Research & Ideas →

Has Occupational Licensing Outlived Its Usefulness?

A recent study shows that consumers do not value occupational licensing of their contractors or the higher prices they charge. Research by Chiara Farronato. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Why Privacy Notices Turn Off Shoppers

It seems counterintuitive, but website privacy notices appear to discourage shoppers from buying, according to Leslie John. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

How Social Entrepreneurs Can Increase Their Investment Impact

Grants or investments? Philanthropic organizations have multiple funding tools available, but choosing the wrong one can dilute the benefits, according to research by Benjamin N. Roth. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Where Do Workers Go When the Robots Arrive?

Marco Tabellini and colleagues investigate where workers go after losing their jobs to automation and Chinese imports. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Product Disasters Can Be Fertile Ground for Innovation

Rather than chilling innovation, product accidents may provide companies an unexpected opportunity to develop new technologies desired by consumers, according to Hong Luo and Alberto Galasso. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

The Little Understood Problem Confronting Diverse Workplaces

Knitting together a diverse workforce into a common fabric is a difficult challenge for managers—and even more difficult for the workers themselves, say Lakshmi Ramarajan and Erin Reid. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Warring Algorithms Could Be Driving Up Consumer Prices

Companies increasingly use software to conduct rapid price changes. Alexander MacKay explains why firms might benefit but consumers should be worried. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

How Schmoozing with the Boss Helps Men Get Promoted

Male employees who bond with their male managers move up the ranks of their companies faster, reinforcing the gender pay gap, according to research by Zoe B. Cullen. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

For Migrant Workers, Homesickness Can Reduce Productivity

Workers in the global economy increasingly perform their jobs far away from home. It turns out, says Prithwiraj Choudhury, that homesickness is a significant barrier to their productivity. Here's what employers can do. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

The Hidden Vulnerabilities of Open Source Software

The increasing use of open source software in most commercial apps has revolutionized software development—but also created hidden vulnerabilities, say Frank Nagle and Jenny Hoffman. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

What We Learned from Reading Jeff Bezos’ Patents

By studying Jeff Bezos' personal patent records, Tricia Gregg and Boris Groysberg offer a unique glimpse into Amazon's strategy. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

The Upside of Highlighting a Product's Downsides

Companies want to show their offerings in the best light. Ryan W. Buell and MoonSoo Choi find out what happens when they also embrace transparency, accentuating the positive—and the negative. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Hard Work Isn't Enough: How to Find Your Edge

Life isn't fair, especially in the workplace. In Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage, Laura Huang offers a new strategy for uncovering and showcasing your unique value in the face of obstacles. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Clayton M. Christensen, Acclaimed Author and Teacher, Dies At 67

Businesses Need a 'Catalyst' to Make CSR Practices Stick

Despite best intentions, many corporate social responsibility programs fail. One answer: Companies need community partners to sustain work over the long term, says Robert Kaplan. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Lessons for Retailers from the Rebirth of Indie Bookstores

Independent bookstores are resurging. Their strategies offer lessons for many disrupted industries to compete against Amazon and other digital retailers, says Ryan Raffaelli. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

The Business Case for Becoming a Jack-of-All-Trades

New research by Frank Nagle and Florenta Teodoridis shows that a jack-of-all-trades may be better equipped than a specialist to jump on novel knowledge. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Do Private Equity Buyouts Get a Bad Rap?

Elizabeth Warren calls private equity buyouts "Wall Street looting," but a recent study by Josh Lerner and colleagues shows they have both positive and negative impacts. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

NFL Head Coaches Are Getting Younger. What Can Organizations Learn?

Football team owners are hiring younger head coaches, hoping to unleash innovation and fresh thinking. How's that working out? Research by Boris Groysberg and colleagues. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.