Knowledge at Wharton

Now a billion dollar company Under Armour began with a single product -- a form-fitting moisture-wicking shirt that founder and CEO Kevin Plank developed to remedy his own problems with perspiration after a long day on the football field. At a recent presentation co-sponsored by the Wharton Leadership Lectures and the Jay H. Baker Retailing Initiative Plank discussed the company’s growth trajectory and shared the principles and slogans that guide him in his efforts to build ”the biggest baddest brand on the planet.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Technology is transforming the world of philanthropy in ways that should ultimately give a voice to those people whom the charities aim to help  according to Mari Kuraishi co-founder and president of GlobalGiving a nonprofit that connects donors with groups that manage charitable projects via the web. In a keynote speech at the recent Wharton Social Impact Conference Kuraishi outlined the ways in which organizations are becoming more effective and shared insights from the sometimes tough lessons she has learned along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After nearly 20 years in the hospitality industry Wyndham Worldwide chairman and CEO Stephen Holmes says he has seen several ”shifts” in the sector -- from the way that consumers plan their vacations to what they expect to find when they stay at a hotel. The most recent catalyst for change has been the global economic downturn. Wyndham -- one of the world’s largest hospitality companies -- has weathered that storm and has actually grown since the recession began. In an interview with Knowledge at Wharton Holmes discusses what changes he has witnessed in the industry why timeshares have done surprisingly well during the downturn and what makes his stay at a hotel a happy one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These should be heady times for Jim Goodnight founder and CEO of SAS Institute an analytics software and services firm. His company bucked the economic downturn to make 2009 its third most profitable year on record and it is currently working on cutting-edge solutions to problems that range from advising Macy’s on product pricing to tracking a handful of endangered hippos in Africa. But during a recent presentation at Wharton Goodnight noted that his biggest priority these days is helping American schools turn out more scientists and mathematicians a goal he said is critical if the U.S wants to remain competitive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patience was the quality that best served LG Electronics during its seemingly rapid transformation from a relatively obscure maker of commodity goods to a premium brand. During a recent Wharton Leadership Lecture Michael Ahn who guided the branding effort for LG Electronics North America before stepping down as the group’s president and CEO last year described how the Korea-based company -- after four decades of marketing low-cost products under the Goldstar name -- successfully went upscale as the re-christened LG brand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once defined by the red envelopes used to deliver DVDs for its mail order service Netflix has turned its focus toward allowing subscribers to stream movies and other programming directly to their computers and television sets. The move has reaped rewards including an increasing customer base but created friction with the entertainment and technology companies Netflix competes with -- and in many cases relies on for gaining access to content. Wharton marketing professors Peter Fader and Raghuram Iyengar and operations and information management professor Kartik Hosanagar recently spoke with Knowledge at Wharton about what the future may hold for Netflix. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hopes for an accelerated economic recovery in the United States were dealt a blow last week by a dismal jobs report for November -- including an unexpected rise in the unemployment rate. This news adds more fuel to the growing feeling among many economists that it will likely be several years before the jobless rate falls to what is considered a normal level. The continued atmosphere of uncertainty experts say has potential long-term consequences for businesses and employees alike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A ”cowboy”-like confidence propelled UBS Americas CEO Robert Wolf from the football field to Wall Street and up the leadership chain. But much like the industry that supported his 26-year rise Wolf has discovered that brazen bravado has its limits. During a recent Wharton Leadership Lecture Wolf discussed his career in the banking industry why he is stepping down from his current role and why Wall Street is better off now than it was before the crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julian Assange the Australian founder of WikiLeaks the controversial website that has been posting classified government documents is now being held without bail in the U.K. awaiting extradition to Sweden on a rape charge. But sensational news aside his site’s recent release of confidential U.S. State Department cables has opened up a fundamental debate over privacy of information versus public access on the open web. It also has implications for businesses and corporations with sensitive information to shield according to experts at Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the world of web browsers it’s beginning to look a lot like the 1990s. Back then the Internet was just starting to become an integral part of daily life and Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer vied for control of the market. This time around the browser battle includes an increasing number of competitors most notably Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. Newcomers like RockMelt a start-up that promises to integrate web browsing with social networking are banking on innovative new features to stand out. But does winning the browser space mean much in environments -- like mobile devices -- that increasingly focus on standalone web-connected apps? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.