Oxford Odyssey

Author: cowleycorporateclimbers

  • Why formatting is important

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    “Investment Banking/Consulting is about moving the logos around a slide for the thirteenth time at 5am”. Formatting seems like the tired, brain-numbing BS that juniors get put through just because they’re paid an above market salary. Being in consulting, this “low-value” work genuinely annoys the crap out of me. With bigger, more strategic challenges on…

  • Exploring the boundaries of cutting-edge science and technology in Oxford

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    Despite the courses in Oxford being quite specialised, the sheer concentration of deep-tech talent in the form of DPhil candidates and advanced research institutes make for an abundant setting of science research. It’s so easy to dabble in the different aspects. While everyone looks in awe at AI, here are some other areas of science…

  • Oxford Travel Grants

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    Travel for free? This is something I wish I knew about a lot earlier. You can receive funding to go abroad – although taking a gap-year to travel might be difficult for those seeking to start their career ASAP, there are many options to seek funding for 3 month stints abroad. While Oxford is nice…

  • Renting in Oxford as a student

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    Tips for living outside college I loved living in college, because I was perpetually surrounded by a great community and it was so easy to meet friends at a whim. I wanted to get the experience of living out though, so I moved out for second year. Having gone through the whole process, I can…

  • The Beauty of Behavioural Economics

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    Behavioural economics is a fascinating field that bridges psychology and economics, offering insights into how people actually make decisions, often in ways that deviate from traditional economic models. In this article, I walk through some of the main branches of behavioural economics that are covered by the economics department at Oxford: nudges and inertia, as…

  • The Innovator’s Dilemma – one of the most insightful works I love

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    The Innovator’s Dilemma is a book by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. The book covers the challenges that established companies face when they have to decide between focusing on improving their existing products and services, which are often profitable, or investing in disruptive innovations that may have uncertain returns and could potentially cannibalise their…

  • Being a contrarian in the startup world

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    As an entrepreneur, it’s tempting to ride a wave — Web3, AI, or whatever the current trend may be — but this only works if you’re in early, with a solid understanding of the underlying technology. VCs tend to chase after non-contrarian ideas, especially when driven by a technological shift. If it’s an asymmetric bet,…

  • Political resources and competitive advantage

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    That political influence can be a boon to business performance is almost stupidly obvious. Trump’s election saw his close ally Elon Musk enjoy a boost to the valuation of his companies. Even back in the Suharto era, the import of cloves was regulated and hence allowed the formation of monopolies trading the spice. The resource-based…

  • The Paradox of Risk: Gambling vs. Risky Investments

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    Humans are inherently risk-averse. This means that, when presented with a choice, most people tend to prefer a certain, lower reward over a higher potential reward that comes with greater risk. The St Petersburg Principle involves a hypothetical game where a fair coin is flipped until it lands heads. The payout for the game doubles…

  • The evolution of marketing

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    The philosophy behind marketing has been evolving over time, adapting to the surrounding economic and technological structure. Of course, some industries will remain laggards, while others will be more advanced in their progression. This is a general guide as to how marketing has changed. First Era: Product Focused “Build it and they shall come.” In…