Carroll School of Management research centers, along with individual faculty, have contributed their expertise to ongoing discussions of coronavirus and its impact on business, education, and society. Here鈥檚 a sampling of their commentary on topics related to COVID-19, ranging from economic restructuring and market behaviors to corporate social responsibility and work-life balance. This list is updated frequently. Check here for added perspective from the Carroll School about the continuing crisis.听
February 2021
Professor of Information Systems Gerald Kane
What鈥檚 Next for America鈥檚 Workplace Norms?
In an article in MIT听Sloan Management Review, 鈥�,鈥� Carroll School of Management Information Systems Professor Gerald Kane explores what the future holds for both remote and colocated work after COVID-19. Kane and his coauthors discuss how workplace innovations and hybrid schedules born of the crisis will need to be translated in the 鈥渘ext normal,鈥� to create the best of both worlds for employers and workers alike.
How to Save Your Favorite Restaurant
More than 100,000 restaurants closed in 2020, most without plans to reopen. Assistant Professor of Information Systems Zhuoxin (Allen) Li has been tracking how much on-demand food delivery apps like Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash have helped (or hurt) local, independently owned restaurants during the pandemic. And听he has some advice for supporting the ones still standing, until COVID restrictions are lifted.
January 2021
What Every Leader Needs When Navigating a Crisis
How to be a great leader during times of crisis? This听听from Heide Abelli, an adjunct professor at the Carroll School, says that cultivating resilience is key. She offers up seven ways for leaders to improve their resilience.
Shell Startup Focuses on Relationships in COVID-19
The听Wall Street Journal听published a听听from Professor of Information Systems Gerald Kane鈥檚 upcoming book, The Transformation Myth, as part of a series looking at how COVID-19 has accelerated a digital evolution in the business world. Kane talked to Shell Polymers鈥� general manager Emma Lewis about how the IT company adapted its human-centered approach to serving customers during the pandemic, and delivered meaningful support in an unprecedented situation. 鈥淚 think people always remember how you treated them in a crisis,鈥� Lewis said.
Heading Off Social Security鈥檚 Shortfall
In听, Alicia Munnell, management professor and director of the Carroll School鈥檚 Center for Retirement Research, gave her take on what lawmakers must do (and when) to salvage Social Security before it runs out.
Furloughs For Now, Not Forever, at MGM Resorts
Casino owners 鈥渆xpect that the worst of the COVID virus will be over by June,鈥� says Associate Professor of the Practice of Finance Richard McGowan, S.J. He explained the seeming contradiction between simultaneous waves of furloughs and surges in seasonal hiring in the casino industry in听.
American Households Face Rising Retirement Insecurity鈥擣or Reasons Predating the Pandemic
Fifty-one percent of U.S. households are at risk of falling short of maintaining their standard of living once they reach retirement, according to a study by Boston College鈥檚 Center for Retirement Research. The听听reported on the findings, noting that in 2019, 49 percent of households were found to be at risk of the same shortfall. The 2 percent increase was more modest than expected, given the economic tensions caused by the pandemic.
December 2020
Retirement Scholar Warns of 鈥淏iggest Risk鈥� for COVID鈥檚 Unemployed
Money Magazine looked at how three families are managing under the financial strain of COVID, including one woman who鈥檚 鈥渢rying like heck鈥� not to touch her retirement savings. Geoffrey Sanzenbacher of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College explains in why that鈥檚 so important.
Hard-Earned Wisdom from the Summit听
Braving avalanches, frayed ropes, and limited oxygen, Juan Montes and a small team climbed to the top of Mount Everest via the little-used Kangshung Face route, which includes a 4,000-foot wall of rocks and ice. From this aerial adventure, Montes, a professor of the practice in Management and Organization, derived lessons on how companies can meet crises like those brought on by COVID with 鈥渢he resilience tool kit鈥濃�攁 combination of established routines, simple rules, and creative improvisation. Montes and a co-author told his story and shared broadly applicable tips in a .听
Cities with Budget Shortfalls Found Little Relief in CARES Act
鈥淢ost cities are hurting,鈥� says Lourdes Germ谩n, assistant professor of the practice of Business Law and Society at the Carroll School. An expert in municipal finance, Germ谩n听听about why communities have struggled to cover costs and revenue losses caused by the pandemic鈥攁nd where and how the CARES Act fell short in supporting America's cities. She also published in partnership with the foundation that offers potential policy improvements to help cities recover economically from crises like COVID.
