SMU Cox Executive Education poll shows investment in emerging executives remains strong in spite of CEO uncertainty about short-term finances

Dallas (SMU) – The Maguire Energy Institute at SMU Cox School of Business presents “The Future of Energy,” featuring Doug Foshee, CEO, El Paso Corporation. The luncheon presentation is part of the Frank Pitts Lecture Series. It will be held from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on October 26, 2010 in the Collins Center for Executive Education at SMU.

The concept of peak oil has captured the imaginations of policymakers, analysts, researchers, and the public. But from the viewpoint of the energy economist, the idea of a peaking resource, such as oil, ushering in an era of reduced growth and hardship, doesn’t hold water. Energy economist Dr. James Smith of SMU Cox provides calculations in new research which show that the “peak” is an unreliable indicator of resource scarcity, particularly for oil markets governed by the fundamentals of price, supply, and demand. While the idea of peaking may offer some indication of scarcity, it cannot be relied upon to draw firm conclusions.

The consequences of pushing an operation to its max can lead to many negative consequences such as increased costs and worker burnout. In the extreme, family members of deceased workers from Foxconn in China, an Apple supplier, can tell tales about the effects of overworked systems. New research by ITOM Professors John Semple, Sreekumar Bhaskaran and Karthik Ramachandran at SMU Cox offers a novel and pragmatic approach to managing demand through better operational choices. Their research also serves as a cautionary tale for overworked systems.

Believe it or nor, gift giving is really a complex social and psychological phenomenon. In new research, Marketing Professor Morgan Ward of SMU Cox and co-author show that gift-givers experience discomfort when they choose a gift that matches the identity of the recipient but is contrary to their own.