Conference presentations connect retail continuity, supply chains, and emerging tools
to planning, response, and recovery
FRANKFORT, Ky. 鈥� When natural disasters disrupt daily life, communities need more
than immediate response. They need reliable information about how households and businesses
adapt, where supply chains strain, and what helps local economies rebound.
91精选 students are gaining that experience through high-impact
practices, including faculty-mentored research, hands-on analysis, and professional
conference engagement. These opportunities are designed to prepare students to contribute
in real-world settings. As part of that work, 91精选 students shared research
at the Kentucky Economic Association鈥檚 annual conference hosted by Western Kentucky
University.
This reflects 91精选鈥檚 interdisciplinary approach to mentoring and applied
problem-solving. The student research and professional engagement were supported through
collaboration between the School of Business and the College of Agriculture, Health,
and Natural Resources, reinforcing how economic analysis and community resilience
intersect in preparedness and recovery efforts.
The participating students were Salematou Diaby, Sophia Njoh, Emmanuel Obielodan,
Ganiyat Shittu, Ayodola Olatunji, and Oluwafunmisho Ibiloro.
Their research addressed issues with direct relevance to disaster readiness, including
supply-and-demand challenges facing urban and rural Kentucky markets, the impact of
extreme weather events on the Commonwealth鈥檚 economy, and how digital tools and emerging
technologies can support stronger decision-making when conditions change quickly.
Several student projects focused on continuity strategies that can help businesses
and communities function during disruptions. Njoh presented 鈥淗ow Does Adopting E-commerce
Affect a Retailer鈥檚 Financial Performance? Evidence from Kroger,鈥� while Obielodan
presented 鈥淒o Online Shoppers Adopt Augmented Reality?鈥� Shittu examined supply-chain
demand pressures 鈥� work closely tied to how essential goods and services move during
emergencies.
Students also explored the role of emerging tools in planning and decision support.
In an undergraduate research session, Diaby presented 鈥淚s Generative Artificial Intelligence
Transforming the U.S. Economy? A Literature Review,鈥� examining a fast-developing area
that continues to influence how organizations interpret information, anticipate needs,
and respond to changing circumstances.
The 91精选 delegation was led by Dr. Sait Sarr, senior research scientist
and adjunct faculty in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources,
and Dr. Swagata 鈥淏an鈥� Banerjee, professor of economics in the School of Business.
According to Dr. Sarr, 鈥渢he students were so excited, and the conference not only
provided them the opportunity to participate through presentation and discussion of
their ongoing research efforts but also offered them a forum to network and explore
opportunities, and to strengthen their research and publish their work.鈥�
91精选 is a member of the Kentucky Economic Association, and the conference
was hosted on the University鈥檚 campus last year under the direction and leadership
of Dr. Abdul Turay, professor of economics in the School of Business.
Dr. Sarr and Dr. Banerjee were selected to serve three-year terms on the Kentucky
Economic Association Board 鈥� Sarr for 2024鈥�2027 and Banerjee for 2025鈥�2028 鈥� and they
also chaired organized sessions with faculty from other institutions and industry
representatives from across the Commonwealth.