Benjamin F. Jones
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Benjamin F. Jones

Gordon and Llura Gund Family Professor of Entrepreneurship; Professor of Strategy

Kellogg Faculty Page →

Podcast: Can Complexity Science Help Us Understand Organizations?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: From climate change to neuroscience, this new approach is reshaping how we study complicated systems.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones, Brian Uzzi and Dashun Wang

February 20, 2024

Data Analytics

Organizations Are Complex. Complexity Science Can Help Us Understand Them.

You can’t study the behavior of a flock by looking at individual birds. It’s time to bring that holistic approach to the social sciences, too.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones, Brian Uzzi and Dashun Wang

February 12, 2024

Organizations

Take 5: Not So Fast!

A little patience can lead to better ideas, stronger organizations, and more-ethical conduct at work.

Researchers: Swaminathan Sridharan, Daniel Barron, Michael Powell, Loran Nordgren and Benjamin F. Jones

August 10, 2023

Careers

2 Factors Will Determine How Much AI Transforms Our Economy

They’ll also dictate how workers stand to fare.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones

May 1, 2023

Economics

Take 5: What We’ve Learned about Tackling Public-Health Crises

Covid-era research sheds light on how policymakers can guide the economy and the public through future emergencies.

Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Efraim Benmelech, Paola Sapienza, Angela Y. Lee, Benjamin F. Jones, Ryan Hill, Dashun Wang and and coauthors

January 21, 2023

Policy

Podcast: China’s Economy Is in Flux. Here’s What American Businesses Need to Know.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: the end of “Zero Covid,” escalating geopolitical tensions, and China’s potentially irreplaceable role in the global supply chain.

Researchers: Nancy Qian, Benjamin F. Jones and David Dollar

December 23, 2022

Economics

What Do American Businesses Need to Understand about China Right Now?

As China’s zero-Covid policy ends, it’s time to take stock of where the world’s second largest economy may be headed.

Researchers: Nancy Qian, Benjamin F. Jones and David Dollar

December 22, 2022

Economics

Gender-Balanced Teams Do Better Work

When it comes to teams of scientists, “men and women are both part of the recipe for success,” according to new research.

Researchers: Yang Yang, Tanya Y. Tian, Teresa Woodruff, Benjamin F. Jones and Brian Uzzi

September 13, 2022

Organizations

Take 5: How to Improve the Odds of Breakthrough Innovation

Thorny problems demand novel solutions. Here’s what it takes to move beyond incremental tweaks.

Researchers: Sara Moreira, Dimitris Papanikolaou, Niko Matouschek, Kieu-Trang Nguyen, Dashun Wang, Benjamin F. Jones and and coauthors

August 26, 2022

Innovation

Does the Public Benefit from the Scientific Research It Funds?

A new study quantifies how U.S. taxpayer-funded research is used in patents, media, and policy decisions.

Researchers: Yin Yin, Yuxiao Dong, Kuansan Wang, Dashun Wang and Benjamin F. Jones

July 7, 2022

Innovation

Where Does Capitalism Go Next?

A conversation on “creative destruction,” growth, and designing a more equitable capitalist future.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones and Philippe Aghion

July 5, 2022

Strategy

Podcast: How Can We Ramp Up Innovation?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: what the data say about successful entrepreneurs and the types of policies that best support them.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones

March 3, 2021

Innovation

How to Ramp Up Innovation in the U.S.

From venture capital to immigration law, “we’re leaving an enormous amount on the table.”

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones

January 15, 2021

Innovation

How Well Does COVID Public Policy Align with Science?

In an era of misinformation, policy based on “dubious science” could mean a greater loss of life and economic hardship.

Researchers: Yian Yin, Jian Gao, Benjamin F. Jones and Dashun Wang

January 7, 2021

Policy

Immigrants to the U.S. Create More Jobs than They Take

A new study finds that immigrants are far more likely to found companies—both large and small—than native-born Americans.

Researchers: Pierre Azoulay, Benjamin F. Jones, J. Daniel Kim and Javier Miranda

October 5, 2020

Entrepreneurship

The U.S. Is Full of Innovative Thinkers. The Government Needs to Marshal All of Them to Fight Covid-19.

Here’s how we can accelerate efforts to reduce the spread, develop treatments, and find a vaccine.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones

May 8, 2020

Innovation

Take 5: The Upside of Failure

A look at the surprising benefits of striking out, and how to make the most of your mistakes.

Researchers: Dashun Wang, Benjamin F. Jones, Yang Wang, Craig Wortmann, Edward (Ned) Smith, Col. Brian Halloran and Eric T. Anderson

February 10, 2020

Careers

Podcast: When Teams Mess Up, Who Takes the Fall?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: how to make sure you’re not blaming the wrong person.

