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CIC_two-thirdsBizEdAd2.qxd 5/25/07 9:53 AM Page 1 they exited; another group was not told of the survey in advance. The researchers found that custom- ers who knew about the survey in advance offered more negative comments than those who were sur- prised with the survey upon exiting. Simonson and Ofir hope that their research will help companies better conceive and conduct their surveys to elicit customers' most accurate opinions. "The mere fact that consumers are told in advance to form evaluations leads them to believe that they are expected to focus on negative aspects," Simon- son writes in their paper. That assumption, say the researchers, can unwittingly change customer responses and behaviors. VCs Are No Angels For Internet Startups A study forthcoming in the Journal of Business Venturing suggests that while the support of venture capital- ists (VCs) may be beneficial to most startups, it may be less helpful for Internet businesses. The involve- ment of venture capitalists actually decreases the chances of success for Internet startups, according to finance professors Narayanan Jayara- man of the Georgia Institute of Technology's College of Manage- ment in Atlanta, Omesh Kimi of Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business in Atlanta, and Bharat A. Jain of Towson Univer- sity's College of Business and Eco- nomics in Maryland. In their paper, "The Path to Profitability of Internet IPO Firms," the three researchers examined 160 Internet firms that staged initial public offerings (IPOs) during the dot-com boom of 1996 to 2000. BizEd JULY/AUGUST 2007 61 The road to success begins with a commitment to excellence best achieved through continuous improvement. This conference is critical for busi- ness schools seeking to achieve or maintain AACSB accreditation. Explore strategies for driving change, fostering innovation, and improving the quality of your school's curricula, faculty and staff, assessment program, and more. For the agenda and to register, visit: www.aacsb.edu/conferences Continuous Improvement Conference September 16-18, 2007 St. Louis, Missouri, USA The Road Ahead: Driving Toward Higher Standards and Beyond AACSB International Conferences