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Paper: Higher financial incentives for crowdsourced delivery workers can improve service
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new paper co-written by a University of Illinois expert who studies operations management says higher financial incentives can boost a host of metrics for crowdsourced delivery workers who act as the final link in the supply chain between retailer and consumer. Yuqian Xu, a professor of business administration at Illinois, studied […]
Paper: Outcomes vary for workers who ‘lawyer up’ in employment arbitration disputes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Conventional wisdom dictates that workers who “lawyer up” in workplace disputes would be more likely to improve their chances at securing a better outcome, but in an alternative dispute resolution context such as arbitration, employers can all but cancel out those positive effects, says a new paper by a University of Illinois […]
Paper: Firm’s strategic orientation shapes how it resolves workplace disputes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new paper co-written by a University of Illinois expert who studies labor and employment arbitration examines the strategic underpinnings of why firms use certain alternative dispute resolution practices when sorting out a workplace issue. As firms have increasingly looked to contain costs associated with employment conflicts or take workplace conflict out […]
Study: Tradeoffs between commute time, safety
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Urban commuters may be less likely to encounter automobile accidents if they are willing to increase trip time, researchers report. A new study from the University of Illinois introduces a tool that helps quantify the connection between traffic accidents and city road networks. The study, published in the journal Transportation Research Part […]
New book casts anthropologist’s eye on culture of MBA degree, global capitalism
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new book by a University of Illinois anthropologist studies the culture of contemporary business education – in particular, the MBA degree – and how it’s been shaped by the modern global economy. The book – “Making Global MBAs: The Culture of Business and the Business of Culture” – is a study […]
Study: Personalized promotion a potential ‘win-win’ for retailers, consumers
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — With online-to-offline service platforms such as DoorDash experiencing rapid growth, consumers reap the convenience of the digital age while retailers get to collect a raft of data on their spending patterns. According to a paper co-written by a University of Illinois expert who studies operations management, access to consumer data from online-to-offline […]
What’s at stake in auto workers strike?
Editor’s note: Robert Bruno is a professor of labor and employment relations at the Urbana campus of the University of Illinois and the director of the Labor Education Program in Chicago. Bruno, an expert in labor history and politics, spoke with News Bureau business and law editor Phil Ciciora about why more than 47,000 auto […]
Study: Action-oriented goals produce higher probability of purchases under tight deadlines
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — If you want something done, ask a busy person – or so the saying goes. According to a new paper co-written by a University of Illinois scholar who studies attitudes and persuasion psychology, if you want to sell something quickly, it helps to try a busy consumer. People on a tight deadline […]
Paper: As an act of self-disclosure, workplace creativity can be risky business
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It’s increasingly common for managers to direct employees to “be creative” during office brainstorming sessions. But should employees acquiesce to that managerial edict? According to a new paper from a U. of I. expert in work behaviors and organizations, being creative in the workplace is potentially precarious because creativity itself is deeply […]
Would cutting payroll taxes help prevent recession?
Editor’s note: President Trump recently has floated – and then rejected – a number of ideas to jumpstart a stalling economy. Richard L. Kaplan, the Guy Raymond Jones Chair in Law at Illinois, is an internationally recognized expert on U.S. tax policy. In an interview with News Bureau business and law editor Phil Ciciora, he […]
In product design, imagining end user’s feelings leads to more original outcomes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Developing original and innovative products is critical to a company’s long-term success and competitive advantage. Thus, gaining a better idea of what factors impact how designers cultivate product originality can have important – and potentially profitable – consequences for businesses. Research co-written by a University of Illinois expert in new product development […]
Artificial intelligence could help air travelers save a bundle
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Researchers are using artificial intelligence to help airlines price ancillary services such as checked bags and seat reservations in a way that is beneficial to customers’ budget and privacy, as well as to the airline industry’s bottom line. When airlines began unbundling the costs of flights and ancillary services in 2008, many […]