The Internet has revolutionized ticket scalping, turning it into an electronic extension of the box office, driven by sleek advances in computer hardware and software and by a spate of clever, aggressive online ticketing companies.

IBM's Customer Obsession Program (COP) is focused on achieving a world-class client experience, service delivery that is consistently the best, and a passionate commitment to the customer.

A lot of companies focus on competition, innovation and cost-cutting to drive cash flow. But according to Ruth Bolton, marketing professor at the W. P. Carey School of Business, successful firms understand that cash flow is derived from customers.

Plenty of consumers sip Maxwell House coffee because it's "good to the last drop," and would proudly answer "yes" if asked, "Doesn't your dog deserve Alpo?" The brand-building punch of such slogans helps companies turn shoppers into customers.

"In real estate, if you keep yourself in front of long-term demographic trends, you will prosper," observes Christopher Cole, founder and chief executive of the Cole Companies, who received the Distinguished Achievement Award at the W. P. Carey undergraduate convocation recently.

As companies shift from product to services focus, they face the challenge of a larger, more dynamic and more diverse customer base. Some are turning to universities for assistance from academics to find ways to improve operations or customer relations.

Everyone needs garbage bags. Women need maxi-pads. Cat people need cat litter. And parents with babies buy diapers.

When people make predictions about certain events, their enjoyment in watching those events decreases, according to a recent study by W. P. Carey School marketing professors Naomi Mandel and Stephen Nowlis.

Soon, innovation in China will take the form of a move from a primarily manufacturing economy to a more service-oriented one, according to experts gathered at the Fourth Annual Executive Forum in Shanghai.