April 2018
Data Analytics
What Might Be Missing from Your Analytics Strategy
Quantitative data is not enough to solve your trickiest problems.
Social Impact
What Makes Deceit Such a Hard Habit to Break?
New research gets at the psychology behind serial misconduct.
March 2018
Social Impact
How the NRA Boycotts Force Companies to Walk a Precarious Tightrope
Two Kellogg professors discuss the changing landscape for companies trying to stay neutral in our polarized political climate.
Careers
Podcast: Attract Rockstar Employees—or Develop Your Own
Finding and nurturing high performers isn’t easy, but it pays off.
Policy
Does Lowering the Corporate Tax Rate Spur Economic Growth?
Results of a new study have implications for the recent U.S. tax overhaul.
Organizations
Video: Why You Shouldn’t Hesitate to Be the Bearer of Bad News
Organizations that practice transparency have more leeway to learn and evolve.
Marketing
How to Design a Stellar Customer Experience
The Zappos of the world are redefining expectations. Whatever your industry, you need to keep up.
Healthcare
Privatizing Medicaid Drug Benefits Reduces Spending
The savings come without any decrease in quality of care, new research shows.
Social Impact
When Do People Label Attackers as Terrorists versus Mentally Ill?
New research shows that people’s assumptions go beyond stereotypes.
Organizations
Juries Treat Prestigious Companies Differently in Employment Discrimination Suits
But beware, a good reputation is a double-edged sword.
Social Impact
Take 5: How Companies Benefit from Corporate Social Responsibility
CSR is in vogue. And it can help a firm’s bottom line.
Marketing
Trying to Be Persuasive? Here’s What You Are Likely Doing.
A study of product reviews shows how our word choices change when we’re trying to sway others.
Careers
Five Ways Women Can Negotiate More Effectively
How to advocate for yourself at critical points in your career.
February 2018
Marketing
Podcast: How Music Can Change Our Mood
A Broadway songwriter and a marketing professor discuss the connection between our favorite tunes and how they make us feel.
Leadership
What It Takes to Transform Your Firm
IBM’s story provides a roadmap for using ambitious goals and constant communication to reinvent a company.
Finance & Accounting
Take 5: How Do Households Manage Fluctuating Finances?
Plus, how policymakers can help them manage better.
Social Impact
Rewarding CEOs for Corporate Social Responsibility Pays Off for Society—and for Firms
CSR contracting encourages executives to sacrifice short-term payoffs for long-term gains.
Economics
Localized Natural Disasters Can Hurt an Entire Country’s Economy
A new study helps explain the economic ripple effects on supply chains.
Marketing
How Businesses Can Best Use Content Marketing to Generate Leads
New research on B2B companies highlights an effective way to bridge the gap between sales and marketing.
Healthcare
When Healthcare Providers Consolidate, Medical Bills Rise
Can anything be done to rein in this expensive trend?
Audit Regulations Meant to Curb Accounting Scandals Are Working, Mostly
A post-Enron oversight board is a useful example for the regulation of other industries.
January 2018
Strategy
What’s Behind the Current Wave of Vertical Integration?
From Amazon–Whole Foods to CVS–Aetna, companies are reconfiguring for an uncertain future. Four strategy professors discuss.
Data Analytics
How a Good Analytics Strategy Can Become the Victim of Its Own Success
The best firms “purposely mess stuff up” to get the data they need to grow.
Organizations
The Downside of Transparent Decision Making
Why you’ll get a better recommendation from a committee that deliberates behind closed doors.
Traders Are Surprisingly Slow to Respond to Off-hours Earnings Announcements
It can take days for investors to react, creating a potentially lucrative strategy for some.
Healthcare
Will People Price Shop for Healthcare?
A new study says yes, but only if the prices are easy to understand.
Finance & Accounting
Private Equity Helped Firms Weather the Great Recession
A new study shows that debt isn’t always a liability during a financial crisis.
Innovation
Take 5: Make Your Big Idea a Success
Kellogg faculty share what it takes to find, foster, and sell innovation.
Policy
The Complicated Logic Behind Donating to a Food Pantry Rather than Giving a Hungry Person Cash
If we were in need, we’d likely want money. So what accounts for that difference?
Finance & Accounting
How Blockchain Could Radically Alter Global Finance
The technology underlying cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin is already starting to make its mark.
Marketing
Podcast: How Amazon's Alexa Learns
Plus, an algorithm that can identify new social-media hashtags as they emerge.
December 2017
Organizations
How Are Black–White Biracial People Perceived in Terms of Race?
Understanding the answer—and why black and white Americans may perceive biracial people differently—is increasingly important in a multiracial society.
