Oxford Odyssey

Category: Academics

  • The college dilemma of Gen Z

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    Is a university degree still worth it? For many in Gen Z, the question feels more urgent than ever. Despite skyrocketing tuition fees and growing student debt, university enrolment continues to rise, with a seemingly zero price elasticity of demand. On the surface, this makes sense—higher education has traditionally been seen as the path to…

  • Finance – Why we should look to new asset classes in our career

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    Disclaimer: This is not financial advice – just my thoughts about how I would structure my buyside career. In the early days of private equity, firms like KKR were trailblazers in a largely untapped market. Their landmark deal—the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco in 1989—set the tone for what private equity could achieve, delivering staggering…

  • 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. Behavioural economics is itself a module in Oxford. However, its influence extends throughout E&M modules – you will touch on behavioural aspects in Strategy, Finance, among others.…

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

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    The Innovator’s Dilemma is a concept popularised by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. The dilemma refers to 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…

  • 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…

  • On ESG: Stakeholder theory and why it is flawed

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    Friedman’s Shareholder Theory Milton Friedman’s Shareholder Theory asserts that the primary responsibility of a business is to maximise profits for its shareholders. Friedman argued that businesses are essentially tools of their owners (the shareholders) and should focus exclusively on generating the highest possible returns, provided they operate within the bounds of law and ethical norms.…

  • Hacking productivity: Using collectible experiences as a marketing tool

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    Have you ever dreamed of staying in an ice hotel, or perhaps sampling exotic delicacies like balut or Casu Marzu? While these experiences might not be on everyone’s bucket list, there’s a fascinating reason why they captivate so many people. Keinan and Kivetz (2011) argue that consumers often approach unique experiences as collectibles, much like…

  • When to fire your customers: The Pyramid

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    The Customer Pyramid Explained The Customer Pyramid (Zeithaml, Rust & Lemon, 2001) is divided into four tiers: Platinum, Gold, Iron, and Lead (though we will focus on the top three tiers and the Lead equivalent). Each tier represents a different level of profitability and customer value. Maximising Profit Margins for the Top Tiers For customers…