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, 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.
Collaborations
The collaboration aims to connect industry with students, students with faculty, and faculty with industry.
People
Meet the people of the LRC including the main points of contact, fellows of the collaboration, and affiliates.
White Papers
We’re pleased to share the publication of our first white paper,
Evolving Voice: Future of the Workplace.
In 2024 an estimated 4 million new college graduates will enter the workforce, but many hiring organizations are still struggling to adapt to the fundamental changes in business that have transpired in the past five years. To address questions related to the workplace of the future, the Lungren Retail Collaborative research team conducted a study examining attitudes about workplace preferences among Next Gen workers. The findings are presented in our first volume of Evolving Voice: Future of the Workplace.
Our research shows that Next-Gen employees have a greater desire for in-person work environments than employers may think, with 68 percent of participants preferring a hybrid office environment. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) chose in-person work, while only 9 percent desire a fully remote work environment. In addition, the research showed that preferences are more nuanced than in-person versus remote.
Learn more about Next Gen preferences: Download Evolving Voice: Future of the Workplace
Evolving Voice Volume 2: Generative AI in Retail
Our second white paper Evolving Voice Volume 2: Generative AI in Retailwill be released in fall 2024. If you would like information about this white paper, please contact Lungren 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.
- Exploring consumer decision-making in the purchase journey
- Impact of generative AI on retail
- Sustainability and social responsibility
- 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.