Thought Leadership

The Future of ESG: Insights from the Burridge Center's Sustainable Finance Discussions

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 15:59:23 +0000

The Future of ESG: Insights from the Burridge Center's Sustainable Finance Discussions Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 03/18/2025 - 09:59

Jane Majkiewicz • Photos by Cody Johnston

With intellectual discourse as a foundation for enhancing knowledge, the Burridge Center’s Sustainable Finance Discussions held on March 13 provided a lively platform for experts to gather and share insights on the future of ESG.

At a time of uncertainty in the world of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, the Burridge Center's Sustainable Finance Discussions offered a unique opportunity for thought leaders from academia and industry to delve into the complexities of navigating sustainability in an ever-evolving financial world.

More than 100 attendees explored topics at the intersection of finance, climate and technology under the theme of “ESG: What does the future hold?”

A platform for exchange

Shaun Davies, Faculty Director of the Burridge Center

“Bridging the gap between finance academics and practitioners—theory to practice—creates a powerful exchange: Our finance research faculty gain insight into the real-world challenges facing the finance industry, while practitioners benefit from the cutting-edge research emerging from the Leeds School of Business,” said Shaun Davies, associate professor of Finance at Leeds and the faculty director of the Burridge Center.

“This collaboration drives innovation and ensures that research and practice evolve hand in hand,” Davies said. Nourishing relationships within the Leeds ecosystem of faculty, alumni, students and business partners promotes a thriving, forward-thinking business community.

Among the attendees was Amanda Krakauer, vice president of the Evergreen Team at Bow River Capital. "I work in the private equity industry and was invited to attend the summit by a colleague and CU Boulder alum," Krakauer said.

“The discussions on evolving ESG disclosure requirements highlighted the shifting regulatory landscape, while the deep dive into how investment managers are incorporating ESG principles provided a nuanced perspective on the challenges and opportunities in sustainable investing. The event also provided a valuable opportunity to engage with students, professors and peers on the future of responsible investing,” she noted.

Research insights: Green facts from green fiction

Leeds faculty Asaf Bernstein and Simona Abis shared insights from their leading research and scholarship.

Leeds Finance faculty members (left to right):
Brian Waters, Asaf Bernstein, Andrea Buffa and Simona Abis

Bernstein, an associate professor of Finance and the co-director of the Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making, shared key takeaways from his one-year tenure as a senior academic advisor to the Securities and Exchange Commission. He amused the audience with anecdotes about his career trajectory, which included navigating the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 and the “flash crash” of 2010. These experiences, he explained, helped shape his ability to assess uncertainty and risk.

While the SEC disclosure rule approved in 2024 currently hangs in the balance, Bernstein reminded attendees that “Blue Sky laws”—state-level securities regulations—existed before the SEC ruling, and they will continue to play a role in ensuring that disclosures are not misleading or false. He further emphasized that “private stakeholder standards and preferences always matter.”

Abis, an assistant professor of Finance, provided a deep dive into ESG classification, revealing gaps between marketing claims and actual fund structures.

She, along with Assistant Professor of Finance Andrea Buffa, analyzed mutual funds using ESG terminology and found that only 20% of them truly qualify as impact funds. Their painstaking, manual review of prospectuses highlighted the inconsistencies in ESG labeling.

“It is crucial to make these distinctions to understand capital allocation preferences and the real impact ESG investments might have,” she said.

Industry perspective: Risks, rewards and resilience

Following the faculty presentations, Angela Bricmont, the CFO of Denver Water, brought an industry perspective on the financial risks posed by climate change.

Angela Bricmont, CFO of Denver Water

“Climate risks are absolutely playing out, and those are on top of historic underinvestment in infrastructure,” Bricmont said. She emphasized that “you can’t build anything if you don’t have water or energy,” cautioning attendees that “… preparing for climate risk in disclosures is absolutely sound business.”

Bricmont’s remarks underscored a key takeaway: The intersection of finance and sustainability requires not only compliance but also strategic adaptation for long-term resilience.

Future implications: the fate of ESG disclosures

As attendees asked questions during the Q&A session, one topic centered on the potential of XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language), a framework for creating structured communications. Abis highlighted XBRL’s potential for analyzing massive amounts of data. “When you think about it that way … XBRL is a huge, huge help.”

For Leeds alumnus Harris Cunningham (Fin’24), the managing director of Boulder Angels, the ability to engage in thought-provoking discussion was what made the event especially rewarding. "It was a rare opportunity to learn about and ask questions surrounding ESG/finance research at CU. I loved the diversity of attendees, including lobbying groups, wealth managers, municipal water facilities, angel investors, students, early-stage startups and others. It made for very stimulating conversation during dinner."

