Paul Tiffany
Senior Lecturer “I’ve never seen a group of students who enjoy each other more, who bond so closely, and get so much out of what they are doing,” is Professor Paul Tiffany’s assessment of his Berkeley-Columbia MBA students. And he should know; he has taught every year since the program started. “There is a warmth among the students, a real openness. They know each other well enough to talk without hesitation.” In a business world where the axiom “hard drives out soft” seems to rule, Tiffany argues persuasively that factors such as history, culture, and government relations play important roles in corporate success--or failure. In their evaluations of his required class, Strategy in a Global Context,” 9 out of 10 students appreciate that context-setting. “There is an institutional background to why things happen, why the business world works as it does today,” he said. Tiffany helps students understand that foundation so they can recognize the forces driving change as they plan for their companies’ futures. Right now, Tiffany is using the classroom to explore how “dynamic capabilities”--a model that reconnects the content of strategy with its process and execution, developed by Haas Professor David Teece--applies in real-life situations. “David writes brilliantly from the 30,000-foot level,” Tiffany said. “I’m working through how managers might apply the dynamic capabilities model on the job, in real-life situations. I’m incorporating the model in my classroom work, using case studies and discussion. It’s an intriguing idea that has rejuvenated my thinking. It’s an example of making academia relevant in daily business practices.”
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