Minding Our Business
A monthly article written by Dean Becton
What Does It Take to Be Great?
Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For 2023" list was published recently. I am always excited to see this list because I often used these companies as examples or case studies for my courses and assigned students to analyze their practices to determine what management or HR practices helped to set them apart from others. Even though I haven't taught a class in several years, I still love to review the list and try to figure out the "secret sauce" that makes these companies great places to work. Spoiler alert: I haven't cracked the code yet, but I believe there are some lessons from this exercise.
Before we talk about that, lets address how Fortune determines who makes the list. The rankings are based on an extensive evaluation of companies in the United States. The criteria for being included in this list are as follows:
- Employee Survey: Companies must participate in a comprehensive employee survey that measures employee engagement, job satisfaction, and overall happiness at work. This survey is conducted by the Great Place to Work Institute, an independent research and consulting firm.
- Culture Audit: Companies must also complete a Culture Audit questionnaire that provides details about the company's policies, benefits, and work environment. This questionnaire helps the Great Place to Work Institute evaluate the company's culture and management practices.
- Size and Scope: To be eligible for the list, companies must have at least 1,000 employees in the United States, and have been in business for at least five years.
- Positive Ratings: Companies are evaluated based on the results of the employee survey and Culture Audit. To be included on the list, companies must receive high ratings in both areas.
- Industry Comparison: Companies are also evaluated against other companies in their industry to ensure that they are offering competitive benefits and a positive work environment.
Overall, the "100 Best Companies to Work For" list recognizes companies that prioritize the well-being and happiness of their employees, and have established a positive and supportive workplace culture.
As I look at this year's list, a few things are interesting. While tech companies impact the lives of nearly everyone in the U.S. and beyond, big tech is notably missing. Apple was #7 on the list in 2021, #4 in 2020, and #71 in 2019. To disappear from the list after being so highly ranked in the past is shocking. Facebook (now Meta), has appeared on the list every year between 2011 and 2022 but was left off this year's list. Although Apple and Meta are considered the crème de la crème of tech companies, they do not measure up to the companies on the list like Wegmans, Marriott, Deloitte, or Hubspot this year. This is not to say that Apple and Meta are bad places to work, but I think there are a few takeaways from this. First, organizations can never become complacent. I'm not sure that is the case with Apple and Meta, but perhaps their focus has shifted somewhat and employees noticed. They have taken some actions over the past year regarding returning to the workplace, layoffs, hiring freezes, etc. that has created a lot of uncertainty and doubt around their commitment to their employees. Second, cool work environments, great benefits programs, and supportive organizational cultures gain attention, but actions by management speak loudly. Third, what works today may not work tomorrow. Changes in the economy, society, workforce, etc. can impact the effectiveness of management and HR practices. Constantly monitoring these factors and employee responses to your practices is really important. Finally, there is no magic formula. The companies on this list are varied in industry, culture, and practices. I think the key is knowing the needs of your employees and doing the best you can to meet them, even when they change. You can't just put a ping pong table in the breakroom and offer gourmet meals in your cafeteria and expect results. As motivational speaker, Eric Thomas said, "Greatness is a lot of small things done well." Thanks for reading this column. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Southern Miss Business at Work: Faculty Research Impact
We are committed to advancing knowledge and shaping the future work by fostering a culture of research excellence. In the latest edition of the Southern Miss Business at Work: Faculty Research Impact, our business faculty members showcase their exceptional research and scholarship during the 2021-22 academic year. With a focus on promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, the report demonstrates how the College of Business and Economic Development's research efforts address real-world challenges and positively impact society.
USM Takes 1st Place at AMA International Sales Competition
Four Southern Miss Business students from USM's American Marketing Association chapter attended the 2023 AMA International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans, LA. This annual conference invites hundreds of business students to network, attend workshops, and compete in various competitions.
Kaela Barnicle, a senior healthcare marketing major, took 1st Place during the AMA Sales Competition hosted during the conference.
The competition, sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, provided 60 sales students with a platform to showcase their sales and communications skills. Waitlisted competitors came from university sales programs across the United States and included representation from Canada and the Caribbean.
Barnicle made it past the first round, uncovering buyer’s needs and overcoming objections in 10 minutes to present a customized pitch in the final round. Only 18 students advanced to the final round, where eight judges observed each sales performance. Utilizing her sales prowess, researched product knowledge, and unrelenting persistence, Barnicle clenched the top spot against competitors from recognized sales programs.
