>> Faculty and Research
Business research centers and labs
As a national and international research leader, the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University boasts more than 20 highly productive and innovative business research centers and labs — involving industry partners and renowned faculty from nine academic departments. Our global business research contributions have ranked us No. 25 among the top business schools worldwide.*
We collaborate with various organizations to study consumer behavior, benchmark industry practices, influence public policy, and identify emerging business issues. Stay current with faculty research through W. P. Carey News.
*Ahead of Boston College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Purdue University; University of Texas at Dallas Top 100 Worldwide Business School Rankings Based on Research Contributions, 2024
Business research centers and institutes
W. P. Carey faculty and researchers use a network of academic and business research institutes and centers to solve significant problems in society and industry. Our business and corporate research centers promote interdisciplinary collaboration, community outreach, and experiential learning to bolster research productivity and public visibility.
Center for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain – Africa (CARISCA)
ASU partners with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to establish CARISCA with the goal of strengthening the supply chain in Africa and enhancing development outcomes.
Center for Entrepreneurship and New Business Design
This center for entrepreneurship and innovation offers easily accessible opportunities for ASU’s community to collaborate on new ideas and impactful business solutions.
Center for Environmental Economics and Sustainability Policy (CEESP)
CEESP works with government agencies and nonprofit organizations to conduct environmental economics research investigating how sustainability concerns relate to economics and policy.
Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice
The center and industry partners improve global real estate education, regulations, and business decisions by providing valuable residential and commercial real estate research and insights.
Center for Responsible Investing
The center disseminates information on responsible investing research and practices to encourage investors to balance fiduciary responsibilities with careful consideration of externalities.
Center for Services Leadership (CSL)
As a global interdisciplinary authority on service, the CSL advances service innovation by combining scientific insights from services research with applicable business service strategies.
Center for AI and Data Analytics (AIDA) for Business and Society
The Center for AI and Data Analytics (AIDA) for Business and Society, also called the Mindful AI Center, operates at the intersection of business, AI, and data analytics to develop ethical AI principles and data analytics tools to tackle real-world business and societal challenges. These challenges include trust, privacy, and equity issues. AIDA delivers comprehensive solutions encompassing technical solutions, business strategies, and societal impact.
Actionable Analytics Lab
In the Big Data vs. Smart Data debate, Smart Data wins for its lack of limitations. The Actionable Analytics Lab prioritizes Smart Data when developing practical research-based solutions for problems that organizations face.
Digital Society Initiative (DSI)
DSI researches the impact of digital technologies on business and government, along with the resulting cultural paradigm shifts in society.
Blockchain Research Lab
Expanding research and development of blockchain technologies across various disciplines, the Blockchain Research Lab and its collaborators seek to impact the world and advance our understanding of blockchain applications.
Center for Advanced Procurement Strategy (CAPS Research)
Established in 1986 in partnership with the Institute of Supply Management, CAPS Research conducts applied supply chain research and benchmarking to transform the future of the supply chain industry. CAPS serves supply management leaders at Fortune 1000 companies and involves a range of industry collaborators.
Center for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (CSMB)
The Center for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (CSMB) within the School of Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (TIE) provides research insights that empower small and medium-sized businesses to scale. By supporting Arizona businesses through tailored services and mentorship, the CSMB helps drive economic growth for the West Valley.
L. William Seidman Research Institute
Established in 1985, the L. William Seidman Research Institute is the consultancy arm of the W. P. Carey School of Business. The business research institute collects and disseminates essential information about local economies, benchmarks industry practices, identifies emerging business research issues, and serves as an economic research and consulting resource for a variety of public and private clients.
Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research
The center is a research unit specializing in applied economics research projects, focusing on those in Arizona and Metro Phoenix.
JPMorgan Chase Economic Outlook Center
W. P. Carey's economic forecasting unit provides business projections to individuals and corporations to refine decision-making processes and forecasting methods.
Business research labs and behavioral labs
W. P. Carey research labs and behavioral labs pursue inquiry-based theoretical and applied research. We consider the real-world context and shifting global business landscape when identifying impactful ASU research opportunities, boosting public understanding, and debriefing policymakers. Please note that some of our research centers include one or more affiliated research labs.
Research labs
Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI)
SCRI is a global supply chain resilience initiative that studies supply chain resilience strategies, educates organizations on best practices for handling disruptions, and leads research.
Complex Adaptive Supply Networks Research Accelerator (CASN-RA)
CASN-RA is a research accelerator that supports scholars in furthering research about supply networks and sustainability management, studying them as complex adaptive systems.
Food and Agribusiness (FAB) Lab
The FAB Lab is a multidisciplinary research hub that analyzes, innovates, and develops global food value chains to improve food security issues worldwide.
Charles Schwab Foundation Financial Access and Research (FAR) Lab
Established by Schwab Advisor Services and the Charles Schwab Foundation, this finance lab provides students seeking careers in the financial services industry with experiential learning opportunities and access to financial tools.
