Smith Brain Trust

Get ready for summer with the 22nd Annual Summer Reading List for Business Leaders—featuring Smith School faculty picks on investing, neuroscience, human connection, and more, including a novel inspired by a radio show turned TV series.

Ambiguity arises when choices must be made despite unclear outcomes, says Professor J. Gerald Suarez. In today’s fast-paced world, discernment, flexibility, and embracing uncertainty—not rigid control—are key to navigating change, complexity, and an unpredictable future.

Smith marketing professor Daniel McCarthy's research found that Apple's 2021 App Tracking Transparency (ATT) significantly impacted small direct-to-consumer businesses. ATT caused a 37% drop in ad click-through rates and up to a 60% revenue decline for smaller firms reliant on Facebook ads.

Google faces major antitrust cases for monopolizing digital advertising and search. Research Professor Kislaya Prasad suggests that ending exclusive agreements could increase competition, while Associate Professor Bobby Zhou emphasizes breaking up business units like Google’s search could benefit…

Smith School marketing professor P.K. Kannan says Apple's iPhone 16, powered by “Apple Intelligence,” marks a significant upgrade, particularly in privacy-focused AI and computational photography, aiding both user experience and market competitiveness.

Team USA's gold medal win at the Paris 2024 Olympics coincided with NBCU's viewership surge, averaging 30.6 million viewers. Smith School marketing professor Bobby Zhou attributes this to Paris's allure, favorable time zones, and the Olympics' unifying effect.

Boeing's outlook improves with new CEO Robert Ortberg, despite ongoing National Transportation Safety Board hearings and labor negotiations. Ortberg's proven leadership in aerospace offers optimism for shareholders, while the company faces significant internal and external challenges.

With the 2024 Summer Olympics underway, brands vie for top endorsements, despite past low ratings. The games, expected to generate $1.3 billion in sponsorship revenue, mark the first unrestricted post-COVID Olympics. Successful campaigns connect athletes' stories authentically with brands.

For the first time, equal numbers of male and female athletes will compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Celebrating gender parity, this milestone highlights the progress in women's sports since Paris 1924, where only 4.4% of athletes were women.

Record-breaking summer air travel is underway, with U.S. airlines expected to carry 271 million passengers. Professor Suresh Acharya cites challenges like air traffic controller shortages and Boeing issues but believes airlines are reasonably prepared.