Texas A&M partners with GameStop and IBM to found institute

College Station, Texas -- The Center for Retailing Studies (CRS) at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School has united with GameStop and IBM to found the GameStop Technology Institute (GTI), a consortium of technology corporations and academic institutions focused on discovering and delivering business innovation and technology solutions to better address the needs of today’s empowered consumer.



The CRS brings to GTI a specific focus on retail research, consumer technology and the evolving consumer experience at the intersection of the two. Through research, consulting projects and classroom case studies, Texas A&M students and faculty will yield important consumer insights with GTI that improve the customer experience.



GameStop plans on leveraging GTI to explore and build best-in-class research and development processes to create and deliver to the retail industry the next generation of new, innovative business applications. Executives from every retail sector are trying to anticipate what next innovative technology, mobile app, or virtual store experience will win over today’s empowered consumer. The GTI R&D portfolio will include a focus on enhancing consumer interaction technologies and developing business solutions that help drive traffic to all retail channels.



“Retailers recognize Texas A&M as an outstanding pipeline for talent,” said Kelli Hollinger, director of the CRS. “The partnership with GameStop and GTI goes far beyond hiring, and demonstrates the multi-dimensional ways that academic institutions can serve corporations and customers.”