Poole Thought Leadership is an online hub where our scholars offer clear thinking on complex issues in a range of disciplines, from business and enterprise risk management to AI and finance. These are some of our top recent stories:

1. Inside the Implications of Musk’s Massive Deal

November 7, 2025

Tesla gave CEO Elon Musk a $1 trillion equity-based compensation package that raises his total stake in the company to 29% of its shares. By rewarding Musk with stocks instead of cash, the company preserved its liquidity. But it may have also created governance issues and set a new precedent for CEO compensation, Poole scholars Christina Lewellen and Carly Burd wrote.

2. Paying for Mamdani’s Mayoral Vision

October 30, 2025

Longshot candidate Zohran Mamdani rode popular ideas to victory in the 2025 New York mayoral election: subsidized childcare, free bus service and city-run grocery stores, among others. Paying for them will require a high level of fiscal responsibility, Poole scholar Nathan Goldman writes.

3. Why Grad School Still Matters in the CPA Pathway Debate

December 16, 2025

A new pathway to licensure presents new questions for prospective accountants. The new route replaces 30 hours of education with an extra year of professional accounting experience. The traditional pathway —150 hours of education and a year of experience, plus passing the CPA exam — may pay off the long run, Poole scholar Scott Showalter writes.

4. Will AI Replace Humans in Finance and Accounting?

September 16, 2025

Much of the anxiety around artificial intelligence stems from fears it will replace human workers. AI will certainly change how accounting and finance professionals work, Christina Lewellen, Nathan Goldman and Richard Warr write, but the industry will still demand the critical thinking and interpersonal skills that only humans have.

5. What Risk Leaders Can Learn From Olympians

February 12, 2026

Whether on the slopes or in the boardroom, success depends on some qualities that every Winter Olympian showcases.  They include persistence in the face of adversity, strategic time management, the ability to prioritize and a focus on making incremental gains over long periods of time, according to Enterprise Risk Management Institute Director Mark Beasley.

6. Pros and Cons of Quarterly Reporting

September 24, 2025

The Trump administration is considering a proposal to reduce the cadence of required corporate earnings reports. The current regime, Poole scholar Srini Krishnamurthy writes, lends stability to the U.S. stock market. But it may also encourage short-term thinking by publicly traded firms.

7. Tax Implications of the Winter Olympics

February 11, 2026

Taxes probably aren’t top-of-mind for Olympic athletes. But their medal wins often come with revenue, and that could affect their income tax burden. Money paid by major U.S. Olympic committees may be exempt from federal taxes, Christina Lewellen and Nathan Goldman write, but endorsement and book advance income isn’t.

8. Why Employers Should Rethink Generational Stereotypes in the Workplace

October 10, 2025

There is plenty of media coverage of differences among baby boomers, generation X, millennials and generation Z. In the workplace, Poole scholar Tom Zagenczyk writes, those differences are often exaggerated. And putting too much stock into them can create office dysfunction.

9. Prediction Markets and the Economics of Belief

February 6, 2026

Prediction markets let participants bet on an almost unimaginable range of events. They are also, Richard Warr writes, powerful mechanisms for aggregating information that can improve decisions when uncertainty matters. Prediction markets are more like computers than casinos.

10. Where Financial Advisors Grew Up Influences Their Ethics

October 1, 2025

The more common unethical behavior is in a financial advisor’s hometown, the more likely that person is to engage in misconduct, according to new research co-authored by Poole scholar Jess Ellis. Ellis’s findings underscore the influence culture has on financial advisors’ personal ethics.