12 th edition
COLES
COLES
RESEARCH SPRING 2026 MAGAZINE
COLES RESEARCH MAGAZINE
THIS ISSUE Dean’s Foreword.............................................................................................................................4 Our Research/Coles College Contributors........................................................................................5 JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS - FINANCIAL TIMES TOP 50 JOURNALS Keep Up the Good Work... or Else! Exploring Supervisor Responses to Quiet Quitting | Sarah E. Henry, Mark C. Bolino, Jacob M. Whitney ................................................................................................. 7 Why Do Bank Boards Have Risk Committees? | René M. Stulz, James G. Tompkins , Rohan Williamson, Zhongxia (Shelly) Ye....................................................................................................8 Beyond Slacktivism: Unraveling the Power of Peripheral Mobilization through Social Media Talk and Ties | Romilla Syed, Leiser O. Silva, Oyebisi Oladeji ........................................................................ 9
Governing Autonomous AI Agents in Regulated Environments: Evidence from Healthcare | Mia Plachkinova ........................................................... 33
PHD SUMMARIES
Critical Influence: Examining How Female Board Representation Shapes Corporate Social Responsibility through Internal and External Legitimacy | Mari Sifo, Canan Mutlu, Patricio Duran , Rajaram Veliyath .....21 Influence of Gamification Affordances on Technostress Moderated by IT Identity | Joseph Washburn, Aaron French, John D’Arcy , Reza Vaezi ............................. 22
WORKING PAPER SERIES
Investment Expensing without Tax Credits or Interest Deductibility: A Macroeconomic Evaluation | Filippo Occhino ..................................................... 35 The Role of CEO-TMT Generational Alignment in Driving Firm Innovation | Hyunju Shin .................. 35 Warning Signs: Climate Change Discourse and Subsequent Asset Write-Downs | Kelly Ha ................ 36 Asymmetric Underreactions and House Price Revisions | Jing Ding , Rongbing Huang, Lei Jiang, Franklin Qian .............................................................................. 36 The Effect of Institutional Distance on Cross-border M&A Performance: The Role of ‘Play of the Game’ Experience | Rajaram Veliyath ................................ 37
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
Overconsumption and the Role of the Marketer | Anchiella Angelle, Laura Boman ............................ 25
SUMMER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
2025 Research Impact and Scholarly Influence............................................................................... 10
Supervisors’ Response to Subordinate Social Issue Advocacy | Jacob M. Whitney .................................27 The Information Privacy Divide: A Multilevel Process View | Jia Wei ......................................................... 28 Virtual Influencers as AI-Enabled Digital Artifacts: A Theory-Driven Examination of Audience Perceptions | Soo Il Shin ........................................................... 29 COLES RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM How Emotion and Social Acceptance Shape the Spread of Fake News | Aaron French .................................. 31 Conflict and Concealment: How Inequality Drives Elite Misrepresentation and Social Unrest | Abhra Roy, Leo MacDonald ...................................................... 32
JOURNAL PUBLICATION – OUTSTANDING PUBLICATION AWARD The Influence of Chatbot Humour on Consumer Evaluations of Services | Hyunju Shin , Isabella Bunosso, Lindsay R. Levine........................................................................................................... 15 JOURNAL PUBLICATION – IMPACT PUBLICATION AWARD The 4th Industrial Revolution Powered by the Integration of AI, Blockchain, and 5G | Aaron French, Jaehoon Shim, Maximilian Risius, Kai R. Larsen, Hemant Jain........................................................ 17
JOURNAL PUBLICATION – PRACTITIONER PAPER AWARD
Aristotle and Accounting: Building Virtue to Fight Fraud| Douglas Boyle, Dennis Haggerty, Dana R. Hermanson .................................................................................................................... 19
12TH ED. SPRING 2026
SNAPSHOT
119 16585 TOTAL NUMBER OF JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS A+/A JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS: TOTAL NUMBER OF CITATIONS
242
$2,303,353 TOTAL EXTERNAL RESEARCH GRANT DOLLARS:
Can managers combat “quiet quitting” among their staff? Will businesses’ customers accept AI chatbots if the bot is funny? Do Millennial and Gen Z buyers purchase more from companies that market themselves as ethical? Now in its twelfth year, The Coles Research Magazine discusses these questions and more as it continues its mission to highlight innovative, relevant scholarship produced by the faculty and students of the Michael J. Coles College of Business. This publication reflects our enduring commitment to research that strengthens Kennesaw State University’s reputation as a leader in business thought and as a trusted partner to industry and society. The 12th edition features a wide range of scholarly contributions, including research from Ph.D. and undergraduate students, the work of our Summer Research Fellows, and articles published in Financial Times Top 50 journals. This year’s magazine also showcases the recipients of the Distinguished Journal, Impact Publication, and Practitioner Outlet Awards; Coles Working Paper Award winners; articles from the Coles Research Symposium on Homeland Security; and a curated selection of Coles Research Highlights. Each article and study includes an abstract and a list of executive takeaways, ensuring that academics and practitioners alike gain insights that are clear, meaningful, and actionable. The goal of the research done within the Coles College of Business is to knock down the wall between theory and practice, and these summaries are a critical part of that. I invite you to explore the latest edition of The Coles Research Magazine and discover how our faculty and student researchers continue to advance the understanding and practice of business.
