Thought Leadership Series
Highlighting the Impact of Business Research
The College of Business launched the Thought Leadership Series in early 2023 with the aim of amplifying the benefits of business research and elevating our faculty's innovative and thought-provoking work. While focusing on industry-related and data-driven research, the College of Business Thought Leadership Series gives audiences a high-impact experience – and leaves them with curiosity and inspiration.
Upcycling Quilts: Rethinking the Design Process for Sustainable Fashion
November 5, 2025
During a dynamic conversation with Stirek Associate Dean of Research, Jay Hardy, Dr. Pokorny examines how a materials-first approach to upcycling quilts transforms design, sparks creativity and drives sustainable impact across business, education and community; and how emotional and aesthetic engagement with materials reshapes creative decision-making, informs upcycling practices and advances sustainable fashion.
Turning Anger into Insight: Using Emotion for Better Outcomes
May 20, 2024
During Dr. Rees’ Thought Leadership Series event, she examines how emotions, particularly anger, can be powerful tools for decision-making, leadership and personal growth; evidence-based strategies to recognize, regulate and leverage emotions for better personal and professional outcomes; and the science of anger and how embracing emotions can transform them into a strategic advantage and elevate emotional intelligence.
The Perils of Going Viral: How Receiving Online Attention Can Bias Our Perceptions
January 5th, 2025
During Dr. Hall’s Thought Leadership Series video, he examines how online attention – through likes, views and clicks – shapes the way consumers perceive themselves and interact with others offline, as well as the psychological impact of social validation and its influence on both digital behavior and real-world connections.
How Influencer Marketing Promotes a Gun-Centric Lifestyle and Worldview
November 8th, 2024
In this Thought Leadership series video, Associate Professor of Marketing Aimee Huff examines gun advertising and the critical role of social media influencers in shaping a gun-centric worldview. She also covers how brands can leverage influencers to drive sales, enhance brand equity and align products with specific ideologies and lifestyles, and how these influencers transcend traditional marketing by embedding products into consumers' identities.
Tap into the Abilities of People with Disabilities: The Case of Employees with Hearing Loss
May 21, 2024
People with disabilities remain underemployed and marginalized in organizations and society. In his Thought Leadership Series video, Professor Baldridge’s examines the workplace experiences of people with disabilities with an emphasis on accommodation and career success among people with hearing loss.
Prospertiy with Purpose – The Promise of Sustainable Capitalism?
March 21, 2024
In the face of climate change and widening inequality, there is a growing call to reshape capitalism into a force for good, balancing profit with the welfare of all stakeholders. In her Thought Leadership Series event, Senior Associate Dean Inara Scott examined the multiple complexities of capitalism in today’s world, the various ways to reshape capitalism into a force for good, and how business can nurture societal well-being.
AI and Employee Management – The Impact on Trust in the Workplace?
May 2, 2023
Dr. Keith Leavitt's research on using AI features in today’s workplace to manage and evaluate employee performance challenges us to think about the influence of machine learning on manager-employee trust.
The Impact of Stressful Life Events at Work: The Case of Divorce
May 23rd, 2023
Dr. Bori Csillag's work challenges us to consider how important it is for organizations to understand the emotional turmoil employees experience when going through life stressors and crises outside the workplace.
The Complex World of Networks: The Implications on Business
June 7, 2023
Dr. Franzi Schmid's research focuses on the impact that social networks have on social influence, sales performance, and social media marketing metrics – with the ultimate goal of studying networks to better understand the behaviors of the systems they represent.