Inaugural Senior Sales Challenge at Southern Miss
Our inaugural Senior Sales Challenge had its debut this month. Thank you to Marie Fulmer, Joe McQueen, & April Overstreet who came to represent Cintas as the event sponsor.
In addition, 10 other professionals virtually participated as scoring judges from Phreesia, Jones Logistics, Howard Industries, Sherwin-Williams, & Walt Massey Automotive Group.
Seven graduating seniors showcased their sales skills in a 15-minute first round. The top scorer in each room claimed a spot in the Final 3 Cut. The finalist then had 20-minutes to close the sale with the key decision-maker.
Top 3 Rankings
- First Place: Anna Gieger
- Second Place: Ashley Mitchell
- Third Place: Logan Miller
Participants
- Colby Wynn
- Landon Elkins
- Nicholas Martin
- Samuel Largen
Dr. Kimberly Goodwin Leads American Real Estate Society Annual Conference
Dr. Kimberly Goodwin, director of the School of Finance, recently attended the American Real Estate Society’s (ARES) annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Goodwin is currently serving as the ARES President and began the conference by running the Board of Directors meeting and welcoming both academic and local industry guests to the Critical Issues seminar. During the remainder of the conference, Dr. Goodwin met with industry leaders and researchers from the U.S., Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia. She ran the awards luncheon, where she presented 45 awards for research, teaching, and service contributions to colleagues from around the world. In addition, Dr. Goodwin presented a paper entitled “Not in My Neighborhood: Airbnb, Short Term Lease Limits, and the Effect on Home Sales” that she is co-authoring with Dr. Jennifer O’Sullivan, assistant teaching professor in the School of Leadership, and Ms. Jamie Gavin, instructor in the School of Finance.
Students Tour Southern Tire Mart Corporate Headquarters
A group of Southern Miss Business students had the opportunity to tour Southern Tire Mart headquarters in Columbia, Mississippi, getting a candid glimpse into everything that goes into the company's operations. The group met with representatives from each department, learning the unique role everyone has while running an organization with hundreds of locations and thousands of employees. A special thank you to executive David Tolbert and Kent Saucier for hosting the students while there.
Southern Miss Business Recognitions and Awards
Graduate Student Hall of Fame Business Inductees
Every year, the Graduate School inducts two Southern Miss Business graduate students into their Graduate Student Hall of Fame. Nominees for this recognition are not only high performers in the classroom, but they are also excellent southern miss community citizens and future community leaders.
Emilee Hoang
Emilee Hoang is a native of Hattiesburg and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Sport Management. Her research involves the field of athletic development and understanding how culture, mental health, player performance, and personal/college life affect student-athletes.
Jose Barboza
Jose Barboza is from Chiclayo, Peru, pursuing a Master of Science in Economic Development. His project involves an economic impact analysis of Mississippi Wildlife State Parks.
Founder's Day Awards
Congratulations to our business students who were recognized at the Student Awards Ceremony at the Southern Miss annual Founders’ Day celebration!
- Shaylee Ferguson | Phi Kappa Phi Silver Bowl
- Baylie Busby | Hall of Fame & Who’s Who
- Joseph Leland Flynt | Who’s Who
- Ka'Lon Duncanson | Who’s Who
- Olivia Wallace | Who’s Who
- Abby Attaway | Who’s Who
- Aubrey Johnson | Who’s Who
- Jonathan Jenkins | Who’s Who
- Ashley Mitchell | Who’s Who
- Clancy Slay | Best Citizen Award & Who’s Who
- Elizabeth Jones | Leave It Better Than You Found It Award
- Ana Patino | Who’s Who
- Kaela Barnicle | Who’s Who
Mississippi Young Bankers Swayze Finalist
Emma Warren, a finance major and management minor at Southern Miss, was selected as one of five finalists for the 2023 Orrin H. Swayze Scholarship awarded by the Mississippi Bankers Association of Education Foundation and the Mississippi Young Bankers section of the association. The Orrin H. Swayze Scholastic Awards are given each year to five outstanding college seniors who are majoring in banking and finance at state-supported universities. The awards are presented in honor of Swayze, who was a respected banker in Mississippi and a pioneer in continuing education in the field of banking.
Emma is from Slidell, Louisiana, and serves as the VP of Administration for the women’s leadership honorary, The Black-Eyed Susans. Additionally, she is the VP for Finance for the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, the President of the Business Student Advisory Council, and an Eagle Scholar. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA during her time at Southern Miss and recently completed her undergraduate thesis titled, “Attitudes Towards Governmental Regulation of Cryptocurrency.”
