Richard A. Gershon, Ph.D.
Professor, Co-Director
Telecommunications & Information Management Program
School of Communication
Western Michigan University
1903 West Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Tel. (269) 349 – 4821 (H)   (269) 387-3182 (O)
Email: Richard.Gershon@wmich.edu
Website: http://homepages.wmich.edu/~gershon/

A Partial List of Presentations and Seminars

CONSULTING PRESENTATIONS AND SEMINARS

Presentations:

INVENTING THE FUTURE (Part 1.)
THE ROLE OF INNOVATION AND STAYING COMPETITIVE

Today, innovation is about much more than developing new products.  It is about reinventing
business and organizational processes and building entirely new markets to meet untapped
customer needs.  Innovation is important because it creates a long-term lasting advantage for
an organization. The goal of highly innovative organizations should be to  make innovation a
sustainable, repeatable process.  This presentation examines the importance of innovation
(and innovative thinking) to the long term success of today’s business and nonprofit organizations.

INVENTING THE FUTURE (Part 2.)
INTELLIGENT NETWORKING AND THE PERMEABILITY PREDICAMENT

The combination of computer and telecommunications has collapsed the time and distance
factors that once separated nations, people and business organizations. This presentation
examines the subject of intelligent networking which provides the technology and electronic
pathways that makes global communication possible for business and residential users alike. 
We start with the assumption that the intelligent network is not one network, but a series of
networks designed to enhance global communication for business and residential users. 
What gives the network its unique intelligence are the people and users of the system and the
value-added contributions they bring to the system via critical gateway points.  Intelligent
networks, by definition, presuppose  permeable boundaries; that is, structured entry points
that allow users to access and contribute to the overall system design. The same gateway points
also means opening up the system to any number of unwanted influences and outcomes.  
Accordingly, special consideration is given to what I call the permeability predicament. 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE FUTURE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The digitalization of information and entertainment software has transformed the production
process, making it ever easier to duplicate and make multiple copies of CDS, DVDs and
computer software.  Once software content is digitally formatted, it becomes both inexpensive
and easy to make perfect copies, as well as to shift content from one format to another. 
This presentation looks at the legal history of  intellectual property as well as offering new
perspectives on ways that software developers are addressing the business and technical
challenges of today’s digital environment.

TRANSNATIONAL MEDIA: GLOBAL MESSAGES AND FREE MARKET COMPETITION

Today’s  globalization of markets involves the full integration of transnational business,
nation-states and technologies operating at high speed.  Globalization is being driven by a
broad and powerful set of forces including, worldwide deregulation and privatization
trends, advancements in new technology, market integration (such as the European Community)
and the fall of communism.  The basic requirements for all would-be players is free trade
and a willingness to compete on an international basis.

One such player is the Transnational Media Corporation (TNMC) which has become the most
powerful economic force for global media activity in the world today.  During the past two
decades, scholars and media critics alike have become increasingly suspicious of the better known,
high-profile TNMCs.  Such suspicions have given way to a number of myths and misconceptions
concerning the goals of such companies and the people who run them.  This presentation looks
at one of the important power players of our time, the transnational media corporation, and how
such companies go about the business of creating media products  and services. Special attention
is given to international business strategy.

Seminars

STRATEGIC PLANNING, COMMUNICATION & INNOVATION

Today, innovation is about much more than developing new products.  It is about
reinventing business and organizational processes and building entirely new markets to
meet untapped customer needs.  Innovation is important because it creates a long-term
lasting advantage for an organization. The goal of highly innovative organizations
should be to  make innovation a sustainable, repeatable process.  This two day seminar
examines the importance of innovation (and innovative thinking) to the long term success
of today’s business and nonprofit organizations.

I.     Innovation Defined

• Innovation and Lasting Advantage
• Sustaining v. Disruptive Technologies
• Blue Ocean Strategy and Value Innovation
• Starbucks
• Walt Disney Company

II.    Strategic Planning (Part I.)

• Environmental Scanning
• Strategy Formulation
  

• Strategy Implementation
• Evaluation and Control

• Creating Untapped Customer Demand
• Principle of Lasting Advantage
• Sony Walkman
• Apple iPod
• Cirque de Soleil
  

• Supply Chain Management
• Enterprise Resource Management
• Six Sigma
• Dell Computer
• Netflix
  

VI.   Business Model Innovation

• Blue Ocean Strategy, W.C. Kim & R. Mauborgne
• Value Innovation and Competitive Advantage
• Principle of the Long Tail, C. Anderson
• HBO
• Amazon.com
• Google

