It can be difficult in times of great turmoil to find the right words. But business leaders and brands can try. And sometimes, when they succeed, it can have a significant impact, says marketing professor Amna Kirmani at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. Kirmani, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Consumer Psychology and...
The study by WMG, University of Warwick and Blue Yonder examines how retailers have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure their survival The report highlights many points, particularly the need for human intervention as existing processes couldn’t keep up with changes in the markets Going forward future systems will need to be more robust...
One-third of American families have lost income since the beginning of shutdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, with such losses striking families from all economic groups, according to a new nationally representative survey by the RAND Corporation. About 30 percent of households, representing all levels of income, are having trouble paying their bills. The problem...
Bright pink flamingos are more aggressive than paler rivals when fighting over food, new research shows. Pink plumage is a sign of good health in lesser flamingos, and a flush of colour often means they are ready to breed. So when the birds squabble over food, the pinkest flamingos – both male and female –...
A new study published in Economic Modelling by researchers at Ca’ Foscari University and CMCC shows that owning and using an Air Conditioner greatly increases the electricity bills of households, with important implications for the energy poverty of the less well-off. Previous studies, mainly focused on the US, estimated an increase of household spendings for electricity bills...
Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are a major driver of total COVID-19 deaths. Reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) geriatricians Rossana Lau-Ng, Lisa Caruso and Thomas Perls studied the past month’s case and death data reported by the Massachusetts Department of Health’s...
A study of electronic medical records from US Veterans Health Administration medical centers has found that hydroxychloroquine–with or without azithromycin–did not reduce the risk of ventilation or death and was associated with longer length of hospital stay. This analysis, published June 5 in the journal Med, is the first in the US to report data on...
As communities across the U.S. have struggled to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have focused on the lack of widespread testing as a major barrier to safely reopening the country. As progress has been made on this front, concern has shifted to testing accuracy, predominantly with antibody tests, which are designed...
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters a new phase, punctuated by emerging hot spots and continuing global spread, a new analytical tool developed by RAND Corporation researchers allows policymakers to predict regional risks of importing cases of COVID-19. The tool, which melds information on infection rates with global air traffic data, has already produced a number...
Expert commentary from Karen Douglas, professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, UK, whose research focuses on beliefs in conspiracy theories. Why are conspiracy theories so popular? Who believes them? Why do people believe them? What are some of the consequences of conspiracy theories and can such theories be harmful? What are the principal...