Events like the Burridge Center's Sustainable Finance Discussions ensure that academia and industry remain in dialogue—advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration and shaping next-generation leaders. Learn more about programs and events at the Burridge Center for Finance.

With intellectual discourse as a foundation for enhancing knowledge, the Burridge Center's Sustainable Finance Discussions provided a lively platform for sharing insights on the future of ESG.

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State of the School 2025 Highlights

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:18:15 +0000

State of the School 2025 Highlights Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 02/28/2025 - 10:18

On February 19, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri welcomed the Leeds community to the State of the School 2025 address.

The event brought together alumni, prospective student families, business leaders and the CU Boulder community for an inspiring discussion of Leeds’ progress and vision for the future as it advances the 2035 Leeds Strategic Plan.

A Legacy of Excellence

Dean Khatri started by celebrating Leeds’ legacy of over a century of excellence. From its humble beginnings in the basement of the Guggenheim Law Building to its admission into the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1938, Leeds has experienced decades of milestones while building a reputation for academic rigor, research innovation and adaptability to a constantly evolving business world. Now, in an era of integrated business, Leeds is helping shape how business connects with a wide variety of fields, including engineering, the arts and sciences.

Leeds in Momentum

The address highlighted Leeds' strengths in student excellence, faculty talent and career outcomes, framed within five areas of impact: pipeline, retention and graduation rates; business acumen and career outcomes; well-being of the Leeds community; the Leeds ecosystem; and academic reputation.

“In 2025, we had a record number of applicants in undergraduate programs,” said Khatri. “We had over 16,000 applicants, a 6% increase from the prior year. First-year retention rates have reached 99%, demonstrating Leeds’ dedication to student success.”

Building on its legacy of faculty excellence, Leeds continues to attract top-tier faculty from institutions like Columbia and Duke, ensuring students learn from experts in their fields. Faculty members are highly recognized for their research across all business disciplines, as evidenced by University of Texas at Dallas’ (UTD) Top 100 Business School Research Rankings. Leeds has also been a leader in technological innovation, with more than 45 courses integrating AI to date.

Among its distinctions, Leeds consistently helps students benefit from exposure to industry leaders, with more than 1,300 guest speakers annually and six advisory boards comprising top professionals in their fields.

2035 Leeds: Strategic Priorities

Looking ahead, Dean Khatri outlined key elements of Leeds’ strategic plan.

Impact-Driven Business Education

Expansion of Design Your Leeds, currently a first-year course, to include additional offerings for third- and fourth-year students.
Introduction of Career Pathways, featuring Business-Leader-In-Residence engagements to explore career opportunities.

Multifaceted Innovation

A major anonymous gift is funding the Initiative for Global Business Impact, enhancing Leeds’ world-class research and academic reputation.
Expansion of collaborative programs, such as the MS in Sustainable Business.

Enrichment of Academic Offerings

Continued integration of AI into the curriculum, with ongoing impact assessment.
Expansion of specialized MS programs in high-demand fields.

Culture of Care

Strengthening community-based learning through partnerships that promote well-being and civic engagement.
Expanding mentorship opportunities to foster interpersonal skills and student support.

Closing the Gap Between Classroom and Career

Dean Khatri emphasized the importance of helping students bridge academics and real-world application. Programs like the Professional Mentorship Program, one of the largest in the nation, play a critical role.

“If you were to add up the numbers, we have close to 1,000 mentors,” said Khatri. “It is an amazing ecosystem, and it's thanks to this network that our students can launch and succeed in their careers.”

Be a Part of Leeds’ Future

Be a Part of Leeds' Future

Engage with Leeds by connecting with students and others in the community, participating in mentorship programs, attending networking events, and joining in the conversation to help shape the next generation of business leaders.

Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri presented the State of the School 2025 address, highlighting Leeds' progress and vision for the future.

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12 More Up-and-Comers Become Faculty Scholars

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 21:57:53 +0000

12 More Up-and-Comers Become Faculty Scholars Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 10/15/2024 - 15:57

Leeds' newest Faculty Scholars received named positions and financial support to take their exemplary talents and contributions even further.

Salma Shukri is one of 12 new Faculty Scholars. A teaching associate professor and the associate chair of the Professional Effectiveness division, she has been published in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals and teaches communication strategy and organizational behavior to undergraduates, graduate students and executives.

Long renowned for its exceptional faculty, the Leeds School of Business once again celebrates the groundbreaking research and innovative teaching of up-and-coming pre-tenure track and non-tenure track faculty through the Faculty Scholars initiative. Earlier this year, the school bestowed 17 junior faculty with the prestigious distinction of a named position and with it, an annual expense account to further their teaching, research and professional development.

