Research Roundup: March 2025

Dive into our monthly Research Roundup, showcasing the latest insights from the business education community to keep you informed of new and noteworthy industry trends. Here are this month’s selections:

AI’s Unwritten Rules of Cooperation

• Researchers: Shaojie Tang, University at Buffalo; Xu Han, Fordham University; Brian Inhyuk Kown, University of California, Los Angeles; Qianying Liu, National Institute of Informatics; Makoto Onizuka, Chuan Xiao, and Shuyuan Zheng, Osaka University; Run Peng, University of Michigan; Zengqing Wu, Kyoto University
• Output: “Robot Teamups: When AI Forms Unscripted Alliances,” University at Buffalo, School of Management, 2025
• Overview: Artificial intelligence may be more cooperative than we think. Researchers at the University at Buffalo School of Management tested whether large language models, like ChatGPT-4, could figure out how to work together without human direction. They placed AI agents in competitive business scenarios to see if they would recognize the benefits of collaboration and adjust their strategies.
  
  The study explored how AI could mirror human decision-making in industries where competition and cooperation play a crucial role, such as pricing strategies in retail, market competition in technology, and negotiation tactics in finance. By analyzing AI behavior in different economic models, the researchers aimed to understand whether AI could independently learn to make decisions that maximize mutual benefits rather than prioritize individual gains.
• Findings: The AI agents consistently identified cooperation as a strategy that led to better outcomes. In multiple simulations, they adapted their behavior to work together, even in settings where competition was expected.
  
  One key experiment used the Bertrand competition model, in which companies selling identical products lower their prices to attract customers. But instead of racing to undercut each other, the AI agents recognized that stabilizing prices would maximize their collective profits.
  
  Another simulation tested negotiation scenarios where AI had to decide whether to compete aggressively or compromise for long-term gains. The AI models frequently chose cooperative approaches that resembled human decision-making in business deals.
  
  These findings suggest that AI can independently develop strategies that balance competition and cooperation when properly designed. For business leaders, this highlights AI’s potential to support pricing strategies, partnership decisions, and automated negotiations, making it a valuable tool for optimizing outcomes in competitive markets.

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Manufacturing Meets the Customer-First Era

• Researchers: Nancy V. Wünderlich and Julia Rötzmeier-Keuper, Technische Universität Berlin; Markus Blut and Zsófia Tóth, Durham University; Christian Brock and Marcus Jensen, University of Rostock; Nima Heirati, University of Surrey; Stefanie Paluch, RWTH Aachen University
• Output: “How to Use Emerging Service Technologies to Enhance Customer Centricity in Business-to-Business Contexts: A Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda,” Journal of Business Research, 2025
• Overview: The rapid shift toward digitalization is transforming how business-to-business (B2B) manufacturers engage with their customers. To stay ahead, companies must embrace customer-centricity, prioritizing customer needs over product-focused strategies. This study introduces the CCTECH-framework, a model for classifying emerging service technologies based on their role in enhancing customer-centric processes.
  
  The framework identifies three types of technologies: experiential (creating immersive interactions), performance-enhancing (improving decision-making and efficiency), and automated (replacing manual processes with intelligent systems).
  
  These technologies support four key areas of customer centricity: interactive customer relationship management, customer integration, internal alignment, and external supply chain coordination. As manufacturers invest in digital transformation, this research provides a structured roadmap for them to leverage technology for deeper customer relationships and operational agility.
• Findings: The study finds that experiential technologies, such as augmented reality and digital twins (a virtual copy of a physical entity), help manufacturers create engaging, immersive customer experiences.
  
  For example, Boeing uses augmented reality to assist in aircraft assembly and maintenance, allowing technicians to visualize complex tasks with digital overlays. Performance-enhancing technologies, including chatbots and digital product passports, improve efficiency and transparency. Circularise’s blockchain-based digital product passports provide end-to-end traceability, ensuring compliance with sustainability goals.
  
  Automated technologies like the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and smart products enable real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance. Bosch’s IoT Suite helps manufacturers analyze equipment performance, preventing downtime and optimizing service.
  
  The study highlights that industrial manufacturers globally invest 318 billion USD annually in digital transformation, yet many struggle with implementation. Manufacturers can enhance operational efficiency by strategically adopting CCTECH technologies, building stronger customer relationships, and positioning themselves as industry leaders in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

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Logos Breathe, Brands Speak

• Researchers: Qianqian Esther Liu, University of Macau; Dongjin He, Lingnan University; Yuwei Jiang, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Output: “Loose = Fun? How Interstitial Space in Brand Logos Affects Product Perception,” Journal of Business Research, 2025
• Overview: A brand’s logo does more than identify; it shapes consumer expectations. This study examines how interstitial space, the spacing between elements in a logo, influences whether consumers perceive a brand’s products as pleasure-driven (hedonic) or practical and functional (utilitarian). The researchers aimed to determine whether a spacious logo, where letters or design elements are spread apart, signals relaxation and enjoyment, leading consumers to associate the brand with leisure and indulgence.
  
