Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Sat, Feb 28, 2026 07:38 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Vivek Astvansh

Professor of Marketing and Data Science, Indiana University
Vivek Astvansh is a professor of marketing at the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University (IU). He is also an adjunct professor of data science at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, IU. In addition, he directs research at the Center for Education and Research in Retail, Kelley School, IU, is an affiliate of the Environmental Resilience Institute at IU, and a fellow of the Institute for Corporate Governance at the Kelley School, IU.

He researches how marketing (thoughts, personnel, actions, and assets) can help a company improve its performance in society, product market, and financial market. His research has been published in the Production and Operations Management, the Manufacturing & Service Operations Management Journal, and the Harvard Business Review.

He teaches analytics. Prior to becoming an academic, he worked in the technology industry for 12 years, writing computer code and marketing analytics solutions.

AI Revolution Series

Chatbots are on the rise, but customers still trust human agents more

Jul 06, 2025 12:16 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Customers contact companies regularly to purchase products and services, inquire about orders, make payments and request returns. Until recently, the most common way for customers to contact companies was through phone...

Trump tariffs: What the president-elect’s rhetoric tells us about how Canada could be affected — again

Nov 12, 2024 05:53 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Donald Trump is known for his often outlandish rhetoric. The president-elect of the United States regularly makes public statements that are exaggerations, or vows to take action but fails to do so, which is not...

In the market for a car? Soon you’ll be able to buy a Hyundai on Amazon − and only a Hyundai

Jan 27, 2024 12:59 pm UTC| Business Insights & Views

This is the year you can finally buy a car on Amazon. Well, one kind. Eventually. On Nov. 16, 2023, at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Amazon and Hyundai made a big announcement: Starting sometime in 2024, a new pilot...

Tight budgets are making tipping a thorny issue this holiday season — here's how to manage it

Dec 11, 2023 06:52 am UTC| Life

With the holiday season upon us, many Canadians are reassessing their spending habits in the face of the countrys high cost of living. Canadians are projected to spend 11 per cent less this holiday season compared to...

The hidden risks of buy now, pay later: What shoppers need to know

Oct 16, 2023 09:11 am UTC| Business Economy

Buy now, pay later is a relatively new form of financial technology that allows consumers to purchase an item immediately and repay the balance at a later time in instalments. Unlike applying for a credit card, buy now,...

What are automotive 'over-the-air' updates? A marketing professor explains

Aug 03, 2022 00:55 am UTC| Business

Whenever automakers discover that a vehicle has a defect or does not comply with U.S. laws, they must notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and mail a notice to each customer who owns or leases the...

Economy

Germany and China Reaffirm Open Trade and Strategic Partnership in Landmark Beijing Visit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concluded a pivotal visit to Beijing this week, signaling Germanys continued commitment to open markets and strong economic ties with China. As the first foreign leader to visit China in...

U.S. Stocks Close Lower as Hot PPI Data, Nvidia Slide Weigh on Wall Street

U.S. stocks ended lower on Friday, capping the worst monthly performance for Wall Street since March last year, as hotter-than-expected producer inflation data and continued weakness in technology stocks pressured investor...

Gold Prices Rally in February as Geopolitical Risks and Economic Uncertainty Boost Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices surged on Friday, positioning the precious metal for strong February gains as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Spot gold climbed 1.5% to $5,261.81...

Dominican Republic Unveils Massive Rare Earth Deposits to Boost High-Tech and Energy Sectors

The Dominican Republic has announced the discovery of significant rare earth deposits that could position the Caribbean nation as a key future supplier of critical minerals for high-tech industries. President Luis Abinader...

Asian Markets Slide as Nvidia Earnings, U.S.-Iran Tensions and AI Valuations Weigh on Investor Sentiment

Asian stock markets declined on Friday as investors pulled back from risk assets, pressured by concerns over elevated technology valuations and persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Despite strong quarterly...

Politics

HHS Adds New Members to Vaccine Advisory Panel Amid Legal and Market Uncertainty

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed two new members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the influential federal panel that shapes the U.S. vaccine...

Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions Escalate as Taliban Offer Talks After Airstrikes

Afghanistans Taliban government said it is ready to negotiate with Pakistan after a sharp escalation in cross-border violence that both sides have described as an open war. The crisis intensified when Pakistan launched...

Australian PM Calls Alleged Western Australia Terror Plot “Deeply Shocking” After Arrest

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the arrest of a Western Australian man over an alleged terror plot as deeply shocking, following police claims that the suspect was planning attacks targeting...

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba as Rubio Reportedly Engages in Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday suggested the possibility of a friendly takeover of Cuba, stating that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is handling discussions at a very high level. Speaking to reporters at the White...

Argentina Senate Approves Bill to Lower Age of Criminal Responsibility to 14

Argentinas Senate has approved a major penal reform that lowers the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14, marking a significant shift in the countrys juvenile justice system. The measure passed on Friday with 44...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Halt Use of Anthropic AI Technology

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has directed every federal agency to immediately stop using artificial intelligence technology developed by Anthropic, escalating tensions between the federal government...

Federal Judge Blocks Virginia Social Media Age Verification Law Over First Amendment Concerns

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia from enforcing a new social media law designed to protect children from online addiction, ruling that it likely violates First Amendment rights. The decision marks a...

Nintendo Share Sale: MUFG and Bank of Kyoto to Sell Stakes in Strategic Unwinding

Nintendo is reportedly preparing a major unwinding of strategic cross-shareholdings that could see MUFG Bank and the Bank of Kyoto sell significant stakes in the iconic Super Mario maker. According to sources familiar with...

Hyundai Motor Group to Invest $6.26 Billion in AI Data Center, Robotics and Renewable Energy Projects in South Korea

Hyundai Motor Group has signed a landmark agreement with the South Korean government to invest approximately 9 trillion won ($6.26 billion) in major industrial and technology projects along the countrys western coast....

Anthropic Refuses Pentagon Request to Remove AI Safeguards Amid Defense Contract Dispute

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company will not comply with a Pentagon request to remove critical AI safeguards, despite reported threats that the Department of Defense (DoD) could cut ties and block the firm from its...