public relations chief, Lucas van Praag, mentions a memo from Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein describing van Praag as a visiting fellow at Oxford University's Saïd Business School.

Back to school for civil servants who waste public money

Senior civil servants will have to go back to school to learn how to manage large capital projects after evidence emerged that tens of billions of pounds of taxpayers' money has been wasted. Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office Minister, will announce plans today for a major projects leadership academy in partnership with the Saïd Business School in Oxford.

Are Credit Ratings Massively Overrated?

A striking new paper by two economists Mungo Wilson of Saïd Business School and Jens Hilscher Brandeis University fundamentally questions the informational content of credit ratings. How "incomprehensible and irrational" are the assessments of Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch?

Our politicians should be called to account

Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister, took a small step in the right direction yesterday by announcing a new project leadership academy at the Said Business School in Oxford, aimed at teaching mandarins how to manage big-ticket projects.

Whitehall Officials To Be Sent To Major Projects Leadership Academy

Whitehall officials will be sent back to the classroom before being allowed to run major public projects like the new high-speed rail link, ministers said today.

The Today Programme

Carmaker BMW has said it regrets the decision to name the cold front that has killed some 100 people in Germany after the Mini Cooper. Allyson Stewart-Allen, Said Business School Associate Fellow and international marketing expert who runs International Marketing Partners, explains what brands can to avoid such marketing disasters.

(0:42:30 on timeclock)

Europe's top ten MBA schools favoured by employers

Oxford's Saïd came third in the list of top ten European MBA schools. A majority of graduates went into the finance sector, while the average base salary for its graduates across all sectors was $100,800.

RelayGB

Kris Chadwick, programme administrator at Saïd will kick off the RelayGB event, running a marathon distance from Buckingham Palace to Gravesend raising money for Brain Tumor UK.

Download Krisandmattc.mp3 - Kiwi6.com Mp3 Upload

Global MBA ranking 2012

The FT's global business education rankings, published today, rate the Saïd Business School at Oxford 20th in the world, up from 27th last year, and 2nd in the UK. The School is also ranked 6th for entrepreneurship, 9th for corporate social responsibility, and in the top 25 for starting salary.

A real-life experience

The Saïd Business School has launched a pre-MBA internship programme, which is designed to introduce students to new work opportunities before they join the one year full-time MBA programme at Oxford. Derek Walker, director of careers at the Saïd Business School, said that students considering a career change will benefit from a focused experience in a specific industry, giving them a competitive edge in their post-MBA career search.

FT Sightsavers MBA Challenge

The Financial Times is partnering with Sightsavers, the FT's chosen charity for its 2011-12 seasonal appeal, to set a challenge for MBA participants to develop a business plan to market glasses to children and young people in Africa or Asia. Peter Tufano, Dean of the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School, will be one of the competition's judges.

Bain or blessing?

The buy-out industry is under attack for destroying jobs. But its returns to investors are the real problem. A recent attempt to analyse private-equity performance, co-authored by Tim Jenkinson of Saïd Business School concludes that it is "very likely" that private equity outperforms the S&P 500 (after fees). Ludovic Phallipou points out that there is also a question about how private-equity firms calculate their internal rate of returns which can overstate the actual returns investors realised.

The Right Idea in the Wrong Place

High-speed passenger rail is a commendable public policy goal that can provide valuable benefits to the public, but should only be pursued where it makes economic sense. The proposed high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco is unlikely to do so and as costs spiral research by the Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg shows that costs are underestimated for rail projects by about 45 percent on average.

Lord Patten calls for BBC local radio U-turn

Speaking from the Oxford Media Convention at Saïd Business School Lord Patten calls for the BBC to perform a U-turn on planned cuts to local radio by putting back £10 million it had planned to axe.

The Doge of Qatar

MBA alumnus Samir Boutamdja discusses the role Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, has played in the Arab Spring.

Saïd wants a new Thatcher-ed roof

Wafic Saïd wants to name the new building on Park End Street after his close friend Margaret Thatcher. Saïd revealed his intentions in an interview with The Spectator, although the University has not confirmed the businessman's proposal.

MINI praised over its recall handling

Mini bosses praised for their "decisive and prompt" action in issuing a worldwide recall of 235,000 cars that were deemed potentially unsafe. Rupert Younger, director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation, in the article said BMW's decisive move to make the recall would minimise damage to the MINI brand.

Retail Crime on the increase

According to a report published by the British Retail Consortium, retail crime went up by almost one third this year costing the countries shops £1.4 billion. In Oxfordshire there were more than 2,500 reported incidents between April and December in 2011. Commenting on the report Paul Chapman dismissed that organised crime or recession were wholly to blame for the increase. He states the increase of these figures could be down to retailers incompetence.

1 hour and 7 mins on the timeclock.

California's High-Speed Rail Fibs

The California High Speed Rail Peer Review Group express serious doubts about the proposed Los Angeles-San Francisco rail system and mention research led by Oxford University's Professor Bent Flyvbjerg which reviewed large transport projects over the last 80 years and found a systematic pattern of deception.

Berlin clings to austerity, despite pleas

Article on whether Germany should be continuing to follow an austerity strategy or spending its way out of the economic crisis includes comment from Professor Clemens Fuest of Oxford University, who said that it was not possible to say that austerity generally led to higher growth, especially in a currency union where individual countries do not have any real control over their exchange rates.

In a world of squeezed incomes, business 'aliens' quietly thrive

Thomas Noe comments on the public concern over rising executive pay and explains that much of the growth in executive pay in the US, and probably in the UK too, could be explained by an increase in company size.

Greek Exit Would Mean Chain Reaction, Fuest Tells Handelsblatt

Oxford University professor Clemens Fuest says an exit from the euro by Greece would cause a chain reaction in other crisis countries within the currency area as citizens rush to withdraw savings from banks.