How Hilton Has Helped Weather the COVID Crisis
The Wall Street Journal published the second in a series of excerpts from Professor Gerald Kane鈥檚 forthcoming book about how COVID-19 is accelerating a digital transformation in business. The concerns Hilton鈥檚 response to the crisis, which includes using digital tools to help displaced employees weather the COVID storm.
The Uneven Weight on Women
The pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on workers by gender, with women taking on a greater share of caregiving and domestic labor. Brad Harrington of the Center for Work & Family called on fathers to do more in the , and discussed what the research reveals about how the pandemic continues to affect working families on .
November 2020
The Real Reason Retirement Savings Went Untouched During the Downturn
The cited statistics from Boston College鈥檚 Center for Retirement Research听to explain why many low-income workers didn鈥檛 dip into retirement savings during the pandemic. (Answer: Most don鈥檛 have 401(k)s to draw from.)听
An Expert Voice on Work-Life Balance in 2020
, 鈥淲hat is difficult right now? What do you need help with?鈥濃�攁nd then tapped a panel of experts, including the executive director of Boston College鈥檚 Center for Work & Family, Brad Harrington, to address some of the responses they received. Harrington was also quoted in 听about Vice President-elect Kamala Harris鈥檚 husband, Doug Emhoff, and his new role as America鈥檚 first 鈥淪econd Gentleman.鈥澨�
How Seniors鈥� Pockets Will Feel the Outcome of the Presidential Race
What does the outcome of the presidential election mean for seniors鈥� financial wellbeing? Just prior to Election Day, talked to Alicia Munnell, executive director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, about the fate of Social Security, stock performance, and job stability in the pandemic.
Corporate Responsibility in the COVID Era
Engaging remote employees, addressing mental health issues, and empowering female workers: These are some of the topics addressed in the fall 2020 issue of , a magazine published by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship.
October 2020
Two Faculty Featured in Finance Journal鈥檚 Special Edition
The Review of Corporate Finance Studies鈥� special issue on 鈥淭he COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis and Corporate Finance鈥� is the first to present early research on the economic impact of the pandemic for corporate finance. Of the eight papers featured, two are from Carroll School faculty. Philip Strahan, who is the John L. Collins, S.J. Chair in Finance, and his co-authors explained from lenders after the pandemic struck. Finance Professor and Seidner Family Faculty Fellow Rui Albuquerque and colleagues found that, during the pandemic, companies with high environmental and social (ES) ratings have shown significantly higher returns, especially when those companies matched their environmental and social commitments with strong advertising.
How COVID-19 Accelerated a Digital Transformation
The Wall Street Journal published the first of from Professor of Information Systems Gerald Kane鈥檚 forthcoming book about how companies are responding to COVID-19. The first installment concerns health insurance company Anthem, where the crisis has intensified a drive to go digital-first. In , Kane writes that if the rapid shift to virtual meetings and contactless business models prompted by the pandemic resembles a physician鈥檚 emergency response to an acute medical event, then the future will require companies to deal with the disruption as a chronic condition.
Countering Women鈥檚 Exit from the Workforce During COVID
Circumstances stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic are forcing many women, especially mothers, to leave the workforce. How do we move forward? Jennifer Sabatini Fraone of BC鈥檚 Center for Work & Family comments in .
Social Insurance is More Important Than Ever听
Social Security and unemployment insurance offer the best means for Americans to save money amid the current health and economic challenges, says Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, in an article she wrote for . The piece was also published in , a collection of essays by 14 previous recipients of the Robert M. Ball Award for Outstanding Achievements in Social Insurance, which Munnell received in 2009.听The Center she leads was recently awarded $2.9M from the Social Security Administration to fund its research in 2021.
Carroll School Center Offers COVID-Related Retirement Insights
The Center for Retirement Research is actively tracking how COVID-19 will impact Americans鈥� retirement security and has gathered its听.
Collection of Companies Doing Good in Hard Times
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt economies around the world,听听to help others through the crisis.听
September 2020
Investors in Lockdown Bolstered Market Liquidity, Study Finds
Robinhood, a popular trading app, saw increased activity from retail investors stuck at home during the COVID-19 lockdown last spring. Haub Family Professor of Finance Ronnie Sadka and co-authors听have published findings听showing that this rise in retail trading鈥攚hile it can have unintended risks鈥攈elped the market to avoid a large liquidity crisis during the economic shutdown.
