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Bringing People Together: David Gonski on Life and Leadership
David Gonski, chancellor of the University of New South Wales, sees his leadership strength as an ability to bring people together. But he notes that different people have different leadership skills and different qualities are needed at different times. Although his career has taken him to the pinnacle of business and to key roles for government and cultural organisations, Gonski has never lost sight of the need for personal modesty and respect for others. Or, as it emerges in this conversation with Australian School of Business dean Geoffrey Garrett: the best way to be a good leader is to be a good person.

Knowledge@Australian School of Business 08/05/2013 - 21/05/2013

Online Shopping: How China Leads the Boom at Virtual Checkouts
Global growth in e-commerce is impressive, particularly in Asian countries where online shopping figures can astound. On a single day in 2012, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.com rang up more than US$3 billion in sales. This year, China's e-commerce market is expected to become the world's largest. Felix Tan, from the Australian School of Business, says developed nations can learn from this striking success. Chinese e-commerce operators take a holistic view of business and gain an edge with strategic management practices. Investment in partners creates collaborators and the use of social media engages shoppers for the long term. “The customer experience is very community-based and is extremely rounded, very consolidated,” Tan says.

Why Innovation Is Tough to Define - and Even Tougher to Cultivate
While most people would agree that they are in favour of innovation, providing a succinct definition or example of it is a tougher question, noted participants in a panel on the topic at the recent Wharton Economic Summit 2013. In addition to offering their personal definitions of game-changing discoveries, panellists also discussed the role of the government and the U.S. education system in fostering a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.

The Mysterious World of Bitcoin: Does It Have Staying Power?
Just what exactly should we make of Bitcoin? The once-obscure digital currency has had quite a ride, with the value of a single Bitcoin soaring from US$13 in January to a peak of US$237 by mid-April before collapsing to US$83 in a day and then recovering to around US$134. The roller-coaster ride has raised many questions. Is Bitcoin a legitimate alternative currency – an online replacement for dollars and euros, as backers claim? Or are we witnessing a giant bubble waiting to burst?

The New Philanthropists: More Sophisticated, More Demanding - and Younger
Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie once said that he who dies leaving behind many millions will "pass away unwept, unhonoured and unsung". That philosophy took root in much of the last century, with major philanthropists giving vast fortunes in their later years to institutions devoted to the public good. But donors today aren't taking any chances. They are integrating the practice of philanthropy into their education and flexing philanthropic muscle at a younger age than their predecessors.

Pollution Audit: Unravelling Choice in Greenhouse Gas Assurance
Australia's federal Opposition intends to repeal carbon pricing laws if it wins this year's election. Yet, when it last held power in 2007, it introduced legislation requiring sizeable polluters to disclose the level of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Affected organisations have increasingly sought to verify their emissions figures and energy data, creating a niche market in GHG assurance. It's a field that's growing globally. So how is a quality provider selected? Researchers from the Australian School of Business have found that competence, ethics and integrity are key factors, but that specialisation does not, at this stage, command a higher price.

Is Facebook Home a Game Changer?
Facebook's launch of Facebook Home, a user interface that can replace the existing home screen on select smartphones with features related to the social network, may give the company a solid mobile strategy while potentially causing a headache for rival Google, Wharton experts say. It may also usher in a wave of new, innovative user interfaces for mobile devices.

Profits in the Balance: The Business Case for Work-Family Support
New research from the Australian School of Business reveals a clear link between flexible work practices and better business results. The study, led by associate professor Julie Cogin, establishes incentives to deploy work-family support (WFS) programs as a source of competitive advantage, particularly to enhance customer-related outcomes. But the business case for WFS demands a genuine engagement with the concept in a receptive corporate culture. A high masculine orientation among senior management can eliminate the benefits. Even the best WFS policies will founder if an organisation lacks the commitment, or values, to promote flexibility in practice.