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.
May 20, 2026
From Classroom to Publication: Smith Tech Management Capstone Project Becomes Published Research
A collaboration between a unique nonprofit and a tireless group of Smith Technology Management students has resulted in the program’s first published research.
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From Classroom to Publication: Smith Tech Management Capstone Project Becomes Published Research
March 10, 2026
Where GenAI Consumer Research is Likely Headed
Generative AI expands access to consumer research but risks biased, generic findings detached from real behavior, Roland Rust and Ming-Hui Huang say. They identify democratization, the “average trap” and model collapse as growing threats, urging human-centered methods to prevent synthetic, nonhuman…
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Where GenAI Consumer Research is Likely Headed
February 13, 2026
Smith Researcher Co Develops AdGazer, a Breakthrough for Predicting Attention to Digital Ads
AdGazer, co-developed by Michel Wedel at the University of Maryland’s Smith School, uses AI and eye-tracking data to predict ad attention. It outperforms leading vision models by analyzing ads and context to optimize placement and increase brand engagement.
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Smith Researcher Co Develops AdGazer, a Breakthrough for Predicting Attention to Digital Ads
September 11, 2025
3 Keys to Big Tech’s Success that Your Company Can Implement Now
Bobby Zhou’s research highlights three strategies any company can use to grow like tech giants: open to third parties, connect customers, and reach customers’ customers. These platformization methods harness network effects, building defensible, scalable, and innovative businesses across industries…
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3 Keys to Big Tech’s Success that Your Company Can Implement Now
August 28, 2025
Who’s Your Competition?
New research by P.K. Kannan, Dean’s Chair in Marketing Science at the Smith School, and Xian Gu, PhD ’19, applies CSIS to identify hotel competitors. Unlike traditional methods, CSIS efficiently pinpoints top rivals across diverse markets, revealing asymmetric influences, spatial variation, and…
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Who’s Your Competition?
August 8, 2025
Want a Review You Can Trust? Ask Someone Who Did It Alone.
People trust reviews of leisure activities more when they come from someone who did the activity alone, according to the Smith School’s Rebecca Ratner. Her research shows solo consumers are seen as more focused and credible, influencing recommendations significantly.
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Want a Review You Can Trust? Ask Someone Who Did It Alone.
July 24, 2025
AI for Customer Journeys: A Transformer Approach
Marketing researchers at the Smith School developed a transformer-based AI model that predicts digital customer behavior, personalizes insights, and outperforms traditional methods—advancing real-time marketing analytics and ROI through individualized, multi-touchpoint journey analysis.
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AI for Customer Journeys: A Transformer Approach
May 14, 2025
Are You Ready for the Future? AI Can Help
Joseph Reiff, assistant professor of marketing, co-invented The Retirement Visualizer™, an AI tool using GPT and DALL·E to help individuals vividly imagine retirement goals. By making the future feel tangible, it aims to boost motivation and increase retirement savings.
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Are You Ready for the Future? AI Can Help
May 14, 2025
The Language of Buying: Deciphering AI Conversations
Marketing PhD student Ziting Liao, with faculty Liye Ma and Wendy Moe, developed a model predicting purchase intent from AI assistant interactions. By analyzing language patterns, the tool helps advertisers better target consumers and optimize strategies based on intent.
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The Language of Buying: Deciphering AI Conversations
May 14, 2025
The Tax Revenue and Problem-Gambling Balancing Act
Research co-authored by associate professor Dan McCarthy finds that online sports betting legalization has led to a rise in irresponsible gambling, especially among lower-income individuals. The study highlights financial risks and calls for safeguards to mitigate potential societal harm.
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The Tax Revenue and Problem-Gambling Balancing Act