Thought Leadership

The lifeblood of a business school is its faculty, and at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business our faculty members are inspiring, supportive and world-class. We are attuned to a marketplace that values innovation, entrepreneurialism, analytical thinking and hard work. Our teaching and research equips students with the wisdom of business scholarship rooted in the experiential lessons of the marketplace.

March 11, 2024
Kroger-Albertsons and FTC Antitrust Standards
In September 2022, the proposed $24.6 billion merger of Krogers and Albertsons sparked controversy. The Federal Trade Commission intervened, citing concerns of reduced competition and higher prices. Amidst legal battles, a notable case study by Susan White at the University of Maryland explores the…
Read the article : Kroger-Albertsons and FTC Antitrust Standards
January 25, 2024
How Mafia Crackdowns Drive Competition and Innovation in Local Economies
The Italian Mafia is synonymous with organized crime and some of the country’s most powerful groups wield fearsome power across the world. Their strongholds start at the municipal level. Pablo Slutzky, a finance assistant professor at the Smith School of Business, studies how the mafia’s presence…
Read the article : How Mafia Crackdowns Drive Competition and Innovation in Local Economies
December 11, 2023
The Case for Enterprise Risk Management in Higher Education
Companies have managed risk for years. Traditionally, each business unit evaluates and handles their own risk, then reports to the CEO. Now, conventionally, the practice is holistically evolving to “enterprise risk management” or “ERM.”
Read the article : The Case for Enterprise Risk Management in Higher Education
November 30, 2023
Commercial Real Estate in Demise?
Pre-pandemic, healthy demand for office and retail spaces signaled a growing commercial real estate (CRE) market. Loans were readily available, often with favorable terms. But the COVID lockdowns shifted the landscape significantly with businesses shuttering and employees transitioning to…
Read the article : Commercial Real Estate in Demise?
August 29, 2023
Smith Experts Assess Drug Manufacturing Risk from Natural Hazards
A July tornado that tore across the Rocky Mount, N.C., region left severe damage including to a Pfizer facility. Amid subsequent supply chain disruption, the manufacturer alerted hospitals to a list of 12 drugs available only through emergency orders “due to their high medical need,” effective…
Read the article : Smith Experts Assess Drug Manufacturing Risk from Natural Hazards
August 24, 2023
AI-Powered Pricing: Does It Make the Buying Experience More Fair and Equitable?
Retailers have been using artificial intelligence for a while now. There’s the rudimentary use of it to send out enticing email promotions or timely online ads that we welcome at times and find annoying at others. But retailers are also using AI to track consumers’ behavior both online and in brick…
Read the article : AI-Powered Pricing: Does It Make the Buying Experience More Fair and Equitable?
May 11, 2023
Smith Research Identifies Flaw in SEC Move to Help Investors in Retail Stock Trading Surge
COVID-19 lockdowns and subsequent stimulus payments left many Americans with extra time and cash. Among the effects was a surge in retail stock trading through zero-commission brokerages. This worked to drive up the share price of meme stocks and led to market volatility.
Read the article : Smith Research Identifies Flaw in SEC Move to Help Investors in Retail Stock Trading Surge
April 26, 2023
Is Your Maryland Home At Risk for Damages from Climate Disasters?
Many Maryland homeowners are increasingly faced with the threat of costly home repairs from extreme weather events. With climate change, these events are becoming more frequent and more intense. And that could mean bigger problems for homeowners – particularly those who don’t have the extra cash to…
Read the article : Is Your Maryland Home At Risk for Damages from Climate Disasters?
April 20, 2023
Smith Experts React to Fed Recession Prediction

Federal Reserve economists predicting a mild recession as a result of the recent banking crisis

Read the article : Smith Experts React to Fed Recession Prediction
March 8, 2023
Toxic Train Derailment Vexing for Real Estate Industry
Health safety for residents following the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has been a top concern. Has it really been safe enough to return – both for the short- and long-term?
Read the article : Toxic Train Derailment Vexing for Real Estate Industry