Academic Reputation

‘Selling Anger’: How Cable News Profits from Outrage

Kelsey Cipolla — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:34:08 +0000

‘Selling Anger’: How Cable News Profits from Outrage Kelsey Cipolla Wed, 07/30/2025 - 13:34

Major networks increasingly focus on criticizing the opposing party–fueling division to boost ratings, according to a 12-year study of TV news.

Traditional

White

John G. Lynch Jr.

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 15:52:33 +0000

John G. Lynch Jr. Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 06/24/2025 - 09:52

Jane Majkiewicz

Distinguished Professor, Inaugural Director of the Initiative for Global Business Impact and Citizen Well-Being

A conversation with John Lynch is a delightful glimpse into the inner workings of an active, curious mind. You might expect someone with his curriculum vitae—filled with prestigious awards and honors—to regularly be found in a suit and tie. But more often than not, you’ll find him in jeans and a button-down shirt, exuding a relaxed intellect and a warm humility.

Lynch is the quintessential scholar, dedicated to asking the big “why” and “how” questions, even when the answers might challenge prevailing views. Talking with him, it’s almost as if you can see the wheels turning, and a discussion can take lively detours. Ask him a question, and he’s likely to ask a couple of his own, eager to explore deeper layers of understanding.

Take, for example, his influential work at Duke University between 1996 and 2009, where he laid out a roadmap for understanding why consumers, retailers and manufacturers might choose online versus brick-and-mortar retail channels. At a time when the dominant belief was that e-commerce would eliminate intermediaries, Lynch predicted a more complex evolution—much of which has since been validated.

His contributions have not gone unnoticed. Lynch has received numerous accolades, including being listed as the most admired active consumer researcher in the world in the Journal of Consumer Research (JCR) in 2024. In 2015, JCR named him one of the 10 most-published authors in the journal’s history and honored him with its Outstanding Reviewer Award for the second time.

Most recently, Lynch earned the American Marketing Association’s 2025 McGraw-Hill Irwin Distinguished Marketing Educator Award—the highest honor in the field of academic marketing—recognizing a career of remarkable teaching, research and mentorship.

Catalyzing a new field

Lynch joined Leeds in 2009 to start the Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making (CFDM), which launched in 2010. Under his guidance, the center has become a globally recognized hub for interdisciplinary research at the intersection of psychology, marketing, economics and finance.

Having witnessed his former colleagues at the University of Florida shape the field of consumer behavior, Lynch was confident he could take that example to help Leeds follow suit, building upon 91��’s well-established reputation in the topic of decision-making. Lynch and his CU colleagues sought to bring meaningful insights to questions with real-world impact in consumer financial decision-making—studying how and why people make important decisions about things like buying cars or homes, saving for retirement, financing college, managing debt and more.

“We began with two major efforts. First, we launched the 91�� Summer Conference on Consumer Financial Decision Making, which was unique in bringing together dozens of academic disciplines with government and industry leaders," he said. And then Leeds brought in strong talent.

”Today, we’re one of the world’s leaders in this field [of consumer financial decision-making]. .... Some of the brightest stars at Leeds are working on this topic now, and I’m really proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

John G. Lynch Jr.

“When we started, we didn’t have many people who had published significantly in this area. But today, we’re one of the world’s leaders in this field.”

He’s especially proud of his colleagues: “Some of the brightest stars at Leeds are working on this topic now, and I’m really proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

Lynch pointed to the center’s focus on topics that resonate with people the world over. In spring 2025, for example, Lynch delivered the keynote address at the 20th Anniversary Conference of Netspar—the Network for Studies on Pensions, Aging and Retirement in the Netherlands—attended by the country’s Queen Máxima.

“The Netherlands has the best retirement system in the world,” he noted. “It’s fascinating to see how different countries tackle similar challenges like retirement, debt or funding education. Everyone’s trying to solve the same problems, but their approaches vary widely—and we can learn a lot by comparing them.”

Leading with a global perspective

Building on this ethos, Lynch was appointed the inaugural director of the Initiative for Global Business Impact and Citizen Well-Being, which will launch in fall 2025, made possible by an anonymous gift.

