VALUE OF PART-TIME MBA PROGRAM TOUTED AT BUSINESS WEEK ONLINE

Dean Sidney Harris sat down with Business Week Online in New York in October to discuss the value of the part-time MBA program for working professionals. He also highlighted the diversity experienced at the Robinson College, the rising interest in the program, and the quality of faculty and students. In addition, he referenced the College's program strengths for the future, including electronic commerce, international business and entrepreneurship. The entire video interview may be viewed at robinson.gsu.edu or at businessweekcom. In a related article on the Business Week web site, Dean Harris told the magazine, "Those of us focusing on the part-time MBA market see an opportunity to drive our brand internationally," The magazine noted the dean's leadership role as chair of the MBA for Working Professionals Affinity Group, comprised of deans from accredited business schools in the AACSB, the accrediting body for business schools.

FORECAST'S TIMELINESS IS MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR FORECAST ACCURACY

Selecting the right analyst to rely on for investments can be a daunting task when you consider the size and number of firms and analysts, The most important factor when considering an analyst is the timeliness of a forecast or forecast recency, according to Dr. Larry Brown, Controllers RoundTable Research Professor in the School of Accountancy. Dr Brown's research was reported by Money.net in October.

In addition, Smartmoney.com relied on Dr Brown in its January 31 and February I issues for a study on "estimate dispersion," or company earnings that show a wide range in analysts' estimates. Specifically, the magazine asserted that companies with a wide range of earnings estimates tend to trade at lower valuations than comparable companies about which the future is more certain. Brown advised the magazine to use a gauge called the "coefficient of variation," which measures the amount of disagreement in a company's earnings estimates. Brown also received coverage in Bloomberg Personal Finance magazine in March on analysts and earnings estimates and in The New York Times in November on earnings surprise strategies.

MARKETERS MORE SENSITIVE TO CHANGING NEEDS OF SENIORS

Today's seniors are more active and educated than their predecessors, although many may still suffer from some of the same physical problems. One thing is for certain, however, as the baby boomer generation matures: "The importance of this market (seniors) will increase:' said Dr. George Moschis, Alfred A Bernhardt Research Professor and director of the Center for Mature Consumer Studies, in The Washington Post in February. The market has "a lot more buying power than people give it credit for" he said. "Success lies in selling them in a way that doesn't stigmatize." Moschis was also quoted in the American Demographics November 2000 issue for an article on marketing to today's older consumers.

ROBINSON STUDENT APPEARS ON "WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?"

Finance major Sonia Likimani, a 22-year-old junior, represented the Robinson College of Business and Georgia State University on December 21 I when she competed with some of the nation's best and brightest undergraduate students on the "College Edition" of ABC's hit show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Likimani was one of eight students from Georgia chosen to compete and the only one from Georgia State University of the 30 students chosen nationwide, The show's producers selected Likimani from approximately 375 students in Atlanta, which was one of six audition sites nationwide. Each finalist had to pass a 30-question written test before advancing to a videotaped interview with a Millionaire producer. Those who advanced to the interview stage were selected based on poise, sense of humor and television presence.

PROFESSOR'S INTERNET RESEARCH CITED

Naveen Donthu, Katherine S. Bernhardt Research Professor, had his research on the quality of Internet sites cited in the November 28, 2000, e-business column of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.