- 06 Dec 2022
- Research & Ideas
Latest Isn’t Always Greatest: Why Product Updates Capture Consumers
Consumers can't pass up a product update—even if there's no improvement. Research by Leslie John, Michael Norton, and Ximena Garcia-Rada illustrates the powerful allure of change. Are we really that naïve?
- 07 Apr 2022
- Research & Ideas
Giving Back: Consumers Care More About How Companies Donate Than How Much
When it comes to corporate donations for brand enhancement, bigger isn't necessarily better. Research from Elizabeth Keenan and Leslie John offers new insights for companies trying to win the hearts of socially conscious consumers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 Apr 2021
- Research & Ideas
Why Anger Makes a Wrongly Accused Person Look Guilty
Too often, people rely on biases and hunches to judge complex situations. Research by Leslie John shows how easy it is to make the wrong call. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 08 Sep 2020
- Sharpening Your Skills
Capitalism Works Better When I Can See What You're Doing
Lower prices. More innovation. Better government. Transparency fuels the basic principles of competitive business and open government. Well, most of the time. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 22 May 2020
- In Practice
Post-COVID Health Care: More Screens, Less Red Tape?
The coronavirus pandemic might lead to major changes in patient care, physician compensation, and regulation. Experts from Harvard Business School's Health Care Initiative share their predictions. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 19 May 2020
- Research & Ideas
Why Privacy Protection Notices Turn Off Shoppers
It seems counterintuitive, but website privacy protection notices appear to discourage shoppers from buying, according to Leslie John. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 13 Apr 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
The Bulletproof Glass Effect: When Privacy Notices Backfire
Consumers regularly encounter privacy notices explaining if and how their personal information will be collected, stored, used, and shared. Evidence in this study demonstrates that privacy notices, though designed to promote a sense of confidence that personal data will not be misused, can undermine consumer trust and decrease purchase intent.
- 31 Mar 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Controlling the Emotion of Negotiation
Leslie John discusses the importance of asking (and answering) the right questions when negotiating, particularly under emotional stress. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Mar 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
From Sweetheart to Scapegoat: Brand Selfie-Taking Shapes Consumer Behavior
Using a dataset of more than 280,000 user reviews on Yelp, this paper describes a series of eight studies exploring how brand selfie-taking affects consumers’ behavior and sense of connection toward a brand.
- 10 Feb 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Fostering Perceptions of Authenticity via Sensitive Self-Disclosure
By making sensitive self-disclosures, leaders can enhance how authentic their followers perceive them to be, leading to positive interpersonal outcomes and potentially organizational ones as well. Aside from the obvious costs of disclosing weaknesses, leaders may also reap surprising benefits from doing so.
- 17 Oct 2019
- Research & Ideas
‘Chick Beer’ for Women? Why Gender Marketing Repels More Than Sells
Just how far will women go to avoid products labeled "for women?" Research by Leslie K. John and colleagues explores why gender marketing usually offends the very people a company is trying to attract. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Mar 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Will Startup Fishbowl Become the Social Media App for Your Industry?
Fishbowl's founders have built a social media platform allowing professionals to connect anonymously and with candor within their companies and industries. Can they grow? Leslie John discusses her case study on the boundaries of social media and personal privacy. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 13 Mar 2019
- Research & Ideas
Ignore This Advice at Your Own Peril
Refusing to act on advice from a respected colleague or mentor can backfire and damage your working relationship, a new study says. Hayley Blunden explains the career implications of seeking counsel from others. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 07 Mar 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Calculators for Women: When Identity Appeals Provoke Backlash
With calculators targeted to women and laundry products aimed at men, examples of identity-based labeling—or “identity appeals”—abound in advertising and marketing. Five studies show when and why such identity appeals backfire. Identity appeals may fail equally whether they evoke negative or just milder stereotypes.
- 04 Mar 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
The Revision Bias
Companies often release revised editions of books, director’s cuts of movies, and technological updates, on the assumption that revising products and services leads to better outcomes. Nine studies, however, document the revision bias: the tendency to prefer things that were revised, regardless of whether the revised versions are objectively better than their predecessors.
- 10 Oct 2018
- Research & Ideas
The Legacy of Boaty McBoatface: Beware of Customers Who Vote
Companies that encourage consumers to vote online should be forewarned—they may expect more than you promise, according to research by Michael Norton, Leslie John, and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 18 Jun 2018
- Research & Ideas
Warning: Scary Warning Labels Work!
If you want to convince consumers to stay away from unhealthy diet choices, don't be subtle about possible consequences, says Leslie John. These graphically graphic warning labels seem to do the trick. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Jan 2018
- Sharpening Your Skills
5 Career-Related New Year’s Resolutions (and 5 Tips for Keeping Them)
Here are well-researched tips from Harvard Business School faculty to help you keep your career-related resolutions this year. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Nov 2017
- Research & Ideas
Beware the Lasting Impression of a 'Temporary' Selfie
Some social media apps promise to delete your messages after they are read. The problem: The memory of your uninhibited behavior lingers. Research by Leslie K. John and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
Are Your Employees Passing Up Incentives? Try Promoting the Programs More
Employees who bow out of a company's wellness program or retirement savings plan might not know these perks exist. Leslie John offers advice for motivating workers to participate in incentive programs.