Coles College Faculty The following Coles faculty and student work has been featured in this year’s magazine Abhra Roy , Associate Professor of Economics Leo MacDonald , Professor of Quantitative Analysis James Boudreau , Professor of Economics Dana Hermanson , Dinos Eminent Scholar Chair of Security and Assurance Soo Il Shin , Associate Professor of Information Systems Jia Wei , Assistant Professor of Information Systems Anichiella Angelle , Undergraduate Student Joseph Washburn , Ph.D. Graduate Mari Sifo , Ph.D. Graduate
Private Enterprise and Professor of Accounting Jacob Whitney , Assistant Professor of OB/HR Hyunju Shin , Associate Professor of Marketing Aaron French , Assistant Professor of Information Systems James Tompkins , Professor of Finance Oyebisi Oladeji , Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Security Mia Plachkinova , Associate Professor of Information
Laura Boman , Assistant Professor of Marketing Reza Vaezi , Professor of Information Systems Canan Mutlu , Associate Professor of Strategy and International Business Rajaram Veliyath , Professor of Management Filippo Occhino , Associate Professor of Economics Kelly Ha , Assistant Professor of Accounting
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KEEP UP THE
GOOD WORK
FT-50 JOURNAL PUBLICATION AWARD WINNERS
...OR ELSE!
Exploring Supervisor Responses to Quiet Quitting Human Resource Management, 2025
A Google search of “quiet quitting” yields over 350 million results, which is remarkable given that the term is only a few years old. Although quiet quitting is a relatively new trend, the concept it describes—an employee’s conscious decision to do the bare minimum in their job rather than going above and beyond—is familiar to researchers who have investigated organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). However, for those interested in the effective management of human resources, what is important—yet unknown—is how managers respond to employees who engage in quiet quitting. Therefore, in this conceptual paper, we use attribution theory to explore supervisor responses to employees who engage in quiet quitting and subsequently withhold OCB. We propose that supervisors will generally have negative reactions to employees’ withholding OCB, but we further explain how evaluations of locus, controllability, and stability and principles of discounting and augmenting influence supervisor attributions. Finally, implications for human resource theory, research, and practice are discussed. Quiet quitting can be harmful to the company as actual quitting. Managers’ beliefs about why employees are quiet quitting will influence how managers react. Managers should not automatically assume that quiet quitters are low performers. Organizations should provide tools for managers to identify the causes of quiet quitting. Managers should encourage open communication by ensuring employees feel safe and respected.
The Financial Times maintains a list of the top 50 academic business journals based on the quality and impact of their featured research. Having research published in a Financial Times Top 50 Journal is a solid indicator that a business school is among the top tiers. Each year, the Coles College recognizes faculty whose research appears in one of these prestigious journals with an award. Read on to learn about this year’s recipients.
Sarah E. Henry Mark C. Bolino Jacob M. Whitney
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Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tu imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, p quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter est consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quod cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cep Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tu imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, p quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter est consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quod cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cep Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tu imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, p quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter est consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quod cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cep Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tu imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, p quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter est consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quod cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cep
Dodd-Frank bank board risk committees, but mandates don’t lower risk. mandated Voluntarily formed committees, especially with strong expertise, lower excess risk. Risk committees matter most when they’re chosen, not imposed.