Casino Owners, Employees May Differ in Presidential Pick
Presidential incumbent Donald J. Trump has owned and operated casinos in the past, but will that win听over voters with ties to the gaming industry in 2020? Richard McGowan, S.J., associate professor of the practice of finance, offers his perspective听.听
August 2020
The Impact of COVID on Near-Retirees
The economic downturn caused by coronavirus comes at an especially bad time for near-retirees. The听听and听听both interviewed Alicia Munnell about听the Center for Retirement Research鈥檚 findings on older Americans鈥� ability to work remotely during the pandemic, and what it means if they can鈥檛.
Lourdes German, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Business Law and Society and co-director of the Managing for Social Impact & the Public Good minor
Carroll School Professor to Lead Learning for Economic Recovery Initiative
Lourdes German, assistant professor of the practice of Business Law and Society and co-director of the Managing for Social Impact & the Public Good minor, is pedagogical lead for a new initiative launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The听听aims to help city leaders tackle economic recovery from COVID-19 with equity-centered interventions.听
Redesigning College During COVID
How did the Carroll School and its faculty use innovation and design principles to raise their game and get ready to teach amid COVID? And what's next for higher education? John and Linda Powers Family Dean Andy Boynton听discussed this and all things innovation听on听The Resonance Test, a podcast produced by global design innovation firm EPAM Continuum.听
Economic Recession Widens Racial Gaps in Retirement Security
Racial gaps in retirement security were large before coronavirus struck, and the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic could worsen the problem. The Center for Retirement Research is cited in听听with comments from Geoffrey Sanzenbacher, research fellow at the center and associate professor of the practice of economics at Boston College.
Closing the Distance at Work
Missing the rapport you had with your office crew? Take heart. Beth Schinoff (Management and Organization) studied virtual work relationships even before the pandemic necessitated more of them. She told the that it is possible to replicate online 鈥渢he emotional and psychological closeness that we feel with our face-to-face colleagues.鈥� She also co-wrote an article on the topic for .
July 2020
Alicia Munnell, Peter F. Drucker Chair in Management Sciences and Executive Director of Boston College鈥檚 Center for Retirement Research
The Long-Term Cost of Pandemic-Related Job Losses
Three out of four people who lost jobs in the pandemic won鈥檛 be able to maintain their standard of living in retirement, reports听, based on data from Boston College鈥檚 Center for Retirement Research. 鈥淯nemployment has not only had an immediate impact in terms of lost earnings but also a longer-term negative effect on future wages, making it more difficult to save for retirement,鈥� Peter F. Drucker Chair in Management Sciences Alicia Munnell, who is also the center鈥檚 director, told听听in its coverage of the same findings.
$600 Unemployment Checks Hard to Compete With?
As Congress debates extending unemployment benefits, some businesses say the extra cash offered by the CARES Act made it hard to convince workers to come back.听Professor and James F. Cleary Chair in Finance Jeffrey Pontiff听听for听FoxNews.
Casino Faces Rough Road in Reopening, Explains Finance Professor
As MGM Springfield in Mass. reopens, social distancing rules and lack of live entertainment mean听, says Carroll School Associate Professor of the Practice of Finance Richard McGowan, S.J.
June 2020
Retirement Savers Keep Their Cool During COVID Recession
Even as COVID-19 upended the stock market and sent unemployment numbers skyrocketing in early 2020, , according to a study co-authored by Associate Professor of Finance Jonathan Reuter. The paper, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, won the from the International Centre for Pension Management.
William S. McKiernan '78 Family Faculty Fellow and Professor of Information Systems Sam Ransbotham
IT Professionals Step Up in Remote Era
Across industry sectors, technology departments enabled a global transition to remote work with remarkable speed. 鈥淜udos to our IT infrastructure,鈥� said William S. McKiernan '78 Family Faculty Fellow and Professor of Information Systems Sam Ransbotham in in CIO that spotlighted听some of the IT heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic.听
The Added Toll on Women Workers
Women account for 55% of the more than 20.5 million workers who lost their jobs in April 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic,听. The Center for Work & Family鈥檚 Jennifer Fraone weighed in on why.听
Pandemic Opens Door to Build a More Equitable Society
Rather than work to return our economy to 鈥渢he way things were,鈥� U.S. policymakers should seek to 鈥減roactively restructure society, so that we are all more resilient the next time disaster strikes,鈥� argues听, co-authored by Associate Professor Nailya Ordabayeva (Marketing). Such resilience, the authors say, requires economic policies that address the 鈥渇ault lines鈥濃�攁ge, race, gender, and others鈥攖hat COVID-19 has exposed in our current economic structure. Ordabayeva's听recent research听also reveals what messaging works best when selling economic equality to the public.