VII.   Strategy, Innovation and the Global Organization

• Understanding the Transnational Organization
• Foreign Direct Investment Strategies
• Mergers, Acquisitions and Global Partnerships
• Intelligent Networking
• Global Outsourcing: Strengths, Limitations and Challenges

VIII.   Why Companies Fail to Innovate

• The Innovator’s Dilemma, C. Christensen
• The Innovator’s Dilemma and Product Life Cycle
• Organizational Issues
• The Tyranny of Success
• Organizational Culture
• Lengthy Development Times
• Risk Averse Culture
• Product Marketing Failures

IX.    Innovation, Communication and Change Management

• Initiating Change, Understanding User Resistance
• Diffusion of Innovation, E. Rogers
• Intended v. Unintended Consequences 

X.     Developing a Culture of Innovation

• Principle of Continuous Improvement
• Total Quality Management
• Six Sigma
• Value of Partnerships and Collaboration
• Apple
• Google
• Toyota

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & BUSINESS STRATEGY

The fields of media and telecommunications are at an historic crossroads in their evolution and
development.  Changes in technology, most notably the Internet and digital media arts, are changing
many of our basic assumptions regarding information, news and entertainment content. 
The combination of a rapidly changing global economy coupled with advancements in new media
and information technology are having a profound effect on the delivery of  television news and
entertainment  as well as Internet based communication services.

This two and a half day seminar examines the business strategy and management principles
involving four sectors of the media and telecommunications field:  Broadcasting, Cable Television,
Telephony and Electronic Commerce.  The 21st century promises a very different set of industry
players than was the case in past years. The future will allow for the full integration of voice data
and video services and give new meaning to the term "programming."

Assigned Text:   Gershon R.A. (2009). Telecommunications &  Business Strategy.
New York, NY: Routledge.

I.    Strategic Planning (Part I.)

• Environmental Scanning
• Strategy Formulation

II.   Strategic Planning (Part II.)

• Strategy Implementation
• Evaluation and Control                   

III.   Broadcast Television

• Industry Structure
• Broadcast Programming and Sales
• Business Strategy
• Business, Regulatory and Technical Challenges
• Transitioning to an All Digital Environment
• Personalization, Working with DVR Technology

IV.   Cable Television

• Industry Structure
• Principles of Cable Networking
• HBO
• CNN
• Cable Programming and Enhanced Information Services
• Multichannel Television Entertainment
• High Speed Internet Access
• High Definition Television
• Cable Telephony
• Business, Regulatory and Technical Challenges
  

V.     Telephony

• Industry Structure
• Principles of Common Carriage
• Telephone Switching and Routing
• Intelligent Networks
• Circuit v. Packet Switching Networks
• Basic v. Enhanced Information Services
• Basic (POTs)
• Voice Over  Internet Protocol (VOIP)
• Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)
• Cellular and Wireless Telephony
• Business, Regulatory and Technical Challenges
  

VI.   The Internet & Electronic Commerce

• Electronic Commerce Models
• Business to Business
• Business to Consumer
• Consumer to Consumer
• Internet Marketing
• Principle of I Commerce
• Internet and Brand Extension
• Micromarketing and Personalization
• Principle of the Long Tail
• Supply Chain Management and ERP
• Dell Computer
• Amazon.com
• Netflix

VII.   The Transnational Media Corporation

• The TNMC Defined:
• Time Warner Inc.
• Walt Disney Company
• Viacom
• Sony
• The TNMC: Assumptions and Misconceptions
• The Globalization of Markets
• Foreign Direct Investment Strategies
• Proprietary  Assets and Natural Resources
• Foreign Market Penetration
• Overcoming Regulatory Barriers
• Production and Distribution Efficiencies, Off shoring
• Empire Building
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Problems Associated with Mergers and Acquisitions
• Cross-Media Ownership
• Strategic Challenges
• The Deregulation Paradox
• Big is Not Always Best (the Value of Start ups)
• Diffusion of Authority

VIII.   Leading in a Time of Change

• Transformational Leadership
• Putting Leadership into Practice
• Vision
• Effective Communication
• Alignment
• Trust and Integrity
• Willingness to Take Risks
• The Role of Innovation
• Innovation and Lasting Advantage
• Sustaining v. Disruptive Technologies
• Blue Ocean Strategy, W.C. Kim & R. Mauborgne
• Value Innovation and Competitive Advantage