While the Dodd-Frank Act (DFA) mandates board risk committees for large banks, we argue that such committees do not benefit all banks. Banks forced by the DFA to adopt a board risk committee do not experience a reduction in risk following adoption. In contrast, banks that voluntarily established risk committees before the DFA exhibit lower risk, especially when these committees possess greater risk expertise. Using unique interview data, we find that board risk committees serve as active monitors rather than merely rubber-stamping management proposals. However, regulatory-mandated tasks limit their monitoring role.
Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tum orideri publium halic rei pera? Forum det imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa movescerum omplibus bon horumena, C. M Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus consimm orares camponverte nos essernis c hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent? Fecotes et inte, Ti. Nam o ut et; hac vitis, st que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos atum hordictors et fures andam poenihi lice poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem essuliam menicta L. Abem in teri condiost Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, popultorum publintio, diemolut oratiam pub quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter estratracta, fit qui patrissis? Go Catie firmili ci consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quodii plium iaetio in pressa venatia Simpora cie cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et vit in vid sa in desula mor hore essa manum iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cepse cavenihil consultuit, C. Catiurat, ortiae p Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tum orideri publium halic rei pera? Forum det imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa movescerum omplibus bon horumena, C. M Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus consimm orares camponverte nos essernis c hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent? Fecotes et inte, Ti. Nam o ut et; hac vitis, st que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos atum hordictors et fures andam poenihi lice poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem essuliam menicta L. Abem in teri condiost Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, popultorum publintio, diemolut oratiam pub quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter estratracta, fit qui patrissis? Go Catie firmili ci consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quodii plium iaetio in pressa venatia Simpora cie cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et vit in vid sa in desula mor hore essa manum iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cepse cavenihil consultuit, C. Catiurat, ortiae p Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tum orideri publium halic rei pera? Forum det imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa movescerum omplibus bon horumena, C. M Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus consimm orares camponverte nos essernis c hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent? Fecotes et inte, Ti. Nam o ut et; hac vitis, st que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos atum hordictors et fures andam poenihi lice poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem essuliam menicta L. Abem in teri condiost Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, popultorum publintio, diemolut oratiam pub quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter estratracta, fit qui patrissis? Go Catie firmili ci consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quodii plium iaetio in pressa venatia Simpora cie cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et vit in vid sa in desula mor hore essa manum iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cepse cavenihil consultuit, C. Catiurat, ortiae p Do, sus consus ommor aciam ad ari senam es fac maximmoverei face inatium Romnintrae nons et; es vesse nitam fue faticaelari prei pubis, virtebat. Gul ceperit.Isquam inveraet, nondum hae con Ita nisqui tum orideri publium halic rei pera? Forum det imulica ducit pra condetiam hoster que tem addum firi pultors la perfic vit, ponvere, quonte, Catia vis. Publicaetod C. Ta vit, me in di probsentilic rest acidemqua Sp. Qui iam nox sedii popubli clussi ce temusa movescerum omplibus bon horumena, C. M Etra in se cae nonsum tus se cres, oca; nondam es occhilius, viri in Etrit; niusulibunt. Satam quidepo ssatio, moruris sisse factum Romnocu legit. Cerecip iconsula nonsteres ocurium, vatia vitem inatantemus consimm orares camponverte nos essernis c hos parbistalis adduci patque complium dem teris se patium mei pre intiemquem is inprat. es tant? quam noriortiae de esimius; notiam terfece rvilla nintem virtesi imus? Obus habis? Bis, que coticatus moent? Fecotes et inte, Ti. Nam o ut et; hac vitis, st que moentisque iamdien tesillat, quemus idem in tem ips, veri inpresictus sultortela temnos consuli coenicae nonirma ntenam me intebulii furis con vides hocaperesus praequam dem furaribus, quem, nos atum hordictors et fures andam poenihi lice poportiam omnem duciis, nostero, P. Maequam num es furaelum, utem laris hos bonons vis prae movivirmiliu vili iae intenih ilint. Simus confex