Last month, Leeds added 12 more standouts to Faculty Scholars.

“Whether inspiring students in the classroom or driving progress across diverse disciplines, they exemplify what it means to be scholars, leaders and agents of change,” said Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of Leeds School of Business Vijay Khatri.

The Faculty Scholars initiative not only benefits faculty, but also the broader academic community. By empowering scholars to pursue their research, enhance their teaching and engage in professional growth, it helps attract and retain top talent at Leeds—contributing to a more vibrant and dynamic academic environment that ultimately benefits students.

To date, 13 generous donors have stepped forward to bestow 29 faculty members with the award.

Congratulations to the 12 new Faculty Scholars:

Simona Abis
Dean’s Faculty Scholar

Heather Adams
Dean’s Faculty Scholar

Quentin Andre
Dean’s Faculty Scholar

Andrea Buffa
Stone Family Faculty Scholar

David Drake
Stone Family Faculty Scholar

Ashton Hawk
Dean’s Faculty Scholar

Joe Gladstone
Peterson Faculty Scholar

Marcia Kwaramba
Dean’s Faculty Scholar

Becca Mitchell
Stone Family Faculty Scholar

Andrea Pawliczek
Stone Family Faculty Scholar

Salma Shukri
Dean’s Faculty Scholar

Andrew Stephan
Dean’s Faculty Scholar

Leeds' newest Faculty Scholars received named positions and financial support to take their exemplary talents and contributions even further.

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Clark Jones’ Classic Career Advice, with a Disney Twist

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 21:33:42 +0000

Clark Jones’ Classic Career Advice, with a Disney Twist Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 10/15/2024 - 15:33

Jane Majkiewicz

At a presentation sponsored by the First-Year Experience Program, Disney executive Clark Jones (Acct’91) shared the lessons that he “never knew he was learning” that have brought him success in work and life.

In a room filled with over 170 eager first-year students, Clark Jones (Acct’91) brought more than just the allure of his impressive title to a presentation hosted by Leeds’ First-Year Experience program—he delivered timeless lessons from his career journey at Disney, a company celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2025 and a household name.

Through witty anecdotes and references to beloved characters like Mickey Mouse and Moana, Jones, Leeds Advisory Board member and the senior vice president of Disneyland Resort Finance, Revenue Management and Special Events, emphasized the importance of networking, seizing opportunities and staying passionate about one’s work.

In addition to “networking, networking, networking, networking,” Jones’ defining career mantra can be boiled down to three words: “I love opportunity.” He had the audience enthusiastically repeat the phrase several times in unison.

“You run into a lot of interesting people that do a lot of interesting things,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to tell people what you’re interested in.”

He challenged audience members to step out of their comfort zones and make at least one new connection before leaving the event.

Career Lessons, Disney-Style

Jones structured his advice around five key lessons he “never knew he was learning,” each tied to a Disney film.

1.“Porch your papers” (Newsies)

As a teenager, Jones delivered newspapers. One Thanksgiving, in a rush, he scattered papers in customers’ yards instead of following the family rule of “porching” them. His father made him go back and correct his mistakes, even though it held up the family’s holiday plans. The lesson? “You have one shot to do the right thing,” Jones said, quoting Walt Disney: “Do it well, and people will come back for more.”

2. Sacrifice (Hercules)

“Things don’t come easy,” said Jones, recalling challenging relocations and work travel during the early years of his marriage to Amy, also a CU alum. “You have to make hard choices, but it will be worth it.”

3. Accept feedback (McFarland USA)

Jones referenced the film based on the true story of an unlikely band of cross-country runners who became a champion team. A runner himself, he recalled a cross-country teammate in high school who excelled when she embraced her coach’s advice to run long-distance, even though she wanted to be a sprinter. Despite her initial resistance, she ultimately went on to pursue ultra-marathons. “Find your ultra-marathon,” Jones said, urging students to take feedback to heart, even if it’s difficult to hear.

4. Develop self-awareness (The Muppets, specifically the saxophone-playing character Zoot)

As a saxophone player in CU’s marching band, Jones wanted to be a section leader. The band director admitted Jones wasn’t a strong enough musician but recognized his leadership skills. The director appointed Jones co-leader, with another student handling the musical aspects. Jones emphasized, “Surround yourself with people who can fill your gaps. That will only lift you up.” He shared that he never strives to be the smartest person in the room but prefers to collaborate with others to create something greater than himself.

