Monthly Archives: March 2026

Women More Likely to Support Female Winemakers Through Wine Choices

Promoting women’s ownership and leadership in wineries has clear commercial potential, particularly among the largest segment of wine buyers in the United States: women themselves. Research shows that signalling female authorship in winemaking can positively influence purchasing behaviour, suggesting that visibility is not merely a matter of representation but a tangible driver of sales. For an industry long shaped by tradition and male dominance, these findings point to a practical and relatively low-cost way to better align marketing with consumer values.

One of the most striking results is the impact of explicit messaging. Simple phrases such as “proudly made by a woman winemaker” significantly increased women’s intention to purchase a wine, especially when paired with label designs that included traditionally feminine visual cues like floral imagery. These cues did more than attract attention; they also increased perceived value. Women indicated a willingness to pay higher prices for wines that combined female-authorship messages with feminine artwork, demonstrating that gender-linked branding can affect both demand and pricing power.

The results carry particular weight because women account for the majority of wine purchases in the United States, making nearly six out of every ten buying decisions. Wine is widely regarded as a cultural product, where the story behind the bottle contributes meaningfully to brand identity. In that context, the winemaker’s background, values, and personal narrative can shape consumer perceptions just as strongly as grape variety or region. Yet this aspect of identity has often been underutilised by women in the field.

Despite the apparent benefits, women winemakers have historically been less inclined than men to highlight their names or gender on labels. This hesitation is often rooted in concern about bias within a traditionally male-dominated industry, where visibility might invite scepticism rather than support. The research challenges this assumption, suggesting instead that transparency about women’s ownership or leadership can be a strategic advantage rather than a liability, particularly when targeting female consumers.

Building on earlier work about gender cues in wine branding, the study involved more than 1,000 women across the United States and unfolded in three stages. First, participants responded more positively to a fictional red wine when its label featured floral imagery rather than a masculine portrait, and they were willing to pay several dollars more per bottle. In the second stage, adding a “woman-made wine” statement further strengthened purchase intentions, especially when combined with the feminine design. The third stage introduced photographs of women winemakers, which produced a more nuanced effect: purchase interest declined slightly for feminine-label wines, possibly because consumers reacted to the individuals shown rather than the broader message of women’s authorship.

Interestingly, the research also revealed that “woman-made” messaging boosted interest in wines with more traditionally masculine labels. In those cases, women consumers responded positively to both the statement and the inclusion of female winemakers’ images, even indicating a willingness to pay a premium. Beyond immediate marketing insights, the findings also draw attention to the relatively low proportion of women in winemaking roles, estimated at under one-fifth in the United States. By encouraging greater visibility, the research not only offers a route to stronger sales but also highlights women’s often-overlooked contributions to the wine industry.

More information: Demi Shenrui Deng et al, Her wine, her way: How women’s ownership disclosure in wine marketing shapes women consumers’ choices, International Journal of Hospitality Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2026.104596

Journal information: International Journal of Hospitality Management Provided by Washington State University

Study Finds Improved Shelf Strategies Can Increase Retail Profitability and Cut Food Waste by Over 20%

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Grocery retailers can significantly cut food waste without investing in new technologies or relying on shoppers to change their habits. New research published in the INFORMS journal Management Science shows that modest operational choices already under retailers’ control—such as how perishable goods are displayed and when, and by how much they are discounted—can simultaneously reduce spoilage and improve profitability. Rather than requiring sweeping structural reform, the study suggests that everyday decisions on the shop floor can deliver measurable gains.

The researchers focus on perishable products whose quality declines over time, including fresh produce, dairy items and meat. Using advanced analytical models and thousands of simulated retail environments, they analysed how three elements interact: shelf placement, the timing of discounts and the depth of those discounts. This approach allowed them to isolate how subtle changes in presentation and pricing influence both consumer behaviour and financial outcomes across a wide range of conditions commonly faced by grocery stores.