Frontier Economies Logistics Lab (FELL)
FELL researchers and organizations pilot innovative logistics and supply chain strategies to improve lives and reduce poverty in frontier economies with challenging environments.
Internet Edge Supply Chain Lab
This lab examines how the Internet Edge evolves the supply chain management industry's approach to e-commerce, the sharing economy, and the Internet of Things.
Knight-Swift Logistics Lab
The lab is a partnership between W. P. Carey and Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. that focuses on researching logistics and connecting students with career prospects.
New Governance Lab
The New Governance Lab at ASU is a multidisciplinary research-meets-practice effort intended to reinvent for-profit governance.
Behavioral labs
W. P. Carey's behavioral labs study human decision-making and collaboration. These labs provide research opportunities for undergraduates to gain exposure to cutting-edge business research while faculty members and doctoral students collect data for high-quality academic publications.
Management Behavioral Lab
The W. P. Carey Department of Management and Entrepreneurship administers behavioral research to understand how managers can better lead their employees, teams, and organizations.
Supply Chain Management Behavioral Lab
The Supply Chain Management Behavioral Lab executes various research studies on real-world phenomena that directly impact supply chain managers and companies.
Robert B. Cialdini Behavioral Research Lab
Named after Professor Emeritus Robert Cialdini, this lab assists W. P. Carey Department of Marketing faculty, doctoral students, and undergraduate students in developing and testing theories of consumer behavior. A core tenet of the lab is to enhance the realism and behavioral aspects of experimental research.
Strategic initiatives and partnerships
Our interdisciplinary research ecosystem supports the W. P. Carey School's strategic plan and vision to transform the world through access, excellence, and innovation in business knowledge. Incorporating the plan’s strategic focus areas within faculty research and knowledge creation enables us to examine their influence on the future of business, policy, and society. W. P. Carey widens the scope of business research by finding solutions to improve the well-being of our global communities.
Institutional partnerships
W. P. Carey collaborates with universities, governments, and corporations worldwide through institutional partnerships and affiliations to increase global reach and solve innovation needs. Explore how our corporate partnerships, global partnerships, and school advisory boards help shape the future of business.
Featured business research and news
>> Keep up with faculty research through W. P. Carey News and W. P. Carey magazine.
W. P. Carey research lunch amplifies research that makes an impact
W. P. Carey held a recent Research Ideation Lunch for researchers, employees, and students to promote impactful business research. The panel discussed how their research drives positive change in economics, sustainability, and supply chain. They also highlighted the research challenges of inaccessible data.
A look at the logistics of making maritime shipping more profitable
ASU supply chain experts Mikaella Polyviou and Robert Wiedmer conducted a competitive landscape analysis of the maritime shipping industry, examining how firms balance integration strategy with asset management. They found that large maritime shipping companies lose profitability by integrating but may reduce competition, while firms that invest in new or updated assets can increase profitability.
Launching the SMB Lab
Gopalakrishnan Mohan and Hitendra Chaturvedi established the SMB Lab to provide resources to small and medium-sized businesses in Arizona. W. P. Carey faculty and students partner with industry leaders to address challenges faced by SMB companies. The lab is a part of the School of Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship’s service portfolio at ASU West Valley.
Adapting to generative AI in education, business, and beyond
W. P. Carey faculty explores integrating generative AI education with research and curricula to meet emerging trends in business. They plan to use AI and data analytics to automate repetitive tasks, encourage positive student habits, and implement policies to protect privacy while avoiding overreliance on technology.
Giving begets gain when grocers share still-good perishables
How many grocery stores donate unsold food? Not enough despite the financial benefits. According to Tim Richards, food retailers that donate still-good food perishables boost their profit margins. While over-ordering perishable items is necessary to attract customers, donating them allows food retailers to price lift other goods, reduce waste disposal costs, and deduct taxes.
How customer service chatbots increase companies' value
Michael Wiles found that companies using chatbots for customer service can increase their market value by $175 million, especially if they are B2B firms. Investors see the benefits of chatbots in customer service for fast and personalized assistance but are skeptical about AI’s complex task capabilities. Businesses should also consider the ethical implications of technology before implementing chatbots.
How are Super Bowl host cities impacted economically?
The Super Bowl's economic impact on its host city is significant, boosting sales and tax revenue. How did the 2023 Super Bowl affect Arizona’s economy? According to the L. William Seidman Institute, it created $1.3 billion in total economic activity and 10,459 unique jobs for the state.
National Customer Rage Survey: Top 10 highlights for service teams
W. P. Carey Center for Services Leadership’s National Customer Rage Survey suggests customers are more vocal when experiencing problems. Businesses can ease customer service rage by addressing points of friction in customer journeys, simplifying the complaints process, being empathetic and kind, and monitoring inquiries on all channels about the biggest issues.