sidefena, C. Sp. Upiendin sessin vas senatu est ius, scipse clem essuliam menicta L. Abem in teri condiost Udenatemus sereis. Sim ina, nit. Rid scris caedet in ponihil iconsuam auceporum, fur perevid ferem, que ia simurest vividemquit.Obsesim ihilii ingulicaes atius. O tem. Igilnest Cat. Do, se nonsi patere, popultorum publintio, diemolut oratiam pub quamprorum re consce quid ret verratus cam Romniqu amquis maio esupienatiam parissiliam pernihil vilii perfectus hosus co unultodierta ret; inunihilne consilissua nosu vis, sperra sul uressim anunter estratracta, fit qui patrissis? Go Catie firmili ci consuppl. Publiamdius cone adhuide in dumusa se iam et prenarb itisse nossa con sulut ina, actum fur. Immo pertis bonemplius, cre conlocus aut comnem autem publius, noneme ta es auctuspio, ublicae quodii plium iaetio in pressa venatia Simpora cie cae, morenih iconox maionsu lerbita renter linatiae iaes henirici in deo verfex sta vas omnem re con sid in Etraedo, nostiquit, Castrae ta rem a revit; inc mena, quius, non se num eorimus hilnemus intem o et vit in vid sa in desula mor hore essa manum iae capernimmoer parberes intiend ernumei pribult iaessigil tus. Nosto eo, accieme ntribuntelum que camdiis simeder orunuloc movernulus, menator in adduc ment, vermaio, quo conihiciem perum erei cepse cavenihil consultuit, C. Catiurat, ortiae pa MIS Quarterly, 2025 Romilla Syed Leiser O. Silva Oyebisi Oladeji OVERVIEW
This study draws on theories of social movements and social networks to examine how participants at the core and periphery of a network contribute to mobilizing a social movement across different temporal stages. Specifically, it explores the mobilization potential of participants by analyzing their network activity – the number of messages sent by core or peripheral participants, and network reach – the number of potential users exposed to messages through participants’ connections. Using the 2017 Women’s March as a case study, we apply a computational theory construction (CTC) approach to uncover emergent patterns in network activity and reach before, during, and after the movement. Our findings question the common notion of “slacktivism” typically associated with peripheral participants and suggest that peripherals play a meaningful role by generating and disseminating unique interpretations of the movement. Based on these empirical results and theoretical assumptions, we formulate a set of propositions to better understand the dynamics of peripheral mobilization. This study contributes to the literature on digital movements by highlighting the often-overlooked mobilization potential of peripheral participants. In practical terms, the findings might help organizers strategize framing appropriate messages and activating the critical periphery to increase the audience of their messages. Finally, our approach may offer valuable insights to scholars working within the CTC paradigm.
Why Do Bank Boards Have Risk Committees?
Rene M. Stulz James G. Tompkins Rohan Williamson Zhongxia (Shelly) Ye
Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis (forthcoming)
TAKEAWAYS
Peripheral participants are not just slacktivists, they shape and spread messages. Core actors adopt personal frames while peripheral actors adopt collective frames. Peripheral actors share fewer messages but reach broader, more diverse audiences. Strategic framing and timing of movement messages help reach a wider, engaged audience.
Coles Research Magazine | Financial Times Top 50 Journals
9
2025 RESEARCH IMPACT AND
SCHOLARLY INFLUENCE
In 2025, faculty at the Michael J. Coles College of Business continued to strengthen the college’s research reputation through top tier journal publications, editorial leadership, external funding, societal impact initiatives, and notable faculty recognition. Across disciplines, Coles faculty advanced scholarship that contributes to academic knowledge, informs practice, and supports communities, industries, and public decision making. In 2025, Coles faculty published in many of the most influential journals across business, economics, information systems, and operations. Highlights include: • Decision Support Systems • Industrial Marketing Management • European Journal of Information Systems • Operations Research • Journal of Accounting & Public Policy • Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory • Journal of Money, Credit and Banking • Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization • Human Resource Management • Journal of Service Research • Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, • Information & Management • Journal of Econometrics • Quantitative Economics, • American Journal of Public Health These publications reflect the breadth of Coles scholarship across accounting, finance, economics, information systems, management, marketing, and quantitative analysis.
These roles reflect the visibility and influence of Coles faculty in guiding research quality and future scholarly directions.
generated more than 78,000 reads, reached international audiences, was translated into several languages, and led to media engagement and invited speaking opportunities. Across multiple articles on the platform, Coles scholarship has also generated more than 21,000 reads and been cited or republished by outlets including Fortune, Yahoo Finance, and Fast Company.
