In the workplace, success sometimes comes down to how competitive you are. And sometimes it comes down to how competitive the people are who are advocating on your behalf.

Blockchain technology has gained prominence in recent years with the rise of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), but its potential to impact the business world has yet to be fully realized. This impact will touch existing enterprises and propel the launch of many new businesses as well. That’s where Maryland Smith comes in.

The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) has awarded $215,000 to the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business for intermodal transportation studies via the school’s Supply Chain Fellows program.

Essential West Coast ports will soon be operating around-the-clock and the U.S. government is pledging further efforts to try to alleviate the supply chain backlog. Maryland Smith’s Martin Dresner says federal government involvement can have a bigger and more long-term impact — through infrastructure spending.

Not to stress you out, but if you haven’t started your holiday shopping yet, you’re way behind. Thanks to manufacturing holdups, shipping delays and labor shortages throughout the supply chain, it’s going to take longer – and cost more – for retailers and consumers to get the items they want this year. The best way to tackle this year’s Christmas list is to shop as early as possible, and with an open mind and an open wallet, say Maryland Smith experts.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the global air industry to virtual standstill in March 2020, delivering a $370-billion “staggering financial loss to the industry,” according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Seating capacity dropped – by half. The total of passengers taking flights fell even further, to 1.8 billion in 2020, from 4.5 billion in 2019.

Labor Day weekend shoppers might have a little extra money to spend, but they will have to work harder to find discounts this year. Supply chain disruptions caused by the continuing pandemic and a series of severe weather events have had retailers struggling to maintain inventories and subsequently less-incentivized to discount items in stock – even for the usual Labor Day sales bonanzas on appliances, mattresses and autos, said Maryland Smith marketing experts Amna Kirmani and Jie Zhang.

As courses convene for the new academic year, Maryland Smith is welcoming eight new scholars to its faculty. Tejwansh (Tej) Anand is joining the decision, operations and information technologies department as a clinical professor. Anand earned a PhD from Columbia University.

Maryland Smith’s Rachelle Sampson is the recipient of the inaugural Panmure House Prize, considered one of the United Kingdom’s largest academic prizes. The $75,000 prize is administered by the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in partnership with U.S.-based long-term investment consultancy FCLTGlobal and funded by Baillie Gifford. It recognizes research identifying potential flows of capital to innovation – in hope of finding the next major technological, retail or pharmaceutical up-and-comer.