Technology (Non-) Emergence: The Role of (Mis-)Alignment of Uncertainty Dimensions In Alternative Solar Technology Trajectories
We examine industry and technology (non-) emergence by integrating actor-centric and systems perspective literature streams. We use historical methods to analyze rich data tracking investments by actors spanning private, public and academic sectors in the solar PV context. The industry took several decades after commercialization to emerge; moreover silicon and thin film technologies experienced divergent fates despite firm takeoff.
Flying High or Crashing Down: Pre-Entry Knowledge and the Distribution of Startup Performance
We examine variation in high-technology startups’ performance based on founders’ pre-entry experiences by developing a formal model and using confidential employee-employer linked microdata from the United States to examine the empirical consistency of the model propositions. The model posits that relative to insiders, a lack of industry-specific experience creates greater epistemic uncertainty regarding optimal business models at time of entry for outsiders and thus, higher post-entry adjustment costs associated with necessary pivots.
Disrupting Traditional Media Through Innovation and Creation
Entrepreneurs are redefining disruption as creation, not destruction, panelists said at a Snider Center event, highlighting how solving personal problems, building new business models and using AI as a tool are reshaping media and publishing industries.
Snider Center Launches Social Media Market Dynamics Lab
Social media is reshaping capital markets, influencing sentiment, trading and volatility, as seen in meme stocks and crypto. The University of Maryland’s SMMD Lab gives students research, analytics and forecasting experience to help investors, regulators and policymakers navigate information-driven markets.
A Career of Giving Back
Smith alumnus Bill Longbrake, DBA ’76, pledged $1 million to support research and programs, continuing decades of giving. Now an advisor and executive-in-residence, he focuses on mentoring students and advancing interdisciplinary initiatives across the school.
21 Smith School Professors Named Among Top 2% Scholars Worldwide
Twenty-one Smith School professors were named among the top 2% most cited researchers globally, according to Elsevier’s 2025 study across 22 fields. Representing both current and emeritus faculty, their impactful research advances business knowledge and global academic excellence.
Speakers Present Contrasting Views on Elimination of DEI Policies in Steamboat Institute Campus Liberty Tour Debate
Experts debated government bans on DEI programs at the Smith School during the Steamboat Institute’s Liberty Tour. Jason Riley argued for merit-based color blindness, while Rick Banks defended DEI’s nuanced value. Leaders emphasized open, reasoned, and empathetic discourse.
Smith Programs Challenge Students to Think Independently
The Smith experience emphasizes independent thinking, civil discourse and global engagement. Through immersive programs, debate series and initiatives like the Fact-Based Discourse Initiative, students collaborate across disciplines to tackle challenges, develop leadership skills and prepare to lead with curiosity and integrity.
SELF celebrates 10 years at UMD with a Return to the Residential Experience
The Snider Enterprise and Leadership Fellows (SELF) marked its 10th year by reviving its residential program at UMD’s Smith School. This summer, 68 students—including 15 in campus housing—reignited the “magic” of living, learning, and building entrepreneurial ventures together.
Smith’s Cipriana Patterson Among ‘Best and Brightest Executive MBAs’
Cipriana Patterson, a recent graduate of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business Executive MBA Program, earned Poets & Quants’ “Best & Brightest Executive MBAs” honor for her leadership, career achievements, and commitment to purposeful, in-person learning.