Gary Green ’80: Finance Alumnus to be Honored at Vision & Visionaries Event

Gary Green '80, a Southern California banking executive and Mihaylo College alumnus active in the Executive Council.

Commercial banking executive and Mihaylo alumnus Gary Green ’80 (finance) has supported his alma mater through involvement in the Mihaylo Executive Council, business education programs and planning university events.

Mihaylo finance alumnus and commercial banking executive Gary Green ’80 will be honored at Cal State Fullerton’s annual Vision & Visionaries event on Feb. 20 for his involvement with his alma mater and the Orange County community. 

When Gary Green ’80 (finance) graduated from the Cal State Fullerton business program, he embarked on a decades-long commercial banking career, yet he never lost his passion for his alma mater.

“Cal State Fullerton has equipped me with knowledge that has served as a strong foundation for my career,” he says. “In turn, my success has given me the opportunity to positively impact today’s students.”

Currently executive vice-president and Orange County manager for commercial banking at California Bank & Trust, Green oversees four retail branch offices and two commercial loan centers. In light of the rash of foreclosures and bankruptcies that accompanied the Great Recession, he has been influential in supporting financial literacy outreach, ensuring that consumers and local business leaders are making calculated and informed choices that will benefit the local economy.

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Mihaylo MBA Students Get Firsthand Look at Vietnam’s Transformation

Mihaylo College MBA students pose in front of the Intel logo during their visit to the company's facility in Saigon, Vietnam, in early 2016.

Mihaylo MBA students learned about Vietnam’s rapidly-expanding high-tech manufacturing sector during their January visit to the Intel facility in Saigon. The nation is experiencing rapid economic growth as it attracts foreign investment.

A group of Mihaylo MBA students visited Vietnam in January to experience the interconnected economies of the Pacific Rim. Their visit to Vietnam afforded a firsthand look at a rapidly-expanding transition economy with emerging business opportunities.  

Vietnam is among the fastest-growing economies in the world, rapidly transforming into a regional and global leader in attracting and retaining foreign investment in coming years. The country has enjoyed one of the highest GDP growth rates in the world over the past decade, reaching 6.5% in 2015, with industry and construction powering the nation’s expansion.

Vietnam’s rapid expansion is fueled by foreign direct investment (FDI) in manufacturing as companies relocate their operations to the nation from China in favor of Vietnam’s lower labor costs. FDI reached $10 billion in 2014 and was likely about $12 billion in 2015.

Experiencing Vietnam’s Dynamism

Experiencing a vibrant global business environment is a valuable learning opportunity for Mihaylo MBA students. This group of students visited Vietnam’s largest city Saigon, officially known as Ho Chi Minh City, as part of their study tour of Asia this January. Their tour of the modern metropolis of more than 8 million people included panel discussions and meetings at local businesses, including a stop at Intel Vietnam, the world’s largest computer chip plant, representative of Vietnam’s expanding technology industry. More than 80% of the company’s latest central processing unit (CPU) model have been made in the country. While meeting senior leaders at Intel, students gained a better understanding of the unique challenges facing businesses in Vietnam as well as opportunities for future growth.

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Five Reasons You Should Study Abroad This Summer

A group of Mihaylo College students pose beneath the Great Wall of China during a study abroad trip in 2015.

Mihaylo students at the Great Wall of China in 2015. They visited Tianjin, Shanghai and Beijing during their tour of the world’s second-largest economy.

Looking to expand your résumé this summer? Consider exploring the world through CSU Fullerton’s study abroad opportunities, which provide a firsthand look at dynamic economies and developing markets.

In today’s interconnected world, experiencing the global economy firsthand can give you a major leg up on academic and professional development. Here’s five reasons you should consider studying abroad this year.

  1. Study abroad improves your employment prospects.

According to IESAbroad, 97% of college students who studied abroad found employment within one year of graduation, compared with 49% of graduating students generally. “There is no profession in 2016 and beyond that doesn’t have an international component,” says Jack Hobson, director of CSU Fullerton’s Study Abroad programs. “Graduating students are entering one of the most complex and competitive work environments that the U.S. has seen in many decades.  They must find ways to quickly set themselves apart from the many other applicants for professional positions as well as graduate school admission. Study abroad is one of the ways students can demonstrate a willingness to go the extra mile, place themselves in unfamiliar environments and explore who they really are.”

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Are You Making Good Investment Choices?

A young woman ponders her financial future as she looks at a plastic piggybank.

Mihaylo Finance Associate Professor Ajay Bhootra recommends that business students develop a versatile savings and investment plan for use throughout the market cycle. Image from Pixabay.

Stock market investments, such as mutual funds, play an important role in the financial portfolios of millions of Americans. Mihaylo Finance Associate Professor Ajay Bhootra discusses his studies of mutual fund performance and investor reaction to risk.