Researchers: Ginger Zhe Jin, Benjamin F. Jones, Susan Feng Lu and Brian Uzzi

December 18, 2019

Careers

India’s Economy Is Slowing Down. What Happens Next?

The country’s chief economic advisor discusses how labor, trade, and energy factor into the country’s economic outlook.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones and Krishnamurthy Subramanian

November 1, 2019

Economics

Early Career Failures Can Make You Stronger in the Long Run

A study of young scientists who were denied grants provides a striking example of why you should never give up.

Researchers: Yang Wang, Benjamin F. Jones and Dashun Wang

October 1, 2019

Careers

Take 5: How to Build a Collaborative Workplace

Simple strategies for reaping the benefits of collaboration.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones, J. Keith Murnighan, Leigh Thompson, Brian Uzzi, Jan A. Van Mieghem and Dashun Wang

March 13, 2019

Organizations

Who Gets Blamed When a Group Project Goes Wrong?

Here’s why consequences stick to some team members more than others, according to a new study of retracted academic papers.

Researchers: Ginger Zhe Jin, Benjamin F. Jones, Susan Feng Lu and Brian Uzzi

February 1, 2019

Strategy

Sure, Industry Outsiders Can Bring Fresh Ideas. But Are They Better Entrepreneurs?

New insights from a definitive study on what successful startup founders have in common.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones

December 6, 2018

Innovation

Podcast: Why It’s Crucial for Startups to Define Their Identity Early

Plus, dispelling a pervasive myth about successful entrepreneurs.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones and Rick Desai

November 8, 2018

Entrepreneurship

How Old Are Successful Tech Entrepreneurs?

A definitive new study dispels the myth of the Silicon Valley wunderkind.

Researchers: Pierre Azoulay, Benjamin F. Jones, J. Daniel Kim and Javier Miranda

May 15, 2018

Entrepreneurship

Take 5: Make Your Big Idea a Success

Kellogg faculty share what it takes to find, foster, and sell innovation.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones, Mark McCareins, Pete Slawniak, Brian Eng, Jeffrey Cohen, Bryony Reich and Loran Nordgren

January 4, 2018

Innovation

The Surprisingly Short Journey from Ivory Tower to Patent Office

Scientific research leads to marketplace innovations more frequently and quickly than expected.

Researchers: Mohammad Ahmadpoor and Benjamin F. Jones

November 2, 2017

Innovation

Take 5: How Power Dynamics Shape Our Behavior

Power—or the lack of it—impacts everything from snack choices to economic growth.

Researchers: Derek D. Rucker, Loran Nordgren, Adam Waytz, Benjamin F. Jones and Brayden King

September 7, 2017

Organizations

The Science Behind the Growing Importance of Collaboration

Plus, ideas for designing spaces that encourage employees to team up in unique ways.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones

September 6, 2017

Take 5: How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur

Advice from Kellogg faculty experts on starting and running your own business.

Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Sean Johnson, Benjamin F. Jones, David Schonthal, Nicole Staple and Gabriel Vehovsky

May 8, 2017

Entrepreneurship

Take 5: How to Encourage Innovative Thinking

Kellogg faculty on what it takes to ensure your new product or great idea takes off.

Researchers: Brian Uzzi, Benjamin F. Jones, Kelly Goldsmith, Klaus Weber and Loran Nordgren

April 7, 2017

Innovation

Finding the Right Partner Can Make or Break Your Startup

A Q&A on why you should “date before you marry” with an entrepreneur who took the plunge.

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones and Nicole Staple

February 3, 2017

Entrepreneurship

What Happens to Innovation When the Financial Incentives Change?

There are ways to split the pie that encourage innovation.

Researchers: Hans K. Hvide and Benjamin F. Jones

June 6, 2016

Innovation

Four Ways Cuba Can Become More Business-Friendly

What will it take to make the country attractive to investors?

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones and Russell Walker

September 8, 2015

A Virtuous Mix Allows Innovation to Thrive

The right mixture balances conventionality, novelty, and collaboration

Researchers: Brian Uzzi, Satyam Mukherjee, Michael Stringer and Benjamin F. Jones

November 4, 2013

Age and Great Invention

Scientists who make breakthroughs are older than ever

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones

May 19, 2011

Innovation

And the Poor Get Poorer

The economics of higher global temperatures.

Researchers: Melissa Dell, Benjamin F. Jones and Benjamin A. Olken

March 1, 2010

Social Impact

Science as Team Sport

Collaborating at a distance pays off

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones, Stefan Wuchty and Brian Uzzi

October 10, 2008

Do Leaders Matter?

The sudden death of a president can trigger sweeping, unexpected changes in a nation’s economy

Researchers: Benjamin F. Jones and Benjamin A. Olken

June 1, 2007

Leadership