Five Questions with Rob Waiser
In our Five Question series, faculty at the University of Kansas School of Business share their insights, experiences and advice for students.
Assistant professor Rob Waiser received his doctorate in marketing from the University of Toronto and his bachelor of mathematics in statistics/combinatorics & optimization from the University of Waterloo. Before KU, Waiser was an assistant professor of marketing at London Business School. He focuses his research on sales and marketing management, with areas of focus including sales incentive compensation and the effects of budgeting on managerial decision making.
What got you interested in your field, and what is the most rewarding part of being involved in it?
My first job out of college was with ZS Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in sales and marketing management, with an emphasis on data and analytics. I didn’t know anything about sales or marketing, but it seemed like an interesting challenge and an opportunity to use the quantitative skills I had learned as a math major. That turned out to be true, and I spent almost nine years there before I left to complete my doctoral degree.
One thing that’s really rewarding about marketing is that all of us see and experience elements of it every day. I think everyone wonders sometimes about why companies do things the way they do — we get to answer those questions! Most of my research is about designing incentive compensation for salespeople (commissions, quotas, etc.). I love trying to come up with (and solve) mathematical models to represent human motivations and behavior.
What is your favorite part about being a Jayhawk?
I’ve only been here a couple of months, but I’m learning. I went to college in Canada and spent the last seven years teaching in the UK — both places where school spirit doesn’t have nearly the same meaning as it does here. It’s amazing to see the pride that everyone takes in being a Jayhawk. You can feel that positive energy, not just on campus, but throughout Lawrence.
What would you see yourself doing if you weren’t a professor?
I’ve always been a stats nerd and I love sports, so maybe working in the analytics department for an NFL/NBA/NHL team somewhere.
What advice would you give your college self?
Enjoy it! There’s nothing like your college years, and they don’t last long, so take advantage of the opportunities that campus life offers. But keep working hard, too — you’ll need those grades to get into grad school!
If you could require students to read one thing before graduation (outside of your class reading), what would it be and why?
Something, anything — just keep reading. Novels, biographies, short stories, poetry, graphic novels. You never know what’s going to capture your imagination, inspire you, or spark a brilliant idea, so keep an open mind. Personally, I like to alternate between fiction and non-fiction. When work is heavy, I’ll go with something light to give my brain a break and save the more challenging reads for when I have the bandwidth to handle it.
I know that’s a bit of a cop-out answer, so for those who want a field-specific recommendation — the last marketing book that really pulled me in was “That Will Never Work” by Marc Randolph, the co-founder of Netflix. For a great sales book, try “Sell the Way You Buy” by David Priemer.
By Lauren Hartwig
