Leadership & StratEDgy

jcpenney, formerly J.C. Penney, is generating a lot of buzz this year. Forbes reports that company officials are revising their pricing, changing their logo, and redesigning the inside of their stores. They are trying to remain competitive by reinventing their brand. Higher education institutions are doing this as well.

We had another great discussion in the Strategy and Competition in Higher Education class last night, along with a very special guest speaker.

Think about the last document you printed. What if you could unprint it? In other words, what if you could ‘erase’ the ink and reuse the paper? This might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

As a continuation on the Foundations of Strategy theme, this post is about the supply of educational opportunities. In short, they’re exploding.

These days, you can use a search engine like Google to find pretty much anything - from a local spa to information about Vienna. Noodle is attempting to allow users to find a wide range of learning opportunities.

Some traditional universities may be in a precarious position now, as new educational providers make inroads, new content providers make educational materials available more conveniently and cost effectively, and technology enables unbundling and greater individuation. The changes that have occurred in the higher education arena over the past decade – and those that are currently unfolding – have made formulating effective strategy more important for the long-term success of any university. And more people are questioning whether traditional universities are up to the task.

We had the honor of hosting an A-list panel of education entrepreneurs as part of our Strategy and Competition in Higher Education class last week to discuss new entrants to the higher education industry. We had a lively discussion, bookended by two questions, one present and one future: what have been the biggest industry changes? And what ought traditional institutions be wary of in the future?

One of the best aspects of working on a college campus is the enormous number of opportunities to hear knowledgeable people talk about interesting topics. Usually for free. Tonight was one of those opportunities.