DU’s Daniels College of Business faculty experts available for many topics
2020 hasn’t looked like any other year and it likely will change the holidays too. Faculty experts at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business are available to talk about how travel, shopping, supply, spending and charitable giving might look different this year.
Holiday traditions/celebrations
- Melissa Archpru Akaka, associate professor of marketing
- Topics: how people, families and communities are adapting seasonal/special occasions in response to COVID
- Bio: https://daniels.du.edu/directory/melissa-akaka/
Note: Akaka will be unavailable Dec. 4, 5, 24 and 25.
Holiday travel – airlines, hotels, Airbnbs and restaurants
- David Corsun, associate professor of hospitality management
- Topics: hotels and restaurant trends
“Restaurants well-positioned to do takeout and delivery have had better success than those that weren’t. For example, Chipotle’s stock price has risen from under $500 at the onset of COVID to a high of over $1300. We will see more independent and chain restaurant closures, many of which will be permanent. Though they absolutely do not want to, banks are likely to own hotels due to foreclosure.”
- Bio: https://daniels.du.edu/directory/david-corsun/
- Lowell Valencia-Miller, assistant teaching professor of management
- Topics: airline travel, airport operations, customer service, travel tips
- Bio: https://daniels.du.edu/directory/lowell-miller/
- Karen Xie, assistant professor of hospitality management
Topics: Airbnb’s recovery from COVID, Airbnb hosts, party problems, staycations
- Bio: https://daniels.du.edu/directory/lijia-karen-xie/
Holiday shopping, Black Friday, credit card debt
- Ali Besharat, associate professor of marketing
- Topics: consumer behavior, credit card debt, overspending, retail ambience, product assortment
- Bio: https://daniels.du.edu/directory/ali-besharat/
Note: Besharat will be unavailable Dec. 24-Jan. 2.
Charitable donations, end-of-year giving/planning
- Rick Leaman, professor of accountancy
- Bio: https://daniels.du.edu/directory/richard-leaman/
Supply chain
- Jack Buffington, assistant professor of the practice
- Topics: food supply, inventory, online grocery shopping, Christmas shopping, global supply chain
- Bio: https://daniels.du.edu/directory/john-buffington/