Big 3 with Dean H. Rao Unnava: Winter 2025

Dean H. Rao Unnava's Winter 2025 edition of the Big 3 features:

U.S. News Ranks Online MBA among Top 20 in U.S.
Our UC Davis Online MBA—the first and only all-online MBA in the University of California system—continues to earn national acclaim. U.S. News ranks the program program No. 20 in the U.S. this month, a leap of 22 spots from last year. Read more >

How Effective Are Boomerang Workers?
Professor Gina Dokko’s latest research delves into the value of rehiring boomerang workers—those who return to former employers—based on a database of NBA players who return to previous teams. Read more >

MBAs Taste the Market for Alternative Meats and Proteins 
As part of our Food & Ag Industry Immersion experience, our MBA students partnered with Yeti Foods, an early-stage startup spun out of Denmark’s BioInnovation Institute, to analyze global markets for mycoprotein-based meat alternatives. Read more >

Video Transcript

• U.S. News ranks our Online MBA in Top 20
• How effective are Boomerang workers?
• Our MBAs taste the market for alternative meats

Welcome to the Winter 2024 edition of the Big 3 Video Newsletter.

U.S. News Ranks UC Davis Online MBA in Top 20

We’re thrilled that our Online MBA program—the first and only all-online MBA in the University of California system—continues to earn national acclaim.

U.S. News & World Report ranks our online program No. 20 in the U.S. this month, a leap of 22 spots from last year.

Our Online MBA also ranked among the best in two key specialty areas: No. 17 in finance and No. 22 in business analytics.

The U.S. News rankings follow Poets & Quants’ recognition last December which placed our Online MBA in the top 25 nationally and No. 12 among public universities.

These accolades affirm our programs excellence and reflect our selectivity, diversity, high completion rates, and outstanding student experience.

Boomerang Employees: A Growing Trend in Tight Labor Markets

Professor Gina Dokko’s latest research delves into the value of rehiring boomerang workers—those who return to former employers.

Boomerangs bring knowledge, experience, and familiarity, often benefiting their teams. But their effectiveness depends on collaboration and overcoming any lingering workplace tensions.

In an interview on CBS Radio, Dokko emphasized that employers must manage these dynamics to harness the potential of boomerangs.

Her study drew on a database of the turnover of NBA players, where 17 percent return to former teams. NBA All-Star Tyson Chandler, for example, highlighted the value of rebuilding relationships when he rejoined the Dallas Mavericks after three years.

The study, “Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees,” was published in Organization Science.

Yeti Foods Partners with UC Davis MBAs to Research Alternate Protein Market

UC Davis is a global leader in agricultural and food innovations, consistently ranking at the top in food science, agriculture, and environmental fields.

Our Food & Agriculture Industry Immersion offers MBA students a one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary experience. The deep dive immersion combines courses featuring live case studies by executives, exclusive company site visits and hands-on projects.

Recently, four MBA students partnered with Yeti Foods, an early-stage startup spun out of Denmark’s BioInnovation Institute; a non-profit incubator funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. UC Davis and the BioInnovation Institute have joined forces to improve protein nutrition on a global scale.

The students researched the market for mycoprotein-based meat alternatives. While alternative proteins are generating much buzz, consumer tastes and profits are mixed.

Our students provided actionable insights, helping Yeti navigate challenges in ingredient acceptance and market positioning across Europe, Asia and the U.S. as they prepare for venture funding and product testing.

Thank you for watching this issue of the Big 3!