In the Media Archive 2023
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U of A expert shares insight as prices in Alberta grow at fastest pace in 40 years:
David Dale-Johnson (Alberta School of Business) says multiple factors are driving up rent, but especially migration and interest rates. Dale-Johnson says the rental market situation has forced everyone to look for alternatives that they can afford such as having roommates, living at home with their parents, or living in a motorhome.
Service bots turn off customers even when they work as well as humans, study shows
Speed and efficiency may not be enough to sway perceptions that companies are automating only for their own good.
Gun-related incidents prompt lockdowns at Edmonton malls
Heather Thomson, executive director at the centre for cities and communities at the University of Alberta, says public security incidents can scare people away from malls.
Life isn't fair. University shouldn't be a luxury. These are lessons I learned in rural Kenya
I vividly remember taking an entrepreneurship course in my fourth year at the Alberta School of Business where I interacted with classmates and saw how passionate they were about doing the right thing — whether in health care or sustainable fashion. It was inspiring — and it opened up my eyes to the fact that nothing is impossible when approached with determination.
U of A expert shares retail trends this holiday season
Heather Thomson (Alberta School of Business) says automation in physical stores are a trend she is seeing. Thomson says on one hand, stores are removing their self-checkouts so they can have a more seamless experience with their customers. She also says, on the other hand, some stores are moving to full automation, removing any in-person interaction with customers. Global (video)
Edmonton, Calgary are clean technology cities to watch in North America, report says
Devereaux Jennings has done work in clean tech and teaches classes looking at the sector at the U of A's School of Business.
'It's time for a change': Royal Bison craft fair prepares to close for good
Heather Thomson, of the Alberta School of Business, said these types of markets give businesses an opportunity that online retail can't – a chance to meet with customers and get feedback in person.
Inflation compounds small business stress in 'make-or-break' holiday shopping season
Heather Thomson, executive director of the Centre for Cities and Communities at the Alberta School of Business, said the stakes are high.
Recognizing this year’s Insight Grant recipients
Congratulations to 15 recipients from the College of Social Sciences and Humanities
Women in business | CBC Radio Active
New research out of the U of A disputes the notion that says women entrepreneurs aren't as confident as their male counterparts. Business professor, Jennifer Jennings, has researched gender and entrepreneurship for 25 years.
Study finds drop in Canadian entrepreneurs, decline slower in Prairies
Ishan Arora, an entrepreneur from Edmonton, said Alberta has a “solid ecosystem” for entrepreneurs.
Business students step up to make an impact on Edmonton’s economy
Innovative case competition draws on ideas and talents of more than 1,000 students to tackle challenges of local revitalization.
New study counters ‘confidence gap’ stereotype for women entrepreneurs
Women and men are equally accurate in gauging their entrepreneurial ability, researchers find.
How 'Fire Canada' took off, and why Steelers OC became a scapegoat
"Teams become part of our identity," said Robert Fisher, a professor at the University of Alberta school of business who researches social expectations on managerial and consumer decision-making.
Creating Customer Service Bots That People Don’t Hate
From physical robots to digital chatbots, service bots are revolutionizing the workplace. To understand how consumers perceive firms that employ service bots, researchers conducted six experiments in which customers interacted with either a bot or a human service provider.
College alumni and faculty rank among the Top 40 Under 40 for 2023
EDify magazine recently released its annual list, and 13 of this year’s recipients are members of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities community.
Paving the way for Indigenous business success
Teddy Carter, a member of the Michel First Nation and a PhD candidate in business at the University of Alberta, says Indigenous consultants are essential because they have inherent cultural awareness.
KPMG invests $250,000 to support Indigenous business students at UofA
Collaborating to develop a program that supports Indigenous students’ equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities
Edmonton’s Downtown retail spaces are one-third vacant: U of A researchers
A new report from the University of Alberta (U of A) released this week found 33 per cent of storefront locations in the core were empty. Restaurants, cafes, fast food, and other hospitality businesses make up the largest share of occupied spaces.
Nursing, education lead strong showing for U of A in latest Maclean’s rankings
Computer science, engineering and business also rank among the finest programs in the country.
U of A study finds one-third of street-front stores empty in downtown Edmonton
U of A report examining Edmonton's streetfront retail space found one-third of it vacant and suggested a variety of methods to rejuvenate the core to draw more people to it. Author of the report, Heather Thomson (Business), says a big part of why there are 496 spaces empty or for lease can be explained by the streamlining brick-and-mortar businesses have gone through.
Downtown Edmonton welcoming 3 new retailers as U of A study finds one-third of street-front stores empty
Although empty storefronts have become more noticeable in Edmonton's core in recent years, attitudes towards downtown's retail future are bullish among at least some businesses and academics.
1/3rd of downtown Edmonton storefronts empty: U of A study
A new report by the University of Alberta's school of retailing found one-third of storefronts in downtown Edmonton are vacant. Sarah Ryan takes a look at what's being done to try and change that.
