Faculty News

Georgetown McDonough's faculty are known worldwide for their research, expertise, and commitment to their students. They regularly lend their knowledge to the media, hearings on Capitol Hill, and to leading organizations.

McDonough Faculty News

In the News item

Widening Racial Gap Evident In Jobs Confidence, Economic Optimism

October 16th, 2020

“Historically, during recessions and downturns, inequality increases,” said Rohan Williamson, a finance professor at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. During the pandemic, the jobs most impacted have been service jobs, he explained—and those jobs are more likely to be held by non-white workers.

In the News item

Why There is No Ethical Reason Not to Vote (Unless You Come Down with COVID-19 on Election Day)

October 8th, 2020

According to a recent study by the 100 Million Project, nonvoters are twice as likely as active voters to say they do not feel they have enough information about candidates and issues to decide how to vote. This group of nonvoters might believe that it is unethical to vote because they are uninformed. In The Ethics of Voting, political philosopher Jason Brennan argues that uninformed citizens have an ethical obligation not to cast votes, because their uninformed votes can produce results that damage our political system.

News Story

Q&A: Meet Chunky the Georgetown Panda!

September 30th, 2020

You may have seen him in your classes or appearing on Instagram and various locations across the United States visiting fellow Hoyas. Though he may b…

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How The Turmoil With TikTok Could Change The Course Of Big Tech

September 18th, 2020

While TikTok’s announcement is a big story, Betsy Sigman, professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, points out that it’s far from a done deal. Partnering with Oracle makes some sense, since Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is one of the only Silicon Valley tech leaders to vocally support Trump. “This could also help position Oracle well for the ongoing period of trade wars between China and the US, and expand into cloud operations and advertising,” Betsy adds.

In the News item

Rude Work Emails Are Bad for Your Health and on the Rise – Here’s What You Need To Know

September 14th, 2020

In 1998, one-fourth of employees polled said they were treated rudely at least once a week. By 2016 that figure had risen to 62%. Indeed, 98% have reported uncivil behavior of some sort. A number of factors are to blame, says Christine Porath, a leading academic in the field of workplace incivility. These include an increasing sense of isolation, as well as poor communications.

In the News item

China and U.S. Relations

September 13th, 2020

In January, Chinese and American officials signed a trade pact that keeps commerce between the world’s two largest economies flowing. The agreement came despite the bilateral relationship deteriorating in other areas. Mike Walter talks with Georgetown University business professor, Arthur Dong, about the future of Chinese and U.S. relations.

In the News item

Former Deutsche Bank Traders to Stand Trial in Test of Spoofing Crackdown

September 11th, 2020

Some critics have questioned whether spoofing should be prosecuted as a crime, instead of a civil regulatory violation handled by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Deutsche Bank paid $30 million in 2018 to settle CFTC claims tied to the traders’ spoofing. Other experts say the Justice Department’s attention is warranted because manipulation affects commodity prices as well as correlated assets, such as stocks. “It is basically lying to people about their willingness to trade and lying about the liquidity in the market,” said James Angel, a finance professor and regulatory expert at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

In the News item

Xbox Series S vs PS5: Does the Cheapest Console Always Win?

September 11th, 2020

This means the Xbox Series S will be a “no brainer” purchase for those in the market for a new games console, according to Luc Wathieu, professor of marketing from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “The Xbox Series S’s price is what I have called in my research a ‘no-brainer price’ – a price so low that it suppresses buyer’s incentives to think deeply about differences in features,” he tells WIRED. “This price will kill most people’s appetite to actively compare the Xbox Series S with other more expensive, feature-rich alternatives, particularly Sony’s upcoming PS5.”

In the News item

Would Postal Banking Save the Post Office?

September 2nd, 2020

“Roughly 6% of the population is unbanked,” meaning they manage their money outside of traditional banks and credit unions, explains James Angel, a professor of finance at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. If the USPS revived postal banking, it could provide “a lifeline” to people who live in banking deserts where banks have closed branches or never opened them at all, he says.

In the News item

When Your Boss Doesn’t Respect Your Family Commitments

September 1st, 2020

When you work for a manager who doesn’t recognize your family obligations, your strategy must be multifaceted, says Ella F. Washington, professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and a consultant and coach at Ellavate Solutions. You need to figure out how to productively navigate the situation with your boss, while also collaborating with your colleagues and family to create a schedule and “set boundaries” that work for everyone. The goal is to “try to get your boss to meet you halfway,” she says.

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News Story

Kasra Ferdows Receives Shingo Research Award

August 31st, 2020

Kasra Ferdows, Heisley Family Chair of Global Manufacturing at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, received the 2020 Shingo R…

In the News item

Five Myths About Manufacturing

August 28th, 2020

An op-ed by Kasra Ferdows, Heisley Family Chair and professor of global manufacturing: Despite the much-touted rise of the service industry, manufacturing remains central to the world economy: It generated $13.8 trillion in economic value worldwide in 2019, according to the World Bank, representing 15 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. Its distribution across the globe is a source of never-ending political debate. … Yet myths about this sector persist — and they can lead to expensive subsidies, friction between nations and higher prices for consumers.