Consumer finance and sustainability are the center’s first two priorities—global topics of concern that resonate with everyone and that cross multiple academic disciplines.

“We’re especially interested in cases where interventions aimed at improving well-being are implemented through business,” Lynch said.

One early priority is strengthening ties with researchers in the Netherlands, particularly in retirement policy, where that country is a leader. But the scope is broad. “Water management is another area with enormous global relevance,” explained Lynch. “That’s the level of impact we would like to have.”

“Our role is to offer scientific insights grounded in rigorous research that policymakers and practitioners can trust.”

John G. Lynch Jr.

At the core of the initiative is a belief in evidence-based, apolitical research. “We’re not pushing an agenda or trying to make policy. Our role is to offer scientific insights grounded in rigorous research that policymakers and practitioners can trust.”

A lasting legacy

In addition to his scholarly impact, Lynch’s legacy includes mentoring more than 100 PhD students—many of whom now hold faculty positions at top business schools and who serve as department chairs, journal editors and industry leaders.

“Many of them have gone on to extraordinary careers,” Lynch said. “What’s most gratifying is the ongoing relationships. Anyone who’s had me as a dissertation chair gets what I call the ‘lifetime guarantee’—I’ll always be there for advice or collaboration.”

Reflecting on his full career of teaching and working with exceptional colleagues, Lynch is deeply grateful.

“I have worked only at amazing places. And I've had amazing students.”

Distinguished Professor John Lynch has shaped Leeds' success through award-winning teaching, research and mentorship—and he’s not done. He will lead a new global initiative launching this fall, further elevating Leeds’ reputation for research excellence.

Traditional

White

After the Layoffs, What Does Trust Mean at Work?

Kelsey Cipolla — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 14:58:54 +0000

After the Layoffs, What Does Trust Mean at Work? Kelsey Cipolla Wed, 06/11/2025 - 08:58

Supervisors often see trust as a motivator—but in a workplace shaken by layoffs, it can create stress instead of stability, according to new Leeds research.

Traditional

White

From the C-Suite to the Classroom: How Leeds’ Executive MBA is Redefining Business Leadership

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 27 May 2025 15:38:24 +0000

From the C-Suite to the Classroom: How Leeds’ Executive MBA is Redefining Business Leadership Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 05/27/2025 - 09:38

Julie Poppen

The 91��’s Leeds School of Business has found its stride in the competitive landscape of graduate business education, thanks to its dynamic Executive MBA program—which just graduated its third cohort.

The Leeds Executive MBA:
Rising in the Ranks

#5 among U.S. public university business schools for career outcomes
#49 globally for employer reputation

Source: QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) EMBA rankings

Designed for high-level professionals seeking transformational leadership development, the Executive MBA (EMBA) program continues to distinguish itself with a hybrid structure, world-class faculty, and a curriculum infused with relevance and rigor. The professional program complements the school’s long-standing and well regarded full-time and professional part-time MBA programs, offering a full suite of options for continuing students and busy professionals alike.

“Our Executive MBA students are already leaders,” said Tracee DeAntoni, senior program director for the Executive MBA at Leeds. “We have physicians, attorneys, scientists, CEOs and CISOs in the cohort—leaders learning from leaders.”

Purposeful design

The Leeds EMBA features a lockstep curriculum centered around three pillars: leadership, innovation and inclusion. Students progress together through foundational business topics and advanced courses drawn from Leeds’ other MBA programs.

“One key differentiator is that we’ve built a cohesive program with world-class faculty and select industry practitioners,” said Lori Seward, faculty director of MBA programs. “Other programs may rely on adjuncts or faculty from outside institutions, but most of the instruction comes from our Leeds faculty.”

The hybrid format combines online learning with three in-person residencies each year, including three weeklong sessions and a three-day orientation and second-year kick-off event. This structure allows working professionals to fully engage without sacrificing their careers.

“We reduce the cognitive load so students can focus on learning,” Seward said. “They don’t have to pick courses or manage complex schedules.”

Recognition and global reach

The Leeds EMBA has already achieved notable rankings, including #49 globally for employer reputation, #63 for career outcomes overall and #5 among U.S. public schools for career outcomes, according to the recently released QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) EMBA rankings.