Their central conclusion is strikingly simple: where an item sits on the shelf matters almost as much as how much it costs. By making small, strategic adjustments to product placement and coordinating these with well-timed discounts, retailers could increase profits by an average of around 6 per cent while cutting food waste by more than 21 per cent. These gains were consistent across many of the simulated scenarios, suggesting the results are robust rather than dependent on idealised assumptions.

The findings challenge a long-standing belief in retailing that prioritising only the freshest products at full price is the safest way to protect margins. Instead, the research shows that smarter combinations of display and discounting can create a rare win-win outcome, benefiting retailers, consumers and the environment simultaneously. As Zumbul Atan of Eindhoven University of Technology explains, retailers are not forced to choose between profitability and sustainability; in many cases, the very decisions that lift profits are the same ones that sharply reduce waste.

The broader context makes these results especially important. Food waste remains a global problem hidden in plain sight, with roughly 17 per cent of all food produced worldwide going uneaten and retail accounting for a substantial share. In the United States alone, estimates suggest that up to 40 per cent of food is never consumed. Beyond the economic loss, wasted food is a major source of methane emissions, intensifying climate change. The study shows that when older, near-expiry items are made easier to reach—by placing them at the front of displays, for example—customers are more likely to purchase them, leading to a measured 6.01 per cent profit increase and a 21.24 per cent reduction in relative waste compared with common industry benchmarks.

Importantly, the optimal strategy varies by product type. Items that deteriorate slowly, such as dairy, benefit most from prominent display of older stock combined with modest discounts. Fast-decaying and costly-to-discard products, like meat or prepared foods, perform better when fresher items are emphasised, and discounts are applied more aggressively. Even retailers that avoid discounting altogether, such as everyday low-price chains, can benefit from display adjustments alone when customer traffic is unpredictable. As Dorothee Honhon of the University of Texas at Dallas notes, meaningful gains are possible even without price changes. Ultimately, the research reinforces a powerful idea highlighted by Amy Pan of the University of Florida: better operational design can quietly improve profits, reduce waste and make food systems work better for everyone.

More information: Zumbul Atan et al, Displaying and Discounting Perishables: Impact on Retail Profits and Waste, Management Science. DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2023.00316

Journal information: Management Science Provided by Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences

When transparency goes too far, markets suffer

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Transparency has become a fashionable mantra in modern finance. Opening up the inner workings of markets is widely assumed to improve decision-making, protect investors, and help regulators spot problems before they spiral out of control. From this perspective, more information appears synonymous with healthier markets, greater accountability, and reduced risk. As a result, transparency is often treated as an unquestioned virtue rather than a policy choice with trade-offs.

Recent academic research, however, suggests that this faith in transparency may be misplaced. Michael Sockin, a finance scholar, argues that making too much information publicly available can actually weaken financial outcomes. By modelling the interaction between corporate bond markets and short-term lending markets, he finds that reduced transparency can sometimes produce better results for the economy as a whole. When detailed information is freely available, companies may be incentivised to take on riskier projects, increasing the likelihood of widespread instability.

Sockin cautions that additional data does not automatically lead to wiser behaviour. In some cases, excessive transparency encourages looser credit conditions, allowing firms to borrow more easily even when their underlying risk is rising. This can result in more corporate defaults and heavier losses for investors. Those losses often spill over into institutions such as pension funds and insurance companies, where financial stress can have serious long-term consequences for households and retirees.

At the centre of this analysis are repurchase agreement markets, commonly known as repo markets. These markets function much like financial pawnshops, allowing large institutional investors to raise short-term cash by temporarily selling securities to lenders, with an agreement to buy them back later at a slightly higher price. Although they operate largely out of public view, repo markets are essential to the smooth functioning of the financial system and support trillions of dollars in daily lending.

Over the past two decades, regulators have sought to increase transparency in both bond and repo markets through detailed reporting systems. These reforms were intended to reduce uncertainty and promote confidence. Sockin’s models suggest that while such measures can expand participation and boost lending, they also reduce discipline. With detailed information readily available, lenders may underestimate risk, while borrowers become less cautious, leading to an overall decline in investment quality.

