Weighing in, in Heavy Times
How McCombs faculty members have advanced and elevated the national conversation around COVID-19
By Judie Kinonen and Mary Ann Roser
With the world reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, thought leaders at the McCombs School of Business anchored the rhetoric with relevant, research-backed insights and solid advice on mitigating the pandemic’s repercussions — from the best way to communicate with stressed colleagues, to how states and cities can minimize fiscal devastation. Research news and original editorials from McCombs faculty members made headlines in national outlets such as USA Today, CNN Business, and The Wall Street Journal. Here’s a roundup of what they had to say:
USA Today
Bailouts are Socialism for Big-Spending Airlines and Cruise Companies
Co-written by John M. Griffin, the James A. Elkins Centennial Chair in Finance, this piece appeared in 47 publications, including USA Today on March 20.
“Despite what politicians might tell you, the airplanes and ships of imprudent companies are physical property that will not suddenly disappear. They will fly or sail … hopefully with cheaper prices, better service and different executives. Like a college student sleeping off a hangover, a crisis is a time to sober up by removing debt from the system. It’s not time for another drink.”
Inc.
The Worst Way to Show Genuine Emotion Remotely, and the Best
Based on research from Assistant Professor of Management Andrew Brodsky, this article was published in Inc. magazine on Aug. 21.
“If you want to communicate an emotion that you are actually feeling — and feel strongly about — you will make a stronger impact if you use a ‘media-rich’ tool like video or videoconferencing. People perceive face-to-face interactions as more authentic which, in turn, builds trust, loyalty and strengthens relationships.”
Detroit Free Press
Using Moral Decision-Making Saves Lives During a Pandemic
This piece, written by Robert Prentice, professor and chair of the Business, Government, and Society Department, and faculty director of Ethics Un-wrapped in the Center for Leadership and Ethics, appeared in USA Today, the Detroit Free Press, and 45 other Gannett newspapers nationwide in early April.
“Choosing whether to wash one’s hands or to go out to meet friends seem like the most mundane of decisions, but by imagining the potentially life-threatening impact these actions can have on others, some people will realize that these are truly moral decisions and will act as they know they should.”
NPR
New Model Forecasts 9 States Likely to See Peak in COVID-19 Deaths by End of April
This quote from Associate Professor of IROM James Scott was broadcast on National Public Radio on May 13.
“If you’ve seen our model getting more pessimistic over the last, say, seven to 10 days, it’s because there’s been a notable uptick in mobility patterns around the United States.”
The Wall Street Journal
Commercial Properties’ Ability to Repay Mortgages was Overstated, Study Fnds
Published in The Wall Street Journal Aug. 11, this article featured research by Professor of Finance John Griffin and Assistant Professor of Finance Sam Kruger.
“Thousands of commercial-mortgage borrowers have been struggling to meet payments on their loans in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. But there might be another reason so many are falling behind: aggressive lending practices that overstated borrowers’ ability to repay.”
Patch
Who Should Reopen First? Study Provides Guidance
Featuring the work of Avinash Collis, Assistant Professor of Information, Risk and Operations Management, this article appeared online in Patch on Aug. 10.
“In many cases, researchers noted, policymakers have made reasonable decisions about what types of businesses should be open and closed. But there are notable exceptions, including liquor stores, which have been deemed ‘essential services’ despite ranking 20th out of the 26 business types in economic importance but 12th highest in risk.”
The Hill
Feds Can Ease the Fiscal Crises of States and Cities by Offering Low-Cost Bond Insurance
This piece by Michael Granof, the Ernst & Young Distinguished Centennial Professor of Accounting, appeared in The Hill on May 22.
“What is needed today is a federal program to provide long-term assistance to state and local governments with minimal impact on federal deficits. A federal bond insurance program, in partnership with the private sector, might be just what the doctor ordered.”
Homeland Security News Wire
Strategic Redundancy Can Prevent Collapse of Supply Chains During Global Crises
This article on research by Associate Professor of Management Francisco Polidoro was published in Homeland Security News Wire on June 5.
“A company, say the researchers, can build multiple branches into its value chain, the string of steps that lead from research and development through manufacturing and sales. When a crisis strikes one branch, the overall chain can keep running. ‘With branching, the idea is to have a kind of redundancy by design. It makes you more resilient. If you wait until your value chain is disrupted, it may be too late,’ Polidoro said. ‘You invest in flexibility before you need it.’”
CNN Business
The Pandemic Has Exposed Our Supply Chain’s Unhealthy Reliance on China
This piece by Distinguished Teaching Professor Prabhudev Konana, the Thomas O. Hicks Endowed Chair and William H. Seay Centennial Professor of Business, appeared in CNN Business on June 5.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a terrible truth: Our mindless over-reliance on China has led us to no longer have the capacity, the expertise or the manufacturing infrastructure to meet our own nation’s needs.”
This article appeared in the winter 2020 issue of McCombs magazine. Click on the link to see the full issue.
