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Reshaping the Future of Retail Conference 2026

julie.lapalme@affiliate.mcgill.ca — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:24:17 +0000

Reshaping the Future of Retail

Every year, the Bensadoun School of Retail Management convenes the sharpest minds in retail for a day of substantive conversation on where the industry is heading.

OpenAI safety test exposes gaps in AI governance

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:54:11 +0000

An OpenAI cybersecurity test crossed into the real world when AI models escaped a controlled environment and accessed Hugging Face’s production systems.

Simon Blanchette, faculty lecturer at �鶹�� Desautels argues that the incident exposes a major gap in AI governance: safety evaluations can transfer risk to third parties that never consented to participate. While a proposed U.S. “kill switch” could stop dangerous models, Blanchette warns that developers must first detect when a system has escaped its constraints.

Trade missions help pension funds navigate new markets

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:48:44 +0000

Canadian institutional investors are joining federal trade missions to Saudi Arabia and Australia to explore long-term opportunities in sectors such as energy, infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

Sebastien Betermier, associate professor of finance at �鶹�� Desautels, says government participation can help pension funds manage the political and regulatory risks associated with investing in unfamiliar markets.

�鶹�� Desautels researchers secure $4 million in SSHRC funding

admin — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:21:17 +0000

�鶹�� Desautels researchers secured $4 million in funding through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada’s (SSHRC) 2025 and 2026 competitions. Twenty-one faculty members received 26 grants, including 16 Insight Grants and 10 Insight Development Grants.

Retail Innovation Challenge 2026

julie.lapalme@affiliate.mcgill.ca — Wed, 27 May 2026 16:02:13 +0000

Save the date for the 7th edition of the �鶹��-BSRM Retail Innovation Challenge Real-world challenges faced by the tourism and recreational retail sector

Retail Gen AI Hackathon 2026

julie.lapalme@affiliate.mcgill.ca — Wed, 27 May 2026 15:31:24 +0000

Want to work collaboratively in a fun yet competitive environment to develop innovative generative AI solutions for the ALDO Group?

Merch pop-ups reshape the concert experience

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 18:31:22 +0000

As concert merchandise pop-ups become a standard feature of major music tours, Ariana Grande’s Montreal shop drew thousands of fans seeking exclusive items and a shared experience.

Siddhanth Mookerjee, marketing professor at Bensadoun School of Retail Management, explains that these limited-time stores help artists build anticipation while strengthening fan communities. By requiring appointments and offering exclusive products, brands satisfy consumers’ desire for both belonging and uniqueness.

Successful hybrid work starts with strong management

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:15:09 +0000

Return-to-office mandates remain contentious as employers and workers debate productivity, collaboration and flexibility. Jean-Nicolas Reyt, associate professor of organizational behaviour at �鶹�� Desautels, told CBC that research shows hybrid employees are equally or more productive, while turnover can decline by 30 per cent.

Liquor boycotts hit back at U.S. tariffs

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:54:08 +0000

American alcohol has become a flashpoint in the Canada-U.S. trade war, with President Donald Trump citing provincial liquor bans among the justifications for new tariffs on Canadian goods.

Preetika Joshi, assistant professor at �鶹�� Desautels, says removing American products from store shelves sends a stronger retaliatory message than imposing tariffs. “When you refuse to sell it, there is no sale, so that’s a bigger hit,” Joshi explains.

New U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods unlikely to change trade conditions

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:40:30 +0000

Amid renewed trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada, �鶹�� Desautels assistant professor Preetika Joshi says the latest 10 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods are unlikely to change conditions for businesses or consumers.

Joshi notes that the measures replace tariffs introduced in February and continue to exempt goods covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.

2026 Beatty Lecture - Peter Howitt

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:49:17 +0000

Understanding how economic growth occurs—and how societies can sustain it—has been central to the work of Canadian economist and 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences laureate Peter Howitt, who will deliver the 2026 Beatty Lecture at �鶹�� Univer

Navigating the future of work in the age of AI

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:17:57 +0000

Simon Blanchette, faculty lecturer at �鶹�� Desautels, explores how AI is transforming work, education and business.

The conversation examines its impact on jobs and skills, how organizations can adopt AI responsibly, and why critical thinking, continuous learning and a human-centred approach remain essential.

Watch the podcast

Desautels ranks #1 in Canada for research output in new national benchmark

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:38:28 +0000

The Desautels Faculty of Management has been ranked first in Canada for research output in the 2026 CHART-Index, a new standardized benchmark developed by the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business. More than 20 schools, including University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, are included in the benchmark.

Measuring productivity beyond the office badge

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:53:26 +0000

Bell’s dismissal of nearly 50 employees over alleged “swipe and go” attendance fraud has reignited debate over return-to-office mandates and how organizations measure productivity. Jean-Nicolas Reyt, associate professor at �鶹�� Desautels, argues that attendance fraud is ultimately a symptom of a larger issue: employers’ reliance on office presence as a proxy for performance.

What sets Canada’s workplace pension plans apart

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:54:53 +0000

Canada’s two main workplace pension plans differ primarily in who bears investment and longevity risks. Sebastien Betermier, associate professor of finance at �鶹�� Desautels, explains that defined benefit plans guarantee employees a predetermined income throughout retirement, while employers assume the associated risks.