Q&A with lauded marketing professor Sridhar Balasubramanian

Sridhar Balasubramanian, associate dean of UNC’s MBA program and a marketing professor at Kenan-Flagler Business School, was recently named one of the world’s best business professors by Poets & Quants, a website that evaluates business schools.

The Daily Tar Heel sat down with Balasubramanian to discuss his award and new trends in the business world.

Daily Tar Heel: Does a high standard of teaching come naturally to you?

Sridhar Balasubramanian: When I teach, I think of myself as not just conveying a bunch of concepts to students, but I think of myself as a mentor. I believe in spending time with students so they not only learn the material, but also apply it. I delve deep into concepts but also package the concepts in useful and usable tools that students can take and use at work.

DTH: What gets you up in the morning to come to work at UNC?

SB: One thing I really appreciate about this business school is that we take both research and teaching very seriously — we invest a lot of resources, time and energy into producing and publishing world class research. But we are also very good at disseminating this research in the classroom. This duality of excellence between research and teaching is something that really distinguishes our school and sets it apart.

DTH: In your opinion, what company has been most successful in its marketing tactics?

SB: Today everyone is taken up with Apple. Why? Because they make great products and are very successful. However, it’s also sometimes humbling to remember that from the early ’80s, Apple stock didn’t do well. They almost went bankrupt. It’s only since 2005 have they caught fire.

So another example I like to reference is Southwest Airlines. They don’t offer you reserved seats, you’ll never find a psuedo-gourmet meal on the plane, and they don’t book your luggage through other airlines. They hardly do anything for you, but they’ve been consistently profitable throughout history, and they rank among the highest in customer satisfaction scores.

DTH: What is social media’s role in marketing?

SB: I think markets are getting much better at using social media, but it is also important to remember that traditional marketing media matter tremendously.

What they need to do now is plan a portfolio of marketing approaches within the umbrella of the marketing campaign that includes newspaper, print, TV advertising, e-mail, but also social media. It’s a great complement, not a substitute.

DTH: What advice to you have for other educators?

SB: First, don’t give up on research, because ultimately students benefit from you communicating cutting-edge knowledge. Second, stop thinking about teaching as something you have to get done — think of teaching as a joyful venture in shaping eager minds.

Third, make sure that every bit of knowledge you present in the classroom is useful. It must not just be a concept floating around there that students cannot put to use. Last, make it interactive. Students can learn from each other, and I from them.

Rarely do I walk out of the classroom when I don’t step back and say, “Hey, I learned something new in the class, a new perspective, a new idea, a new example.”

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.