This framework also helps explain the dynamics of the 2008 global financial crisis. Years of expanding transparency and easy credit encouraged greater risk-taking, leaving the system vulnerable when asset values collapsed. When confidence evaporated, lenders abruptly withdrew, markets froze, and companies struggled to refinance their debts. Sockin’s conclusion is not that transparency is harmful in itself, but that it has limits. A moderate approach — providing general price information without revealing every transaction detail — may preserve discipline and reduce the likelihood of future crises.

More information: Michael Sockin, Informational frictions in funding and credit markets, Journal of Economic Theory. DOI: 10.1016/j.jet.2025.106101

Journal information: Journal of Economic Theory Provided by University of Texas at Austin

Better Solar Deployment Is Essential for Widespread Affordable Power

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Small household solar systems are increasingly promoted—and financed—as a way to deliver affordable, sustainable energy to people living without electricity. Their rapid spread has fuelled optimism that decentralised solar can close long-standing energy access gaps, particularly in rural Africa. Yet new research suggests that access alone is not enough. Simply owning a solar device does not automatically translate into meaningful or lasting energy services for households that need them most.

A two-year study examining more than 1,000 households in Malawi, one of the countries with the lowest electricity access rates globally, shows why. Researchers found that adoption and long-term use of household solar systems are shaped by factors such as cost, system size and perceived value. While interest in solar is strong, many families struggle to move beyond basic use because their systems deliver very limited power. The findings were published across three peer-reviewed studies and highlight both the promise and the shortcomings of current deployment models.

One of the clearest challenges is capacity. The study found that the median output of household solar systems in Malawi was just 6 watts—enough for minimal lighting or phone charging, but little more. By contrast, typical rooftop solar panels in wealthier countries produce hundreds of watts. The concern, researchers argue, is that rapid uptake of very small systems can create the impression that the energy access problem is being solved, when in reality households are receiving only modest services that do little to transform daily life.

The research shows that households with systems of at least 50 watts experience far greater benefits. These families are more likely to power multiple lights, run small appliances and extend productive activities into the evening. They are also more inclined to invest in additional components to expand their systems over time. However, such higher-capacity systems remain rare and are typically found among better-off households, raising questions about equity and affordability in current solar markets.

At the same time, the studies reveal important benefits even from low-power systems that are often overlooked. Many households prioritise outdoor lighting to improve safety at night, while the most widespread use of solar power is charging mobile phones. In Malawi, where phone ownership is common but grid electricity is scarce, home charging saves households both time and money. Phones also enable access to information, markets and mobile banking services, linking solar adoption to broader social and economic participation.

The research also uncovered subtler effects, including increased use of mobile money among households with solar access, suggesting gains in financial inclusion that are not always captured in traditional evaluations. Despite these positives, researchers stress that household solar in low-income settings is still at an early stage. To deliver widespread, meaningful energy access, future efforts must focus on better deployment—supporting higher-capacity systems, lowering costs and recognising the full range of benefits that solar power can provide as demand and aspirations grow.

More information: Pamela Jagger et al, Shining light on the scale, use, and impact of household solar for achieving energy access in rural Malawi, Energy Research & Social Science. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104616

Journal information: Energy Research & Social Science Provided by University of Michigan

Research Suggests Strict Crisis Rules Can Slow Effective Response

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A study carried out by Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) argues that successful performance in crisis and emergency contexts depends less on strict rule-following and more on a team’s capacity to interpret rapidly changing events and adjust how they coordinate their actions. The research shows that when teams are required to apply crisis protocols rigidly, their ability to understand what is actually unfolding can be impaired. This rigidity can limit how effectively team members align their actions, ultimately reducing their capacity to adapt when situations evolve in unexpected ways.