5. Love what you’re doing (Cars)

Jones recounted an audit he did for a tire company while working at Deloitte, noting how mundane the task felt. He went into the warehouse one day out of boredom and had an epiphany about tires. “Never forget how cool something truly is,” he said. He encouraged students not to lose sight of the magic in their work, comparing the concept to a scene in Cars in which the main race car character gets a new set of dazzling white wall tires. Beyond serving a critical function of safely transporting people, Jones noted, “People in the tire industry love tires because they put food on the table.”

“Leeds’ students are some of the best—if not the best—business students out there. And that’s a responsibility that you get to carry forward.”

Clark Jones (Acct’91)

Taking the next steps

As Jones’ presentation ended, students surged forward, eager to shake hands, ask questions and introduce themselves—embracing his challenge to network and lay the groundwork for their future success.

Just as Jones found the magic in something as seemingly mundane as tires, students were reminded to find their own spark.

His parting words will likely leave a lasting impact, like the characters in the Disney stories—one that will guide students long after their first year at Leeds.

“Leeds’ students are some of the best—if not the best—business students out there. And that’s a responsibility that you get to carry forward.”

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Celebrating Excellence: Honoring Rising Stars in Teaching and Research

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 19:14:17 +0000

Celebrating Excellence: Honoring Rising Stars in Teaching and Research Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/26/2024 - 13:14

Anneli Gray

Accounting Professor Jeremiah Contreras, the new Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar, has created innovations that transform learning from passive to active.

Up-and-coming faculty receive ringing endorsements by way of the new Faculty Scholars initiative.

When Vijay Khatri became the Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business, he was already well aware of the caliber of Leeds’ faculty. But as he began to learn more about the teaching innovations of the non-tenure track faculty and needle-moving research of the pre-tenured faculty members, it became clear what his first philanthropic initiative at Leeds would be.

Last fall, he launched the Leeds Faculty Scholars campaign to celebrate and elevate the exceptional research and teaching by Leeds’ pre-tenured (and recently tenured) and non-tenure track faculty. At its core, the initiative is a commitment to invest in the development of these up-and-comers across all divisions, unlocking their power to positively affect the greatest number of student lives and produce more world-changing research.

“We want to acknowledge the incredible talent we have here in our junior faculty members, who show great promise in their teaching and research. This is an impactful way to support their growth,” says Dean Khatri. He notes that not only does the award honor excellence, but it also helps recruit and retain top talent.

“The award has significantly empowered my students and me to break new ground in our research.”

David Dobolyi, Caruso Faculty Scholar, assistant professor in organizational leadership and information analytics

Each Faculty Scholar has received the prestigious distinction of a named position. With it comes support to an annual expense account to further their teaching, research and professional development.

Jennifer Bone, an associate teaching faculty of business communication and now a Craig and Cynthia Smith Faculty Scholar, has already used a portion of her stipend.

“With the generous donation received from Craig and Cynthia Smith, I obtained a certificate in leadership and management from Harvard's Online Business Program...that I am certain will benefit my work at [Leeds]. Additionally, I will be presenting a paper on women and leadership at an international conference in Zurich, Switzerland this July,” she says.

“Neither of these opportunities would have been possible without the stipend received from the Faculty Scholar award. I am beyond grateful.”

David Dobolyi, assistant professor in the division of Organizational Leadership and Information Analytics, holds the Caruso Faculty Scholar. “Thanks to the generous support provided by this award, I was able to acquire a cutting-edge graphics card, which has allowed me to accelerate my research on generative AI....The award has significantly empowered my students and me to break new ground in our research.”

To date, 13 generous donors have stepped forward to bestow 21 faculty members with the award. Dean Khatri has also stepped up to personally fund two named faculty scholars.

Below are the 21 trailblazers who’ve been named Leeds Faculty Scholars:

Emily Gallagher
Arnold R. Weber Faculty Scholar

David Dobolyi
Caruso Faculty Scholar

Jeremiah Contreras
Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar

Huanan Zhang
Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar

Emily Edwards
Kostalnick Family Faculty Scholar

Tracy Jennings
RK Landmark Faculty Scholar

Nick Reinholtz
RK Landmark Faculty Scholar

Birdie Reznicek
Virginia and Ed Mitchell Faculty Scholar

Brad Werner
John E. Nesland Faculty Scholar

Bryce Schonberger
John E. Nesland Faculty Scholar

Asaf Bernstein
Frank Schiff Faculty Scholar

Ethan Poskanzer
Frank Schiff Faculty Scholar

Nikki Skinner
Craig and Cynthia Smith Faculty Scholar

Jennifer Bone
Craig and Cynthia Smith Faculty Scholar

Christina Lacerenza
Gordon and Susan Trafton Faculty Scholar

Alixandra Barasch
Gordon and Susan Trafton Faculty Scholar

Curtis Sears
Welch-Nguyen Family Faculty Scholar

Additionally this fall, recipients of the Peterson Faculty Scholars and Stone Family Faculty Scholars will be announced.

