ALL POSTS BY: Merry Li

As a MBA student studying Internet Marketing and Corporate Strategy at the same time, I found the Microsoft and Yahoo acquisition case extremely interesting. A few questions need to be answered in evaluation of the acquisition: how many synergies are there between these two companies? How much can be realized in the case of acquisition? Are their core competencies transferable to a conglomerate of the two tech giants?

If you are as interested as I am, you may want to hear what Wharton management professors Larry Hrebiniak and David Hsu say about this deal: Microsoft and Yahoo: Does it make sense (and will it work)? Click Here.

Recently I talked to a professor from our school. When I asked why he looked so tired, he told me that he was working on some major restructuring of his courses, which took him a lot of time and energy. He replaced some old cases and decided to  introduce a mid-term exam in addition to group case write-up assignments. "It would allow me to better evaluate what each student has learnt in the class."  "The changes are mostly based on the feedback from previous class. Some said the course is too easy. I don’t want to make the course tough for everyone, but not easy for everyone either. Students should not come to my class just to get credits. They have to really learn things and make some efforts to get good grade."

Then I learnt that teaching is much important to MBA professors than to non-MBA professors.  MBA professors have to strive to satisfy their customers – the most demanding group of students. (This reminds me of a homework question from Managerial Economics class "Why do MBA economics professors earn more than regular
economics professors?") That’s why our course evaluation provides a great opportunity for a professor to learn what we think about his/her class and what went well while what should be improved.

12月21号的清晨4：30出门赶飞机，想不到一大早Nashville机场已是人声鼎沸，热闹非凡。在焦灼的心情中等待了45分钟，终于把我原计划8：20 am起飞，但预计将延误到9：15 am 飞往芝加哥的航班改签到6点起飞飞往达拉斯的航班。帮我办票的老奶奶实在是个好心人，帮我改好票后，还一路追过来到安检区提醒老老实实排在长队最后面的我到前面去插个 队，"otherwise
there is no way for you to catch your flight." 她说。安检入口的工作人员也很通融，跟我开了个玩笑之后就放我插队优先安检了。

接下来一路都很顺利。Nashville到达拉斯，达拉斯到东京，东京到广州，旅途漫漫，
"The miles are getting longer, it seems, the closer I get to you." 在吃了四顿飞机餐，看完三部电影/电视节目和半本"The Tipping
Point"后终于抵达了我的终点站。

在 东京的候机室遇到第一次到中国旅游的美国印第安土著人Danny。 他长长的头发，笑声爽朗，特别友善。他跟我一样也是一大清早上路，折腾了十几二十个小时到达东京等候最后一程的飞机去广州。看他仍然是一幅神采奕奕的样 子，我却是手端着咖啡，一边和他闲聊着，一边摇摇晃晃随时都可能轰然倒下。