Debate Training May Help Employees Rise as Leaders, New Research from Smith’s Hui Liao Shows
A study co-authored by Smith School professor Hui Liao finds debate training boosts leadership advancement by increasing assertiveness. Published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, the research shows structured training helps participants emerge as leaders and earned a 2025 Academy of Management award.
Does Status Stand in the Way of Standing up for a Colleague?
Research by Rellie Derfler-Rozin of the University of Maryland’s Smith School finds high-status employees often stay silent when coworkers face supervisory mistreatment. Fear of retaliation outweighs intervention, unless individuals feel secure in their overall status across multiple areas of life beyond the workplace.
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.
AI Adoption Can Backfire: How Leveling the Playing Field Can Demotivate Top Employees
In competitive workplaces, implementing AI by replicating the skills of top-performing employees can demotivate those star performers, potentially leading to lower overall firm productivity unless managers “dumb down” the AI or roll it out selectively.
Research From Smith Explores Partisan Lean in the Workplace
Reuben Hurst introduces VRscores, a public database linking voter registrations to 24.5 million U.S. workers, revealing partisan leanings across employers and suggesting workplaces may foster sustained interaction between Democrats and Republicans, potentially moderating political polarization.
UMD Research Details the Causal Impact of Delivery Integration on Retailer Sales Performance
Target’s 2017 $550M acquisition of Shipt enabled nationwide same-day delivery. Research by UMD’s Dresner, Park and Pan shows that directing customers to Shipt boosts platform sales, while integrating same-day and standard delivery on Target’s site increases Target’s own online sales.
As DOJ Deprioritizes Foreign Lobbying Laws, Study Finds Enforcement Against Paul Manafort Drove Surge in Disclosures
A study in Organization Science by the Smith School’s Reuben Hurst and colleagues finds that Paul Manafort’s 2018 DOJ charges increased FARA compliance by 56%, illustrating “status-amplified deterrence,” where prosecuting prominent figures strengthens industry-wide accountability and transparency.
Facial Recognition Flaws and Deepfake Solutions: Smith School Researchers Address AI Bias
Professors Lauren Rhue and Siva Viswanathan at the Smith School study AI’s societal impacts. Rhue reveals racial bias in facial recognition, while Viswanathan develops deepfake-based methods to detect and mitigate bias in decision-making and healthcare.
Supportive Co-Workers Make it Harder to Bounce Back from Your Mistakes at Work
New research by Jennifer Carson Marr, Edward Lemay, and Hyunsun Park finds workplace support after status loss can worsen outcomes. Instead of helping, supportive groups may create ambivalence, reducing engagement. Published in Personnel Psychology, the study urges managers to respond proactively.
In-person Site Visits Matter, Even In the Age of AI
Smith School Associate Professor Sean Cao’s research shows investor site visits do more than gather information. On-site interactions also monitor managers, improving efficiency—an essential human role that artificial intelligence, he argues, cannot replace.