The Big Opportunity Blog

The Big Opportunity Blog explores current conversations and ideas from the world of business. These are insights into the thoughts of tomorrow's agents of change - our leading academics, business leaders and students. Shape your opinion on what matters.

Latest Posts

• The Business of Creating Social Dividends 24 Apr 2013

  I don’t know anything about the science of ecology, but that doesn’t mean I can’t apply my own brand of expertise to making a significant difference to the environment. As Business Development Manager of Greening Australia, it may seem strange that my background is actually in the seemingly unrelated fields of oil and finance. However, it’s because of this background that I’m now able to More

• The journey from employee to entrepreneur 17 Apr 2013

  I studied economics at Sydney Uni a long time ago… back in the day when ‘economics’ was still a faculty unto itself. I would spend hours sitting in the Wolstenholme Library trying to make sense of something that to be honest I didn’t ever really grasp, but worse still I was never really interested in or passionate about. But I got through the degree (just!) and then I ‘did as I was told’ – More

• Can“Brand Mongolia” be a reality? 20 Mar 2013

  Recently the Mongolian Prime Minister started a conversation about the opportunity to create a new global brand. Let’s call it “Brand Mongolia”. It was reported that the Prime Minister pointed out that some countries represent a brand themselves, such as Scotch whisky, Swiss watches and Japanese cars and that Mongolia has yet to establish its own brand and unique signature in the world market. More

• Vending Happy Feet 6 Mar 2013

  I'm glad I don't wear high-heeled shoes on a night out, but I'm also glad there are those who do, because that's where Soleil Soles comes in to save the day (or night!) It was on a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland three years ago that the idea for Soleil Soles started forming. I was at a nightclub where I saw a cigarette vending machine that had been modified to sell shoes, and I thought it was a More

• Avoiding The Pitfalls Of Leadership Management 7 Feb 2013

  For the young and highly ambitious, learning to effectively manage leadership roles is one of the most difficult challenges they’ll ever face. Indeed, over-commitment to multiple leadership opportunities and a failure to fully grasp the demands of those positions can play a big part in curtailing the development of this vital skill. First and foremost, quality of leadership stems from the More

• See all The Big Opportunity Blog posts

MBA Blog

Latest Posts

• The need for leadership in risky conditions 13 Dec 2012

  By Professor Suresh Cuganesan The recent sentencing of UBS rogue trader Kweku Adoboli continues a series of scandals in the financial services sector (think Barclays Bank, HSBC, JP Morgan, Lloyds Bank). However, financial services are not alone in experiencing an … Continue reading →

• A new look at leadership 26 Nov 2012

  By Mike Jenner, he is the co-leader of the Leadership Practice and Development Unit within the University of Sydney Business School’s new MBA degree. He is also the founder of in•flu•ence, a leadership development consulting practice. Mike has an MBA … Continue reading →

• Elements of risk and the creation of value 9 Nov 2012

  By Associate Professor Nigel Finch One of the fundamental skills required by any business leader is the ability to make decisions. Tough calls on major decisions can turn out to be the defining moments of a successful career – or … Continue reading →

• Strategic Agility and Global Business 30 Oct 2012

  By Professor Suresh Cuganesan, Professor in Organisational Control and Performance Post GFC many organizational leaders are focused on short-term performance gains, extracting costs out of their business and optimizing growth opportunities within their existing business models – trying to extract more … Continue reading →

• The Personal and the Professional 12 Oct 2012

  By Dr Kristine Dery, Senior Lecturer of Work and Organisational Studies When designing our new MBA program, we set out to achieve two important objectives. Firstly, we wanted to put together a program that would help participants in the development of … Continue reading →

• See all MBA Blog posts

Marketing Matters

Latest Posts

• Are we prepared for the‘Technology’ in Information Technology? 16 May 2013

  “According to one recent report, in the next decade American colleges will mint 40,000 graduates with a bachelor's degree in computer science, though the U.S. economy is slated to create 120,000 computing jobs that require such degrees. You don't have to be a math major to do the math: That's three times as many jobs as we have people qualified to fill them.” – Kirk McDonald (Read more) Okay, ... Read More

• Are you ready to pay extra to protect your personal data? 14 May 2013

  European Union is already taking action to protect the personal data of their citizens. A proposed new data collection reform directly refers to the way companies are able to collect and use consumers’ personal information. With these protection rules to be elected by June this year, this new policy has become a highly controversial topic. EU officials believe that it could protect the ... Read More