Research Funding and Sponsored Scholarship
In 2025, Coles faculty secured $2,303,353 in external research funding to support work in areas such as cybersecurity, fintech, healthcare analytics, education economics, digital innovation, and supply chain resilience. Funding during this period drew on support from federal agencies, foundations, and industry partners, including the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, and corporate collaborators. These projects strengthen the college’s ability to address real world business and societal challenges through applied research. Translating Research for Practice and Public Impact Coles faculty continued to extend the reach of their research beyond academic journals in 2025 through practitioner publications, public scholarship, and media engagement. Faculty published in outlets such as Strategic Finance and Management Accounting Quarterly, translating research into practical insights for business leaders, regulators, and professional audiences. Recent examples include award winning practitioner scholarship such as “The Fraud Prevention Pyramid” and “Aristotle and Accounting: Building Virtue to Fight Fraud,” which brought academic research on ethics, governance, and fraud prevention to professional communities. The college’s strength in practitioner scholarship has also received national recognition. Research published in Management Accounting Quarterly ranked Kennesaw State University No. 5 nationally in contributions to the five major accounting practitioner journals for the 2018– 2022 period, with Douglas Boyle ranked No. 1 and Dana Hermanson No. 3 individually. Coles faculty also expanded public impact through The Conversation, where research was translated for policymakers, journalists, and broader public audiences. In July 2025, the article “Is ChatGPT Making Us Stupid?”
Student Research and Scholarly Engagement
Student research remained a vital part of the Coles research ecosystem in 2025, with doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students contributing to publications, working papers, applied research projects, and showcase presentations. The Coles Working Paper Series continued to strengthen the research pipeline, reaching 25 papers in 2025, while faculty mentored collaborations gave students direct experience with research design, data analysis, and scholarly writing. Doctoral student research was especially visible. In 2025 alone, PhD students produced more than 50 publications in notable journals, including: • Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory • Accounting Horizons • Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice • Information Systems Frontiers • Transportation Journal. These publications reflect the strength of the college’s doctoral training model and the close collaboration between faculty and doctoral students.
Editorial Board and Scholarly Leadership
Selected Ph.D. Student Journal Publications
Journal of Business Research Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing Accounting Informations Systems International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal
Coles faculty continued to shape scholarship in their disciplines through editorial board service and journal leadership roles. In 2025, faculty served on editorial boards for journals including: • Academy of Management Review • Asia Marketing Journal • Decision Sciences Journal • Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice • Group & Organization Management • Issues in Accounting Education • Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising • Journal of Information Systems Education • Journal of International Business Studies, • Journal of School Choice
Dana Harrison
334
Wendy Ritz
272
Andrea Weickgenannt
253
Scott Manley
173
Industrial Marketing Management European Journal of Management
Wendy Ritz
117
Ralph Williams
98
11
2025 RESEARCH IMPACT AND SCHOLARLY INFLUENCE
Verschoor Ethics Feature of the Year Award and was recognized in the Research.com 2025 World Ranking of Top Business and Management Scientists and Top Economics and Finance Scientists. Divesh Sharma received the KSU Top Researcher Award, the KSU Apex Award, and multiple recognitions in the BYU Accounting Research Rankings, including distinctions for multi talented scholarship and archival accounting research. Donald Ariail received the Outstanding Published Manuscript Award and the Excellence in Accounting Ethics Education Award. Brad Schafer received the IIA Global Excellence Award for Educator Impact as well as the Coles College Outstanding Faculty Community Engagement Award. Other notable recognitions included Weiwei Chen ’s first place finish in the August Biomedical Research Corporation Datathon Competition, Susan Young ’s Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award, Soo Il Shin ’s SAIS Best Paper Award, and Botong Xue ’s Best Paper Award from the Midwest Association for Information Systems. Sara Davis was named North Atlanta Venture Mentoring Service Mentor of the Year, while Michael Maloni received the Coles Lifetime Achievement Award. Mia Plachkinova received Best Reviewer Award, Workshop on Informatioin Security and Privacy. Marcus Caylor also continued to be recognized for research influence, including being listed among the Top 1000 Downloaded Authors.
Graduate student scholarship also continued to address real world challenges. In the MSHMI program, student projects examined issues such as neurodivergent inclusion in corporate workplaces, the impact of social determinants of health on telemedicine utilization in Northwest Georgia, and a data driven view of virtual nursing productivity using Microsoft Power BI. These projects demonstrate how graduate students are applying research and analytics to healthcare innovation and decision making. Undergraduate students contributed through Course Based Undergraduate Research Experiences, faculty mentored research, and the Undergraduate Research and Engagement Showcase. Representative projects included “Strategic Marketing in Film Sequels: Lessons from Wicked’s Record Breaking Success,” research on franchise chain success, and the Blood Wedding Theatre Audience Research Project, in which students in Entertainment Marketing conducted survey research with 579 audience members across eight performances and delivered insights to production stakeholders. Together, these activities show how Coles integrates student learning, applied analytics, and faculty mentorship into a strong culture of scholarly engagement. Societal Impact Highlights Coles research continued to generate meaningful societal impact in 2025 through entrepreneurship support, small business development, policy relevant scholarship, student engagement, and partnerships with industry and community organizations. One major highlight was the launch of STRIVE, a program through the Shore Entrepreneurship Center designed to help veterans and their family members overcome challenges and develop the skills needed to launch and grow successful businesses. The program provides training, mentorship, and entrepreneurial support aimed at helping participants move from ideas to viable ventures. The college’s Small Business Development Center continued to be a major source of regional economic impact. Between 2021 and 2025, the center helped facilitate $299 million in capital infusion and supported more than 540 businesses through advising and training.
