Kellogg Insight

A magazine of research and ideas from the
faculty of the Kellogg School of Management

October 2020

Does Requiring Food-Stamp Recipients to Work Actually Increase Economic Self-Sufficiency?

The answer is increasingly urgent as politicians debate whether to reinstate the requirement, which was paused during the COVID-19 recession.

Researchers Designed an Algorithm to Save Schools Money and Improve Equity. The District Loved it. Then Things Got Messy.

A tale of bus routes in Boston shows the promises and pitfalls of using new technology to change entrenched systems.

September 2020

How to Sell in a Virtual World

From a “pre-flight checklist” to handwritten thank-you notes, here’s how to sell both your products and your ideas via video.

Family Businesses Are Experiencing the COVID-19 Crisis in Unique Ways

Lower debt, diversified portfolios, and longer-term horizons may be shielding family firms from the existential threats facing many other businesses.

Could a Small City Become the Next Silicon Valley? It’s Unlikely.

New research suggests that there’s a population tipping point for supporting a booming tech industry.

Pharma Companies Argue That Lower Drug Prices Would Mean Fewer Breakthrough Drugs. Is That True?

Probably not, a new study suggests—as long as the price decreases are modest.

How Credit Ratings Are Shaping Governments’ Responses to Covid-19

To fund pandemic-related spending, governments around the world will need to take on more debt. If they can.

White Americans Overestimate Racial Progress. But Certain Attempts to Remedy That Could Backfire.

Researchers hoped that having white participants read about racism would help them grasp the true extent of racial gaps in wealth and income. They were wrong.

How Did School Desegregation Shape the Political Ideology of White Students Later in Life?

A new study suggests that, more than four decades later, the impact of these policies on political leanings is apparent.

How Anticipation Warps Our Sense of Time

Here’s why that trip to Disneyland—or to the dentist—seems to take ages, but the return trip feels much faster.

August 2020

We’re Several Months into the COVID Economy. What Have We Learned?

From household spending to the strength of the dollar, an economist sees some clear trends—and signs of what’s to come.

3 Tips for Conquering Self-Doubt at Work

High achievers often worry they aren’t qualified to weigh in. Here’s how to get past those self-sabotaging thoughts.

Podcast: Thinking about Adopting a Contact-Tracing App for Your Company? Here’s What to Keep in Mind.

The technology can help reopen workplaces—but only if your employees trust it. On this special episode of The Insightful Leader, three experts discuss how to earn that trust.

Why Well-Meaning NGOs Sometimes Do More Harm than Good

Studies of aid groups in Ghana and Uganda show why it’s so important to coordinate with local governments and institutions.

From PPE to Denim and Beer, Here’s What the Pandemic Is Teaching Us about Supply Chains

Five lessons from Kellogg Professor Marty Lariviere.

3 Steps for Reimagining Your Business for a Post-COVID World

The crisis presents an opportunity to dream up new ideas, learn from others, and take bold action.

Stop Hiring for “Cultural Fit”

When you prioritize candidates you “click with,” you run the risk of discriminating against candidates from different backgrounds. Here’s how to change course.

To Find the Best Incentives for Employees, Start with a Simple A/B Test

Keeping people motivated can be tough. New research shows that a simple experiment can lead to big productivity gains.

How AI Can Help Weed Out Faulty Scientific Research

Solid science is more important than ever, yet experts often struggle to predict which studies will replicate. Artificial intelligence could do the job better.

Recessions Can Stifle Product Innovation for Years

To keep companies innovating through a recession, they will need greater access to credit.

Here’s the Best Way to Rotate Workers (or Students) into Buildings to Curb the Spread of Covid-19

Should groups be staggered daily? Weekly? Monthly? A new model helps organizations decide.

Why Are Social Media Platforms Still So Bad at Combating Misinformation?

Facebook, Twitter, and users themselves have few incentives to distinguish fact from fiction.

July 2020

Podcast: How a Century-Old Family Business Is Adapting to the Pandemic

On this special episode of The Insightful Leader: a conversation with the chairman and the CEO of Griffith Foods about leading with purpose during the crisis.

What Astronauts Can Teach Us about Working Remotely

Space: the final frontier—for learning how to keep your team motivated during extended periods of isolation and confinement.

A Look Inside Chicago’s Economic Recovery Plan

Attracting HQ2s. Expanding mental-health care. A member of the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force explains how the city can emerge both stronger and more equitable.

Black-Owned Businesses Often Struggle to Access Capital. Here’s How Financial Institutions Can Change That.

Banks and investors need to redefine creditworthiness, diversify their boards, and think more about social returns.

Looking for “5 Quick Tips” to Build an Inclusive Organization? You’re on the Wrong Track.

Two experts discuss why corporate diversity initiatives so often fall short, and what it will take to produce real change.

The Pandemic Has Slashed Scientists’ Productivity

The extent varies a good deal by field, but the single biggest factor is whether a scientist is caring for young children.

