INFORMS Releases

BALTIMORE, MD, September 13, 2023 – Using data from pre- and post-hurricane purchasing of consumer-packaged goods (CPG), new research has found that while consumers may switch brands in the lead-up to a natural disaster, they will likely switch back to their previously purchased brands when the crisis has passed. This has implications for the extent to which companies can expect to capture consumers using temporary price promotions.

BALTIMORE, MD, September 12, 2023 – Finding the right medication regimen to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex healthcare challenge. Wearable health trackers provide physicians with a detailed window into patients’ symptoms, but translating this complex data into useful treatment insights can be difficult. New research in the INFORMS journal Management Science accomplishes just that. Researchers found that combining wearable health tracker data with state-of-the-art algorithms results in promising treatment strategies that could improve PD patients’ outcomes.

BALTIMORE, MD, August 31, 2023 – It’s been adopted more regularly across U.S. healthcare systems – vertical integration is when physicians work directly for hospitals rather than independent practices. The intention is to have positive outcomes for patients, but new research forthcoming in the INFORMS journal Management Science finds that vertical integration is leading to higher costs and worse health outcomes, thanks to improperly aligned financial incentives.

BALTIMORE, MD, August 23, 2023 – Fashion and social media are both ever evolving. So why not put the two together? New research in the INFORMS journal Manufacturing & Service Operations Management says utilizing social media to predict sales of apparel and footwear items based on social media posts and interactions about color is possible and successful.

BALTIMORE, MD, August 22, 2023 –

EDITOR’S NOTE: Decision Science Digest is a periodic communique highlighting recent peer-reviewed research published by INFORMS, the largest association for the decision and data sciences, across its 17 journals. This issue highlights four press releases based on the findings of new peer-reviewed articles.

• Predicting Fashion Faux Pas: Data Identifies What Will Sell, Reducing Returns (INFORMS journal Marketing Science)
• The Progression of Misconduct in the Chicago Police Department: Learned Behavior and How to Stop it (INFORMS journal Management Science)
• Reimagining Hospital Funds: How to Use What You Have to Make Quality Improvements (INFORMS journal Management Science)
• Eyes on the Sky: Preparing for the Future of Drone Air Traffic (INFORMS journal Transportation Science)