Lundgren Retail Collaborative

Lundgren retail Collaborative

Thought leadership and training the next generation of retail innovators

At the Lundgren Retail Collaborative, we advance retail insights and solutions.

The Lundgren Retail Collaborative at the University of Arizona is an innovative research center dedicated to providing thought leadership, and strategic recommendations to industry leaders, and nurturing the next generation of retail trailblazers. As a pioneering venture between the Eller College of Management and the Norton School of Human Ecology, the Collaborative brings together experts in marketing, consumer science, retail management, business operations, and more.

Funded by a philanthropic gift from Terry and Tina Lundgren, our mission is to advance cutting-edge research and solutions to tackle the evolving challenges and opportunities within the retail sector. This commitment manifests through sponsorship of original research via a grant program, a white paper series, and a range of educational initiatives for undergraduate and graduate students.

White Papers


Evolving Voice Volume 2: Generative AI in Retail

Our second white paper Evolving Voice Volume 2: Generative AI in Retail will be released in fall 2024. If you would like information about this white paper, please contact Lundgren Retail Collaborative co-director Jennifer Savary for more information.

Research Grants

Our research grants support academic research that addresses challenging and interesting questions broadly related to the retail context. We define retailing as any aspect of the value chain that facilitates and enables the sale and delivery of goods and services to an end-consumer.

The intent of the grant is to support research that will result in peer reviewed publications. Grants can be used to germinate new ideas or to support and extend ongoing projects. Our 2024-2025 strategic focus is to generate thought leadership especially related to sustainability and social responsibility in retail (e.g., ESG, CSR, Social Justice, DEI/B). The following projects have been awarded research grants for 2024:

Gauging Product Interest in Online Retail through Analyzing Mouse Cursor Movements
Authors: Joseph S. Valacich, Paul A Weisgarber, Jeffery L. Jenkins, Markus Weinmann, Christopher Coors

Gender Identity and Financial Risk-taking Across Retail Settings
Authors: Martin Reimann, Sydni Fomas Do

Encroachment of Retailer’s Own-Brand Business: Does Data Sharing Act Play as a Remedy in e-Marketplace?
Authors: Seokjun Youn, Yeongin Kim, Kyung Sung Jung, Young Kwark

Online Reviews, Generative AI, and Consumer Experience
Authors: Arash Roghani, Mrinal Ghosh

Retailers and Brands as Allies: A Study of Brand Allyship in Retail Settings
Authors: Sydni Fomas Do, Pete Zhou, Jennifer Savary

Examining Supply-Side Curtailment of Opioid Diversion
Authors: Mo Xiao, Lance Gui


Research Priorities

Informed by insightful discussions with global business leaders, our research priorities bring attention to the most pressing issues facing the retail industry. The following research priorities have been established to highlight critical areas of need for retail knowledge generation and to guide grant funding and white paper development through 2026.

  1. Exploring consumer decision-making in the purchase journey
  2. Impact of generative AI on retail
  3. Sustainability and social responsibility
  4. Democratizing retail with technology

To address this range of challenging questions within the retail landscape the Lundgren Retail Collaborative is committed to the creation of data-driven insights.