Research Radar

The C. T. Bauer College of Business Department of Decision & Information Sciences (DISC) is emphasizing the importance of scholarly research, launching the inaugural DISC Faculty Research Award.

Faculty members were encouraged to submit their best papers from the past three years for a chance to win $3,000 in research and development funds.

“The DISC Faculty Research Award was established to recognize and celebrate the outstanding research contributions of our faculty while reinforcing a culture of scholarly excellence,” DISC Department Chair Meng Li said. “High-quality research not only advances knowledge but also enriches our teaching, strengthens our reputation and creates greater opportunities for our students, faculty and external partners.”

This year, Assistant Professor Jinghui (Jove) Hou, Assistant Professor Dorothy Lianlian Jiang and Associate Professor Xiao Ma won for their paper “The Costs of Ambiguous Information Disclosure: On the Unintended Consequences of Providing Restaurant Hygiene Scores on Platforms in the United States.”

Xiao Ma

Jinghui (Jove) Hou

Dorothy Lianlian Jiang

The group was drawn to the research topic by their curiosity about this question: does providing well-intentioned bits of information, like hygiene scores on smartphone apps, necessarily benefit business or unexpectedly hurt restaurant demand?

A faculty committee selected the winning publication, chaired by Professor Leiser Silva.

"What really stands out in this paper is how researchers were able to take an unusual event or occurrence from everyday life and transform it into meaningful and substantial research findings,” Silva said.

Ma said that by working with colleagues from their own department, faculty members can better navigate the competition and stress that comes with seeking premier journal publications.

“Collaboration with faculty in the same department is synergistic,” he said. “Cognitive, emotional and all other aspects of work benefit. It goes beyond what you can tell on paper.”

He added that celebrating faculty achievements helps keep morale up, specifically for those who are early in their careers.

“Our department has strong momentum, but it’s important to keep up the pace,” Ma said. “Incorporating merit-based and recognition is important, especially for junior faculty. It helps with retention and attracting prospective new faculty.”

Bauer College DISC research ranks highly among other institutions, with management information systems faculty ranking No. 18 in research in a recent UT Dallas ranking.

Learn more about Bauer research here.