Look Before You Leap

Those who are enamored of practice

without science are like a pilot who goes
into a ship without rudder or compass
and never has any certainty where he is
going.
Practice should always be based upon a
sound knowledge of theory.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519)
Italian artist, engineer, and inventor.

We are all made of stars

Bearings
What good is an efficient organization without
effectiveness? Leonardo da Vinci understood the idea
behind having strong bearings to guide your direction.
What is the source of these bearings in business
management?
The myth of talent says that smart people make an
organization more effective. There are cases where
individual performance counts and individual stars
reign. Yo-Yo Ma, Tiger Woods, and Michael Jordan are
all star talent, all physical geniuses. In most respects
the corporate environment differs from this arena of
individual stars. Here, it is smarter systems that count.
The pinnacle of accomplishment in science is the
application of knowledge that is deeply focused in
combination with complimentary organization. This
makes extraordinary outcomes possible with ordinary
people. Smarter systems make us all shine brilliantly.
When each individual is integral in forming the
constellation, we are all made of stars.
As management theorist Henry Mintzberg points out the
management of business is part craft, part art, part
science. Science takes the gamble out of the equation.
The main purpose of science is simplicity and as we
understand more things, everything is becomes simpler.

Perspective
It is Einstein who said "Not everything that counts
can be counted, Not everything that can be
counted counts."
There is a kernel of wisdom in these words, yet we
are throwing out Einstein. It is Einsteins point of
view that allows marketing to be ruled by faulty
intuition and tepid links to corporate performance.
The frame of Einstein enables people like William
Bernbach to declare Advertising isn't a science.
It's persuasion. And persuasion is an art. The
problem is that these artists win Clios, and not
markets.
In the pursuit of advancing brand science we look
further back in history for our inspiration. We seek
the physicist who looked to the stars. The
inspiration comes from Galileo.
Measure what is measurable, and make
measurable what is not so.

That which counts

should be counted

Flexible

Robust

Multifaceted

Salient

Structural

Impact
Brands drive business performance. Brands make markets
imperfect, and the goal of every firm is to do just thatmake
markets imperfect. They are legally protected monopolies
that differentiate a firms offers. Brands are cogent resources
for firms as they operate on both sides of the risk-reward
equation. They both reduce risk associated with firm
performance, and enhance the overall performance of the
firm.
Brands help firms offers migrate up the chain of meaning.
And through the process of providing more value to
customers, the brand in turn becomes more valuable for the
firm.
Commodities

Product

Service

Experience

Next

?
$.10

$.25

$1.00

$4.50

$???

Recent findings show that brands play an important role as a

contributor of firm performance. This research illustrates that
the impact that brands have on firm performance is greater
than the impact of the competitive environment, and that of
resource allocation on firm performance. What does this
mean?

Brands are the primary source of firm performance.

Statue of Nike in Luxembourg

Integration
Science needs activation. Science must begin with myths, and the
criticism of myths are the words of wisdom by British philosopher
Karl Popper. Science begins with asking questions about the how
things work. Ideally problem-sets are formed in situ. Typically in the
midst of their focus managers will face challenges beyond their ability
to control. To remain relevant the establishment of links between the
researcher and these real-world concerns is imperative.
The Zyman Institute of Brand Science is a network organization.
Being centered at Emory Universitys Goizueta Business School
offers the benefit of being bonded with a top-tier business school with
highly lauded scholars. The Institutes role is one of orchestration. In
this respect its mandate is to develop and sustain synergistic
partnerships with corporate sponsors, research firms, other
universities, scholars, and thought leaders.
The Institute in essence plays an integrative role expanding and
fostering a vast network containing vital resources and immense
talent. To embrace this challenge we extend our greeting.
We seek partners who are interested in solving pressing issues.
We seek access to real-world problems and datasets.
We seek the insight of senior management for guidance on priorities.

And in return we deliver actionable knowledge and tools by way of

refinement of everyday thinking through the lens of scientific
methods.

Seek the solution and contact us with your interests.

Contacts:
For further information, please visit www.zibs.com or contact:
Zyman Institute of Brand Science
Goizueta Business School
Emory University
1300 Clifton Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30322 USA
Main: +1 (404) 727-9172

Raj Srivastava
Executive Director
Professor of Marketing
Phone: +1 (404) 727-4858
Email: raj@zibs.com

Web: www.zibs.com

Academic Facing Contacts

Business Facing Contacts

Sundar Bharadwaj
Director of Academic Programs
Professor of Marketing
Phone: 404-727-2646
Email: sundar@zibs.com

Greg Thomas
Director of Programs
Phone : +1 (404) 727-4613
Email: greg@zibs.com

Doug Bowman
Director of Academic Programs
Professor of Marketing
Phone: 404-727-4613
Email: doug@zibs.com

Craig Stacey
Director of Research
Phone: +1 (404) 727-4601
Email: craig@zibs.com

Image Credits
Penguin: Stone
Space: NASA, ESA, STScI, and HUDF Team
Others: Greg Thomas