The University of Kansas School of Business

New from the KU School of Business: a fully online Professional Selling Microcredential designed for career growth, skill development and career transitions.

Read the announcement: https://business.ku.edu/news/article/new-ku-school-of-business-microcredential-helps-professionals-build-in-demand-sales-skills

Learn more during a free webinar from 1-2 p.m. CDT, Tuesday, Aug. 4. Register at https://www.enrole.com/kupce/jsp/session.jsp?sessionId=PB27900W&__hstc=42018938.bf466083f568f3066551b0058284656d.1783959513723.1785340454794.1785418411675.12&__hssc=42018938.1.1785418411675&__hsfp=21e961da53ab0ce521289d66a6e8bf34

Congratulations to our 2025-2026 graduates! 🎓🎉

See the full list:
https://news.ku.edu/news/article/university-of-kansas-announces-2025-2026-graduates

Why would a major retailer choose to serve a smaller customer base?

Vincent Barker, Edmund P. Learned Professor, recently spoke with The Kansas City Star about Costco's proposed conversion of its Midtown Kansas City store into a business center. Barker speaks to how companies target niche markets, increase efficiency and strengthen profitability by changing their strategies/

Read the story to learn more about the business considerations behind the proposed change:

Why would Costco pivot KC location? It would make more money, strategist says Costco’s proposed business center is likely an attempt to redeem an underperforming warehouse, expert says. Here’s why that could work.

Congratulations to KU School of Business lecturer Liz Benditt on a remarkable achievement.

Benditt, founder and CEO of Balm Box, recently won Verizon's inaugural Small Business Super Pitch competition, emerging from a field of more than 500 entrepreneurs nationwide.

Her company provides recovery-focused products and resources for cancer patients, combining personal experience with entrepreneurial innovation to address an important need.

We're proud to see our faculty create meaningful impact through entrepreneurship and bringing industry knowledge to our classrooms and students.

Read more from Startland News: https://lnkd.in/eHmp2b3k

Kansas City business owner wins Verizon’s live pitch competition timed to World Cup Liz Benditt scored the final goal Friday, securing victory in a national pitch competition that began with more than 500 contenders before narrowing to a live, Shark Tank-style round at New York New Jersey Stadium ahead of the FIFA World Cup final.

New research explores how venture capitalists influence startup innovation.

Kaushik Gala, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship, examines how investor type shapes co-innovation outcomes. The findings show that partnerships with venture capitalists can lead to different patterns of collaboration and long-term innovation.

Co-authored with Haemin Dennis Park of the University of Texas at Dallas and Michael Howard of Iowa State University, the study takes a closer look at how investor partnerships can shape the way startups work together and grow.

Naveen Jindal School of Management - UT Dallas
Iowa State University Ivy College of Business

Startups’ co-innovation outcomes depend on venture capitalist type, study finds A new article finds that independent venture capitalists tend to trigger more frequent, less impactful but more novel co-inventing outcomes by their portfolio startups. In contrast, corporate venture capitalists tend to trigger less frequent, more impactful but less novel inventive outcomes.

Rock Chalk to all of our Business Jayhawks who made the spring 2026 honor roll!

University of Kansas announces spring 2026 honor roll More than 9,000 Jayhawks were named to the dean's lists for their respective schools for academic excellence in the spring 2026 semester.

The World Cup brings excitement, and for some, more opportunities to bet. KU Business researchers Kevin Pisciotta and Justin Balthrop break down how sports betting during major events can influence household finances over time in this Q&A:

https://business.ku.edu/news/article/how-major-events-like-the-world-cup-influence-sports-betting-activity

New research from Todd Hall, assistant professor, shows that entrepreneurs often achieve better outcomes with partners, especially early on.

Solo founders can succeed, but those with a wide range of experience are more likely to thrive on their own.

Read more:

Entrepreneurs need partners unless solo founder has broad and deep experience, study finds A new article explores whether entrepreneurs need co-founders, finding disadvantages partially diminished when a solo founder has broad and/or deep experience.

As the World Cup moves into the knockout stage, pressure only intensifies. In the latest of our Q&A series, KU Business researcher Vince Barker explains how high‑pressure environments shape leadership decisions and why those moments often lead to less creativity and more instinct‑driven choices.

Read his insights: https://lnkd.in/ehXpPZxt

Tipping in the U.S. isn’t always straightforward. KU Business researcher Rob Waiser breaks down how expectations are changing and why they may stand out to international visitors during the World Cup.

Read the Q&A:

Why U.S. tipping norms stand out to World Cup visitors KU Business research highlights how changing tipping practices shape customer experience and may surprise international visitors during the World Cup.