Published in Organization Science, the study was led by Ramón Rico, Professor of Business Administration at UC3M. It examines how teams respond to highly disruptive events, such as emergencies where time pressure and uncertainty are extreme. The findings underline the importance of active sense-making during a crisis, especially the need for teams to recognise differences between what they initially expect to happen and what they observe in real time. Identifying these discrepancies allows teams to recalibrate their actions and avoid relying on assumptions that no longer match reality.

A central insight of the research is that effective adaptation depends on a dynamic balance between two forms of coordination. Implicit coordination relies on shared routines, prior experience, and mutual expectations developed through training and repeated interaction. Explicit coordination, by contrast, involves deliberate communication, clarification of roles, and conscious planning as circumstances change. The study demonstrates that teams perform best when they can move flexibly between these modes. Rigid crisis protocols, however, often push teams towards automatic responses, discouraging open discussion and limiting the ability to switch coordination strategies when conditions demand it.

Drawing on a combination of field research with real firefighting teams and controlled laboratory simulations, the study shows how enforced procedural rigidity restricts information processing. According to the authors, when teams are locked into predetermined action sequences, they are less likely to question whether those actions remain appropriate. This reduces their flexibility at precisely the moment when adaptability is most critical. The evidence suggests that strict adherence to protocol can therefore undermine, rather than enhance, team effectiveness in complex and volatile emergencies.

The research also introduces and tests a theoretical model explaining how teams adapt to disruption. This model integrates Task Mental Models, which represent the stable knowledge and expectations team members bring with them, and Team Situation Models, which capture the group’s shared understanding of what is happening in the moment. In crises, gaps frequently emerge between these two models as events diverge from expectations. Successfully addressing such gaps requires explicit coordination processes, including redefining responsibilities and sharing updated information, to safeguard lives and essential resources. When protocol enforcement suppresses these processes, adaptive recalibration becomes far more difficult.

The practical implications are substantial. Rico notes that unquestioned reliance on predefined procedures can become counterproductive if it prevents teams from incorporating new information from their environment. To counter this risk, the study points to training approaches such as perturbation training, which deliberately introduces controlled disruptions during exercises. By practising under altered conditions, teams learn to adapt roles and procedures more flexibly. This approach has already been applied in collaboration with La Paz University Hospital in Spain, where adaptive leadership training enabled teams to redistribute roles more effectively during critical operating theatre scenarios, leading to measurable improvements in clinical performance.

More information: Ramón Rico et al, Putting out the Fires: The Role of Team Knowledge, Coordination, and Procedural Rigidity in Adapting and Performing During Disruptive Events, Organization Science. DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2022.16932

Journal information: Organization Science Provided by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

How local realities reshape global IT strategies, and what leaders should do next

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A recent academic study suggests that global IT strategies are frequently reshaped at the local level, and that understanding this process requires close attention to culture rather than a narrow focus on systems and organisational structures. The research challenges the assumption that digital strategies travel intact from headquarters to subsidiaries, showing instead that they are interpreted and adapted as they encounter local norms, behaviours and expectations.

Published in the Qualitative Research Journal, the study by Dr Godfried B Adaba of the Royal Docks School of Business and Law at the University of East London introduces a more structured way of studying complex digital change. The paper sets out a framework designed to capture how technology, organisational arrangements, and culture interact in practice, rather than treating strategy implementation as a simple, linear process.

To demonstrate the approach, the research applies the framework to a study of multinational telecommunications subsidiaries operating in Ghana. Using interviews, document analysis and direct observation, the study examines how business strategy and IT strategy are aligned across borders, offering a detailed view of how global intentions are translated into everyday organisational activity.

One of the most significant findings is the influence of routine cultural habits on strategic alignment. Attitudes to hierarchy, preferred communication styles and levels of comfort with challenging authority all played a role in shaping how global IT directives were enacted. In several cases, instructions from headquarters were modified at the subsidiary level to make them workable locally. The study describes this outcome as “hybrid alignment”, a negotiated blend of global direction and local practice rather than straightforward implementation.

