Rice Business Research in 2025

Rice Business faculty have had a banner year for research, publishing award-winning work in top academic journals on a wide range of critical topics — from crisis stockpiling to reputation management, from disclosure clarity to product adoption.

While these studies vary in context and methodology, they share a common thread: they reveal how decision-making works in practice across business and policy environments.

Check out some of our biggest research insights from 2025!

6 of the Year’s Biggest Research Insights

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Google search trends can predict retail sales up to three quarters ahead.

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GenAI tools can boost workplace creativity, but only when employees use them strategically.

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Advance selling can help some businesses survive demand shocks during a major crisis.

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Corporate activism tends to follow social change, emerging only after an issue is settled legally or politically.

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“Look-ahead bias” can inflate returns in research that real investors can’t replicate.

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Consumer shopping data can expand lending access to borrowers with no credit history.

Thank you for reading Rice Business Wisdom this year!