The research emphasized that managers should consider the different creative profiles of their employees when designing teams to develop innovation solutions for an organizational problem area. Other topics discussed included approaching and seizing market opportunities.

O’Mara’s research is supported by an Elon CATL grant.

is a multidisciplinary association whose mission includes “enhancing the teaching of business education and improving the learning environment through educational research, curriculum development and creative pedagogy; fostering interdisciplinary interaction through multidisciplinary meetings and programs; and encouraging and supporting faculty development.”

Ten students visited the company’s headquarters on Nov. 5 for a tour of the facility and to learn how the company went from a high school project in the 1980s to one of the largest online soccer retailers in the world. Sports Endeavors was founded in 1984 and is now an online superpower generating more than $150 million in revenue and employing more than 1,000 employees during peak seasons.

The students met with Paul Vandre, who is the company’s online marketing manager and is responsible for growing the company through internet channels such as Google AdWords and Instagram. Students gained an understanding of how companies can leverage the power of digital marketing by using data to test, measure and adjust marketing strategies.     

The ELLC also sponsored two road trips earlier this semester. The first road trip of the semester took students to North Carolina State University for the grand opening of the university’s Innovation Hall. The students learned how N.C. State structures their living learning communities around entrepreneurship. They also spoke with N.C. State students about the new products they were developing.

The trip included a tour of the new innovation lab inside an N.C. State residence hall, which houses 3D printers, a laser cutter and other tools to create prototypes.

“The trip helped show me to not be afraid to take risks and that small businesses can thrive when equipped with resources tailored to their needs,” Arianna Brown ’16 said about the American Underground trip. “These include low costs, a low-stress/high innovation workplace and being surrounded by other start-ups in the same position.”

“It has been eye-opening to see the different ways in which innovators solve problems that everyday people face,” said Cole Krajeski ’16, the resident advisor for the ELLC. “As future entrepreneurs, we hope to use strategies that both turn a profit and make people’s lives better, so these trips are incredibly useful in developing ideas of our own.”

Scott Kelly, coordinator of student entrepreneurship and instructor of marketing at Elon, arranged the road trips and accompanied the students.   

“A Stanford professor, Steve Blank, says, ‘There are no facts inside the building.’ So, our purpose is to get out of the building and engage entrepreneurs,” Kelly said. “We feel the more visionaries we engage the better we will be at identifying the problems we want to solve in the world.”

The ELLC opened in fall 2013 to provide a residential space for students of all majors to live together and collaborate on innovative ideas. The community’s goal is for each member to develop their own product or service that solves a problem. While not every idea will turn into a viable venture, the students walk away with a systematic approach to tackling problems.

The community is located on the third floor of Colonnades A. The community’s main activities include weekly lunches, road trips to visit innovative companies and entrepreneurial hubs, startup challenges, and promoting entrepreneurial thinking across campus.

Paul D. Sweeny of the University of Dayton cited McMahon’s work in a research brief titled “How firms respond to an ethical lapse: does going the extra mile matter?”

McMahon’s research focuses on the effects of ethical failures in businesses and how a company can successfully recover from such instances, indicating that effective recovery efforts on a company’s behalf can often reverse the negative impact of employees witnessing unethical behavior. The in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Process.

The is a premier professional association for management and organization scholars, with a global community totaling 20,000 members across 115 countries. It publishes several academic journals with Academy of Management Perspectives aiming to address key issues concerning management and business, geared toward non-specialist academic readers with a secondary audience of existing and future thinkers and leaders.

Professor Wonhi Synn, Associate Professor Neeraj Gupta, Associate Professor Sharon Hodge and Associate Director of Career Services Jane Mehringer accompanied the fellows on this year’s trip.

Manasi Bhagia ’15 expressed her gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “As fellows, we should feel lucky that we have the unique opportunity to talk to individuals on the senior managem

Beyond establishing network connections, students in attendance also enjoyed a glimpse of what it is like to work in “the real world” of business and post-graduate employment.

Kenny Straub ’15 explained, “You really don’t realize the value of learning experiences outside of the classroom until they are staring you right in the face. This has been true for me through studying abroad, internships, and now our Business Fellows trip to NYC. With graduation less than a year away, this crash course on ‘the

Overall, this year’s trip resulted in fellows broadening their academic and professional horizons and building their knowledge-base, as well as their professional network.

Bhagia stated, “I know I speak on behalf of all the business fellows when I say that this weekend was a truly rewarding experience in terms of our personal and professional development.”

Specifically, Jansaker discussed her transition from Elon to employment in the finance field, citing great opportunity in the workforce to work in international business, as well as the importance of professional skills and adaptability in achieving post-grad success. Jansaker also stressed the significance of ethics in the workplace, and students鈥� understanding of corporate sustainability and social responsibility.

Carri Tolmie, assistant professor of international business, teaches the course. Tolmie invited Jansaker to speak to her class because of the recent and relevant insight Jansaker could impart on students.

鈥淚 have invited several speakers to my MGT 424 course from around the world to discuss various topics such as cross-cultural business, international monetary systems and global marketing,鈥� Tolmie said. 鈥淔rida was a particularly unique guest speaker given she was just recently on the job market herself. She offered a distinctive view on how students can leverage their global knowledge and skills to make themselves more marketable.鈥�

Jansaker, who grew up in Sweden prior to graduating from Elon, is currently completing a rotational program with SPX Corporation in Charlotte, N.C. While obtaining finance and management degrees, Jansaker also played for Elon Women鈥檚 Tennis throughout her college career. In addition to working for SPX, Jansaker coaches tennis at Charlotte Country Day High School on the weekends.