On the Verge

Over the last several decades, an economic overhaul has changed the way global business interacts with its surroundings, both locally and globally. Multinational Enterprises (MNE) have long shaped international business and created global streams of goods, services and ideas in virtually all industries.  But with a rising tide of global businesses, local economies—specifically cities and […]

How can you research culture without current events creeping into the data? Look at language that goes back to the foundation of communication itself. Amir Shoham, associate professor of finance and international business at the Fox School, studies the impact of linguistic gender marking on gender roles in society and business. “I was looking for […]

Teachers often use real-life examples to make lessons stick in the minds of students. TL Hill, professor of strategic management at the Fox School, was looking for a teaching case that would help students work through a difficult problem: How do you measure and document impact in the nonprofit world? When he couldn’t find one, […]

People are multifaceted; it’s what makes each person unique. Someone could express themselves one way in a certain situation and differently in another.  In the workplace, scholars have found that authenticity can improve an employee’s job satisfaction, commitment to an organization and even performance. But two researchers wanted to know more. How authentic does one […]

In the past, businesses were made up of workers who dedicated their time to a singular task. However, thanks to technological advancements, employees are now expected to handle a larger and more varied to-do list with even tighter deadlines. In an effort to keep up, many workers turn to multitasking, like finishing up a report […]

For many of us, it’s hard to imagine not being able to open up the fridge and grab a snack or have the groceries needed to prepare a healthy and filling meal for our family.  But across the United States, food insecurity—or lacking enough food in a year to lead a healthy life—is rampant. According […]

Is your company taking enough risks?  Managing a company is a challenge. CEOs need to balance short-term profit with long-term innovation, performance with investment, and shareholders’ interests with employees’ expectations.  Some CEOs are natural risk-takers; others may be more risk-averse. Managers need to strike the right balance between “doing what works” and investing in risky […]

“The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the national, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all of the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them […]

Whether it’s over coffee or on Zoom, social connections create companies, establish successful partnerships and launch industry-changing research projects. That’s why one of the biggest challenges we’ve had globally over the last year, as we sought to slow and stop the spread of the coronavirus, has been maintaining our social relationships with far-away friends and […]

Influencers dominate today’s social media landscape. Consumers turn to their favorite bloggers, vloggers and online personalities to influence their purchasing decisions on everything from beauty products to streaming services. In the business-to-consumer (B2C) space, almost every major company has an influencer marketing strategy to capitalize on this phenomenon. But what about business-to-business (B2B)?  “Consumers are […]

How many Friday afternoon office conversations go a little something like this? “What are your plans for the weekend?” “We’re hoping to binge the new season of ‘Ozark.’ We’ve been waiting for this to drop on Netflix for months.” But binge-watching, by definition, is not supposed to be a planned activity. It’s supposed to be […]

In 1973, Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to decriminalize the use of marijuana. Nearly fifty years later, eleven other states—including Colorado, Alaska, California, Nevada, Massachusetts and Vermont—have all fully legalized recreational marijuana. So, what is holding back the rest of the country from joining in the green rush? Kevin Fandl, associate professor […]

“In intercollegiate athletics and beyond, you put in your hours. Many people believe the only way to get better, to be more successful, is to work harder.” Elizabeth Taylor, assistant professor at the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. Do you live to work, or work to live?  Inspired by her own past as […]

During the 2019-2020 academic year, Sunil Wattal was named the new managing director of PhD programs. He shared with the On The Verge editorial team his relationship with research, the value of pursuing a PhD in 2020 and his vision for the future of the program.  1. What are your primary research interests?  As a […]

TV impacts what we talk about at the water cooler, but how is it affecting executives’ decision making? What TV viewers consume can shape their decisions and beliefs. In today’s polarized political climate, viewers of MSNBC often have completely different interpretations of current events than viewers of Fox News.  Business executives, however, need to make […]