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First year of Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law shows how autocracies are replicating Russian model − and speeding up the time frame

March 28, 2025

Autocracies are increasingly learning from one another — and Georgia offers a case study in how quickly those lessons can take hold. Rice Business professor Anastasiya Zavyalova and her co-author examine Georgia’s 2024 “foreign agent” law, modeled on Russia’s approach to restricting NGOs and silencing dissent.

Unlike Russia, where it took nearly a decade for the law to become a broad tool of repression, Georgia has accelerated the process within a year.

“Georgia’s experience illustrates how authoritarians are learning from each other, utilizing the rule of law itself against democracy,” Zavyalova explained.

The findings show how authoritarian regimes are adapting faster, raising urgent concerns for international policymakers and civil society.

Why a Landmark Settlement on Realtor Fees Hasn’t Cut Costs

Aug. 23, 2025

A $418 million settlement was supposed to lower U.S. real-estate commissions, but a year later, fees remain largely unchanged. Studies — including one by Rice Business professors Jefferson Duarte and David Zhang — confirm that buyer-agent commissions have held steady, with only limited shifts in behavior.

Their paper found a small but measurable rise in buyers opting out of using agents in some states, suggesting that change may emerge slowly.

“Nothing’s changed,” said one industry consultant, echoing the durability of entrenched practices. For now, a sluggish housing market, buyer reluctance to negotiate, and the persistence of seller-paid fees keep commissions among the world’s highest — though Rice’s findings hint at early cracks in the system.

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The Restaurant List 2025: Here are the 50 best places in America right now.

June 19, 2025

Rice MBA alum Opeyemi “Ope” Amosu’s (’14) restaurant ChòpnBlok has officially earned its place among America’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2025, as named by The New York Times.

From its beginnings as a Houston food-hall stall, Amosu has scaled up without losing intimacy. The Montrose brick-and-mortar location adds cocktails and small bites, but each bowl remains a precisely calibrated story: renditions of jollof, stewed greens, spices you can taste before you name them. The space is saturated with Yoruba textiles and art, spaces to linger and feel rooted.

In a year where the Times’ list spans everything from rustic outposts to luxe tasting menus, ChòpnBlok stands out not by virtue of competition, but by clarity — clear voice, clear vision, clear delight.

No credit history? No problem − new research suggests shopping data works as a proxy for creditworthiness

Sept. 3, 2025

When banks can’t see a borrower’s past repayment history, they tend to assume the worst — leaving millions of people worldwide unable to access credit. A new study co-authored by Rice Business professor Jung Youn Lee suggests there may be another way forward: everyday shopping habits.

By linking loyalty-card records with Peru’s national credit registry, Lee and her research colleagues found that approval rates for applicants with no credit history jumped from 16% to as high as 48% when retail habits were factored in, with only modest increases in defaults.

“Without this retail data, newcomers look almost identical,” Lee said. “But with it, safe borrowers emerge from the crowd.”

The findings suggest a practical way to expand access to credit while raising important questions about fairness and consumer protections.

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How top customer experience tools reverse the trend and actually improve customer satisfaction

Sept. 17, 2025

Despite billions invested in AI, analytics and CX tools, U.S. customer satisfaction has barely improved in decades. A new study co-authored by Rice Business professor Vikas Mittal suggests the problem lies in guesswork.

Surveying more than 3,000 consumers across 18 industries, the researchers found executives consistently misjudge what customers value most — ranking quality, price or access differently than customers themselves.

“Though most enterprises claim to be ‘customer-focused’ or ‘customer-centric,’ few actually are,” Mittal said.

The findings highlight the need for scientifically valid, data-driven insights into customer value drivers — a shift that could finally move satisfaction scores upward.