The promise of a bright future is a theme endorsed by theologians, philosophers, politicians, lovers, and entrepreneurs. Looking forward to a better tomorrow is an enduring trait for the optimist who sees, even in tragedy, the bright future ahead.
In business, opportunities are often determined by passion, drive, and persuasion in delivering a brilliant vision for future opportunities. Nancy Duarte describes the power business people have to change the world in her book Resonate: “If presented well, a smart idea acts as the igniting spark for an explosion of human and material resources…. So, if you can communicate an idea well, you have, within you, the power to change the world.”1
In this issue of Marriott Student Review, we explore the bright future of the business world. Each article focuses on some aspect of business and the exciting possibilities that lay ahead. For example, Sarah Romney explores the power of happiness to improve one’s business possibilities. Wearing a smile may help you climb the corporate ladder. Seeing life as half full rather than half empty could influence your career.
A Bright Future for Blockchain, Mergers, and Acquisitions
Jonathan Chichoni analyzed the digital global supply chain and the international expansion of blockchain
technology. Blockchain has a bright future ahead. To help the reader understand what blockchain is, Chichoni introduces the topic in a separate article for those who need a primer explanation of this technology that is literally taking over the world. Both of these articles are taken from his honor’s thesis (which can be found in its entirety on our ScholarsArchive website).
Philip Morgan studied the predictive power of SEC filings for mergers and acquisitions by doing a textual analysis to see if there were any correlations between a company’s filings and the company’s eventual success or failure. (This article is also his honor’s thesis and the complete thesis can also be found on ScholarsArchive.) Is there predictive power in the filings? You’ll have to read the article to find out.
A Bright Future for New Ways of Business
Design thinking is a new way of finding solutions to business conundrums that have multiple stakeholders and no clear solutions. This way of thought follows a creative process that is revolutionizing large corporations and businesses; a design thinking minor will be starting at BYU this fall.
Adam Chase, MSR’s Executive Spotlight, is an advertising executive with a bright future. He looks at advertising challenges as relationships between people. He focuses on these relationships rather than contracts and money. His life is centered on his “north star” values of family and church service.
A Bright Future for Refugees
Refugees are often seen as a negative part of society. Michael Jarman points out that they should be viewed positively for their potential to increase our GDP and improve our economy. Refugees should be given the opportunity for a bright future in countries around the world.
For example, Elon Musk was originally an immigrant from Europe who came to the United States (by way of Canada) to start a new life. Luckily, Elon Musk was able to work in the USA or our country would not have the companies of SpaceEx, Tesla, or Boring. Ryan Yauney looks at Elon Musk’s leadership style and the future of this entrepreneurial rising star, especially in the areas of space travel, electric cars, and solar energy. Solar energy is the industry spotlight for this MSR issue; hopefully, it will continue to help our country have a dazzling future.
Sometimes, we might get discouraged about all the negative things happening around the world and we may begin to think the future looks bleak and without hope. In 2011, President Boyd K. Packer gave us a promise of a bright future ahead: “Sometimes you might be tempted to think as I did from time to time in my youth: ‘The way things are going, the world’s going to be over with. The end of the world is going to come before I get to where I should be.’ Not so! You can look forward to doing it right— getting married, having a family, seeing your children and grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren.”2 There is a promise of a bright future ahead, no matter what we read in the news.
Please join us in looking ahead to a bright future! Share with us your thoughts on our Facebook page or LinkedIn profile of how bright the future is for you and your business.
Enjoy reading,
Marianna Richardson, Editor-in-Chief
Notes
1 Nancy Duarte, Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 203, 216.
2 President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Counsel to Youth,” Ensign, Nov. 2011, 16, 18–19.