On January 30, the Sam M. Walton College of Business’s Center for Business & Economics Research hosted the 32nd Annual Business Forecast Luncheon, where presenters discussed what may be on the horizon for the global, national, and local economies in 2026.
02/06/2026 | By Jenni Wiltz
This study shows how hiring decisions by large industry-leading firms interact to influence local labor markets—revealing that increases in one firm’s job postings can reduce others’ hiring through wage competition and tighter matching conditions.
11/11/2025 | By Andrew Yizhou Liu
Walton College grad student Rafid Zaman Pranto uses the innovative approach of causal forests to analyze how people make decisions regarding healthcare.
07/01/2025 | By Meghan Perry
Research on the challenges faced by Jakarta's bus rapid transit reveals how a focus on rider preferences can help make the network more attractive to users.
06/03/2025 | By Victoria Hernandez; Arya Gaduh
Parenthood affects everyone's career mobility, but certain demographic groups face steeper barriers to advancement after their first child is born.
05/20/2025 | By Alyssa Riley; Andrew Liu
Nobody knows just how 2025 will unfold: downside risks could sink everyone’s forecasts or events could prove these economists' forecasts (mostly) true.
02/11/2025
Migrant social networks provide necessary support for foreign players on the PGA tour, especially during their inaugural season.
10/29/2024 | By Alyssa Riley, Raja Kali
Employer concentration reduces worker turnover, impacting wages and job mobility for less educated workers in low-skill industries.
10/17/2024 | By Mitchell Simpson, Raja Kali, and Andrew Yizhou Liu
Enrolling in summer school classes can accelerate degree completion, benefiting both students and institutions. So why don't more students enroll?
09/10/2024 | By Ashton York, Andy Brownback
Social mobility has stalled. What behaviors, choices, and habits can U.S. policymakers encourage & direct funding towards to reinvigorate social mobility?
06/13/2024 | By Stephen Caldwell; Paul Gramling
Proximity to NFL and NBA pro stadiums and arenas generated $10 million in revenue/month for businesses when lockdown conditions were absent in 2021.
06/03/2024 | By Stephen Caldwell with James Wallis
Wildlife crossings should drastically lower roadkill instances but they often don't; recent MSEA grad Tandem Young's capstone project explores why.
05/17/2024 | By Stephen Caldwell with Tandem Young
In low/middle-income countries, population density affects social capital by lowering trust & community participation but promoting intergroup tolerance.
01/23/2024 | By Mitchell Simpson; Andrea Civelli and Arya Gaduh
Yes, social media discourse could affect your investments. Read about how positive disagreement and access to information on StockTwits relates to trading.
07/25/2023 | By Jack Travis, Vernon Richardson
How should young professionals prepare for economic changes in 2023? Read about recessions (or lack thereof), marginal factors, and resilience in the economy.
03/16/2023 | By Sarah Browning, Mervin Jebaraj
African startups raised billions early in 2022. Find out how entrepreneurs and investors operate in the African startup ecosystem to create this amazing growth.
07/26/2022 | By Miranda Stith, Narmine Ben Aissa
Can we use Twitter and Facebook to hold politicians accountable? This student project compares politicians' tweets to their legislative actions.
06/28/2022 | By Jack Travis
Economic policy often has unintended consequences. Find out what one study says about the potential effects of increasing the minimum wage.
01/26/2022 | By Lucas Cuni-Mertz, Andrew (Yizhou) Liu
Artificial Intelligence remains uncharted territory fraught with risk. Fortunately, Walton College researchers have begun to map the road ahead.
11/01/2021 | By Lucas Cuni-Mertz, Hyunseok Jung
The Master of Science in Economic Analytics is a recently created one-year program designed with training in both economics and cutting-edge data science, but without the heavy-lifting research and dissertation that comes with a doctorate.
03/18/2021 | By Stephen Caldwell
This report expands on information first delivered at the 2021 Arkansas Business Forecast.
02/03/2021 | By David Sorto
Raja Kali, the chair of the Department of Economics at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, likes to use the Star Wars analogy with students and prospective students who are considering economics as a major, because it makes the point that economics underlies almost every aspect of human interactions.
10/22/2020 | By Stephen Caldwell
While there is nothing inherently wrong with nonmonetary prizes, you might want to think twice before you offer one in the name of harmless, friendly competition and good performance.
08/21/2020 | By Michael Adkison, Raja Kali
Many Americans will get a check for up to $1,200, with up to an additional $500 per child for some, as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. And it raises the question: If you want that money to actually help stimulate the economy, what’s the best way to put it to use?
04/09/2020 | By Raja Kali
Health measures are important to slow the spread of the virus, but they have immediate economic impacts on businesses across the state of Arkansas.
03/24/2020 | By Mervin Jebaraj
A business cluster is a concentration of companies designed for innovation. Often, these businesses interact with each other, bringing specialization, research and entrepreneurship to the cluster.
01/17/2020 | By Michael Adkison