• The Long Hard Road of Social Media 7 May 2013

  There has been plenty of hype surrounding the potential of social media as a low-cost, high-impact promotional tool for business. Much of the social media hype has been fuelled by the various success stories, in particular the YouTube sensations that have generated millions of views from relatively low-cost production videos. A few of the classic examples in recent years include Blendtec, Old ... Read More

• The end of one journey and the beginning of the rest of our lives 2 May 2013

  As I sat in the Great Hall of the University of Sydney on graduation day waiting patiently for my name to be called so that I could collect the degree that I had earned with its fair share of sacrifices along the way, I thought of what Graduation from the Master of Marketing Program at the University of Sydney meant to me. My immediate thoughts were: an upgrade in my LinkedIn profile, a few ... Read More

• Nike, Adidas, New Balance and PUMA Team Up for Boston 30 Apr 2013

  It’s hard not to feeling something when Boston is brought up. Amid tragedy, it’s undisputable that a sense of humanity is brought out in all of us. This is so clearly shown with sportswear rivals New Balance, Nike, PUMA and Adidas coming together to deliver a simple message of solidarity. Theirlatest print ad has a simple message: “Today we are in the same team.” It’s hard to be ... Read More

• See all Marketing Matters posts

Exchange and Study Abroad Blog

During their stay in locations around the world, Business School exchange students share their experiences of work, study and all else that is life.

Latest Posts

• The adventures of an exchange student 15 Jan 2013

  As I handed in my final exam paper, I realised that this was it - not only had my studies in China come to an end, but my five years of studying as an undergraduate student had been finally completed.... More

• Experiencing the Tsinghua student culture 19 Nov 2012

  The past couple of weeks at Tsinghua University have been keeping me extremely busy. At the same time, it has been a rewarding and worthwhile experience. My schedule was packed from morning to night everyday and only just managed to... More

• How is it already October?! 12 Oct 2012

  Hi everyone, please forgive me for not having updated my blog! Life has been busy in Boston! I am well and truly settled into my classes, and with mid-terms around the corner! I am taking three classes in the School... More

• My unforgettable journey to a place far away from Beijing 9 Oct 2012

  In order to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day of China, we were given a one-week long break from university. To make the most out of this break, I decided to be different by joining a local tour group travelling... More

• Life as a Beijing student 24 Sep 2012

  Hello everyone! My name is Daniel. I am a fifth year student studying a Bachelor of Commerce/Arts degree at the University of Sydney. After completing my two majors in Commerce (Accounting and Finance), I have arrived in Beijing to complete... More

• See all Exchange and Study Abroad Blog posts

US Placement Program Blogs

During their stay in the United States, participants in the Washington DC and Los Angeles Placement Programs share their experiences of work, study and all else that is life.

Washington DC Placement Program

• Life in DC 4 Mar 2013

  Well, it’s week 9 of 10, and I suppose that it is better late than never to start blogging. Time here has well and truly flown by, and I can hardly believe that there are less than two weeks before... More

• Working in the Senate 1 Mar 2013

  Like what Matt said in his entry, before I came onto this trip, the only real insight that anyone of us had into this program was from the previous entries. Being an intern in the Senate is one of the... More

• Halfway there! (livin'on a prayer) 16 Feb 2013

  More than halfway actually - here's a quick update on all the fun we've been having/ going to have - I would post pictures but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. - BOSTON THIS WEEKEND. After the... More

Los Angeles Placement Program

• First impressions of LA... 31 Jan 2013

  Having been lucky enough to spend some time on the East Coast of America on exchange at Boston University, I thought I had developed some sort of understanding about American culture that could be transposed in the city of LA.... More

• Meeting the Governor Michael Dukakis 13 Feb 2013

  Matt and Shruti at BOA Steakhouse Today, Matt, Jun and I had the amazing opportunity to hear Governor Michael Dukakis speak and meet him in person. It was fantastic, he had some really great ideas on how to move... More

• First Weeks in LA 31 Jan 2013

  We’re three weeks into our internships and study at UCLA and we’re loving every minute! The workload is tough, the assignments keep on coming and there’s not much time to just stop and soak it all in, but it’s definitely... More