Get to know the world-class faculty at Leeds.

Up-and-coming faculty receive ringing endorsements by way of the new Faculty Scholars initiative.

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Alix Barasch: A Trailblazer in Marketing Research

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 18:13:20 +0000

Alix Barasch: A Trailblazer in Marketing Research Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/07/2024 - 11:13

Anneli Gray

Bestowed with a prestigious award from the AMA, Professor Barasch wins acclaim as both a mentor and a pioneer in the field of marketing.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmdOH34OuQI]

Leeds’ professor Alix Barasch was awarded the distinguished 2024 Erin Anderson Award for an Emerging Female Marketing Scholar and Mentor last month at the 2024 AMA Winter Academic Conference in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

The annual award recognizes a female marketing scholar who is anticipated to become a leading marketing academic in the mold of Erin Anderson, a widely respected mentor and scholar whose research made significant contributions to the marketing discipline.

In 2023, Barasch won the Early Career Award from the Association for Consumer Research and was selected as a Marketing Science Institute Young Scholar in 2021.

She is well known for her studies of how new technologies are fundamentally reshaping consumer behavior and well-being. Her research has been published in top journals in marketing and psychology, and her work is regularly featured in global media outlets such as the New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, ��Ĺ��ý Post, Fast Company, Wired and NPR.

Get her take on the award and hear from colleagues who’ve seen her impact firsthand.

Bestowed with a prestigious award from the AMA, Professor Barasch wins acclaim as both a mentor and a pioneer in the field of marketing.

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Leeds Welcomes a Juggernaut in Information Systems to its Faculty

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:18:45 +0000

Leeds Welcomes a Juggernaut in Information Systems to its Faculty Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/14/2024 - 10:18

Anneli Gray

Considered the most prolific researcher in Information Systems, Jason Thatcher has won awards for teaching, research and service—but he’s most proud of his work with PhD students.

He didn’t come to Boulder for the views or an insatiable love of the outdoors. Jason Thatcher joined the Leeds School of Business this past January because he saw a chance to make a real impact.

“It was the opportunity to build something here. This is one of the few Information Systems (IS) departments that combines leadership and human behavior with information systems—the fit with my research interests was ideal,” says Professor Thatcher, the Tandean Rustandy Endowed Esteemed Chair at Leeds.

With a long history of accolades in academia, and funding from organizations like National Science Foundation and IBM, Thatcher’s reputation as a juggernaut in IS research precedes him. So much so, that he was hired into the newly established endowed chair position at Leeds created by Tandean Rustandy (Fin’87), a CU Boulder alumnus and generous donor.

A ‘modest’ start

Thatcher started his first semester with a bang, fresh off winning the Best Paper award at MIS Quarterly for his collaborative work on how bots disseminate information on social platforms.

“It’s about how bots make things go faster and how they alert people if something’s going on, and how they can change online conversations,” he explains. “I was surprised it won Best Paper. You never expect to win anything,” he says.

He gives the lion's share of credit to his co-authors, one of whom was a former PhD student he had previously mentored. “I truly learned by trailing along and watching [my co-authors] craft a masterpiece,” he said on LinkedIn.

In truth, his modesty belies his accolades.

Kai Larsen, a Leeds professor in the division of OLIA and chair of the hiring committee for Thatcher’s appointment, lists off a few of his impressive accomplishments:

Recognized as the most productive researcher in the IS discipline.
Has been published in journals such as MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, Journal of Management Information Systems, Journal of the AIS, the European Journal of IS and other Financial Times listed business journals.
Has served as president of the Association of Information Systems and on the editorial boards of top journals listed on the UT-Dallas list.
Has won countless awards for teaching, research and service.
Collaborates with teams around the world on cutting-edge research.

“He is a mentor to thousands of PhD students...on how to be a good person, how to handle research ethics, and how to do high-quality research.”

Kai Larsen, Professor of Information Systems

Recent curiosities

His primary research areas focus on understanding how the interaction of people and technology change the world we work in. He has studied diverse topics such as individual decision-making, strategic alignment and workforce issues as they relate to how people use information technologies in organizations.

His interests take him down countless paths. “I have academic attention deficit disorder,” he says. Lately, he’s been looking at how online technology impacts people.

In a recent study, his team found that when employers check up on an applicant’s social media activity, what they find factors into their hiring decisions. He warns: “Your personal views are potentially discoverable by anyone.”

On the flip side, his team also found that those with no online activity are far from in the clear: “If you have no social presence, it evokes suspicion.”