Marketing
Take 5: Holiday Shopping
Our faculty explain the reasoning behind some common shopping scenarios.
Marketing
Why Banning E-cigarette Ads on TV Could Backfire
A new study finds that an increase in e-cigarette ads leads to a decrease in traditional cigarette sales.
Policy
How a “Robot Tax” Could Reduce Income Inequality
This tax can also be part of a plan to improve the economy as a whole.
Organizations
Video: Exploring the Psychology of Trust
“People are making judgements about trustworthiness within 100 milliseconds.”
Policy
Measuring the Impact of Dodd–Frank on Household Leverage
The regulation’s attempt to prevent people from taking on mortgages they can’t repay may not work as intended.
Healthcare
Four Ways to Improve the Efficiency of U.S. Healthcare Markets
An economist discusses how to ensure the right mix of access, affordability, and quality.
Strategy
How the Wrong Team Can End Up with Too Much Power in an Organization
Employee incentives that made sense at the time can lead to problematic power dynamics.
November 2017
Innovation
Take 5: How to Adapt to Changes in Your Industry
In many businesses, change is the only constant. Are you prepared?
Careers
Podcast: Give Better Feedback
An expert on marriage and a former executive offer advice on giving and receiving constructive criticism.
Innovation
Tips for Established Companies to Keep Innovating
Intrapreneurship requires you to “think like a disruptor.”
Organizations
Making Employees Compete for Rewards Can Motivate Them—or It Can Backfire
When employees care about each other, rewarding group performance may be the better strategy.
Innovation
The Surprisingly Short Journey from Ivory Tower to Patent Office
Scientific research leads to marketplace innovations more frequently and quickly than expected.
Economics
How Do People Respond to Sales Tax Increases?
New research shows we aren’t as blasé as economists thought.
Marketing
The Science Behind Word-of-Mouth Recommendations
In the age of Yelp, two new studies explore why we offer advice and how it spreads.
Leadership
Video: Two Leaders Explain How They Overcame Trust Deficits in Their Organizations
“A high trust culture is absolutely essential to deliver high performance.”
Finance & Accounting
“One of the Investment Greats” Explains His Portfolio Strategy
A Q&A with renowned investor Lou Simpson.
October 2017
Policy
Analyzing the Trump Tax Plan
A former acting director of the Congressional Budget Office explains the impact on the deficit, corporate taxes, and pass-through income.
Careers
Podcast: How to Maintain Your Social and Professional Connections
Plus, sending a regular “letter to the boss” can help you when you need it most.
Finance & Accounting
Investors’ Fear of Missing Out on Disruptive Technology Leads to Overvalued Stocks
“Think of it like health insurance” for your portfolio.
Marketing
When Are Consumers Most Likely to Feel Overwhelmed by Their Options?
Research points to four predictors of “choice overload.”
Leadership
Take 5: How to Tell a Great Story
Storytelling is a key business skill. Here’s how to make your narratives more persuasive.
Healthcare
Prescription Drug Coupons Actually Increase Healthcare Spending by Billions
Consumers may love them, but coupons steer people away from inexpensive generics.
Organizations
Is It Too Hot to Help Out?
Why the thermostat may be the key to better customer service.
Policy
Robots Are Taking Americans’ Jobs. What Can Be Done?
Four concrete policy proposals to get people back to work.
Leadership
When Should Leaders Own a Decision and When Should They Delegate?
Here are four questions to consider to become a more efficient decision-maker.
September 2017
Strategy
When Picking the Wrong Person for the Job Is the Right Move
Sometimes building credible relationships with your employees and suppliers is more important than finding the “perfect” fit.
Organizations
Take 5: How Power Dynamics Shape Our Behavior
Power—or the lack of it—impacts everything from snack choices to economic growth.
The Science Behind the Growing Importance of Collaboration
Plus, ideas for designing spaces that encourage employees to team up in unique ways.
Operations
Want to Improve Your Sales Forecast? Check Your Company’s Facebook Feed.
Social media data can help predict consumer demand.
Politics & Elections
When Corporations Donate to Candidates, Are They Buying Influence?
The surprising result suggests the need to rethink the role of money in politics.
Marketing
Are You Offering Your Children Too Many Choices?
Deciding between an abundance of options leads to less engagement with the final choice.
Investors Prefer It When Corporations Are Specific about the Risk They Face
The market values detailed risk disclosures. But executives should be cautious about oversharing.
Data Analytics
To Get the Most from Data Analytics, Reward Intellectual Curiosity Across Your Company
Don’t relegate big data to sales and marketing. Let it permeate the culture.
August 2017
Podcast: Why Do So Many People Distrust the News?
