Out of 26 million Texans, you may have an idea to change the world. You may have had several ideas to change the world. But only a tiny minority of you pushed through the U.S. Patent office from application to successful patent. We've seen Texans change the world many times over. Jack Kilby did it with Texas Instruments in 1958 with the integrated circuit, causing the start of the digital revolution, which, in part, is why you can read these words over your electronic device.
Over the last few years, Texas Business has brought its feature: Texas Business Patent of the Day. This list is of the ones that were either extremely clever, odd or strange. One thing becomes apparent from these patents and the patent that runs daily in Texas Business—Texans have a unique mind set.
Though the history of the Corn Dog is disputed, the State Fair of Texas claims to have introduced the Corny Dog sometime between 1938 and 1942. As a paean to that invention that now sits in the freezer section of every grocery store in the southwest, here are the fried foods the State Fair of Texas has introduced, or tried to introduce, in the last seven years.
Dead Texas musicians live on every time you hear their songs. Their songs play everywhere, so the dead Texas musicians appear to be immortal. Here's the short list.
Don't get caught up with John Wayne religion. For one thing, he's not Texan. He's in some fine movies involving Texas, most notably The Searchers, but none of his movies can make the best cut of Texas movies. Here's the short list.
Unsung Texas Business Journalists Mention that one is a reporter, and there's a spark of interest. Mention that one is a business news reporter, and watch the eyes glaze over. Except to the players, business and economic journalists are unappreciated. While many wish to become sports reporters when they grow up, most do not realize that business journalists cover the Real Game. Mention that reporter covers business, and watch the eyes glaze over. A toast to these below on the short list and the numerous unnamed ones slogging away. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Best Texas Mexican Food: The Short List No, we're not going to debate the difference between Tex-Mex, Mex-Tex, Mexican and Texican food. Just know these establishments are the pinnacle of Texas Mexican fare. No brag, just fact. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Best Texas Burgers Texas Burgers. . While a hamburger is merely sustenance and gratification for a meal, the memory a good Texas burger can give rise to Homeric odes. The short list. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business has published its quarterly Keller Center Research Report, an online compendium of academic articles focused on residential real estate research and summaries of scholarly journal articles and books relevant to real estate sales agents.
The report takes a look at distinct marketing approaches to three generations of American homebuyers and covers such topics as using social media marketing to generate sales and starting a search engine marketing campaign.
“A practitioner wants to know immediately how to put research findings into practice. Most academic papers, however, include very general implications, often in an abbreviated form at the close of the paper,” said Andrea L. Dixon, executive director for the Keller Center for Research, the Center for Professional Selling and The Frank M. and Floy Smith Holloway Professor in Marketing at Baylor. “In the Keller Center Research Report, leading scholars from the U.S. and around the world are engaging with Baylor as we translate the most current academic research for the residential real estate professional. Top research, tailored for the residential real estate agent, and delivered to his or her phone, iPad or desktop each quarter.”
Academic articles in this issue are authored by faculty from Baylor University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Missouri State University, Bentley University, Kennesaw State University and Profiles International.
They include "How to Reduce Client's Perceived Availability of Alternative Agents and Increase Client Retention," by Brian Rutherford, Scott B. Friend, and G. Alexander Hamwi; "To Pay or Not to Pay - Understanding Consumer Willingness to Pay for Professional Services," by Nada Nasr Bechwati; "Necessary Condition #7 - The Right Approach Method," by Charles Fifield; and "Three American Generations and the Real Estate Marketer," by Stan Madden.
Insider articles include "Listen, Contribute, Connect - Leveraging Social Media Marketing for Real Estate," by Dennis Thé; "Socially Identifying with Clients," by Amanda Holmes; and "Establishing an Effective Search Engine Marketing Campaign," by Mark Tarro.
"The competitive and unpredictable nature of the real estate industry presents agents with an explicit need to differentiate themselves among consumers in highly competitive markets,” said Curtis Schroeder, assistant director of the Keller Center and the Center for Professional Selling. “The Keller Center provides insightful research and practical tools to help real estate professionals build successful and meaningful careers in the real estate industry.”
The Keller Center focuses its studies on factors that influence individual homebuyers in their decisions, as well as marketing and management issues that are important to real estate agencies and small businesses. Baylor University established the Center in 2007 following a donation from Gary Keller, founder and chairman of Keller-Williams Realty International.
The Texas News Scrawl is a handy reference to stories Texas Business recommends from other news sources. Some of the stories that Texas Business currently suggests include: America’s greatest threat: Unsafe work conditions; The West News proves the value of a great weekly newspaper in a community torn up with grief and chaos; Chinese investors checking out Texas, Austin; Texas makes bounce house operators carry liability coverage, but not plants like West Fertilizer; bSpaceX’s Grasshopper leaping to NM spaceport;American Airlines, US Airways to name post-merger leadership within weeks; Texas power cushion seen at lowest level in a decade; Media outlets reflect Houston's diversity; and more.
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