Tear down these fences!

The video is in Dutch but available with subtitles. Hit CC if they don't show up from the start.

Don’t shoot the red monkey

Last Friday, I think we had our most controversial class. Prof Dr Dirk Buyens (Human Resource Management) warned us in advance. We were not deceived: Jef Staes is really different than previous lecturers. Given the affiliations and public profiles of some future guest lecturers, I doubt we will have anyone so different anymore.

In my opinion, in order to bring new ideas, you have to somehow be radical in your ideas. Or maybe it’s just the enthusiasm in the way to express those controversial ideas. Anyway Jef Staes began with the idea that if you don’t use twitter (he is @jefstaes) and every “social media” tools or if you don’t know how to publish a video clip of yourself on the internet, you are losing time in an MBA class. Take it literally and two students left the room because they couldn’t agree (and I think they were right to do so). Take it as a metaphor and you might agree that if you can’t use all the resources available to get the information, you have a handicap compared to other managers, compared to other teams.

Read Jean-Etienne's Blogpost here.

3 december 2011: No Guts, No Glory

The 30th edition of the International Marketing Congress in Ghent will address burning issues in marketing today, such as how to cope with new business models, how technologies are defining the playing field and why making a safe bet not always brings success.

But most of all, it will be about guts and the glory that comes with it. The courageous will be awarded. Dare to fail, risk will bring fame.

Jef Staes is one of the speakers on the second day of the congress. Information and Registration? Check the Conference website: http://www.smc2011.be/