It seems like just yesterday that smartphones were invented, followed shortly after by that wonderfully positive phrase, "There's an app for that!"*

And, as surely as traffic chaos follows Vancouver snow, I've noticed that the solutions proposed by many of our business students now start with a wonderfully enthusiastic proclamation, "We're going to build an app for that!" 

And, since the bottom line is never far from mind in business, even in academia, that bold statement is followed very quickly by the all-important question... "Are we going to go broke doing this?"... <more>

We've all been there... that moment in a research project when you just need one key number to cement the last piece of your argument.

For instance, you might desperately need to know...

• the main things considered by Canadian Millennials when buying cars, or    
• the media consumption habits of Canadian commuters, or 
• a detailed statistical overview of Canada's oil & gas industry?

... Sound familiar? Then you really should get to know the newest database available via the SFU Library... <more>

Regular BUEC Buzz readers may recall a post I wrote in September on a feature in our Passport database that would allow you to model the forecasted effects of a Trump victory on a number of economic measures in the US, Canada, and beyond.  

Well, now that the victory is in the bag and the effects are imminent, I thought I'd follow up to mention that Passport added a report this morning that digs into the details... <more>

Another CARMA live webcast is coming up this Friday.  This one looks to be most relevant to our Organizational Behaviour/HRM researchers, but it's possible that some of the international business people may also find it useful. (All are welcome, of course!)

When: Friday, Nov. 4th, 9am (PST)

Today marks the beginning of Financial Literacy Month, a holiday that is, admittedly, not quite as exciting as the ones that involve getting candy, chocolate, presents, or even painted eggs, yet one that can provide an even bigger gift in the future if you celebrate it properly.  <more>

I understand that our BUEC 232 students this term are scrambling to gather some data so that they can practice their newly acquired number crunching abilities. I thought I'd throw together a quick list of sources that might help them unearth the data they need.  

But before I get to the sources, please take a minute to read these important notices: 

In our current era of information overload, information loses value.

Not that long ago we could only dream of having fingertip access to all the stats and facts that are burying us now. Yet what we really need now, and what we are even willing to pay for, are tools that will pre-gather and pre-analyze the information for us.  [...]

It's in that light that I'd like to highlight a new feature in our super-popular Passport database: Natural Resources

"Passport Natural Resources uncovers the resource landscape in 210 countries globally. It offers up-to-date and relevant insights on the supply and demand of natural resources, as well as the challenges and opportunities stemming from natural resources and sustainability issues.   <more>

A double dose of good CARMA news before the first series of fall storms hits us tonight... 

1.  Our trial* license to the CARMA Video Library has been extended for another year!

(Note: CARMA = The Consortium for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis)

[...]

2.  The first CARMA webcast of the 2016/17 academic year has now been posted to their archive and is available for you to view in the comfort of your office or home... I suspect that the "strategic management" perspective of this webcast will make it particularly relevant to BUEC Buzz readers: 

Dr. Herman Aguinis on: "The When and Why of Effects: Moderation and Mediation in Strategic Management Research"

Abstract: For decades, hypotheses that involve moderation and mediation have been central to strategic management research and many other fields ...

A big thank-you to SFU's Data Librarian, Carla Graebner, for pointing me toward a new open data source -- one that gives me an opportunity to talk about another resource of broader interest.

Let's start with the single open data source...

Do you...

• Upload readings or other materials into Canvas?
• Include photos, diagrams or maps in your PowerPoint slides?
• Use blogs or social media in your courses?
• Use teaching materials you find online? 

All of these activities involve copyright.

Join SFU's Copyright Office at each campus, when we will explain...