After completing the extensive application process, which included references, detailed involvement information, and accolades, Emma was notified of being a finalist and invited to attend the annual Mississippi Young Bankers Convention. During the convention, all five finalists interviewed with a committee before the final selection was announced at an awards ceremony banquet. Emma was recognized as a MYB Scholar and presented with a plaque and $1,500.
Married Couple Pass CPA Together
Rachel and Tyler Pittman have been very busy! Not only did these Southern Miss Business graduate students get married last year, but they both recently passed their 4th and final CPA exam! We wish them the best of luck as they begin their careers with KPMG and LBMC as CPAs.
The MPA program at Southern Miss is specifically designed for students to both prepare for and take the CPA exam while they are actively enrolled as graduate students.
Delta Sigma Pi Host Alumni & Senior Appreciation Banquet
Delta Sigma Pi's Alumni & Senior Appreciation Banquet was extra special this year! Former Delta Sigma Pi Grand Presidents Bill Tatum '79 and Mitch Simmons '09 presented recipients with new awards named in their honor. Tatum was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his exemplary service and commitment to the Gamma Tau Chapter. In his acceptance speech, he pledged to donate to the chapter’s leadership fund to assist with their attendance of Delta Sigma Pi national events. Other alumni in attendance came together to match his donation, totaling over $2,000 in funds raised in one night.
Congratulations to the following students who were also recognized during the banquet:
- Inaugural Mitchel Simmons Excellence in Leadership Award | Emma Warren
- Inaugural Bill Tatum Excellence in Recruiting Award | Madalyn Sanders
- Outstanding Pledge | Paranovecia Ducksworth
- Outstanding Brother | Jasmin Prince
- Emerging Leader Award | Alec Dufriend
- Rose of Deltasig Fraternal Spirit Award | Jasmin Prince & Gabi Scardino
- Graduating Seniors | Abby Attaway, Jack Baker, Wil Bridges, Cassie Lambert, Landon McFarland, Haley Milstead, Justavius Tate, Celeste Tejada, Emma Warren, and Aalyiah Walker
Cynthia Crosby selected for Campus Being a Difference Award
Cynthia Crosby was named the 2023 Campus Being a Difference Award recipient by the NASBA Center for the Public Trust chapter at USM. Mrs. Crosby is the administrative specialist for the School of Accountancy and an adored staff member in the College of Business and Economic Development. She truly makes a difference, going above and beyond the duties of her role to encourage and support accounting students.
ACUE Faculty Development Institute
The ACUE Faculty Development Institute at Southern Miss is an intensive professional development program offered to enhance teaching practices. Congratulations to the following business faculty members who were recognized for their progress during the Spring 2023 ACUE Celebration.
- Dr. Jim Evans | Certificate in Promoting Engaged and Active Learning
- Dr. Brandon Allen | Certificate in Fostering Lifelong Learning
- Dr. Brigitte Burgess | Certificate in Fostering Lifelong Learning
- Dr. Dana Hart | Certificate in Fostering Lifelong Learning
- Dr. Kristina Harrison | Certificate in Designing Learner-Centered and Inclusive Courses; Certificate in Effective College Instruction; ACUE Distinguished Teaching Scholar
- Alexis Stoner | Certificate in Designing Learner-Centered and Inclusive Courses; Certificate in Effective College Instruction; ACUE Distinguished Teaching Scholar
- Dr. Chad Miller | Certificate in Promoting Engaged and Active Learning Online
- Dr. Carsten Schmidtke | Certificate in Promoting Engaged and Active Learning Online
- Dr. Jennifer O'Sullivan | Certificate in Fostering Lifelong Learning Online; Advanced Certificate in Effective College Instruction
- Dr. Reginald Wilson | Certificate in Fostering Lifelong Learning Online; Advanced Certificate in Effective College Instruction
Annual Etiquette Dinner
The Spring 2023 etiquette dinner was a huge success, with 27 students and a representative from Cintas in attendance. This annual event allows students to learn and practice etiquette in various dining and social situations. Throughout the four-course meal, students were taught the fundamentals of introductions, place settings, utensil usage, napkin handling, dealing with problematic foods, dietary restrictions, and the importance of RSVPs. With the chance to ask questions and practice in real-time, students gained valuable knowledge that will serve them well professionally.
Sowing Seeds of Innovation
Industry leaders and community entrepreneurs are frequent guests of The Hatchery, sharing insight and sowing seeds to further drive our university’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. The Hatchery was pleased to close-out the semester series with special guests from downtown Hattiesburg and Silicon Valley.
