Research That Drives Business Forward
Connecting academic expertise with real-world challenges to strengthen businesses, communities, and the regional economy.
Who We Are
The center coordinates applied research-related activities in the College of Business at APSU, circulating research updates, creating research opportunities, and promoting the CoB research community.
Mission
We team up with faculty experts who want to tackle real-world challenges and transform business research to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Vision
Through a collaborative approach, the CABR strives to become a business research network linking scholars, industry leaders, business owners, and students to positively impact business and society.
Latest White Paper
When Better Technology Doesn't Win: Lessons in Product Innovation from the Electric Guitar Industry
Matthew Farrell, Ph.D., and Jaire T. Richardson
Why do some technologies stay popular for decades even when competing designs perform better? Dr. Farrell, assistant director and faculty fellow of the CABR, and Business Management major Jaire T. Richardson built a testing apparatus to compare five electric guitar vibrato designs under the same conditions: Mustang, Stratocaster, Jazzmaster, Bigsby, and Maestro.
The Mustang-style vibrato, historically tied to Fender's lower-priced models, showed the strongest overall tuning stability. The paper explains why price, popularity, and reputation don't always predict performance, and what manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and product developers can do when they evaluate and improve products.
Download When Better Technology Doesn't Win
Earlier white papers
Every CABR newsletter, and publications by our faculty fellows are on the publications page.
View Publications from the Center for Applied Business Research
Center Leadership
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Dr. Vikkie McCarthy
Director of the Center for Applied Business Research
Professor of ManagementDr. Vikkie McCarthy is a Professor of Management and studies how business impacts society and business sustainability. She is the author of peer-reviewed research journal articles, case studies, and books. Her research has been published in academic and business journals to include the Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, the Journal of Business Leadership, Journal of Business Pedagogy, and the International Journal of Business Education.
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Dr. Matt Farrell
Assistant Director of CABR
Assistant Professor of ManagementDr. Matthew Farrell serves as an Assistant Professor of Strategic Management at Austin Peay State University. Dr. Farrell's academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from Old Dominion University, a Master's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and Bachelor's degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University.
An active participant in the academic community, he is a member of the Academy of Management, Southern Management Association, and serves as Assistant Director of the Center for Applied Business Research.
Faculty Fellows
CABR Faculty Fellows are College of Business faculty whose research covers business analytics, cybersecurity, supply chain management, finance and real estate, marketing, economics, management, hospitality, business law, and business communication. You can search the fellows by name or research area, or browse them by fellowship year.
