University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Between work, family, and other activities, most Americans feel at their wit’s end. Dr. Thomas Tudor’s research is aimed at helping alleviate the stress that is a part of people’s fast-paced lives.

“Everyone going to work today is under some type of stress,” Dr. Tudor said. “If my research can help reduce that, we can increase worker productivity, reduce absenteeism, and even reduce healthcare costs.”

The professor’s management research is focused on the causes of stress in the workplace. After narrowing those causes, he has found that a few companies have gotten the approach to workplace-related stress right. Dr. Tudor cites high-technology companies that offer more fun-filled workplaces, healthcare facilities located on the job site, and even free lunches as taking a proactive approach to reducing turnover and improving worker recruitment.

Dr. Tudor is also about to embark on two international research projects. He will study sexual harassment in the workplace in Asia and the approach businesses and governments have taken to deal with it. In addition, Dr. Tudor will study companies’ approach to religious understanding and accommodation in relation to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Virginia Tech University, Dr. Tudor earned a master’s and doctorate degrees in management from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a member of the Southern Management Association and the Society of Human Resource Management. In addition, he was recognized in 2002 for the best paper award from the Western Decision Sciences Institute

Associate Professor Gary Geissler encourages his students to practice until they get it perfect – with real clients who have real marketing issues.

Hands-on learning is one of the mainstays in Dr. Geissler’s marketing classes. Students work to develop products, marketing campaigns, and solutions
for clients that have included high schools, the Navy, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and numerous retail outlets. The experience was lasting for his students, and they have solid examples of their work to include in resumes and on job applications.

“In these classes, we’re working to build a bridge between college and career,” Dr. Geissler said. “I tell my students I wouldn’t want to teach if I had not practiced what I preached. We prepare students for the realities of the workplace, and employers look for students who have had high-involvement learning.”

Teaching helps Dr. Geissler fulfill a life-long dream of communicating the lessons he learned in corporate America, and students appreciate his real business experience.

Dr.
Geissler received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Louisiana State University – Shreveport and a doctorate degree from the University of Georgia. He was recognized as a Distinguished Teaching Professor by the Society of Marketing Advances and was named as a finalist for the Sherwin-Williams Distinguished Teaching Professor Award. Dr. Geissler is a teaching fellow in the UALR Teaching Academy and is a member of the American Marketing Association, the Academy for Marketing Science, and the Association for Consumer Research.

Management Professor Warren Stone is well acquainted with the concept that much is expected from those to whom much is given.

That theory drives his service work with non-profit and governmental agencies, where he works to ensure those groups plan strategically for growth as well as manage their employees efficiently. Dr. Stone has integrated his service work into both his teaching and research work, and his main service focus area continues to be the welfare of children.

“In management and strategic analysis, we’re teaching planning for all organizations,” Dr. Stone said. “It’s not just the big corporations that need it; small ones need it too. If I’m able to help, I’m able to bring that example right back in the classroom.”

Dr. Stone’s work with Sheriff’s Youth Ranches has resulted in the organization growing from a one-campus, Batesville-based group to a five-campus, statewide organization with assets in excess of $30 million.

Dr. Stone earned a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a member of the Academy of Management and Beta Gamma Sigma. In addition, he has been a presenter on corporate philanthropy at the International Academy of Business and Public Administration and works with the Child Welfare League of America.