In this edition of Smith Business Close-Up with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Roland Rust talks about his new research that can forecast consumer spending better than other econometric models currently used.

Herndon, VA – August 5, 2009 – There is a silver lining to the continuing recession for the majority of small businesses, with two-thirds of owners reporting they are finding new ways to operate more efficiently. This finding is revealed in the latest Small Business Success Index™, an ongoing measurement of the overall health of U.S.

Herndon, VA – March 12, 2009 – Network Solutions® and the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business announced today the launch of the Small Business Success Index©, an ongoing measurement of the overall health of U.S. small businesses based on a telephone survey of 1,000 small business owners.

College Park, Md. – Oct. 2, 2008 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business hosts the 17th annual Frontiers in Service Conference, Oct. 2-5. Considered the world’s leading annual international conference on service research, this year’s conference will draw attendees from around the globe.

College Park, Md. – March 12, 2008 – Americans’ appetite for environmentally friendly technologies and consumer products is grossly underserved, with a potential $104 billion in sales this year, according to the 2007 National Technology Readiness Survey (NTRS) released today. The annual survey — sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and technology research firm Rockbridge Associates Inc.

College Park, Md. April 17, 2006 For anyone who uses just half the buttons on their cell phone, or has spent hours poring over a new users manual only to give up in frustration, recent research from the University of Marylands Robert H. Smith School of Business explains why too many product features result in a phenomenon called feature fatigue.

The Twelfth Annual Frontiers in Services Conference attracted 163 marketing professionals and academics from 24 countries to the Washington, D.C., area October 23-26, 2003. The conference was held at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, and the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda.

More than 500 marketing experts from around the world attended the INFORMS 25th Annual Marketing Science Conference hosted by the Robert H. Smith School of Business, June 12-15, 2003. With 12 concurrent sessions and more than 400 presentations, the conference was the largest ever held at the school, and the largest Marketing Science Conference ever organized.

Each force has its own implications, ultimately working toward deepening consumer relationships and the expansion of the service economy.

States are weighing and implementing plans for reopening their economies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's what they should know.