The Naveen Jindal School of Management presented several high-profile, high-impact academic conferences this spring in which it gathered thought leaders to discuss the most pressing problems and emerging trends in both industry and academia. Many of them focused on artificial intelligence, and others concentrated on sustainability and uncertainty.

First in the lineup was the third biennial edition of the Ann and Jack Graves Foundation Conference Series, held Jan. 12-14 in Kumasi, Ghana. This year’s conference theme was “Sustainability as a Solution to Global Business Challenges: A Focus on Africa.” The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana was a co-presenter.

“Sustainability is a critical component to building and maintaining a democratic society — one that harmonizes environmental, social, and economic objectives,” said Dr. Habte Woldu, a clinical professor in the Jindal School’s Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area and director of the Sustainable Global Business Initiative. “Any corporation seeking to do business in Africa must integrate these three pillars into their strategy.” (See feature story on pages 10-12)

Next up was the annual Academic Summit for Business Analytics, held Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Jindal School. Participants from more than 50 universities and businesses worldwide explored how to navigate the rapid advancements in business analytics technology, particularly generative AI.

“Given the fast pace of advances in technology, it is important for the academic community to get together to discuss the challenges and opportunities it brings,” said Dr. Varghese Jacob, Lars Magnus Chair and vice dean at the Jindal School. “Conferences like ASBA are therefore crucial for the exchange of ideas and solutions to ensure our programs are designed to educate our students to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities presented.”

Quickly on its heels was the second Fintech & Digital Assets Workshop, also known as UTD COMTECH, held Feb. 21 at the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. It was organized by the Jindal School’s Center for the Management of Financial and Digital Asset Technologies (FD-Tech Center). The event focused on how new technologies are disrupting the financial services industry and forcing companies to make changes they may not be comfortable making.

Dr. Steven Haynes, an associate professor of practice at the Jindal School and director of the Risk Management and Cyber Security concentration of the BS in Business Administration program, sat on a panel of experts who dove into the impact that generative AI will have in the financial services and healthcare spaces — at least once trust is developed between the technology and the humans working alongside it.

“We’re looking at generative AI as being a colleague in the workplace,” Haynes said. “It’s not just that we’re looking to replace somebody; it’s actually that we’re trying to strengthen the relationship of a person who’s filling a job in the workplace to knowledge-based solutions.”

The 19th annual Frank M. Bass – UT Dallas Frontiers of Research in Marketing Science Conference (UTD FORMS) finished out the month. Held Feb. 28-29, the event was a gathering of marketing researchers who explored a wide range of topics, including the use of AI, advertising, sustainable products and the role of beliefs in online search behavior. The event honors the memory of the late Dr. Frank M. Bass (1926-2006), Eugene McDermott Chair in the Jindal School who led the way in establishing marketing as a quantitative science.

Dr. Sherry He from Michigan State University, presented a paper, “Sustainability Discussion: Do Judge a Product by Its Sustainability Label: Evidence from the Amazon Marketplace,” she co-authored about a study that focused on the impact, both positive and negative, of sustainability labels on overall product sales. Positives came from industry reports, surveys, and lab experiments, all indicating strong consumer preference for sustainable and environmentally friendly products. The negative impacts were perceived as lower effectiveness, higher prices and concerns about greenwashing practices.

The study’s findings concluded that sustainability labels positively influence product sales and impact consumers’ choices. They also found that both consumer preferences and platform dynamics affect the sales impact of sustainability labels.

One of the highlights of the Spring 2025 conference schedule was the 2025 Undergraduate Deans Conference. Academic leaders of business schools convened March 12-14 at the Jindal School to discuss the evolving landscape of higher education. Discussions centered on innovative solutions to design, implement and even reinvent undergraduate programs.

One key challenge faced today by universities is demonstrating to prospective students and their families their return on a considerable investment of money. Dr. Sukumaran Nair, vice provost for research and chief innovation officer and distinguished professor in Southern Methodist University’s Lyle School of Engineering, offered a succinct retort in his keynote address: “The Future of Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities.”

“People always say education is very expensive, right?” he asked. “Then our answer is, ‘try ignorance.’ That could be even more expensive.”

Dr. Dawn Owens, a clinical associate professor in the Jindal School’s Information Systems Area and associate dean for undergraduate programs at the Jindal School, said that universities stand at a pivotal moment in the evolution of undergraduate business education, thus necessitating frank conversations and debates such as those had at the conference. Although speaking specifically about the Undergraduate Deans Conference, Owens offered a succinct summary of the rationale behind academic conferences in general.

“Within these forums, we have sparked new ways of thinking,” she said. “We are challenged to rethink how we design, develop, and even reinvent our programs to meet the opportunities and challenges ahead.”