These efforts provide practical guidance to entrepreneurs and small businesses in areas such as planning, marketing, operations, and growth.
Coles also continued to advance impact through the Education Economics Center, whose research informs policy discussions related to school choice, teacher labor markets, education finance, and long term economic opportunity. At the same time, faculty research and partnerships in fintech, cybersecurity, healthcare analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation addressed important organizational and societal challenges in collaboration with groups such as NASA, the National Science Foundation, and WellStar Health System. Community and student driven impact also remained central to the college’s mission. Through the Aspiring Community Entrepreneurs (ACE) Program, developed with MUST Ministries, the college supported early stage entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities through training, mentorship, and business development resources. Students also contributed directly to community impact through the Ground Work Agency, a student run marketing firm that provides services to nonprofits, schools, and small businesses, and through research partnerships with organizations such as Angels Among Us Pet Rescue and the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.
Faculty Awards and Recognition
Coles faculty received numerous recognitions in 2025 for research, scholarly impact, teaching, and professional leadership. Some highlights include:
Dana Hermanson was named the 2025 American Accounting Association Presidential Scholar, one of the most distinguished recognitions in the accounting discipline. He also received the Strategic Finance Curt
The Influence of Chatbot Humour on Consumer Evaluations of Services
OUTSTANDING PUBLICATION AWARD
International Journal of Consumer Studies, Vol. 47, No. 2 (2023), pp. 545-562
Hyunju Shin Isabella Bunosso Lindsay R. Levine
This research examines how humor used by AI-powered service chatbots shapes consumer perceptions and service satisfaction. Through three experimental studies, we showed that chatbots using humor are evaluated more positively than non-humorous chatbots, leading to higher service satisfaction. This effect occurs because humor makes chatbots seem more human-like (i.e., anthropomorphism) and makes the interaction more interesting and engaging. Importantly, the positive impact
of humor is specific to chatbots and does not extend to human service agents. We also showed that the type of humor matters: socially appropriate, affiliative humor enhances satisfaction, while aggressive or inappropriate humor may increase interest but does not improve overall service evaluations.
When faculty publish in top-tier journals, the researcher and the College become part of the ongoing academic discussion. By recognizing faculty whose work is published in exceptional journals, the Coles College Outstanding Publication Award recognizes the dedication, commitment, and rigor involved in producing research that gains the attention of these respected publications.
Adding humor to AI chatbots can increase customer satisfaction. Chatbot humor works because it makes chatbots feel more human and the interaction with the chatbot more interesting. The positive effect appears unique to chatbots; humor from human service agents does not produce the same improvement in satisfaction. Friendly, socially appropriate humor improves service evaluations, while aggressive or inappropriate humor may capture attention but does not increase satisfaction.
15
The 4th Industrial Revolution Powered by the Integration of AI, Blockchain, and 5G
IMPACT PUBLICATION AWARD
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, Vol. 49 (2021)
Aaron French Jaehoon Shim Maximilian Risius
Kai R. Larsen Hemant Jain
At the time of publication, this research offered a forward-looking framework for understanding the Fourth Industrial Revolution as driven not by isolated technologies, but by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and 5G. At a time when these technologies were largely examined independently, this work provided one of the earliest comprehensive perspectives on their combined impact on business, infrastructure, and society. The paper introduces a multilayer integration perspective, illustrating how AI enables intelligent automation, blockchain ensures trusted and secure data exchange, and 5G delivers the connectivity required for real-time, distributed systems. Together, these technologies form the foundation for autonomous services, hyper-connected ecosystems, and data-
driven decision-making that are now central to modern organizations. Beyond technical integration, this research contributes a practical roadmap for organizations and a research agenda for scholars, highlighting emerging roles, governance challenges, and socio-technical implications. While blockchain adoption has progressed more gradually than early expectations, this research anticipated the transformative organizational impact of AI and 5G, trends that have since become mainstream. By shifting the conversation from individual technologies to integrated systems and strategic impact, this work has influenced both academic discourse and industry practice, providing a foundation for understanding how organizations can harness converging technologies to drive innovation, transformation, and competitive advantage in the AI era.
