Faculty & Research

The vital component that truly elevates the Warrington College of Business into prominence is its talented faculty. UF Warrington’s faculty are world-renowned for their difference-making, thought-provoking and leading research and are consistently recognized in their industries and academia for their work, all of which you can read about here. See the most recent news about UF Warrington’s faculty and research below.

Robert Knechel

Warrington accounting faculty member named UF Research Foundation Professor

June 1, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dr. W. Robert Knechel, Frederick E. Fisher Eminent Scholar and Director of the International Accounting and Auditing Center, is one of 33 faculty members at the University of Florida to be named a UF Research Foundation (UFRF) Professor for 2020. The recognition goes to faculty who have a distinguished current record of research and a strong research agenda that is likely to lead to continuing distinction in their fields. “Faculty chosen for UFRF Professorships have a proven

When your lookalike funds don’t act alike

May 27, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute “What an asset is worth depends on who owns it—and how. If you own publicly traded real-estate investment trusts, your REITs are worth an average of 21% less than they were at the end of 2019. If, however, you hold the TIAA Real Estate Account, a $25.2 billion variable annuity invested mostly in private assets, your stake is down only 1.1% for the year. These differences highlight the gap between how public and private markets work,” writes Jason Zweig of

Alan Merten

College mourns loss of Dean Emeritus Alan Merten

May 26, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alan G. Merten, dean emeritus of the Warrington College of Business, passed away on May 21 after battling Parkinson’s disease. He was 78 years old. Merten was Warrington’s fourth dean, serving from 1986 through 1989. He also taught courses in information systems and operations management. Before coming to Warrington, Merten served for sixteen years at the University of Michigan teaching engineering and business as well as serving as Associate Dean for Executive Programs. Merten went on to

Sen. John Kennedy (R., La.), who co-wrote the legislation, said the goal ‘is for China to play by the rules’ and that the rule change would aid U.S. investors. PHOTO: STEFANI REYNOLDS/BLOOMBERG NEWS

Chinese companies could be forced to give up U.S. listings under Senate bill

May 21, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute Data collected by Cordell Eminent Scholar Chair Jay Ritter informs this story about Chinese companies potentially being forced to give up their listing on American stock exchanges due to new Senate-approved legislation.  Read more from The Wall Street Journal. 

Economic Outlook & The Future Workforce: What Recovery Will Look Like in Florida

May 15, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute Clinical Professor & Richardson Fellow Dr. Brian Gendreau takes a deep dive into the local, state and national scenes on economic recovery in this presentation given in partnership with the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and UF Coral Gables.  Check out Gendreau’s presentation to gain a better understanding of the post-COVID-19 business environment and workforce realignment and learn about how to position your business as trade becomes a vital asset to recovery efforts. 

Side by side images of a hospital and an outdoor shopping center

New research finds commercial real estate prices are not equally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

May 14, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the world, the resulting economic consequences are negatively affecting people and businesses alike. With unemployment rates rivaling that of the Great Depression and many businesses hanging ‘closed’ signs in their windows, people are struggling to make essential payments – a major one being their personal and business properties. Between the lack of cash on-hand and rent strikes across the nation, commercial property owners have been hit hard. Real

Young woman turning on wireless smart column at home. Concept of a smart home wireless devices. Concept of smart home and voice command control

A guide to technology hardware pricing: New research highlights how companies can strategically price products, contrary to conventional pricing wisdom

May 12, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In today’s modern world, we rely heavily on technology to connect with others. From Zoom-calling into a work meeting via a Mac laptop or iPhone, to asking Alexa through the Amazon Echo to set a calendar reminder for birthdays of friends and family, hardware technology products are ubiquitous in our society. In fact, in 2019, more than 60 million Americans own a smart speaker, and Apple has 1.4 billion active devices like iPhones, iPads and Macs worldwide.

A red flatbed tow truck with a large black truck being towed.

Online Car Seller Vroom Files Confidentially for IPO

May 11, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute “Online used-car seller Vroom Inc. has filed confidentially for an initial public offering it hopes to stage in June, according to people familiar with its plans, a move that will test the ice-cold tech IPO market,” write Rolfe Winkler and Corrie Driebusch.  Read more about this this IPO might fare with help from Cordell Eminent Scholar Chair Jay Ritter’s research in this story from The Wall Street Journal. 

New York Stock Exchange Building on Wall Street with American Flag draped across the front

Repeat After Me: The Markets Are Not the Economy

May 11, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute “[Markets and the economy] have been intertwined in the American psyche since the 1929 stock crash and the onset of the Great Depression. But stocks are not a reliable gauge of overall economic health,” writes Matt Phillips.  Cordell Eminent Scholar Chair Jay Ritter explains why in this story from The New York Times. 

Two cartoon well-dressed gators drinking martinis looking sideways at another disheveled gator holding a beer and waving at the two other gators. Behind them is a bar with various bottles on the shelves.

Keeping up with the Joneses: New research finds executives accept positions that enhance social status rather than increase pay

May 5, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It’s been said that you’re only as good as the company you keep. With that in mind, it would be safe to say that if Apple’s Tim Cook, Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett or Amazon’s Jeff Bezos were your peers, you could count yourself among the leaders of some of the world’s top companies. With a combined net worth of over $217 billion, it’s also safe to say that you could also count yourself among the richest leaders