“It’s exciting to be one of the youngest programs ranked globally—and the only new U.S. addition this year,” said Seward.

A 10-day international residency caps the second year, offering students exposure to global markets and cross-cultural business leadership.

Tight-knit community, immediate impact

Each cohort includes a small number of students to foster connection and exceptional personal attention, and students remain in the same small study groups throughout the program. This cohort-based model at Leeds encourages collaboration, mentorship and alumni engagement.

“Alumni return regularly for events and mentoring,” DeAntoni said. “The community is one of our strongest assets.”

Students also see immediate benefits at work. “Whatever you're learning today in the classroom, you can apply tomorrow at work,” Seward said.

Signature experiences—like the Innovation Challenge—with real clients and a second-year pitch competition, offer hands-on leadership development. Executive coaching is also included, helping students clarify goals and pursue promotions or career pivots.

“We’ve seen students promoted during the program—sometimes earlier than expected,” Seward noted. “And our alumni network supports students in everything from how to survive school and work, navigating LinkedIn, to career advice.”

“There’s a value in having people that aren’t in your day-to-day business that can provide some third-party feedback and can give you their experience ...”

Lauren McCabe (MBA’25)

Already a well-established leader among leaders, Lauren McCabe, a recent graduate from the Executive MBA program and awarded the EMBA Student Excellence Award by the faculty, acknowledges the value of refining some of the tools in her toolkit.

Throughout the EMBA program, having the opportunity to refine some of the tools in her toolkit was impactful, especially in the practice of highly focused, peer-evaluated presentations, which McCabe said is probably one of the strongest skills she’s taken away from the program.

“There’s a value in having people that aren’t in your day-to-day business that can provide some third-party feedback and can give you their experience, their exposure, how they may handle a situation that I might not have thought of because of my specific industry experience,” McCabe said.

Keep Exploring

Second-year Executive MBA student Lauren McCabe describes her experience in the program. Watch the video >>
Learn more about the Leeds Executive MBA. Read program details >>
Celebrate the Leeds MBA 60th anniversary. Join in the events >>

Leeds has found its stride in the competitive landscape of graduate business education, thanks to its dynamic Executive MBA (EMBA) program—which just graduated its third cohort.

Traditional

White

What ‘No Tax on Tips’ Really Means for Service Workers—and Everyone Else

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 27 May 2025 15:24:56 +0000

What ‘No Tax on Tips’ Really Means for Service Workers—and Everyone Else Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 05/27/2025 - 09:24

A plan to eliminate federal taxes on tips is moving forward, but the benefits may be smaller than they sound.

Traditional

White

Academic Reputation

‘Selling Anger’: How Cable News Profits from Outrage

Related Articles

John G. Lynch Jr.

Distinguished Professor, Inaugural Director of the Initiative for Global Business Impact and Citizen Well-Being

Catalyzing a new field

Leading with a global perspective

A lasting legacy

Related Articles

After the Layoffs, What Does Trust Mean at Work?

Related Articles

From the C-Suite to the Classroom: How Leeds’ Executive MBA is Redefining Business Leadership

The Leeds Executive MBA:
Rising in the Ranks

Purposeful design

Recognition and global reach

Tight-knit community, immediate impact

Keep Exploring

Related Articles

What ‘No Tax on Tips’ Really Means for Service Workers—and Everyone Else

Related Articles

Academic Reputation

‘Selling Anger’: How Cable News Profits from Outrage

Related Articles

John G. Lynch Jr.

Distinguished Professor, Inaugural Director of the Initiative for Global Business Impact and Citizen Well-Being

Catalyzing a new field

Leading with a global perspective

A lasting legacy

Related Articles

After the Layoffs, What Does Trust Mean at Work?

Related Articles

From the C-Suite to the Classroom: How Leeds’ Executive MBA is Redefining Business Leadership

The Leeds Executive MBA:Rising in the Ranks

Purposeful design

Recognition and global reach

Tight-knit community, immediate impact

Keep Exploring

Related Articles

What ‘No Tax on Tips’ Really Means for Service Workers—and Everyone Else

Related Articles

The Leeds Executive MBA:
Rising in the Ranks