BALTIMORE, MD, May 13, 2025 – As communities across the United States continue to confront the devastating toll of mass shootings, new research reveals a staggering economic dimension to these tragedies. A study published in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science finds that mass shootings cause an estimated $27 billion in annual lost revenue for U.S. retailers driven by sharp declines in foot traffic, reduced transaction volume and long-term store closures.
BALTIMORE, MD, May 13, 2025 – Researchers who took a close look at loosened concealed carry laws between 2010 and 2017 have found that “Shall Issue” regulations, which remove local authority discretion on the issuance of concealed carry gun permits, contribute to a significant increase in handgun purchases. At the same time, the researchers found that in states that adopted “Permitless Carry” policies, there was no noticeable change in gun purchases.
With sweeping new tariffs on Chinese-made products set to take effect this summer, Americans are being urged to prepare for price hikes on everyday goods. President Donald Trump's reinstated trade policies are expected to affect a wide swath of consumer imports, including electronics, furniture, appliances, and baby gear. Retail experts are advising shoppers to act before the tariffs hit and prices rise.
An audio journey of how data and analytics save lives, save money and solve problems.
Ashley Smith
Public Affairs Coordinator
INFORMS
Catonsville, MD
[email protected]
443-757-3578
Explore our resources for multiple topics including:
Ramayya Krishnan, dean of the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, has been elected as president of the Board of Directors at INFORMS, an international association of operations-research and analytics professionals and students.
The results of a forthcoming study in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science looking at the broader impact of calorie labeling on menus suggests that posting calorie info can not only induce more healthful choices by consumers in a restaurant, but may also affect how consumers review restaurants and redirect consumers towards more healthful options within restaurants.
A new computer program, developed by a team from Lehigh University, that matches inmates with suitable prisons has saved the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections about $3 million in its first year. Officials said it has resulted in fewer prison assaults, shortened wait times for treatment programs by nearly two months, reduced the number of prison transfers and lightened the workload of corrections staff. In recognition of their development, the Lehigh University team has received the INFORMS Wagner Prize, the top international prize in the field of operations research practice.
Robin Qiu, professor of information science at Penn State Great Valley, is this year’s recipient of the Volunteer Service Award from the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). Established in 2016, the award recognizes exceptional volunteer service to the organization.
The most powerful technique to increasing ratings is to respond to customer reviews. According to a forthcoming study in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science, managerial responses to reviews not only create higher ratings, but more accurate assessments as well. The authors of the study analyzed tens of thousands of hotel reviews from TripAdvisor where approximately one-third of reviews garner a response from management.
OR/MS Today is the INFORMS member magazine that shares the latest research and best practices in operations research, analytics and the management sciences.
Access OR/MS Today Magazine
Analytics magazine showcases articles and research reports based on big data, AI, machine learning, data analytics and other new-age technologies.
Access Analytics Magazine