Thought Leadership in Review

Faculty experts at Poole College of Management engaged various audiences by sharing groundbreaking research, analyzing market trends and addressing current events. Explore the key highlights below.

Top 10 Viewed Articles

1. Inside Shohei
Ohtani’s Unusual Contract

April 24, 2024

On Sept. 19, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball history to reach 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. Before the 2024 season, Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract, with $680 million in salary deferred for a decade.The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar left tens of millions of dollars on the table. Poole College tax experts Nathan Goldman and Christina Lewellen explore why.

2. The Pros and Cons of Wealth Taxes

Oct. 23, 2024

One of former Vice President Kamala Harris’s centerpiece policy proposals was a wealth tax — a 25-percent minimum tax on unrealized gains for taxpayers whose net wealth exceeds $100 million. A tax on individual wealth is one path toward reducing the federal deficit, which sits at an all-time high of more than $35 trillion. But it is not without its challenges. Poole scholars explore why taxing wealth (rather than income) is harder than it may seem.

3. The Tax Implications of Olympic Prizes

July 29, 2024

During the Paris Olympics of 2024, nothing is more rewarding for the athletes than beating out their international rivals for gold, silver and bronze medals.Those medals are evidence of greatness — and sources of income. That means they’re subject to taxes. Poole College experts break down how tax law affects winning athletes.

4. The China Tariffs: Complex Consequences for U.S. Firms

Oct. 16, 2024 

In 2018 and 2019, then-President Donald Trump levied tariffs on $380 billion worth of goods imported from China. Ever since, Trump and opponents — including former Vice President Kamala Harris — have sparred over who bears the cost of those tariffs. Trump maintains that China pays for them; Harris has characterized them as a sales tax paid by American consumers. Poole College scholar Carly Burd analyzes them in an award-winning dissertation.

5. Is Hosting the Olympic Games Worth It?

July 24, 2024 

Hosting the Olympic Games is a costly endeavor. For Paris, home to last year’s Summer Games, the bill is at least $8.7 billion. Does the payoff justify that investment? The truth is more complicated. Poole College economist Steven Allen breaks down the costs and benefits for host cities

6. The Tax Bill for NIL

Sept. 5, 2024 

Name, image and likeness (NIL) payments transformed college sports.  Today, student-athletes receive a staggering amount of NIL money. This massive shift creates lucrative opportunities for athletes and athletic programs. It also raises several interesting tax questions, for athletes and sponsors. Poole College experts Nathan Goldman and Christina Lewellen weigh in.

7. 2024 The State of Risk Oversight: An Overview of Enterprise Risk Management Practices – 15th Edition

July 23, 2024 

Each year, the ERM Initiative at NC State University, in partnership with the AICPA, conducts research about the current state of risk oversight processes in organizations of all types and sizes. This 15th edition of The State of Risk Oversight:  An Overview of Enterprise Risk Management Practices reflects insights from 377 respondents about the relative maturity of underlying activities executives and boards use to monitor the rapidly changing risk landscape.

8. Are Food Retailers Price Gouging?

Oct. 2, 2024 

For the last two or three years, consumers in the United States have felt the pinch of inflation. At the gas pump, the grocery story, and pretty much everywhere that people buy, prices have risen. That’s led to a lot of speculation about what’s causing that inflation, and corporate price gouging is one potential cause that’s gotten attention. Poole College supply chain scholar Rob Handfield looks to federal government data for answers.

9. What If Tips Didn’t Get Taxed?

Aug. 26, 2024

In a seemingly rare moment of bipartisan agreement, former Vice President Kamala Harris followed her opponent in the 2024 presidential election, President Donald Trump, by proposing that income earned from tips and gratuities by service and hospitality workers should be exempt from federal taxes. Poole College experts explain how that might work

10. Why are stock markets declining?

Aug. 5, 2024 

Stock investors across the globe were greeted on Aug. 5  by declining stock prices in almost all markets. Disappointing earnings, elevated unemployment, and market uncertainty are the culprits, Poole College finance expert Richard Warr says.

In the Media

Rob Handfield Explains Cause, Impact of Reduced Traffic in Panama Canal 

NPR | Jan. 30, 2024 

Rob Handfield, Bank of America Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at Poole College, went on NPR’s “Morning Edition” to discuss the bottleneck caused by reduced traffic through the Panama Canal.

“As you know, there are really just two large canals that impact … really act as bottlenecks to global shipping, and that’s the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal,” Handfield says during the broadcast. “So when one of them has a 36% drop in capacity, from roughly 38 per day down to 24 ships per day, you get a backup.”

Patrick Flynn Weighs In on AI ‘Trust Gap’

CNBC | Feb. 15, 2024

Everyone from rank-and-file workers to the C-suite see AI as a great opportunity for business transformation, but all sides remain skeptical over its deployment. Poole College’s Patrick Flynn, an assistant professor of human resource management, describes trust as “critical currency” when it comes to AI in the workplace.

“From a subordinate, lower-level employee’s perspective, they have to trust two different actors, the leader and the AI,” Flynn said.

Nathan Goldman Examines Tax Credit Proposed by President Biden 

USA Today | March. 23, 2024 

Nathan Goldman, associate professor of accounting in the Poole College of Management, helped USA Today break down a tax-related proposal introduced by President Joe Biden in his 2024 State of the Union Address. 

First-time homebuyers would receive tax credits worth $5,000 a year for two years under the proposal – but Goldman also cautioned, “Not everybody will get a $10,000 tax credit.”

Poole Researchers Reveal Tax Implications of Sports Betting in North Carolina 

WRAL News | April 28, 2024 

WRAL News highlighted research by Poole College economists Nathan Goldman and Christina Lewellen. The research examines the impact of North Carolinians being unable to itemize their gambling losses and how that affects them betting on sports in the state.

“Once you exceed $600, you will receive a W-2G in the mail,” Goldman says. “This is gonna be just like any other document that you get from like your employer or from a brokerage if you have some investments.” 

Newsweek Features Poole Research on Daylight Savings Time

Newsweek | May 22, 2024

Poole College marketing professor Ram Janakiraman and associate professor Rishika Rishika conducted a study using data from two companies – a snack manufacturer and a fitness center operator – and found that people exercise less and eat more processed foods after daylight savings time begins. 

“One big takeaway for consumers is that we need to be mindful about trying to maintain healthy habits after daylight saving time,” Rishika told Newsweek.

Steve Allen Explains Why Apple Paused Plans For RTP Campus

ABC-11 News | June 27, 2024

After Apple has paused development of its $552 million RTP campus, Poole College Economics Professor Steve Allen joined ABC-11 to give further context. He discussed how the tech industry saw major hiring in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a pattern which has largely dissipated. 

“The technology uncertainty is one thing that’s a driver. Another thing that’s a driver is regulatory uncertainty,” Allen said. “I think clearly the people who are in charge of the real estate part of this deal and the people who were counting on the employment projections are pretty upset. We’re not talking about a 60-day delay because permitting in Wake County is a little bit slow. As you said, we’re talking about a significant four-year delay.”