College
College of Business Administration
Date of Last Revision
2025-12-11 06:52:38
Major
Sales Management
Honors Course
BUSN 497
Number of Credits
2
Degree Name
Bachelor of Business Administration
Date of Expected Graduation
Fall 2025
Abstract
This honors research project examines how relationship selling in the investment industry, especially within registered investment advisory firms, has evolved over time. Advisor-client relationships are being shaped by technology, analytics, regulations, and a frenzy of information. This literature review explores whether the stated factors of technology, credibility, regulations, information access, and fiduciary duty, caused change in how investment advisors create, maintain, and grow client relationships within the context of trust. The project styling, in form of a literature review analyzes peer-reviewed studies on financial technology, artificial intelligence, psychological approaches, and regulatory systems. The outcome is a paper which helps fill gaps in current research and provides insights into the future of advisor-client trust. The project will contribute to academics at the University of Akron by offering practical applications for the investment industry while also highlighting how trust remains central to relationship selling despite technological and regulatory shifts.
Research Sponsor
Frederik Beuk
First Reader
Scott Miller
Second Reader
Federico de Gregorio
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. Debmalya Mukherjee
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Kroslak, Kaden N. and Beuk, Frederik, "Selling Trust: The Evolution of Relationship Selling in the Investment Industry" (2025). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2073.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2073
Included in
Marketing Commons, Portfolio and Security Analysis Commons, Sales and Merchandising Commons, Technology and Innovation Commons