In the News item

Fed Pledges To Look at if the Economy is Working for Lower-Income Communities When Setting Policy

August 27th, 2020

The Federal Reserve changed its inflation policy from a set 2% target, to a more flexible policy that would be based on an average inflation target, allowing for higher inflation temporarily. On Wall Street, stocks moved higher last week, as traders bet the new inflation policy means the Federal Reserve’s zero interest rate policy will be in place even longer. “The big issue is that the Federal Reserve really wants to nurture a strong recovery for Main Street and is putting in place the apparatus for Wall Street to understand that,” said Paul McCulley, adjunct professor at the McDonough School of Business.

In the News item

As International Students Look Beyond U.S., The D.C. Region Could See an Economic Hit

August 26th, 2020

Prashant Malaviya, a senior associate dean of MBA programs and a professor of marketing, tells WAMU that international students bring an invaluable social and cultural understanding to U.S. campuses. He says their MBA program promises students a “global education” and having an international classroom is one way to do that.

In the News item

Howard County Cancer Survivor Launches Nonprofit to Deliver Support Kits to Those Going Through Treatment

August 26th, 2020

After receiving an unexpected care package from a cancer survivor, Sonia Su (SFS’20) decided to return the favor by founding the nonprofit Kits to Heart, delivering care packages to cancer patients in area hospitals. During her spring semester at Georgetown University this year, working toward a master’s degree in Asian studies, Su took three entrepreneurship classes and then participated in the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Challenge. Jeff Reid, a professor and founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Challenge, said the program is the largest offered for aspiring entrepreneurs at Georgetown.

In the News item

The ‘Warping Effects’ of Philanthropy

August 25th, 2020

Leslie Crutchfield, executive director of Business for Impact speaks with The Chronicle of Philanthropy to discuss the rapid change in social movements and philanthropy. “Seeding and growing vast networks of millions of passionate individuals organized around a common cause is infinitely more powerful than any single organization or association, no matter how well-resourced…” said Crutchfield.

In the News item

Here’s Why More Companies are Filing Confidential IPO Paperwork

August 25th, 2020

With Airbnb filing paperwork for an initial public offering last week, it became the latest of many companies to pursue a confidential IPO, which experts say allows for more flexibility and can be more advantageous than the traditional route of filing an S-1 months ahead of time. Companies like Uber and Lyft are the “two posterchildren for using this strategy,” as well as others like Spotify, Slack and Palantir, says Sandeep Dahiya, associate professor of entrepreneurship at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

In the News item

Minority Entrepreneurs at a Tipping Point as Black-Owned Banks Dwindle in the U.S.

August 25th, 2020

“The lack of access to capital is the single highest driver for business failure, and Black founders are less likely to gain it,” said Melissa Bradley, Georgetown McDonough School of Business professor. Black and brown business owners have faced a disproportionate share of Covid-19 failures: from February to April of this year, there was a 41% decline in Black-owned businesses and a 32% drop in Latinx business owners.

News Story

Lizhi Liu Earns 2020 Ronald H. Coase Award

August 17th, 2020

Lizhi Liu, an assistant professor of strategy at Georgetown McDonough, was awarded the 2020 Ronald H. Coase Award for the Best Dissertation in Instit…

In the News item

This is how Americans Actually Used Their First Stimulus Checks

August 17th, 2020

The reluctance to spend is unique to the ongoing pandemic, said Rohan Williamson, a finance professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “The ability to spend [your payment] to regenerate the economy is limited,” he said, acknowledging the lack of in-person shopping and entertainment options when much of the country was under quarantine this spring.

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In the News item

Do You Have a Respect Problem?

August 17th, 2020

A specialist in the area of civility is Christine Porath, associate professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She believes that rudeness and disrespect are rampant at work and is, in spite of an age of heightened political awareness, actually on the rise. She has polled thousands of workers about how they are treated on the job and says that few organizations recognize the issue and take action to curtail it.

In the News item

Dining Out: July Marks 3rd Month of Recovery for U.S. Restaurants

August 14th, 2020

Sales and employment at U.S. restaurants posted another month of improvement in July, but at rates below previous months as the industry remains challenged by the pandemic and economic crisis. “It’s trending in the right direction,” said Arthur Dong, professor of the practice at Georgetown McDonough. “Are they out of the woods yet? By no stretch of the imagination.”

In the News item

With Value Approach, Off the Chain Capital is Changing the Bitcoin Investment Narrative

August 11th, 2020

“In order for Bitcoin to go mainstream, we have to find ways to bridge the crypto world with the rest of the world,” said Perianne Boring, distinguished fellow at the Center for Financial Markets and Policy and president of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. Boring tells Bitcoin Magazine the value approach to investing in crypto assets and the new story behind these crypto investments.

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