Claire Quinto, Danya Wang, and Ryan Wilson

This study is investigating how accountant shortages may contribute to communities losing out on federal grant funding after natural disasters.

The research team examined Federal Emergency Management Agency public assistance grants awarded in the wake of natural disasters from 1999 through 2020. The study results will be important as policymakers consider taking action to streamline the process for obtaining a CPA license in order to address the national shortage of accountants.

Boyoon Lee, Minjee Sun, and Jongwoo Jeong

This research paper was accepted and presented at the 2024 Migration & Organizations Conference, hosted by The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in May 2024.

The United States has long been a major destination for refugees. While the U.S. government has implemented programs to help integrate newcomers, the results have been mixed. This research focuses on how businesses can play a role in helping refugees settle and become part of local communities in the U.S.

Alice Wang, Bingyan Hu, and Cathy Cole

This research paper was published in the journal Psychology and Marketing.

The research team investigated the impact of loneliness on consumers’ disposition of used, yet still useful, possessions. Both loneliness and how consumers handle used products have emerged as important societal and research topics. While existing literature primarily addresses how loneliness influences product acquisition, our research explores its effect on the disposition of used products.

The team found that lonely consumers are less willing to let go of their used possessions because they form stronger self-product attachments. Additionally, we reveal a previously unstudied factor that alters this effect—lonely individuals are less attached to products given by others (compared to products they purchase themselves) and are therefore more likely to dispose of them.

Given the significant rise in loneliness, especially among young people, it is a concern that lonely consumers may engage in behaviors that further exacerbate their loneliness. For instance, rather than seeking connections with others, lonely individuals may form attachments to material possessions. This attachment can increase the number of material possessions but not the number of interpersonal connections. Addressing this issue, our findings provide communication and managerial strategies to effectively facilitate the disposition of used products among lonely consumers.