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Check out highlights of just some of the recent activities of Mendoza faculty that inform the way values-based leaders work and lead.
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Fall 2024 Research Spotlight
Research by Ann Tenbrunsel and colleagues shines a light on whistleblowing intentions and behaviors at work.
Professor Tenbrunsel explains:
The research examines how and why elements of the organizational ethical infrastructure - the set of formal (i.e., codes, policies) and informal systems (i.e., unwritten rules) - motivate ethical whistleblowing intentions and convert those intentions into behaviors. We find that top management communication systems cultivate whistleblowing intentions and ethical surveillance and sanctioning systems help convert those intentions into behaviors.... These results answer calls both to understand what elements of the ethical infrastructure matter and to understand how construal level theory might be useful in organizational contexts. Practically, they underscore a need for organizations to recognize the dimension of timing as it relates to unethical behavior, so that whistleblowing intentions can be cultivated before anticipated spikes in unethical behavior, and converted to whistleblowing behaviors when unethical behavior is at its peak.
Read more about Professor Tenbrunsel's research spotlighting behavioral blind spots at work.
Summer 2024 Research Roundup
Smartphones negatively impact charitable giving, revealing need for nonprofits to adapt messaging, finds Professor Kristen Ferguson
Online shoppers behave differently after chatting with staff of the opposite gender, finds research by Professors Yoonseock Son, Kaitlin D. Wowak, Corey M. Angst, and colleagues
Professor Joonhyuk Yang's research allows financial institutions to consider new data sources for credit scoring, finding grocery shopping habits prove credit worthiness, aiding those without credit history
Machine learning is increasingly used in business decisions from whether to approve a bank loan to how healthcare is allocated - can machine learning be made more fair? Read more about research from Professors John P. Lalor and Ahmed Abbasi with PhD student Kezia Oketch
Yixing Chen's research focuses on the persistent problem of low cancer screening rates, using machine learning combined with large-scale field experiments to develop personalized outreach programs that increase screening rates and lead to better outcomes for patients and decreased costs for health care systems.
Shijie Lu examined how policies designed to enhance consumer privacy affect advertising effectiveness, consumer behavior, advertiser profits and platform revenues. The research team hopes their findings will inspire more nuanced approaches to ad-targeting policies and foster a more effective and consumer-friendly advertising environment.
Mitchell Olsen, Department of Marketing, worked with Matthew Meng from Utah State University to understand how the traditional marketing idea of market segmentation might help scientists and public health officials communicate with the public more effectively.
Several Mendoza faculty members contributed to a new book, "Business Ethics: A Case Approach," Topics include ethical influence, corporate reputation, codes of conduct, environmental and social sustainability, and inclusive economics. Read more from Professors Amanda McKendree, Brett Beasley, Joe Holt, Ken MIlani, Jim O'Rourke, Kelly Rubey, and Jessica McManus Warnell.
Marketing professors John P. Costello, Frank Germann and Bill Wilkie with co-author Aaron Garvey of the University of Kentucky identified what they call the “uptrend effect,” a form of positive peer pressure that is useful for encouraging healthy behaviors such as exercising and eating healthy foods.
Frank Germann studied an initiative in which professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds volunteered time to help entrepreneurs in Uganda grow their businesses. The study directly improved the lives of the Ugandan entrepreneurs who took part in the study. It also answered Germann and his collaborators’ questions about how and why marketers matter in entrepreneurial ventures in emerging markets.
Fall 2023 Research Roundup
"During his extensive testimony, Easton revealed the amount in Alameda Research and FTX’s accounts was far less than what was owed to customers of FTX."
Corey Angst considers advantages and concerns with open AI (WNDU.com)
Sandra Vera-Munoz's work provides evidence of ChatGPT's performance in the classroom (Issues in Accounting Education)
Dean Shepherd's research finds that a gender gap exists in the ability for entrepreneurs to raise funds, and is even magnified in societies where women are more empowered (Journal of Business Ethics)
A new study by Alfonso Pedraza-Martinez offers improved strategy for social media communications during wildfires (Information Systems Research)
Case Study: Oh Say Can You Sit? Colin Kaepernick, Freedom of Speech and the Workplace. Though designed for the classroom, this case study by Brian Levey can be used in the workplace as part of training or discussion starters to consider whether, when and how companies and employees address social issues (Journal of Business Law and Ethics Pedagogy)
Environmental Violence: A Tool for Planetary Health, This work by Drew Marcantonio that received international recognition offers tools for crafting solutions to planetary challenges:
"The framework can be applied to map and measure causes and consequences of environmental violence and to help build just solutions that promote integral human ecology and flourishing."
Professor Marcantonio also published "Environmental Management: A Critical Tool for Environmental Peacebuilding" (New Security Beat)
Fr. Oliver Williams will reflect on how the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) can assist in advancing dignity. justice and prosperity in Africa at the Africa Academy of Management (AFAM) Annual Meeting on January 8, 2024. Check out our interview with UNGC CEO Sanda Ojiambo here.
NDDCEL Faculty Fellow Christopher Adkins presented the Tender-Strong-True approach to leadership, Cindy Muir (Zapata) shared her work on managing burnout at work, and Drew Marcantonio provided an overview of environmental considerations for business at the 2023 NDDCEL Fall Forum - watch for highlights coming soon!