How to Negotiate via Email

This excerpt from Negotiating the Sweet Spot: The Art of Leaving Nothing on the Table offers three tips for writing emails that engage and persuade.

Does Social-Media Use Increase Xenophobia?

A recent study investigates, using data from a popular Russian social-media platform and information on regional hate crimes.

Why We Know So Little about Disparities within the Federal Court System—and How That’s Finally Changing

Millions of hard-to-obtain public court records shed new light on the fairness of the U.S. judiciary.

What’s the Secret Ingredient to Great Mentorship?

It’s not just subject-matter expertise, according to a new study.

How to Build Resilient Habits into Your Daily Life

Life today is complicated. Here are some simple ways to stay energized and motivated.

You’ve Worked Hard to Earn Your Team’s Trust. What Happens If Layoffs Are Necessary?

Layoffs are brutal. But the news is easier to accept from leaders who consistently display honesty, competency, and concern for their employees.

Is Now the Time to Transition to Personalized Marketing?

Budgets are strapped. There are a million other things to do. But the risk of ignoring AI-powered modern marketing is dire.

Podcast: “This Is a Time for Management Teams to Earn Their Stripes.”

On this special episode of The Insightful Leader, veteran venture capitalist Woody Marshall discusses the investment landscape and the importance of leadership through the pandemic.

How to Do Design Thinking Better

Experts from Kellogg and IDEO explain the psychology behind this creative approach to problem solving.

June 2020

Amid the Pandemic, Entrepreneurs Can Still Find Opportunity

The crisis provides fertile ground for startups in spaces like telehealth and touchless payment. Other startups will need to get creative.

Podcast: Wayfair Has Seen a Spike in New Customers. Here’s How It Plans to Keep Them.

On this special episode of The Insightful Leader, a conversation with the company’s chief merchandising officer about adapting for an unprecedented future.

How to Secure Credit During a Financial Crisis

The key? Don’t tap your best collateral in good times.

Workers in less work-from-home-friendly sectors suffered greater economic consequences of COVID-19.

Why the Next Round of COVID-19 Aid Should Target Industries That Can’t Work from Home

A new study pinpoints which sectors—and which workers in those sectors—suffered the most. Congress should take note.

As the Crisis Drags On, Here’s How Leaders Can Maintain Momentum

The adrenaline has faded. All-nighters are not sustainable. A retired Navy admiral explains what needs to happen now.

How Is the Pandemic Affecting Antitrust Enforcement?

Deals will be ramping up again soon. Companies shouldn’t expect a free pass from regulators.

“This Is What It Means to Be Black in America and Black in Corporate America”

As the nation reckons with structural racism, a Kellogg professor and a Google diversity recruiter discuss what credible leadership looks like for business leaders.

Podcast: “I’m Looking for Systemic, Permanent Change Right Now”

Anti-Black racism is deeply embedded in corporate culture. On this special episode of The Insightful Leader, Professor Nicholas Pearce and Google’s Ginny Clarke discuss the moral responsibility of leaders to finally address that.

Marketing

How Have Top Marketers Responded to the Pandemic? With Rapid Innovation.

Leaders in industries from healthcare to casual dining are fast-tracking changes to the customer experience. Here are four of their stories.

Social Impact

What Will It Take to Alleviate Global Poverty?

We asked Kellogg experts what they wish NGOs and policymakers knew about poverty reduction. Their answers touched on everything from climate change to local bankruptcy laws.

Social Impact

Some Companies Actually Do See Financial Returns on Their Social Investments. Here’s What They Have in Common.

A new study finds that ESG investments—when paired with high employee satisfaction—boost stock performance.

Careers

Exhausted by Working from Home? Anxious about Going Back?

Tips from a clinical health psychologist on managing the work-related stressors that may be affecting your mental health.

Careers

How to Coach Your Sales Team through the Pandemic (and Beyond)

The founder of the Kellogg Sales Institute offers tips for adapting to this high-stakes moment.

Innovation

Want Your Employees to Innovate? Trust Them.

R&D teams take more risks—and do better work—when their CEOs have faith in them.

Strategy

Tired of People Invading Your Six-Foot Bubble? Game Theory Has a Solution.

Well, not exactly. But it does offer a new way of thinking about the problem.

Careers

Your Professional Development Doesn’t Need to Be Put on Hold

You can still seek out ways to stretch yourself or test out a new career path—even during a pandemic.

Careers

Younger Workers Lose Out When Their Coworkers Delay Retirement

But at fast-growing companies, the outlook is more promising.

Marketing

A New System for Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthier Foods

They tend to prefer variety. Here’s how to use that instinct to get more fruits and veggies on their plates.

May 2020

Policy

The Wrong Way to Ramp Up COVID-19 Testing

Robust testing is key to safely reopening the economy. But a new model shows that if testing is not paired with “smart containment,” it could backfire.

