Research

Given today’s short attention spans, how much could it really hurt a business to get caught attempting to manipulate their reputation on a platform like Yelp? George Mason University accounting professor Yi Cao has done the math, and it isn’t pretty for businesses willing to cross ethical lines.

When crowdfunding platform Kickstarter started allowing creators to put environmental pledges front and center, George Mason University accounting professor Yi Cao saw a unique opportunity. His co-authored research shows how “going green” turned out to be an impactful business choice with financial, operational and, yes, environmental implications for entrepreneurs and customers.

How fast is too fast to reply to a prospective employer? Wrong question, argues George Mason University management professor Einav Hart. Across several settings and contexts, Hart and her co-authors found that once a hiring manager is interested enough to reach out, even the slightest delay in responding could harm your chances.

The best way to resolve a consumer’s doubts about electric cars is to let them drive one for a day or two. But Ioannis Bellos and Hang Ren, professors in the information systems and operations management area at George Mason University, argue that extended test drives can sometimes do more harm than good, for both profits and the planet.

The widely used machine-learning technique known as LASSO relegates smaller market events to an ignored “inactive zone”. How can that be a good thing for ambitious asset traders? Bo Hu, assistant professor of finance, explores the logic (and illogic) behind LASSO’s popularity and power.

A real-world experiment found that when men on matching platforms were shown only the women whose profiles fit established cultural criteria, it improved outcomes for women without harming men, says Sabari Rajan Karmegam, assistant professor of information systems and operations management at Costello College of Business.

How do “blind box” products like the Labubu make money? Zhechao Yang, assistant professor of information systems and operations management, has co-authored a paper that breaks down the “win-win-win” at the center of this trendy selling strategy.

Management professor Kevin Rockmann’s research concerns the often-ignored, multifaceted value of workplace relationships. In a recent executive education course at Costello College of Business, Rockmann put his findings into action, with strongly positive results for a leading company.

Powered by nSpire AI, Career AI is the new agentic AI tool offered this semester by the Office of Career Services within the Costello College of Business at George Mason University.

On Saturday, August 9, the WISE program officially launched at the Hybla Valley Community Center in Alexandria, Virginia—marking a significant milestone in advancing entrepreneurship and workforce development for aspiring entrepreneurs in Fairfax County.