Data & analytics

What if television studios could tell whether a TV show would hold its audience before it ever aired — just by analyzing the script? New research from Professor Anthony Palomba suggests that could be the case. Dialogue isn’t just entertainment; it’s data.

Using smartphone location data, UVA Darden Professor Young Hou discovered something unexpected about the famous Popeyes-Chick-fil-A rivalry: the viral sandwich launch lifted all boats, boosting competitors' foot traffic rather than stealing customers.

Walmart and Amazon are locked in a high-stakes battle for retail dominance. In a new UVA Darden case, Professor Young Hou sets the stage for a discussion on how tariffs, private-label brands and leadership will determine who wins.

A landmark study of 60,000+ people across 63 countries reveals how specific messages — from emotional appeals to future-focused thinking — impact climate beliefs, policy support and real action. The key? Tailored strategies, not one-size-fits-all campaigns.

Health care fraud costs the U.S. more than $100 billion annually. Why is that? And how can technology — and specifically artificial intelligence — help us identify problems sooner and potentially help prevent billions in medical fraud and abuse?

Rising healthcare costs are distorting credit scores, making some borrowers appear more creditworthy than they are. Research from the Mayo Center for Asset Management shows that unreported medical debt leads to higher loan defaults and affects access to credit. Are lenders aware of the risks? What does this mean for borrowers and policymakers?

New research by UVA Darden’s Manel Baucells and Yael Grushka-Cockayne explores how mental accounting affects project management decisions. Their findings show the key lies in balancing rational models with behavioral insights — a strategy that can turn challenges into opportunities for success.

Many people are worried about AI taking their jobs. The companies making AI tools are also concerned, notably about the public’s trust in the new technology. Ideas to Action checked in with UVA Darden faculty to learn more about trust and AI.

Writing for The Conversation, Luca Cian, a professor of business administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, joins colleagues Chiara Longoni of Bocconi University and Ellie Kyung of Babson College to explore how unfair decisions by AI could make us indifferent to bad behavior by humans.

Companies' heavy investment in artificial intelligence is driving up overall tech spending. This trend could potentially ignite a boom in worker productivity as firms harness AI's potential. Rodney Sullivan, executive director for the Mayo Center of Asset Management, discusses the significance of this development and its implications for investors.