Leadership

Podcast: Now’s the Time to Hone Your Moral Decision-Making Skills

Dilemmas are rarely black-and-white. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear what fictional characters can teach us about today’s real-world quandaries.

Leadership

Easy Hacks to Improve Your Virtual Meetings

From “speed-storming” to building a team charter, these ideas boost creativity and comfort on video calls.

Operations

Having a Far-Flung Supply Chain May Lead to More Product Defects

When firms have to collaborate over long distances, the final product suffers.

Innovation

3 Strategies to Transform Your Business for the Pandemic Economy

You know you need to adapt. But how?

Organizations

Too Much Cross Talk. Too Little Creativity. How to Fix the Worst Parts of a Virtual Meeting.

Six tools from an unlikely place—improv comedy—to use on your next Zoom call.

Economics

The Treasury’s Former Chief Economist Takes Stock of the Pandemic’s Economic Impact

Kellogg’s Janice Eberly zeroes in on a few data points that demonstrate the massive challenge policymakers face.

Innovation

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.

Policy

What Can the Federal Government Do to Get the Economy Back on Track?

A former White House economist weighs the pros and cons of job-retraining programs, aid for states, and universal basic income.

Finance & Accounting

Taking on Debt Can Help a Company Grow—Until a Crisis Hits

A new study shows how highly leveraged companies have less flexibility to innovate in a downturn.

Economics

Here’s How Americans Are Spending Their Stimulus Checks

Real-time data pinpoints what we’re buying, and who’s spending the fastest.

Organizations

This Isn’t Their First Crisis: Many Family Businesses Are Uniquely Prepared for the Looming Recession

Even so, one of their core strengths could become a liability.

Healthcare

How to Craft Public-Health Messages That Work

The key? Understanding how fear and confidence shape healthy choices.

April 2020

Finance & Accounting

What Happens When Private-Equity Firms Start Making Deals Again?

There will be more buyout opportunities, but fewer on-site visits will make due diligence more difficult.

Leadership

Podcast: You Can Lead through a Crisis. But Can You Coach through One?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: three ways to help your employees arrive at their own answers to difficult questions.

Careers

Under Quarantine, It’s Not Marriage-as-Usual

A relationship researcher offers advice for cooped-up couples. Plus, how to preserve your work friendships.

Finance & Accounting

What the Current Crisis Means for Private Equity

Access to capital will likely buoy some PE firms and the companies they back. Others will be less lucky.

Leadership

A Pastor (and Management Professor) on Taking Care of Your Team during the COVID-19 Crisis

Share in their sacrifice. Don’t preach. And ask these three questions.

Social Impact

Uncertainty. Loss of Control. Why COVID-19 Is a Perfect Storm for Conspiracy Theories.

And how policymakers can help make them less appealing.

Finance & Accounting

The COVID-19 Crisis Reveals How Short-Term, Shareholder-First Thinking Still Rules the Day

From questionable buybacks to overly restrictive M&A clauses, a recent pledge to consider other stakeholders is ringing hollow.

Leadership

Podcast: Sure, Take That Zoom Call in Your Sweatpants. It Might Make You a Better Person.

When we stop compartmentalizing our home and work selves, we tend to act more ethically. Find out why on this episode of The Insightful Leader.

Economics

Companies Need to Prepare Today to Survive the Next 18 Months

An economist explains how leaders can try to lower fixed costs, retain workers, and mind their brands.

Leadership

How to Lead Your (Suddenly Virtual) Team through a Crisis

It’s going to require a shift in management style—and a healthy dose of overcommunication.

Economics

A Closer Look at Consumer Stockpiling During the Coronavirus Crisis

Researchers examined how households responded to shelter-in-place orders. They uncovered some surprises.

Marketing

Four Steps Marketers Can Take to Navigate the Pandemic

Step one: Press pause. Step two: Rethink everything.

Organizations

How Infectious-Disease Testing Can Improve Employee Performance

A new study on malaria prevention shows that employees who know their health status become more productive at work.

Leadership

Your Organization Needs a Coronavirus “War Room”

And other advice on making tough choices during a pandemic.

Marketing

When Building Your Brand, First Find Your Purpose

A conversation with the CMO of online bank Ally about staying committed to your company’s purpose as the organization grows.

Leadership

What Strong Crisis Leadership Looks Like during the Pandemic

COVID-19 is providing a crash course in crisis management. Leaders who display empathy, transparency, and aspiration will stand out.

The Latest: Our Faculty on the Coronavirus, Business, and the Economy

Finding a job during a pandemic. Plus, the fate of the 1918 “flu babies.”

Innovation

A New Product Release Often Sets Off a Customer Frenzy. But How Long Does It Last?

When consumers replace the old with the new, surprising trends emerge. A new mathematical model can better predict long-term sales.

Economics

The Unprecedented Stock-Market Reaction to COVID-19

A new analysis explains why this pandemic really is different.