If you ask Google what makes a great assistant professor, its AI Overview will tell you it’s someone who demonstrates a strong balance between effective teaching, impactful research and positive engagement with colleagues and students. Perhaps this very definition is the goal that inspires early academics to apply for the Paul R. Lawrence Fellowship, where fellows are trained in case research, writing and teaching. Continue Reading…
We are thrilled to spotlight Serkan Saka, one of our new assistant professors, whose research on brand activism is already making waves in both academia and the industry. Serkan’s work explores the intricate dynamics between consumer behavior, corporate strategy, and societal change. His recent roundtable session at the Association for Consumer Research Conference in Paris, France, titled “A Global Perspective on Brand Activism and Consumer Movements,” explored the rising expectations for companies to engage with social and political issues. This rise in brand activism signals a major shift in how consumers and corporations interact, with profound implications for businesses worldwide.
In their recent academic paper, “How Texts Confuse Online Buyers: Quantifying Text Quality of Online Product Descriptions,” researchers from San José State University’s Lucas College, Ming Zhou and Shaonan Tian, alongside Yang Sun from Park University, dive deep into the ways product descriptions can make or break consumer engagement and online sales. This study is a prime example of applied research with direct industry impact, offering actionable insights for e-commerce platforms and retailers.