According to Dr Adaba, the primary aim of the research is to strengthen how complex digital change is studied and understood. By applying a structured grounded theory approach, the paper shows that strategic alignment is not simply imposed or accepted, but interpreted and negotiated within specific cultural contexts. This helps explain why identical strategies can produce very different results across locations.

While methodologically in emphasis, the study also highlights practical lessons for leaders managing digital transformation across borders. It suggests that strategies designed at corporate headquarters will almost always be adjusted on the ground, and that rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches are unlikely to succeed everywhere. Allowing room for local adaptation, while keeping the overall direction clear, can lead to more effective outcomes. The research also underlines the importance of decision-making and feedback structures that reflect cultural realities, particularly in hierarchical settings where problems may remain unspoken unless leaders actively create space for dialogue.

More information: Godfried B Adaba, Theorising sociotechnical complexity: a grounded theory framework for qualitative information systems research, Qualitative Research Journal. DOI: 10.1108/QRJ-06-2025-0209

Journal information: Qualitative Research Journal Provided by University of East London

Research unveils a survival guide for brands caught in social media storms

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A 30-second Peloton holiday advert released in 2019 quickly became a cautionary tale for businesses. In the advert, a man gives a woman an exercise bike as a gift. Almost immediately, critics on social media labelled it “sexist” and “dystopian”, arguing that it reinforced outdated ideas about gender roles and body image. The backlash spread rapidly, dominating online conversation and news coverage. Within days, Peloton’s share price fell by around 9 per cent, showing how strongly social media reactions can affect a company’s reputation and finances.

Researchers now describe situations like this as online social disapproval, or OSD. This term refers to public criticism of companies that takes place on digital platforms such as X, Instagram, or TikTok. What makes OSD particularly powerful is its speed and scale. Negative reactions can quickly snowball as posts are shared, commented on, and amplified by algorithms. Another well-known example occurred in 2023, when Bud Light faced boycotts and falling sales after criticism of its partnership with a transgender influencer. In both cases, online outrage moved far beyond a few unhappy customers and turned into a widespread public response.

To help organisations deal with this growing challenge, new research co-authored by Associate Professor Jinglu Jiang introduces a practical digital toolkit for managing social media backlash. The study argues that online criticism behaves very differently from traditional corporate crises, such as product recalls or legal disputes. Instead of unfolding in a straight line, OSD tends to move in waves, driven by how social media platforms promote content and encourage engagement. Understanding these patterns is key to responding effectively.

The toolkit breaks OSD into four main phases. The first is the preburst phase, when early warning signs begin to appear. This might include small clusters of critical comments or emerging negative trends. The second phase is the initial burst, when attention suddenly spikes and criticism becomes highly visible. The third phase, spreading and contagion, is often the most intense. At this stage, opposing opinions clash online, posts go viral, and one dominant narrative may take hold. The final phase is recalibration, when public attention fades, and the situation begins to stabilise.

For each phase, the research offers questions and indicators that managers can use to guide their decisions. Before a crisis erupts, companies should be monitoring online conversations to spot potential issues early. During the initial burst, they need ways to judge how popular and fast-moving the criticism is. When backlash is spreading widely, firms should track how quickly it is growing and whether it has crossed a level that demands a stronger response. In the final phase, the focus shifts to understanding impact, not just whether people have stopped posting.

Crucially, the researchers stress that recovery is about more than waiting for noise to die down. In the short term, businesses can look at sales figures, share prices, or customer traffic to see immediate effects. Over the longer term, they need to assess whether trust has truly returned. Trends in customer satisfaction, online reviews, surveys, and social media engagement can reveal whether damage to reputation still lingers. Every organisation, the study concludes, must define what “normal” online attention looks like for them, stay alert to old controversies resurfacing, and respond early and carefully before criticism turns into a full-scale social media storm.

More information: Jinglu Jiang et al, Bursts of online social disapproval: leveraging analytics for comprehension and detection, Journal of Business Strategy. DOI: 10.1108/JBS-12-2023-0258

Journal information: Journal of Business Strategy Provided by Binghamton University