According to The Wall Street Journal, the Cupritino, California computer giant Apple plans to hire Yale School of Management Dean Joel Podolny. It is unclear what Mr. Podolny's position will be.

This is especially interesting because in professor Podolny's research, he developed a sociological theory of market competition based on status dynamics. Podolny's research has also focused on the role of social networks in mobility and information transfer within organizations.

Corporate 'universities' have become a popular way for companies to train their employees. Steve Jobs is no stranger to this concept. Jobs, formerly the largest shareholder of Pixar Animation Studios, was a big fan of Pixar University.