Big 3 with Dean H. Rao Unnava: March 2024

Dean H. Rao Unnava's March 2024 edition of the Big 3 features:

New Undergrad Business Major to Start in Fall 2025
Led by the Graduate School of Management, the business major will be anchored in math, statistics and economics and also build a pathway for future Aggies to pursue advanced management degrees at UC Davis. Learn more >

MBA Student Success at Global Competitions
UC Davis MBA teams reached the semifinals of three global case competitions focused on finance, sustainability and digital marketing: the Global Investment Banking Competition, the Net Impact Case Competition and the Adobe Analytics Challenge. Read student's blog >

Barbie Buzz and Brand Value. Is It Real?
As the iconic doll celebrated its 65th anniversary, Barbie mania swept the globe. At UC Davis, MBA alumna and lecturer Vanessa Errecarte seized upon the movie's success to develop a teaching case study on IP rebranding and brand valuation. Financial Times published her article right before the Oscars. Read Financial Times article >

Transcript

• New undergraduate Business Major.
• Students excel in global business competitions.
• Barbie movie buzz and brand value.

Welcome to the March 2024 edition of the Big 3 video newsletter.

New Bachelor of Science in Business at UC Davis

For many years, we have been asked if UC Davis offers a business major in the undergraduate program. Now we can finally say, “yes”.

We are proud to announce a groundbreaking undergraduate business major to start in the fall of 2025. Decades in the making, the major is a first of its kind partnership at UC Davis between the Graduate School of Management, College of Letters and Science and College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Led by the Graduate School of Management, the business major will be anchored in math, statistics and economics, while building competencies in fundamental areas of business. The major also will be a pathway for future Aggies to pursue advanced degrees at UC Davis, including a Master of Management, Master of Professional Accountancy or Master of Science in Business Analytics.

MBA Student Reach Semis of Three Global Competitions

We are thrilled with the remarkable success of UC Davis students in recent international business competitions.

The Global Investment Banking Competition is the world's largest of its kind, for university students. This year’s case has focused on analyzing the market positioning and strategic initiatives of the beverage company, Diageo. Our MBA student team of Min Zhu, Minh Nguyen, and Nam Nguyen joined the top 15%, or 72 of 500+ teams that advanced to the final round in Vancouver in mid-March.

Earlier this month. A team of Full-Time MBA students was among the top 20 at the Net Impact Case competition hosted by the University of Colorado School of Business.

The MBA competition focused on solving real world sustainability business cases. Fortune 500 company Arrow Electronics sponsored the competition. Teams were tasked to formulate a strategy for Arrow Electronics biodiversity initiatives in conjunction with its environmental, social and governance, ESG, goals. Our student’s participation underscores UC Davis commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices.

Meanwhile, a trio of Master of Science and Business Analytics students distinguished themselves among the top 20 semifinalists in the annual Adobe Analytics Challenge. This prestigious competition attracted over 2000 teams from around the world, providing students with a platform to showcase their skills in digital marketing and analytics.

Barbie Buzz and Brand Value: Is It Real?

Did you catch that rendition of the “I’m Just Ken” during the Academy Awards? The performance capped the amazing success of the Barbie movie. The film shattered Box Office records grossing $1.5 billion worldwide, earned critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

As the iconic doll celebrated its 65th anniversary, Barbie mania struck the globe, captivating audiences of all ages. Here at UC Davis, MBA alumna and lecturer, Vanessa Errecarte, seized upon the success of the Barbie movie as an opportunity to develop a teaching case study.

On the eve of the Oscars, the Financial Times published her article, titled: “Barbie buzz and brand value. Is it real?” She examines the implications for intellectual property rebranding and the role of the digital ecosystem in adding brand value.

Vanessa's insights have sparked discussions among students and industry professionals alike, prompting a reevaluation of traditional brand valuation models and emphasizing the importance of connecting digital metrics with financial performance.

Vanessa demonstrates the potential for intellectual property rebrands to generate substantial returns without the need for extensive design or product innovations.

Thank you for watching this month's Big 3.