Plus, how to avoid being duped by fake news yourself.
Marketing
What Is a Brand Really Worth?
A global standard can help executives understand how powerful an asset they have.
Careers
Video: How Trust Takes Us Out of Our Comfort Zone
The more trusting the relationship, the more you have to gain—or lose.
Healthcare
What Happens to Healthcare Costs When Nonprofit Hospitals Take a Financial Hit?
The answer has implications for the debate over the Affordable Care Act.
Finance & Accounting
Why Has CEO Pay Grown So Much Faster Than the Average Worker’s?
A key component in growing pay disparity is how well executives harness new technologies.
Entrepreneurship
Waiting to Protect Intellectual Property Could Doom Your Startup
Patent attorneys offer four tips for entrepreneurs on safeguarding ideas from the get-go.
Innovation
Take 5: How to Empower Employees to Be More Creative
Creativity is a potent engine for business. Nurture it without letting office divas run the show.
Careers
How Innovators Choose Their Next Career Move
There is an overarching pattern in how innovators, like Elon Musk, shift their focus over time.
Strategy
What Happens to Quality When One Company Builds the Tracks and Another Runs the Trains?
Governments looking to improve their infrastructure will want to know the answer.
July 2017
Operations
How Much Does It Cost to Manufacture Overseas Versus at Home?
A new tool helps companies calculate whether to offshore, manufacture locally, or dual source.
Marketing
Podcast: Why Are Rankings and Listicles So Popular?
From “Top 10 Beaches” to “Five Ways to Negotiate a Raise,” the psychology behind effective lists.
Finance & Accounting
What Makes Oil Prices So Volatile?
There’s more to the story than OPEC. Plus, how fracking stands to change the market.
Innovation
STEM Degrees Are Good for Careers. But Do They Lead to More Innovation?
Science, technology, engineering, and math education helps job prospects, but hurts the likelihood of becoming an inventor.
Finance & Accounting
Why Do Companies Turn Down Profitable Investments?
Limited organizational bandwidth can restrict managers’ options.
Leadership
Take 5: How to Motivate Employees
Research sheds light on which employee incentives work best.
Leadership
Four Strategies for Cultivating Strong Leaders Internally
A retired brigadier general explains how companies can prioritize talent development.
June 2017
Policy
Is an Unpredictable Leader Good for National Security?
Think the goal is to keep your enemies guessing? Game theory suggests otherwise.
Innovation
Take 5: How Humans Benefit as Machines Get Smarter
Kellogg faculty explain how human–machine partnerships can improve everything from your commute to your self-esteem.
Marketing
A New Way for Companies to Measure Consumer Engagement
Brands see value in connecting with customers through meaningful experiences. Research backs this strategy.
Careers
How to Maintain Strong Friendships as You Move Through Your Career
What the science of regret says about work–life balance and prioritizing close relationships.
Careers
Podcast: How to Avoid Five Common Career Pitfalls
Plus, a study shows an upside for companies that hire ex-offenders.
Operations
What Makes an Online Flash Sale Successful?
When ratings and reviews aren’t enough, showing that a deal is popular can convince others to buy.
Marketing
To Improve Fundraising, Give Donors a Local Connection
Research offers concrete strategies for appealing to donors who want to make an impact.
Finance & Accounting
The Puzzling Case of Why Syndicated Loans Are Cheaper in June than January
Research shows that interest rates are lower for borrowers who can plan ahead.
Economics
Does Immigration Help or Hurt Local Economies?
Historically, where immigrants cluster in the U.S., prosperity follows.
May 2017
Entrepreneurship
Take 5: How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur
Advice from Kellogg faculty experts on starting and running your own business.
Organizations
Sitting Near a High-Performer Can Make You Better at Your Job
“Spillover” from certain coworkers can boost our productivity—or jeopardize our employment.
Social Impact
“If You’re Inconsistent, You’re Toast.”
Companies serious about social impact are taking a deliberate stand on issues in line with their core business.
Careers
Want to Network Like a Pro? Get Your Story Straight
You will meet hundreds of people this year. Are you ready?
Leadership
How the U.S. Army Recruits and Retains Millennials
Lessons from the military on making the most of your ambitious millennial workforce.
Finance & Accounting
Alaskans Get an Annual Check from the State. How Do They Spend It?
The answer depends on a family’s income, but not in the way many economists expected.
April 2017
Data Analytics
Using Cell Phone Data to Predict the Next Epidemic
Whom you call is linked to where you travel, which dictates how viruses spread.
How Tight-knit and Individualistic Communities Adopt New Technologies Differently
Innovations from fax machines to WhatsApp spread faster in some societies than others.