Don't Expect More Dads to Stay Home, Post-Pandemic
Anyone who thinks that the pandemic will inspire a stay-at-home dad revolution is probably out of luck, says Brad Harrington, executive director and research professor at Boston College's Center for Work & Family, in听.
An Expert鈥檚 Take on the Future of Commercial Real Estate in Boston
Senior Lecturer Edward Chazen, who teaches a variety of real estate classes at the Carroll School, recently spoke to听CommercialCafe听about听听in a post-COVID world. The Q&A was part of the publication鈥檚 Expert Insights series.
May 2020
Offices Have Reopened but Some Desks Remain Empty
As offices in Massachusetts reopen with reduced occupancy, new challenges arise for both employers and landlords.听听turned to Jere Doyle,听Popolo Family Executive Director of the Carroll School鈥檚 Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship, for his thoughts.听
Jenne Colasacco, executive director of the Lynch Leadership Academy.
School Principals Will Need Unprecedented Support to Reopen, Says BC Leadership Expert
Reopening schools in the wake of COVID-19 will require community leaders to collectively rally support for school principals, according to听听co-authored by Jenne Colasacco, executive director of the Lynch Leadership Academy.
听
鈥淟ove in the Time of COVID鈥�: Environmental and Social Policies Pay Off, Study Says
Companies with social and environmental policies in place before the recent stock market tumult 鈥渄id extraordinarily better鈥� than those without, according to a听published study听co-authored by听Seidner Family Faculty Fellow and Professor of Finance Rui Albuquerque. What鈥檚 more, companies that paired high environmental and social commitments with strong advertising fared even better鈥攁 sign that spending on social responsibility pays off, especially if people know about it.
April 2020
Not Essential, but not Remote: When Parents Can't Work From Home
For working parents in Massachusetts, the news of extended school closures means a long summer ahead of juggling remote work and childcare. But it's even more daunting for the ones whose jobs can't be done from home, notes the Center for Work & Family's Jennifer Fraone in听.
Why You Should Save Some of That Stimulus Check
One millennial reporter at听CNBC听听with input from financial experts, including the Center for Retirement Research's director, Alicia Munnell.
Coronavirus Exposes Cracks, Creates Openings for Systemic Changes
In an听听published by Organizations and the Natural Environment (ONE), a division of the Academy of Management,听Galligan Chair of Strategy and听Professor of Management Sandra Waddock explored the transformative possibilities that COVID-19 offers scholars of management to 鈥渂ring about purposeful system transformation,鈥� an effort she says 鈥渞equires innovative thinking on all our parts, including letting go of today鈥檚 dominant economic and academic metrics in favor of new ones that reflect real-world impact.鈥�
Respected Retirement Expert Says New Stimulus Benefit is a Bad Idea
Peter F. Drucker Professor of Management Sciences Alicia Munnell, who also directs the Carroll School鈥檚 Center for Retirement Research (CRR),听听in the government鈥檚 new stimulus bill.
March 2020
Companies Use Charitable Funds to Help Struggling Employees听
The Center for Corporate Citizenship鈥檚 executive director, Katherine V. Smith, explains how听.听
Tips to Manage Yourself (and Others) While Working Remotely
As professionals of all stripes transition to remote work鈥攕ome for the first time鈥擝rad Harrington, who directs the Carroll School鈥檚 Center for Work & Family,听
Working From Home While Schools are Closed
The Center for Work & Family鈥檚 Jennifer Fraone was featured in听听for parents trying to work from home with kids around.听
Forbes听Reimagines Boomer Retirements, Based in Part on BC Center Research
A recent听Forbes听piece cites the Center for Retirement Research when outlining听鈥攊ncluding, but not limited to, the stock market losses.听
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