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30 May/June 2014 BizEd Talks on Tap Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand L ast year, Victoria Business School's associate dean for research invited faculty to suggest ways to engage the external com- munity with the school's scholar- ship. The winning idea came from Dan Laufer, associate professor of marketing and head of the School of Marketing and International Business. Laufer conceived "Ideas on Tap," a series of informal monthly research presentations held at The Thistle Inn, a local pub near the university's campus. Held for the first time in Septem- ber 2013, Ideas on Tap employs an informal structure that dem- onstrates to the community that academic research has practical applications for business. The Thistle Inn was chosen as the venue for Ideas on Tap not only because of its proximity to the cam- pus and government facilities, but also because of its historic signifi- cance. Originally built in 1855 and rebuilt in 1866 after a fire, the pub holds a special place in the commu- nity. "It is important that the image of the restaurant fit the reputation of the school," says Laufer. To choose each topic, Ann Thompson, the Victoria Business School's manager of stakeholder relations, confers with the faculty presenter in advance. The school publicizes the events by plac- ing spots in the local media and sending emails to individuals on community mailing lists. Such advertising doesn't just boost atten- dance—it also builds awareness about the school's research. The Each talk has attracted as many attendees as the venue can han- dle—around 30. The small audi- ence is perfect to support informal discussion, says Laufer. Ideas on Tap also has engaged the commu- nity, just as the associate dean of research wanted. Government rep- resentatives who attended the first talk on crisis management already have asked the school to arrange crisis communications seminars to train public officials. Attendance at a February talk on how information technology impacts productivity by Benoit Aubert, professor of information systems, grew so large that the group had to move to a bigger space upstairs. If the trend contin- ues, the school might consider an alternative venue, but would like to keep the intimate atmosphere that The Thistle Inn has offered. A pub may seem an unortho- dox location to highlight business research, but by choosing such an informal venue, business schools can take research out of the ivory tower and into the mainstream, Laufer emphasizes. That kind of engagement, he adds, makes a significant positive impact on the business community—and on the business school's reputation. school asks for RSVPs so that pre- senters know attendees' employers and job titles in advance and can tailor examples to the audience. Ideas on Tap topics link to cur- rent events and trends. In the inau- gural presentation, Laufer explored ways consumers react to product crises, which tied into news of con- taminated products made by New Zealand-based milk conglomerate Fonterra. In October, management professor John Davies spoke on sports team management, a topic that appealed to fans and players of rugby, the country's most popu- lar sport. The school plans to hold three talks each semester. Each talk lasts just 20 minutes and is followed by a 30-minute Q&A session. That brevity forces faculty to quickly highlight examples and emphasize takeaways, says Laufer. Ideas on Tap takes research out of the ivory tower and into the mainstream. Dan Laufer (left), head of the School of Marketing and International Business and associate professor of marketing at Victoria Business School, stands in front of The Thistle Inn with John Davies, professor of management and associate dean, international and executive education. Haub School of Business U.S. News & World Report No. 11 Undergraduate Risk Management & Insurance No. 13 Undergraduate Marketing Program No. 15 Executive MBA No. 16 Graduate Marketing No. 18 Graduate Finance No. 57 Online Graduate Business No. 81 Professional MBA No. 101 Best Undergraduate Business Program Bloomberg's BusinessWeek Top 100 Undergraduate Business Schools PayScale No. 4 Best R.O.I. by Business Schools Princeton Review Best 295 Business Schools Eduniversal No. 27 Master of Science in Managing Human Capital No. 39 Master of Science in Business Intelligence & Analytics No. 45 Master of Science and MBA in Food Marketing No. 99 Pharmaceutical & Healthcare MBA for Executives sju.edu/haub Saint Joseph's University | Haub School of Business | Philadelphia, PA 19131 Excellence. Haub has it.