Thatcher’s teams have also looked into cybersecurity’s effect on employees, a study scheduled to be published in the Journal of Association for Information Systems. He found that when cybersecurity workplace policies require the monitoring of employees’ emails, they feel betrayed and less secure. To protect themselves, they end up finding workarounds for communicating.

Conversely, in another paper scheduled to appear in Information Systems Research, they found that overtrust in cybersecurity can lead to sloppiness, e.g., too much trust makes us more vulnerable to potential threats.

Stewarding students

You might say Thatcher is a big supporter of PhD students—and that would be an understatement. When it comes to doctoral students, he is deeply committed to their success, as evidenced by the recognition he’s received for his service and mentorship over the years.

“I know I’m successful when [students] no longer need me.”

Jason Thatcher, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Esteemed Chair

Larsen says, “He is a mentor to thousands of PhD students and young faculty who follow his copious daily LinkedIn posts on how to be a good person, how to handle research ethics, and how to do high-quality research.”

Thatcher contends that there are not many professional accomplishments of greater value than watching a young scholar mature and flourish. “I know I’m successful when they no longer need me,” he says.

“My role is a stewardship role. By helping others get on a trajectory to where they want to go, I become better, too. It works for me because I can sleep at night.”

Needless to say, he intends to continue bolstering students’ success at Leeds, building on the already successful work of Leeds’ faculty. He hopes to facilitate even more connections with “the rest of the world” because, he says, “it broadens students’ perspectives and makes them better scholars.” For starters, he would like to invite colleagues of his—faculty from Germany, China, Manchester and Copenhagen—to share their perspectives with PhD students.

When it comes to gaining a global perspective, he walks the talk. His academic career has followed him to universities around the world.

Here in Boulder, Leeds' Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri looks forward to the impact Thatcher will make. “I'm extremely excited about Jason coming on board at Leeds. His presence promises to infuse our environment with fresh perspectives and groundbreaking ideas, offering immense benefits to students and faculty alike.”

Considered the most prolific researcher in IS, Jason Thatcher is most proud of his work with PhD students.

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When Trust Goes Bust, What Happens to Empathy?

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:04:38 +0000

When Trust Goes Bust, What Happens to Empathy? Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/02/2024 - 11:04

Anneli Gray • Photos by Cody Johnston

As downsizing and economic uncertainty shake up the workplace, employees wonder if ‘empathetic’ leaders are telling the truth.

Tony Kong studies trust in the workplace during times of crisis, such as COVID-19. “Leaders weren’t trained in empathy, trust-building or relationship-building. People needed flexibility and connection, but employers weren’t prepared for this.”

Massive layoffs in 2023 were a wake-up call for over 200,000 employees of tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft and Google, as well as fintech startups. Feelings of shock and betrayal replaced the trust workers once had in their employers—and who could blame them? The tech industry has been notorious for its empathetic culture, perks, and commitment to employees’ well-being.

At Salesforce, many of the 8,000 laid-off workers complained the company’s “touchy-feely” culture was a façade (Fortune, April/May 2023). CEO Marc Benioff, a self-described “empathetic” leader who spent decades developing a we’re-all-in-this-together family culture, was forced to justify Salesforce’s first-ever layoffs to shaken workers.

The truth, and nothing but the truth

From corporate downsizing to a slowing economy, it’s no wonder employees have lost some of the psychological safety they once had. As trust slides, so does their job satisfaction, productivity, creativity and innovation. Employees surveyed in the 2023 Ernst & Young’s Empathy in Business report overwhelmingly agreed that there’s a lot of talk about empathy but not enough follow-through. In fact, over half of employees surveyed (52%) perceive corporate attempts at empathy as inauthentic (an increase from 46% in 2021).

52% of employees perceive corporate attempts at empathy to be inauthentic.

2023 Ernst & Young’s Empathy in Business report

And in Businessolver’s 2023 State of Workplace Empathy report, the number of respondents who believed their company cared about them was at an all-time low: Only 66% believed they worked in an empathetic workplace—a substantial drop from 78% five years ago.

Employees report a lack of consistency when it comes to company promises, and this has a way of breaking down a culture of empathy. For example, recent return-to-office mandates have had a head-spinning effect on workers who relied on the flexibility of previously instituted hybrid models. (In Businessolver’s report, 96% of respondents considered flexible working hours the most empathetic benefit an employer can offer.)

Sensitivity and authenticity

Time and again research has shown that for businesses to be agile and adaptable, company leaders must provide transparency and psychological safety. Rather than focus solely on employee output, empathetic leaders put themselves in employees’ shoes. They listen, they’re approachable, and they’re flexible. As a result, their authenticity improves retention, performance, morale, motivation and collaboration—leading to substantial business outcomes.

