- 10 Feb 2011
- Working Paper Summaries
The Dark Side of Creativity: Original Thinkers Can Be More Dishonest
was conducted by Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School and Dan Ariely of the Fuqua School of Business. Key concepts include: Creative students who showed a natural aptitude for divergent thinking tended to cheat more than linear thinkers. Creativity is a better predictor of unethical behavior Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Jan 2011
- First Look
First Look: Jan. 25
Are creative people more likely to cheat? … Why we buy feature-bloated products … A note on agricultural cooperatives. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 28 Dec 2010
- Working Paper Summaries
The Psychological Costs of Pay-for-Performance: Implications for Strategic Compensation
into account the economic and psychological benefits and costs of pay-for-performance. Research was conducted by Harvard Business School professors Francesca Gino and Ian Larkin, and Lamar Pierce of Washington University. Key concepts include: Three psychological factors most prominently influence Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 22 Sep 2010
- Working Paper Summaries
The Task and Temporal Microstructure of Productivity: Evidence from Japanese Financial Services
on a loan-application processing line at a Japanese bank, was conducted by HBS professor Francesca Gino and Kenan-Flagler Business School assistant professor Bradley R. Staats. Key concepts include: Even taking acclimation into account, a worker's productivity will improve immediately after Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Aug 2010
- First Look
First Look: August 31
Increasing productivity in repetitive tasks ... No recession blues for the pet industry ... Scaling up community forums Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 19 Feb 2009
- Working Paper Summaries
Dishonest Deed, Clear Conscience: Self-Preservation through Moral Disengagement and Motivated Forgetting
has documented differences in the way people think about their own ethical behavior and that of others. Harvard Business School's Lisa Shu and Max Bazerman, with colleague Francesca Gino, show that seemingly innocuous aspects of the environment can promote the decision to act ethically or Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Jul 2007
- Working Paper Summaries
Toward a Theory of Behavioral Operations
Research in psychology over the past several decades teaches us that behavioral biases and cognitive limits are not just "noise"; they systematically affect (and often distort) people's judgment and decision making. Despite such advances, however, most scholarly research in operations management still assumes that agents—be they decision makers, problem solvers, implementers, workers, or customers—either are fully rational or can be induced to behave rationally, usually with economic incentives. This paper builds on earlier studies to explore the theoretical and practical implications of incorporating behavioral and cognitive factors into operations management models. It then points to fruitful areas for future research. Key concepts include: A behavioral approach to operations management can lead to a better understanding of underlying drivers of operating systems performance and also to a better understanding of puzzling "pathologies" such as excess inventory, late product development projects, and overcommitment to research and development projects. A behavioral perspective can lead to better identification of appropriate management interventions. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 19 Jun 2007
- First Look
- 05 Jul 2006
- Working Paper Summaries
Do We Listen to Advice Just Because We Paid for It? The Impact of Cost of Advice on Its Use
People make decisions every day by weighing their own opinions with advice from other sources. But do we know whether people use advice in a way that is helpful to them? In two experiments performed under controlled, laboratory conditions, Gino found that all else being equal, people weigh advice Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 05 Jul 2006
- Working Paper Summaries
Do Managers’ Heuristics Affect R&D Performance Volatility? A Simulation Informed by the Pharmaceutical Industry
Can the R&D process be managed to provide more certainty and success? The authors explore R&D performance volatility using the pharmaceutical industry as the model. The study looks at two types of heuristics that are commonly used to manage R&D project portfolios: (1) which products to start, and whether to continue or kill a product in development; (2) how resources should be allocated at each phase of development. By changing the heuristics used to make decisions at each stage of development, managers can decrease the amount of uncertainty and failure in the R&D process. Key concepts include: Pay attention to R&D portfolio management, not just portfolio selection. Don't delay in killing bad projects. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 05 Jul 2006
- Working Paper Summaries
Behavioral Operations
Organizations often commit to more product development projects than they can handle. And while people do not always behave rationally, most research on operations management still assumes they do. This paper explores theoretical and practical ways to study the effects of behavior and cognition on operations. Key concepts include: Recognize the role of common cognitive biases such as wishful thinking, overconfidence, and procrastination in order to understand and solve chronic problems in operations management. Such knowledge may help improve the operating systems that people design, implement, and use. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 05 Jul 2006
- Working Paper Summaries
Effects of Task Difficulty on Use of Advice
We make most of our choices by weighing other people's advice counter to our own opinions. People generally underweight advice from others, though the practice is not universal. In two studies, it is determined that people overweight advice on difficult tasks but underweight it on the easy ones. Key concepts include: Understand built-in biases when weighing advice, especially on difficult tasks. Don't automatically give more credence to the opinions of advisers or consultants over your own experience. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
The Importance of ‘Don’t’ in Inducing Ethical Employee Behavior
In a new study, HBS professors Francesca Gino and Joshua D. Margolis look at two ways that companies can encourage ethical behavior: the promotion of good deeds or the prevention of bad deeds. It turns out that employees tend to act more ethically when focused on what not to do. That can be Closed for comment; 0 Comments.