  Conversely, they investigated whether a compact logo, where elements are tightly arranged, conveys efficiency and reliability, reinforcing an image of utility.
  
  The study explores how this visual design element shapes brand perception and purchasing behavior by analyzing consumer responses across different product categories. Understanding this relationship offers businesses a strategic tool for aligning logo design with product positioning.
• Findings: Consumers consistently associated spacious logos with hedonic products and compact logos with utilitarian ones. In one experiment, participants were 46 percent more likely to perceive a sneaker brand as stylish when its logo had more spacing between elements. A smartwatch brand saw a 25 percent increase in hedonic perception when using a spacious logo instead of a compact one. The pattern across categories, including headphones, clothing, and personal care products, reinforces the idea that logo spacing shapes expectations.
  
  The researchers identified relaxation as the driving factor—spacious designs evoked ease, making products seem better suited for leisure. However, when a relaxing image was present, such as a beach scene, the impact of logo spacing weakened, as the image itself signaled calmness.
  
  Consumers’ shopping preferences aligned with the overall perceptions: they favored spacious logos for indulgent purchases and compact logos for functional needs. These findings suggest that small design adjustments can shape brand perception, offering companies a simple but effective tool to reinforce their market positioning.

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From Pilot to Progress in Decentralized Teams

• Researchers: Patricia Klarner, Vienna University of Economics and Business; Tina Ambos, University of Geneva; Julian Birkinshaw, University of Western Ontario
• Output: “How to Implement Bottom-Up Organizing: Lessons From Agile Piloting and Scaling,” California Management Review, 2025
• Overview: In a rapidly changing business landscape, companies are searching for ways to become more adaptable and innovative. One increasingly popular approach is decentralized management, where employees operate in self-directed teams rather than following top-down directives. While this model promises flexibility and responsiveness, many organizations struggle to scale it effectively.
  
  Researchers examined six global companies—including a European bank, a multinational pharmaceutical firm, and a global nonprofit—to understand the transition from piloting small, self-managed teams to implementing them across an entire organization. The study explores the structural, process-related, and cultural challenges of expanding decentralized work models. A key focus is the role of senior executives in guiding these transitions and how their interventions can either support or hinder bottom-up transformation.
• Findings: The research identified three main challenges in expanding decentralized management: structural integration, process alignment, and cultural adaptation. Some companies embedded self-managed teams within existing departments, while others created separate units to avoid bureaucratic constraints, each approach carrying distinct risks.
  
  A financial services company limited its pilot to three teams at its headquarters, allowing for focused learning but offering little insight into broader scalability. In contrast, a pharmaceutical firm launched multiple pilots across regions, which led to internal confusion among employees about the purpose of the change and how it would evolve. Several organizations struggled to sustain momentum as other priorities took over. Cultural resistance was another barrier, as employees accustomed to traditional management structures found the transition difficult.
  
  The study highlights the need for thoughtful leadership involvement. Too much control limits the benefits of decentralization, while too little results in stalled progress. For business leaders, success lies in treating decentralization as an evolving process rather than a rigid framework, ensuring that leadership interventions enable—not overshadow—employee-driven innovation.

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Doctor ChatGPT Now Taking Patients

• Researchers: Pouyan Esmaeilzadeh, Mahed Maddah, and Tala Mirzaei, Florida International University
• Output: “Using AI Chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT) in Seeking Health-Related Information Online: The Case of a Common Ailment,” forthcoming in Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, 2025
• Overview: As more people seek health advice online, the reliability of such information remains uncertain. Recognizing the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), researchers at Florida International University’s College of Business investigated the potential of ChatGPT in delivering health-related information. The study aimed to understand user perceptions of AI-generated medical guidance and assess their willingness to trust and act upon such advice.
  
  By applying the uses and gratifications theory, which explores why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs, the researchers sought to determine the factors influencing user satisfaction with AI-driven health consultations. To explore this, the team had participants engaged with ChatGPT to evaluate its effectiveness in addressing everyday health concerns and assess the clarity, usefulness, and reliability of responses.
• Findings: The study surveyed 231 U.S. participants who engaged with ChatGPT for medical advice, focusing on its clarity, usefulness, and trustworthiness. Seventy-eight percent of respondents found the AI’s responses clear and actionable, particularly when ChatGPT provided step-by-step guidance, such as stretching exercises for back pain relief or dietary recommendations for flu recovery. Satisfaction increased among users who engaged in longer conversations, with those asking four or more follow-up questions reporting greater confidence in the AI’s recommendations.
  
  However, participants noted that while ChatGPT excelled in delivering factual, structured information, it lacked the warmth and reassurance typically provided by human doctors. For example, when asked whether they should see a physician, the AI often responded neutrally rather than expressing concern or urgency.
  
  While users appreciate AI’s ability to deliver precise and easy-to-understand medical information, adding empathetic and personalized responses could enhance trust and engagement. For business leaders, these findings emphasize the value of designing AI-driven services that balance accuracy with human-like interaction to better meet consumer expectations.

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If you have new research from your school share with the business education community, please submit a summary and relevant links to AACSB Insights via our online submission form at aacsb.edu/insights/articles/submissions.