technology management

HBCU female academic entrepreneurs

Introduction

HBCU female academic entrepreneurs can help increase diversity among women entrepreneurs in high tech. There is a concentrated number of potential women entrepreneurs of diverse races among faculty in the United States’ Historically Black Colleges and Universities (known as HBCUs and are called ‘Black Colleges’ herein). This study describes the potential for developing university technology transfer in these Black Colleges as a strategy for increasing diversity among women entrepreneurs in high growth, high tech fields using female academic entrepreneurs.

Emerging research HBCU Howard University research lab

Emerging research institutions include HBCUs

Currently, Black Colleges lag behind their peer non-Black Colleges in technology transfer because historically they have been under, served and were originally established largely as teaching and blue-collar trade schools. Although Black female STEM faculty comprised less than 2% of the US faculty, they are 22% at HBCUs (Mack, 2011).

This study used a novel theoretical framework to compare technology transfer programs at 24 Black Colleges with doctoral programs and five non-Black Colleges. The correlation analysis confirmed hypotheses about the relationships between tech transfer resource inputs and outputs. The analysis showed that larger technology transfer support and licensing staff correlated with more invention disclosures and startup formations. However, legal support investments showed no correlation with the number of licensing agreements. Additionally, neither legal support investments nor the number of patent applications filed correlated with faculty size per program.

Findings

Faculty size per program positively influences the number of licensing agreements. Both faculty size and total research expenditures also increase total licensing agreements. The data does not support the hypothesis that non-tenured faculty negatively affect licensing agreements or start-up formations. Faculty quality includes measures such as publications, honors, and awards.

Gross licensing income shows no correlation with faculty publication volume or the percentage of faculty receiving honors and awards. Invention disclosures, patent applications, and faculty honors also show no connection to faculty with research grants. However, licensing revenue and publication citations do correlate positively with faculty who hold research grants. Additionally, institutions with more female faculty researchers tend to report more faculty honors, higher licensing income, and more start-ups.

These findings informed the development of a model intellectual property (IP) policy for Black Colleges. These policies aim to strengthen technology transfer and academic entrepreneurship. HBCU female academic entrepreneurs can help diversify high-growth, high-tech fields.

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GDPR comparative analysis to US data breaches

Introduction

gdpr

The newly implemented European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires mandatory breach notifications. The GDPR is a revision of a 1995 directive. To our disappointment, the US has no such federal law. Thus, this means companies must satisfy multiple US laws and that makes it more challenging to comply. This is a GDPR comparative analysis to the US data breach notifications. This study is a comparison of the GDPR with the statutes of the 50 US states. It highlights the challenges companies face. It reveals the types of decisions companies must make to be in compliance with these statutes.

Findings

Notably, this GDPR comparative analysis reveals that the requirements of various laws, statutes, or regulations vary by state, country, and audience. Companies must decide if they will base compliance on the most stringent requirements which can be financially prohibitive. Alternatively, they could meet the minimum requirements which could be managerially prohibitive. A comparison of the GDPR and the statutes related to data breach notifications reveals the types of decisions companies must make. Because the definitions of personal information and data breach vary, a company in one case would be considered to have had a breach. However, in another jurisdiction the company would not. Companies might decide on the behalf of the consumer to notify all their customers.

Further, the time required to notify the consumer or some authority agency varies. A company would likely notify the entities requiring the earliest notification and continue notifications as time permits. Since penalties vary, companies might notify according to those with the costliest penalties first. The contents of data breach notifications are not always specified or consistent. Thus, companies should develop a standard notification provisions for all required entities if the information is available.

Challenges

Briefly, comparative analysis highlights the challenges companies face in trying to comply with multiple regulations. The greatest challenge exists for small businesses. Just knowing the regulations is likely a challenge for an average small business. The GDPR may remain consistent, but the statutes of the 50 US states continue to be amended. In addition, there are the statutes of other countries. More than 100 countries have enacted data protection legislation. Several other countries are in the process of passing such laws with data protection laws (Banisar, 2011).

Further, Banisar notes that data protection laws have been enacted in countries such as Thailand, Mexico, Georgia and Malaysia. The most recent US personal information security breach statutes include new laws in Arizona, South Dakota, and Alabama (Bellamy, 2018). Thus, companies should put into place protections. They need personnel that would help prevent a data breach as per any of these governments’ definitions. Further, this needs to be in addition to a plan to comply with the existing laws. The countries that companies do business in require legal compliance.

