A new study published in the Strategic Management Journal finds that international firms that strategically withdraw from certain markets may be better positioned to grow and compete more effectively in others. The research highlights how focusing on core markets—rather than spreading resources too thin—can strengthen long-term performance.

The study, conducted by Chunhu Jeon (Morgan State University), Jonathan Bundy (Arizona State University), and Wei Shen (Arizona State University), analyzed 18 years of data from Korean multinational firms to explore how ranking systems and tiered status influence corporate behavior. Their findings suggest that organizations respond not only to where they are ranked overall but to where they stand within ranking tiers—especially near tier boundaries.

A new study from The University of Texas at Arlington reveals that people who live in rural areas are more likely to have chronic pain than those in urban settings. They’re also more likely to go from having no pain or occasional pain to chronic pain. The findings may help explain higher opioid prescription rates in rural communities and could guide future research into the root causes of this disparity.

In a new study in Marketing Science, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University investigated the role of product ranking systems on e-commerce platforms in influencing the ability of certain pricing algorithms to charge higher prices. The study’s findings suggest that even absent price discrimination, personalized ranking systems may not benefit consumers.