New research now indicates that these fuel shortages are not due to failures of pipelines and that in certain areas of the country a change in how gas is purchased can significantly reduce generator outages. The paper, «What Causes Natural Gas Fuel Shortages at U.S. Power Plants?» by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the…

One of the biggest marketing trends in the online shopping industry is personalization through curated product recommendations; however, it can change whether people buy a product they had been considering, according to new research. The study by Uma R. Karmarkar, assistant professor at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management and School of Global…

A new study shows that the central bank tool known as quantitative easing helped consumers substantially during the last big economic downturn — a finding with clear relevance for today’s pandemic-hit economy. More specifically, the study finds that one particular form of quantitative easing — in which the U.S. Federal Reserve purchased massive amounts of…

Zoom dress up parties, tug-of-war, ‘trust falls’ and escape rooms — team building exercises have become the go-to tool for managers trying to increase team rapport and productivity, but unfortunately many employees resent compulsory bonding and often regard these exercises as the bane of their workplace existence. A paper published by Sydney researchers has found…

Being good at math relates to better financial and medical outcomes — unless you don’t have confidence in your own abilities with numbers, new research suggests. In two studies, researchers found that the key to success in personal finances and dealing with a complex disease was a match between a person’s math abilities and how…

Augmented reality is an effective technology that marketers can use to improve sales. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled «Augmented Reality in Retail and Its Impact on Sales» and is authored by Yong-Chin Tan, Sandeep Chandukala, and Srinivas Reddy. The researchers discuss the following uses of AR in retail settings: *…

Information about worker commutes from smartphones and fitness trackers can predict individual job performance, according to a new study. The study confirms the behavioral and physical effects of commuting on work quality. The study also shows how data from personal tech devices can help improve employee productivity and satisfaction. «Your commute predicts your day,» said…

Online food retailers do not consistently display nutrition information on their websites — and U.S. laws are lagging behind in mandating the same labeling required for foods sold in brick-and-mortar stores, according to a new analysis. «Information required to be provided to consumers in conventional grocery stores is not being uniformly provided online — in…

Why are we willing to pay much more for a six pack of craft beer, a locally produced bottle of wine or a regional brand item, often choosing them over national brands? It’s because when people prefer to ‘buy local,’ they more frequently base their decisions on price as a perception of quality, research shows.…

A new study finds that the technical interviews currently used in hiring for many software engineering positions test whether a job candidate has performance anxiety rather than whether the candidate is competent at coding. The interviews may also be used to exclude groups or favor specific job candidates. «Technical interviews are feared and hated in…