BizEd

SeptOct2010

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From the Editors When the Light Bulb Goes On During a warm day in May, there was a power outage at the Tampa, Florida, headquarters of AACSB International—while the association was hosting a seminar with 36 people in attendance. The staff members on hand did what they could to keep participants cool and comfort- able until the electricity was restored. Events manager Dian Ginsberg was among the most creative: She found a flashlight, turned it on, and left it in the refrigerator to supply light any time someone went looking for a drink. Coming up with creative solutions to unexpected or intractable problems is one example of innovative thinking. Another is finding a way to improve upon common human experiences—like going to the mall to try to find a pair of shoes in the right size, right style, and right color. In fact, it was just such a frustrating retail experience that led Nick Swinmurn to found online shoe store Zappos.com. Today, Zappos is an Internet success story built around unflagging customer service and sustained by a quirky corporate cul- ture. Its approach to business has landed it on Fortune's list of best companies to work for and made it a frequent subject in case studies and business books. In this issue, Zappos COO Alfred Lin describes the company's unusual busi- ness model and explains how innovative thinking will help any new enterprise get off the ground. For those in the management education field, it is increasingly clear that innovation is an essential part of a business education. Recently, an AACSB Task Force released a report on innovation in the business school, in which it recommends that business schools explore ways to make their campuses more innovative. It also calls for schools to recognize and promote innovative initiatives already in place. The report and its impact are among the items dis- cussed by board chair Andrew Policano in "Snapshot: AACSB." In this issue, we also learn how a school like Case Western Reserve's Weatherhead School of Management has shifted the focus of its MBA pro- gram to "design thinking." The article "Management Meets Design" describes how Weatherhead students work closely with partner organizations to consider so-called wicked problems, combining business skills with design theories to produce elegant new solutions. Today's business students already know that the world is full of infuriating roadblocks, difficult dilemmas, and unexpected challenges. Armed with innovative thinking, they'll be prepared to tackle all three. Innovative thinking happens when they learn to solve old problems in new ways or new problems in creative ways. It happens when they figure out how to go around obstacles, solve tough problems, or turn opportunities into gold. As Dian could attest, that's when the light bulb goes on. ■ z 6 BizEd SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 BLEND IMAGES/PHOTOLIBRARY RAQUITA HENDERSON

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