In today’s world of 401(k) retirement plans, health savings accounts and educational savings plans, many Americans strive for a diversified investment portfolio that will maximize the ups of financial markets and minimize the downturns. Mutual funds are among the most popular investment choices.

Mihaylo Finance Associate Professor Ajay Bhootra examined mutual fund performance in his 2015 study, “Mutual Fund Performance: Luck or Skill?” “The bulk of evidence points to a mediocre average performance for these funds. In fact, the evidence suggests that a majority of these funds are unable to outperform their passive benchmarks,” says Bhootra. “Yet it is puzzling that the actively managed fund industry has experienced significant growth over the years.”

Skill, Luck, and Risk-Seeking Behavior

Bhootra examines whether the mutual funds that do outperform the market do so because of skill or chance. “While we are not the first to study this question, our research employs a statistical approach that has not been previously applied in this context,” he says. “Our key finding is that a small number of actively managed equity mutual funds do exhibit superior performance that is attributable to manager skill. Our evidence offers a rational justification for the existence and growth of these funds. Personally, I believe most investors are still better off investing in low-cost index funds, as identifying skilled fund managers is challenging.”

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Super Bowl Ads: Is $4 Million for 30 Seconds Worth It?

The logo of Super Bowl 50 in 2016, one of the most-watched events in television history and one of the most-promoted events in American sports history.

The logo for Super Bowl 50, which will be played at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 7, 2016.

The Super Bowl is often the most-watched television event of the year and with that distinction comes unparalleled advertising opportunities. Cal State Fullerton Marketing Professor Steven Chen discusses the marketing and cultural impact of the Super Bowl.

This Sunday, the freeways and city streets will be quiet as tens of millions of Americans gather with friends and family to watch the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers face off at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., for Super Bowl 50, the golden anniversary of America’s defining annual sports championship.

“The Super Bowl is the king of sports events,” Mihaylo Marketing Professor Steven Chen says. “Nothing compares to its viewership, cultural impact and marketing scope in the U.S.”

In 2015, 115 million people watched Super Bowl XLIX, making it the most watched television broadcast in the nation’s history. By comparison, an average of only 14.7 million people watched each of the World Series games last year. “The Super Bowl is a one-game event, which adds to the excitement and interest level, compared to the multi-game championships for baseball, basketball and hockey,” he notes.

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Why “Giving Back” Is Good for Business

Cal State San Bernardino students show their bare feet for TOMS One Day Without Shoes in 2012, which showcases the need for adequate footwear for the world's underprivileged.

Students at CSU San Bernardino participate in the TOMS’ One Day Without Shoes event on Apr. 10, 2012. The annual event raises awareness and support for the millions of people around the world, especially children, lacking access to adequate footwear. Image from Angela E. Rodriguez.

Many of today’s business students are not only focused on innovation but also philanthropy and social responsibility. Mihaylo Center for Entrepreneurship Director John Bradley Jackson discusses the trend toward socially responsible for-profit business models.

In 2002, Blake Mycoskie first visited Argentina while competing in the reality television program “The Amazing Race.” Returning to the South American country in 2006, he was struck by the poverty of the less-fortunate residents of the Buenos Aires area.

Combining his passion for helping others and entrepreneurial innovation, Mycoskie founded Playa del Rey-based TOMS Shoes, an enterprise world-renowned for its socially responsible “one-for-one” model, in which one pair of shoes is given to an impoverished child for each pair they sell to consumers. More than 50 million pairs of shoes have been donated through this program. As the company has grown, it has expanded its philanthropic efforts to include providing optometry care and sustainable drinking water solutions for residents of developing countries and sponsoring the annual One Day Without Shoes event, which raises awareness for the millions of people around the world without adequate footwear.

Giving Feels Good, But It’s Also Good for Business

“Giving feels good, but it’s also good for the bottom line. Charity is a viable growth strategy for a lot of companies,” Mycoskie says. “Our customers get excited to be a part of what we’re doing. If you ask anyone wearing TOMS how they first heard about us, most won’t mention an advertisement; they’ll say a friend told them our story.”

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Are You Safe Online? Tips for Digital Privacy

A young woman looks at her smartphone while sitting in an urban park.

With smartphones, iPads, laptops and personal computers, many of us are almost constantly online. Is your information protected?

Understanding how to protect your personal information online is essential in today’s wired world. Mihaylo ISDS Professor Ofir Turel discusses strategies for staying safe for National Data Privacy Day.

If you are like most college students, then you’re online for a significant portion of your day.  Whether you’re signing up for classes, looking to buy a discounted course book, or just chatting with friends on Facebook, much of your daily life is lived online.  According to Nielsen’s Total Audience Report, American adults use electronic media on average more than 11 hours per day. Digital media provides unprecedented opportunities for communication, shopping, research and entertainment, but it also raises a multitude of privacy concerns.