Coffee w/ an Entrepreneur
The Hatchery’s Inspiration Lab was a packed house for the feature of serial restaurateur Nelson Haskin, Jr.. Students eager to learn about hospitality and tourism in Hattiesburg’s downtown scene listened to first-hand accounts about Mr. Haskin’s journey in opening and acquiring numerous restaurants on Front Street.
Calling Hattiesburg home since 1983, Haskin is a 2013 graduate of the University and served our state as a member of the Mississippi National Guard for twenty years. Mr. Haskin is the proud owner of Blu Jazz Café, Southbound Bagel and Coffee Shop, Nellie’s Chicken and Daiquiris, Hattiesburgers and Blues, and the newly opened Bourbon on Front.
Christen Raanes
Christen Raanes, a certified specialist of wine and a Level 3 wine professional with the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, is the owner of The Little Wine Shoppe in Hattiesburg's The District at Midtown. Students learned how Mrs. Raanes scaled her business from a personal interest in the history and geography of wine to the brick-and-mortar location that hosts daily educational wine tastings and offers an exciting variety of wines.
Fireside Chat w/Hugh Molotsi and Founders Society Dinner
During his visit to serve as the plenary speaker for the Southern Miss Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creativity at the end of April, Hugh Molotsi, founder and CEO of Ujama, Inc., joined students from The Hatchery and the School of Marketing over a fireside chat and our Founders Society at their monthly dinner.
Hugh Molotsi is the founder and CEO of Ujama, the developer of Soko, the Farmers Market App. Hugh is a seasoned product and technology leader with over 30 years of experience developing global solutions for small businesses and has helped launch several disruptive products. Hugh had a 22-year career at Intuit where his last position was Engineering Fellow and Vice President of Innovation.
Mr. Molotsi detailed stories about his time as an undergraduate student at Southern Miss and shared entrepreneurial wisdom from his experience in driving innovation in Silicon Valley. Advice students gained from him included, “Pay attention to what people do, not only to what they say,” and “Take initiative: If something needs to be fixed, fix it, do not wait for someone to ask you to do it.”
CheckPoint
At April’s CheckPoint seed fund pitch event, sophomore Health Sciences major Derika Barnes received $500 in seed funds to test the desirability of her idea for a non-stimulant focus supplement. Derika will use funds as incentives to gain survey respondents for her prospect survey, granting her valuable feedback that will assist her in the direction she takes her idea.
The Hatchery developed CheckPoint, a monthly pitch event designed to offer aspiring student entrepreneurs $500 in seed funds, to cultivate the potential of student entrepreneurs. The goal is to support the development of simple market experiments, allowing students to test the desirability of their ideas. The Hatchery continues to coach students from across campus as they prepare their ideas for launch.
Student Research Success
2023 Student Research Showcase
Six of our senior Honors students defended their thesis at the 2023 Student Research Showcase. From shedding light on learning to game day experience, from charity checkouts to rewards donations, and from disability stigma to gender identity in advertising, we are incredibly proud to announce a successful thesis defense. Congratulations to our Honors scholars.
2023 Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creative Activity
Nine business students in the Honors College presented during the 2023 Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creative Activity. Over 100 students participated in the event this year. Congratulations to Patrick Tyson, Clancy Slay, Landon McFarland, and Haeden Overby, who took the top 3 spots in the Consumer Behavior category. A big shoutout to their business faculty advisors for guiding them to success!
Still Working 9 to 5
The screening will take place at the USM Gulf Park Campus in the Fleming Education Center auditorium on May 5, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.
The School of Leadership will host the first screening of the documentary Still Working 9 to 5 at an educational institution. This award-winning documentary explores the challenges and barriers to success for women in the workforce and society, and what progress has yet to be made for women since the original release of the 1980 blockbuster comedy 9 to 5, about three secretaries fighting for basic workplace equality.
This event will kick off research in the Human Capital Development doctoral programs on supporting women leaders in the workplace. We hope you will all join us for a great evening! It is a free event, but we encourage you to reserve your ticket by clicking the link below.
If you have questions, please email schoolofleadership@usm.edu
Business Alumni, What's New With You?
Southern Miss Business Alumni, we want to hear from you! Do you have good news to share? Maybe you got a new job, a promotion, or won an award! Please share your good news with us so we can help celebrate you and include your accomplishments in future newsletters. Click the link below to fill out the form.