“How to be a good leader is how to be a good human,” says Dejun “Tony” Kong, an associate professor of organizational leadership and informational analytics at Leeds. “It’s about how responsive you are to other people’s concerns—the basis of any relationship. People want to be heard and understood.”

Kong teaches Leeds’ Executive Leadership course and challenges students to imagine what kind of leaders they want to be. Strong leadership, he says, comes from self-awareness and reflection on one’s strengths and weaknesses.

His work on trust in the workplace—how it can predict a company’s performance during times of great stress, such as a pandemic, economic crisis or political upheaval—has won the Most Influential Article Award and a Best Paper Award from the Academy of Management’s Conflict Management Division.

Kong is now studying a new model for how companies can build systems and structures that cultivate a trusting culture. He says human resources staff will play a big part in creating systemic change that’s self-sustaining in maintaining an empathetic work environment. This, combined with leadership training, could positively influence the psychology, attitudes and behaviors of employees.

He points out that in recent years, the pandemic’s impact on the workplace has prompted a great need for empathetic leaders who can help employees adapt to the changing business environment. This requires a special skill set, and empathy tops the list.

Indeed, it is what leaders must get right.

As downsizing and economic uncertainty shake up the workplace, employees wonder if ‘empathetic’ leaders are telling the truth.

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How Workplace Mistreatment Hurts More Than Just the Victim

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:04:31 +0000

How Workplace Mistreatment Hurts More Than Just the Victim Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/22/2023 - 10:04

Some employee bystanders may brush it off while others are stuck wondering, ‘Am I next?’ according to new research from a CU Boulder business professor.

Plenty can go awry in a workplace, but one of the most damaging events that harms employee morale and perception is mistreatment. And it’s not just the person targeted in the mistreatment who suffers negative effects: Like secondhand smoke, colleagues and bystanders experience wrongdoing vicariously, which can elicit just as strong or even stronger reactions than personal experiences with mistreatment.

A recent study examined why negative behaviors like discrimination, ostracism, incivility and harassment continue to occur in workplaces and found a potentially overlooked reason, according to Sabrina Volpone, an associate professor of organizational leadership at the Leeds School of Business and co-author of the study, published online in June 2023 in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

The reason has to do with differing perceptions of workplace bystanders and how they see the event in relation to themselves.

“The differing perceptions come from the idea that many forms of workplace mistreatment are subjective, leaving coworkers asking what really happened, which version of the event should they believe, and would this person really do something like that, after the mistreatment occurs,” Volpone said.

The researchers found that when people witness mistreatment or hear about it, they process and react to it in different ways, depending on their gender and if their gender is the same as the person who was mistreated.

The study shows that female bystanders or bystanders who are the same gender as the person who was mistreated react with higher levels of “identity threat,” which occurs when people perceive one or more of their social identities are under attack. This identity threat reaction can be emotional or cognitive.

Women and those similar in gender to the victim of mistreatment tend to have more emotion-focused reactions, leading bystanders to come to different conclusions about the mistreatment.

Perceptions of mistreatment

“If you are similar to the victim, your emotional-focused reaction might look like, ‘Am I next?” Volpone said. “If you don’t have that similarity, it doesn’t register in the same way and you are more likely to process it cognitively. You don’t have the salience of the event affecting you in your own backyard. You might explain it away because it does not register as a threat in the same way.”

That cognitive-focused reaction can lead some bystanders to see the event as harmless or even fair, and this could be a reason mistreatment continues to be “startlingly prevalent in today’s workplaces,” according to the paper.

The lack of personally feeling threatened in a way that triggers emotion-focused processing may be why some bystanders perceive the overall organization to be rife with gendered mistreatment and unfairness after mistreatment occurs and why others do not make the same determination.

The research, led by Volpone and Emily M. David of China Europe International Business School, and co-authored by Derek R. Avery of the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business; Lars U. Johnson of the University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Business; and Loring Crepeau of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, involved three studies, including one on more than 8,000 employees who were a part of some 550 work teams.

The researchers also theorize that men’s and women’s perceptions of mistreatment in the workplace can impact whether they feel the company or organization as a whole is unjust.

“If I saw or heard a female reporting mistreatment or recounting it to a colleague, I all of a sudden find that very salient,” Volpone said. “If this continues and is acceptable in the workplace, it’s harder to explain the mistreatment away as a one-off occurrence, and I begin to think negatively about the climate of the overall organization. Those thoughts capture how people who are similar to the victim of the mistreatment process the mistreatment.”

The study isolated gender effects, but Volpone said the researchers are confident that the phenomenon would extend to race as well. They believe mistreatment would elicit the same kind of threat response in other disadvantaged groups in the workplace.