The real value of business research is when it goes beyond academic theory and begins to influence actual professional practice. The Coles College Impact Publication Award recognizes faculty whose research demonstrates a significant or potentially significant impact on organizations and/or professional or business practices. By honoring research that is undeniable in its real-world application, this award highlights the College’s commitment to scholarship that resonates with the broader community.
Competitive advantage comes from technology integration such as AI, blockchain, and 5G. AI drives value, but impact depends on system-level integration and business strategy.
5G unlocks real-time, distributed AI-powered applications. Organizations must shift from tools to architected AI systems. Trusted data (blockchain) enables scalable, reliable AI systems.
17
Aristotle and Accounting: Building Virtue to Fight Fraud
OUTSTANDING PRACTITIONER PAPER AWARD
Strategic Finance, March 2025 Related: Institute of Management Accounts “Count Me In” podcast
Douglas Boyle Dennis Haggerty Dana R. Hermanson
Fraud continues to be a major societal issue. Too often, we attack the fraud problem only using tough internal controls and severe penalties for those who commit fraud. While well-intended, such efforts to combat fraud often fail. We draw from the work of Aristotle and Plato, as well as research in psychology, to offer a complementary approach to fighting fraud by developing employees and leaders with virtue. We discuss key virtues, such as honesty, courage, justice, and judgment, and we provide practical guidance on how to build virtue in organizations.
Under a virtue framework, the answer to, “Why not commit fraud if I think I can get away with it?” can move beyond avoiding punishment or citing certain values to become: “Because doing so would be dishonorable, would not foster self-respect, and is not conducive to an excellent life well-lived.” Armed with virtue, we believe that accountants and financial professionals will be better prepared to deal with the temptations and pressures that lie ahead. We hope that our message about virtue will contribute to the global fight against fraud.
While the audience for scholarly journals is typically other academics, practitioner journals, on the other hand, are written specifically for people working in that field. Papers in practitioner journals often have actionable best practices that can support professionals immediately. This section features the award given by the Coles College to faculty who publish high-quality work in practitioner journals.
Internal controls and penalties are not sufficient to mitigate fraud risk. Developing virtue is a complementary way to attack fraud. Honesty, courage, justice, and judgment can help protect from temptation and pressure. We provide practical guidance on how to build virtue in organizations.
19
Examining How Female Board Representation Shapes Corporate Social Responsibility through Internal and External Legitimacy Critical Influence:
PH.D. PROGRAM DISSERTATIONS
OVERVIEW
This study investigates the relationship between board gender diversity and corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance by examining the legitimacy conditions that enable female directors to influence CSR outcomes. Drawing on critical mass theory and institutional legitimacy frameworks, the study introduces “critical influence,” the concept that positional authority through formal board leadership roles can substitute for numerical representation in empowering women directors to shape strategic decisions. Using 16,086 firm-year observations from U.S. public companies (2012–2022), fixed-effects panel regression analyses reveal three key findings. First, higher female board representation significantly predicts stronger CSR performance. Second, critical influence, women serving as board chairs or committee chairs, independently and positively predicts CSR outcomes, even without achieving critical mass thresholds. Third, industry-level female board prevalence also positively predicts CSR, suggesting external normative legitimacy creates enabling conditions. These findings shift the conversation from counting women on boards to examining their capacity to lead, offering governance insights for boards, regulators, and advocates of meaningful inclusion.
The culmination of a Ph.D. candidate’s journey is completing their dissertation, which represents years of research, refining, and defending their work. This section features approved dissertations from candidates in the Coles College’s Ph.D. in Business Administration program, allowing readers to sample the work of these newly christened scholarly academics.
Mari Sifo (Ph.D. Graduate) Canan Mutlu (Dissertation Chair) Patricio Duran (Committee Member) Rajaram Veliyath (Committee Member)
TAKEAWAYS
Female board representation significantly predicts stronger CSR. Positional authority may be able to substitute for critical mass thresholds.
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