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Machiavelli business ethics is relevant in high tech

Introduction
Machiavelli The Prince book cover

Machiavelli The Prince is still relevant in high tech management and leadership and business ethics

Can a 16th-century political treatise provide any guidance on today’s competitive environment? Machiavelli business ethics lessons in The Prince are still relevant because it emphasizes the acquisition and sustenance of influence. Acquired and sustained influence by leaders and managers is important. Yet, there are two camps among scholars regarding the relevancy of Niccolò Machiavelli’s book The Prince (Machiavelli, 1992) to modern day management and leadership. Some scholars argue that the book has never been or is no longer relevant to business management and leadership (Agbude, 2014; Fournel, 2014; Jackson, 2013; Tillyris, 2015). Some contend that it is indeed relevant (Konno, 2014; O’Sullivan, 2014; Rojek, 2014; Ruggiero, 2015; Soll, 2014; Thomas, 2014).

The Prince is still relevant

Herein, it is argued that this work by Machiavelli is indeed relevant. In particular, it is widely accepted that leaders and managers are more effective if they have influence. However, some wrongly associate Machiavelli primarily with the advocacy of vile tactics of manipulation. It is argued herein that The Prince has an over-arching emphasis on the importance of a leader’s or manager’s acquisition and sustenance of influence.

This article provides a number of modern-day examples of how Machiavellian lessons are and can be applied today in the high-tech arena. Certainly, we need to learn from flawed leaders because many corporate leaders have malicious or corrupt tendencies. Also, when leaders are coercive to maintain power and order, it is viewed as bad leadership. This is because there is a yearning for feel-good stories (Kellerman, 2004). We can examine the high-technology business leader examples put forth in this response. It is important to note that these leaders’ characters shape their workplace behavior. They also shape business decisions.

Summary

The examples provided herein are not sufficient. They are not sufficient to inform whether these leaders have the elements of the ‘Return on Character’ (ROC). The ROC is the magic formula for creating value. Some leaders want to create value plain and simple. They may honestly believe that their decisions are the right choices. Certain leaders in the examples may be bad actors that are overly ambitious and greedy. They seek to gain at others’ detriment. Many do both by seeking to do right and create value, and act badly in the process. All people display both vile and kind motives and choices (Kiel, 2015; Wilson, 1998). Thus, the nature of character is as complex and varied as the real world.  Again, given the importance of acquired and sustained influence by leaders and managers, Machiavelli business ethics lessons in The Prince are still relevant.

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Machiavelli ethics lessons are relevant in high tech

 

Introduction
Machiavelli The Prince book cover

Machiavelli The Prince is still relevant in high tech management and leadership and business ethics

Can a 16th-century political treatise provide any guidance on today’s competitive environment? Machiavelli ethics lessons in The Prince are still relevant because it emphasizes the acquisition and sustenance of influence. Acquired and sustained influence by leaders and managers is important. Yet, there are two camps among scholars regarding the relevancy of Niccolò Machiavelli’s book The Prince (Machiavelli, 1992) to modern day management and leadership. Some scholars argue that the book has never been or is no longer relevant to business management and leadership (Agbude, 2014; Fournel, 2014; Jackson, 2013; Tillyris, 2015). Some contend that it is indeed relevant (Konno, 2014; O’Sullivan, 2014; Rojek, 2014; Ruggiero, 2015; Soll, 2014; Thomas, 2014).

The Prince is still relevant

Herein, it is argued that this work by Machiavelli is indeed relevant. In particular, it is widely accepted that leaders and managers are more effective if they have influence. However, some wrongly associate Machiavelli primarily with the advocacy of vile tactics of manipulation. It is argued herein that The Prince has an over-arching emphasis on the importance of a leader’s or manager’s acquisition and sustenance of influence.

This article provides a number of modern-day examples of how Machiavellian lessons are and can be applied today in the high-tech arena. Certainly, we need to learn from flawed leaders because many corporate leaders have malicious or corrupt tendencies. It is viewed as bad leadership when leaders coerce to maintain power and order, . This is because there is a yearning for feel-good stories (Kellerman, 2004). We can examine the high-technology business leader examples put forth in this response. It is important to note that these leaders’ characters shape their workplace behavior. They also shape business decisions.

Summary

The examples provided herein are not sufficient. They are not sufficient to inform whether these leaders have the elements of the ‘Return on Character’ (ROC). The ROC is the magic formula for creating value. Some leaders want to create value plain and simple. They may honestly believe that their decisions are the right choices. Certain leaders in the examples may be bad actors that are overly ambitious and greedy. They seek to gain at others’ detriment. Many do both by seeking to do right and create value, and act badly in the process. All people display both vile and kind motives and choices (Kiel, 2015; Wilson, 1998). Thus, the nature of character is as complex and varied as the real world.  Again, given the importance of acquired and sustained influence by leaders and managers, Machiavelli business ethics lessons in The Prince are still relevant.

Read more…