A takeaway for managers is to be aware of this gender similarity bias.

“If you’re an individual manager and someone makes you aware of events that could be considered mistreatment, understand that your similarity to that person could affect your decision-making and could affect how you take action and whether you take action,” Volpone said.

Instead of dismissing workplace mistreatment as a one-off event, companies can benefit from providing more organizational support.

“Mistreatment needs to be taken care of and addressed as soon as possible,” Volpone said. “If and how a manager responds sends important signals. It has a big spillover effect that can affect how employees think of the entire workplace, not just the coworker who was the perpetrator of the mistreatment.”

Some employee bystanders may brush it off while others are stuck wondering, ‘Am I next?’ according to new research from a CU Boulder business professor.

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Finding Keys to Human Performance Improvement

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 18:25:28 +0000

Finding Keys to Human Performance Improvement Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/28/2023 - 12:25

Elise Oberliesen

Doing some tasks outside your specialty improves rather than hurts performance, according to recent research from Leeds' Ethan Poskanzer.

Researchers explored performance data from Major League Baseball pitchers at a time when they were also required to bat to study whether weaker skills stimulate dominate skills and how sequencing comes into play.

Have you ever thought about how to ace your next performance review with the boss? Or to get better results from gym workouts? Turns out it could be within reach by changing up the order of tasks associated with a routine—and leaning into the tasks you’d rather avoid, according to Ethan J. Poskanzer, researcher at Leeds School of Business, and co-author Brittany Bond, assistant professor with Cornell University.

The key to better performance seems to correlate with variables related to our perceived discomfort zone, tasks that Poskanzer refers to as the “necessary evils,” that go with a job or project at hand.

When tasks are especially challenging, it’s natural to think about skipping them altogether. For some people, it could be tasks like preparing slide decks before meetings—or warm up drills in the gym that specifically target weaker muscle groups, like core muscles.

Research findings suggest a pathway for improvement

According to Poskanzer’s research, published in in the journal Organization Science, the sequencing of undesirable tasks could be the gateway for improved performance measures. But it requires that undesirable tasks are completed before tasks where there is a history of acquired strength or mastery.

The study explored performance data from Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers at a time when they were also required to bat—which obviously exploits their weaker skillset. Poskanzer and the researcher team analyzed 22 years of historical data to ascertain whether weaker skills, like batting, stimulate dominate skills, like pitching. They also wanted to better understand the relationship between the perceived emotions attached to both strengths and weaknesses as it relates to performance outcomes.

Applying it in the real world

The breakthrough idea for this fascinating research came to light while observing the demeanor of MLB pitchers during a high-stakes World Series game. At that time, pitchers were not expected to hit crowd-pleasing homeruns—it was surmised that the frustration of lackluster batting results perpetuated dramatic strike-outs from pitchers at the pitching mound.

“The big application to focus on is the sequencing of tasks,” Poskanzer said. “Tackling tasks that someone is less skilled in first can lead to better performance in subsequent tasks that they are more skilled in."

He points out a key piece of information about task completion, noting that all the tasks must be completed, which is a non-negotiable. Otherwise, it’s like making a traditional-style pizza without the dough.

“This is a way people can accomplish things that they don't want to do or are uncomfortable doing, without sacrificing their performance overall,” he explained.

To find that sweet spot for maximizing human potential in the workforce, Poskanzer believes these findings could help organizations craft job descriptions designed to improve employee productivity. It would require a mix of tasks that blend core job skills with skills that require development, practice and patience—yet still a necessary component of the job, Poskanzer added.

“When employees go right into their primary work after completing a more challenging task, they're more motivated to excel because they're a little bit frustrated that they had to do something they didn't feel they were very good at,” he said.

Stay tuned

Stay tuned for future findings related to Poskanzer’s research, as more is in development. Poskanzer is excited to think about different ways organizations could use this information for real world performance improvement.

“In future research, we plan to explore other types of tasks that people can do before their ‘core’ work to improve their performance," Poskanzer said.

Next steps

While much more research is needed to better understand ways to use this model, Poskanzer believes that employee performance would improve if employers re-arranged various combinations of job tasks so that it follows the baseball model. Jobs would intentionally blend a mixture of responsibilities where skill mastery is evident with responsibilities that still require skill development. In other words, employees could grow into these hybrid-type jobs, according to Poskanzer.

“Jobs are made up of tasks that are put together in different combinations and in complex ways. We’re motivated to better understand just how people experience these different combinations between tasks and how different assortments of tasks will be experienced by the person in the job.”

Why Leeds Faculty research

Task sequencing builds better outcomes, according to new research from Leeds' Ethan J. Poskanzer.

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