Your Personal Information May Be At Risk

The downside to living so much of your life online is that there are many ways your personal and financial information can be made available to people if they are interested in finding it.  It’s important to protect yourself.  Below, we offer a few tips on how to get started.

“Many users care about their privacy but fail to take proactive steps to maintain it,” says Ofir Turel, professor of information systems and decision sciences at Cal State Fullerton’s Mihaylo College of Business and Economics.

To increase awareness of the need for online privacy, in 2014 the U.S. Congress designated January 28 as the annual National Data Privacy Day.

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Mihaylo Finance Student Martina Edberg ’17 Has Her Sights Set on a Pro Golf Career

Martina Edberg '17, a Mihaylo College finance student and Titan golfer, poses in her Titan Athletics golf outfit.

Mihaylo finance junior Martina Edberg’17 has her sights set on a professional golf career with the LPGA. She is currently on the CSU Fullerton women’s golf team.

The first CSU Fullerton golfer to win the Big West Conference Championship individual title, Mihaylo finance student Martina Edberg ’17 aspires to a professional career on the LPGA.  Edberg discusses her upbringing in Sweden, future goals and the value of her business education.

“My inspiration for an athletic career has been the chance to compete and pursue things that I never thought were possible,” Mihaylo finance junior Martina Edberg ’17 says. “I’ve learned that when I work hard, it pays off in the end.”

Gymnastics to Diving to Golf to Orange County

Edberg has come a long way in her personal and professional journey. She grew up in Glumslov, Sweden, a town of about 2,000 people near the Swedish-Danish border. Her family — father Jonas, mother Julia and younger sister Madeleine – have always been supportive of her athletic aspirations, which began with an interest in gymnastics.

She later emulated Swedish springboard diver Anna Lindberg and took up diving, yet this endeavor was cut short due to ear problems. Finally, at age 13, she developed her current passion for golf, inspired by two of her uncles and taking advantage of the fairways at Hooks Herrgard Golfklubb, one of Sweden’s premier golf destinations. Edberg was on Sweden’s youth national golf team, which won the European Championships in 2013.

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Are You Addicted to Facebook?

Pedestrians are urged to get off their smartphones in this street sign, emblematic of our tech-obsessed culture.

A sign warning Facebook users to pay attention while walking through a crowded downtown area. While useful communication media, uncontrolled use can manifest as addiction-like symptoms.

You could be. Automatic and uncontrolled use of technologies such as social media in a manner resembling the addictive use of substances is increasingly recognized as a problem for millions of Americans, including many young adults. Mihaylo ISDS Professor Ofir Turel discusses the roots of such behaviors from a neuroscience perspective.

Social networks such as Facebook have assisted individuals and enterprises in building and enriching relationships locally and globally. Yet these tools have also been associated with behavior similar to that observed with drug addicts for some users. Research studies from the United States and other developed countries suggest that between 0.7% and 11% of the population demonstrate technology addiction with higher figures likely among adolescents and young adults. Many more individuals present less severe addiction-like symptoms.

What are the neurological roots of these technology addictions? Are they similar to the issues observed in traditional addictions, such as substance abuse and gambling?

Mihaylo ISDS Professor Ofir Turel and a team from the University of Southern California (USC) led by Antoine Bechara are among the first to examine Facebook addiction from a neurological perspective in a coauthored study of the neural activities of 20 users ages 18 to 23. Two key brain systems typically involved in addictions – the impulsive amygdala-striatal system and the inhibitory prefrontal cortex brain system – were examined.

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What the Rise of KPop Can Teach Marketing Students

The KPop band Brown Eyed Girls in concert in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The KPop band Brown Eyed Girls perform in Hanoi, Vietnam. The music genre has developed a devoted following throughout Asia and in such diverse regions as Europe and the Americas. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Mihaylo Marketing Professor Steven Chen researches product innovation and transnational popular culture. He discusses his new study on the global spread of Korean popular music.

How do marketers export a product to overseas consumers that may not understand the same language? In today’s globalized economy, this is a question increasingly asked of today’s marketing professionals.

While transnational enterprises have exported largely uniform products and services worldwide for decades, a newer trend of differentiating products to appeal to diverse global consumers has emerged. This has permitted concepts developed in not only the traditional industrialized countries of North America and Europe but also emerging economies in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere to develop a global following.

What Does This Have to Do With KPop?

Mihaylo Marketing Professor Steven Chen examined the strategies used to disseminate products by studying the global spread of Korean popular music, known as KPop. Named South Korea’s greatest export by Time magazine in 2012, the genre is popular throughout Asia, but also in Latin America, the United States and Western Europe. His study, in the journal International Marketing Review, involved a content analysis of 314 news articles on the allkpop.com website.

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