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SALT LAKE CITY—The Executive MBA Program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business has climbed to No. 33 nationally on the 2011 Financial Times list of leading Executive MBA programs and is the only Utah school ranked in the top 100 this year. This marks the David Eccles School of Business’ seventh consecutive appearance in the 2011 ranking of global executive MBA programs, bettering its 2010 finish at No. 38 among the U.S. programs and maintaining its No. 88 global ranking, despite tough competition from several new international EMBA programs.

A new report by the University of Utah pegs the economic impact of the school’s start-up companies over the last 40 years at $754 million, responsible for more than 15,000 jobs.

The analysis by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) examines 188 companies and invention licenses created since 1970.

Pioneering firms commonly die young because consumers aren't ready to embrace their business models, according to authors Stanislav Dobrev, a professor at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business, and Aleksios Gotsopoulos, a professor at Boston University School of Management. And since market forerunners lack predecessors to look to for guidance, the unprecedented decisions they make often end up fatal.

A David Eccles School of Business researcher says when it comes to launching a new business, being the first to dive into uncharted marketing waters is not always the best move.