Inside the mind of the machine
Researchers are tapping into psychology to improve AI — and better understand its implications on how we think, feel and interact.
CTV Hometown Heroes: Brodett Sisters
The Brodett Student Impact Award supports students balancing academics with community contributions
How companies are embracing generative AI for employees…or not
Associate professor Vern Glaser says businesses are working on integrating AI into their processes, including creating custom versions of generative AI tools, but notes they have to be careful because of the potential impacts on their intellectual property.
in the practice of radicality
In honour of Shape, a new ten-year strategic plan for the U of A, the U of A commissioned a spoken word poem from School of Business grad Nisha Patel. Nisha performed the poem during the launch of Shape on Sept. 19, and is sharing it on The Quad for the U of A community to enjoy.
Frustrated at work? How human resources can help you
Human resources is supposed to provide you with the tools you'll need before you get into the nitty-gritty of your job. But when else can they be your ally? That's in this week's Work Day. We hear from Kent Rondeau from the University of Alberta's school of business to learn more about HR.
New research could help firefighters improve their plan of attack
Putting more firefighters on the front lines in the critical first hours increases the odds of preventing moderate fires from burning out of control, study suggests.
Why ‘Instagrammable’ businesses are thriving in Edmonton
“The biggest win for the ‘Instagrammable’ sort of term is that people would do the marketing for you. Social media marketing is so important right now and if you can have people, paying customers even, that are doing that marketing for you well that’s just a win-win,” said Heather Thomson.
New fully cashierless convenience store opens in Edmonton
Heather Thomson (Alberta School of Business) shares insight as new cashierless convenience store opens in Edmonton
The dark side of AI’s promised efficiencies
Artificial intelligence can use data and algorithms in a way that prioritises rationality over values such as fairness and quality of education, writes Vern Glaser
How to Become a Morning Exercise Person in Any Season
Lazina Mckenzie, ’08 MBA, shares five lessons she’s learned about showing up to the November Project week after week.
Nine Questions With Your New Alumni Association President
Ashton Rudanec started her two-year term on June 1
How TikTok and Instagram are influencing the Alberta real estate market
Heather Thomson, executive director of the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta, said social media has an astounding impact on consumer spending.
Business grad tackled pandemic isolation by creating connections — and sparking joy — for seniors and students
Inspired by her parents’ example and her experiences in the Peter Lougheed Leadership College, Samantha Gardner co-founded a thriving non-profit.
Verna’s Vlog: The Alberta School of Business
Interim Provost Verna Yiu and new Dean Vikas Mehrotra talk about his vision for the Alberta School of Business.
U of A alum selected as finalist in national entrepreneurship competition
Ghalia Aamer, a 2023 graduate from the Alberta School of Business, was one of the 12 finalists in the 2023 Student Entrepreneur National Competition.
Verna’s Vlog: UAcademy
Interim Provost Verna Yiu and Mike Maier chat about UAcademy — the new leadership training program at the U of A.
Downtown business association launches programs, grants to revitalize Edmonton’s core
Up to six businesses will be selected to work with the University of Alberta School of Business Student Consulting Group for six weeks to create an updated business strategy, business model, marketing plan and short-term action plan to help increase revenue and long-term sustainability.
$250K now available to businesses wanting to move into downtown Edmonton as revitalization efforts continue
Also available is up to $5,000 per business for building or renovating a patio and up to $5,000 per business for marketing and strategy help from the University of Alberta School of Business Student Consulting Group.
Study sheds light on the dark side of AI
To understand how to get artificial intelligence right, we need to know how it can go wrong, says researcher.
Longtime Edmonton comic store announces closure
An expert from the University of Alberta's School of Business thinks the closures are in part related to a shift toward digital media.
Airports perform better when owned by private equity funds: study
Fund managers have strong incentives to expand routes, reduce cancellations and improve customer experiences, researchers find.
Nordstrom is out and Zellers is back
As U.S.-based luxury retailer Nordstrom closes up shop in Canada, Zellers is relaunching within Hudson's Bay stores and has been welcomed with a wave of nostalgia. To talk about the changing retail landscape, Edmonton AM reached Heather Thomson, executive director of the Alberta School of Business.
5 Days for the Homeless aims to raise awareness for youth homelessness
U of A student volunteers will be sleeping outside for five nights to raise awareness and money for youth homelessness.
Calgary unemployment rate at 6.6%, job recruiters connected: report
Meanwhile, Sara Mahabadi from the University of Alberta has research expertise in this area, and her latest study suggests there is an evolution from posting to hiring.
More days off: 4-day week works for Edmonton public relations agency
Andrew Luchak, an associate professor at the University of Alberta's Alberta School of Business, said the idea of a reduced work week makes a few assumptions not all employers or employees may be comfortable with.
Brands that evoke the warm fuzzies hit the mark with lonely consumers, study shows
As social isolation grows, people will increasingly build relationships with products that provide an emotional glow.