MarketWatch, “Is an Activist Hedge Fund’s Climate-Linked Coup of Exxon’s Board Simply a Case of ‘Greenwashing?’,” 06/08/21
Hemang Desai, distinguished professor of accounting, with Sorabh Tomar, assistant professor of accounting, voice concern about the addition of three new board members to ExxonMobil’s board, all from activist hedge fund Engine No. 1. “What is evident is that characterizing Engine No. 1’s victory as a win for climate action is akin to greenwashing when the concrete actions that oil and gas firms must take to transition sustainably, both from a financial and environmental perspective, remain elusive.”

BBC News Television, “Tech Workers Reconsidering Moves,” 09/12/21
Richard Alm, writer-in-residence at the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom, considers the potential labor market effects of recently passed state laws. “It’s going to become an issue if you have enough workers who don’t want to live in this state under those regulations. That will force companies to adjust their plans. Tech employees are young, highly educated, very mobile and in demand. You are competing in a very, very tough market, and it’s difficult, if you throw in another obstacle, to attract these people.”

The Orange County Register, “Unexpected Inflation is the Broken Promise of a Generation,” 10/07/21
Michael Davis, senior lecturer of business strategy and economics, warns the proposed multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure bill being debated in Congress has high potential to increase inflation. “We’re told that ‘moderate and temporary’ inflation in the range of 5% to 10% is an acceptable burden to bear. But remember that, especially for these millennials, this kind of inflation will come as a rude shock.”

KDFW-TV, FOX 4, “Gov. Greg Abbott Issues List of Demands from PUC, ERCOT After Feb. Winter Storm,” 07/06/21
Bruce Bullock, director of the Maguire Energy Institute, weighs in on the need to identify and implement measures to prevent another power grid failure in Texas like the one that happened statewide last February. “This is the kind of thing that needs to be fixed fairly quickly. On the other hand, it doesn’t lend itself to that quick of a fix.” The story featuring Bullock’s comments aired multiple times on FOX affiliates across the state.

Bloomberg, “Gensler Turns Spotlight on How Hard It Can Be to Get Bond Prices,” 09/14/21
Kumar Venkataraman, James M. Collins Chair in Finance, comments on the desire of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s chairman to bring greater efficiency and transparency to the trading of corporate bonds, municipal bonds and mortgage-backed securities. Venkataraman is a member of the commission’s Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee. “Pre-trade transparency is a focus. If you’re a large, sophisticated investor, you receive quotes from many dealers and see the best price. If you’re less sophisticated, you might get a less competitive bid.”

D Magazine, “Why It’s Important for Your Doctors to Share a Water Cooler,” 10/11/21
Vishal Ahuja, assistant professor of information technology and operations management, contends patients can improve outcomes when treated by healthcare providers in the same office. Ahuja’s research finds co-locating mental health with primary care for high-risk patients can reduce hospitalizations and length of stay. But continuity of care is just as important as co-location. “There’s actually a chance that forcing myself to go where my PCP or my mental health provider is might even be counterproductive if it breaks my continuity.”

CPO Magazine, “How Organizations Can Build Cyber Resilience Against a New Wave of Cyber Threats,” 08/13/21
David Jacobson, executive director of Working Professional Programs, discusses the increasing rate of ransomware and cyberattacks, as well as the steps organizations can take to build better defenses. “We have left open gaping vulnerabilities that the bad guys are now exploiting. We need to bolster our cyber resilience by evolving our approaches and responses to cyber threats, be they ransomware or state-sponsored attacks.”

Travel and Tour World, “SITE Foundation Launches New Project to Identify the Role of Incentive Travel & Motivational Events,” 10/04/21
Marci Armstrong, director of the Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement, lauds a new partnership between the Institute and the SITE Foundation (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) to identify the role incentive travel and motivational events play in corporate strategy and direction from a C-suite perspective. “Our MBA students are conducting qualitative research with over 60 qualified corporate leaders based in North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America, with findings published by the end of February 2022.”

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Did Someone Criticize Your Parenting? How to React,” 10/19/21
Marcus Butts, associate professor of management and organizations (MNO) and MNO chair, co-authored a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology titled “Examining the Effects of Parental Identity Threat and Emotional Stability on Work Productivity and Investment in Parenting.” Citing his research, the article focuses on how real or perceived criticism about parenting skills causes workers to pull back from work. “You’re dissatisfied with yourself,” says Butts. He explains people inherently want to feel good about the roles they care about and instinctively protect those identities (like parenting) with a burst of action.