December 2019
Leadership
Why Your Next Brainstorm Should Begin with an Embarrassing Story
This counterintuitive exercise can spark creativity.
November 2019
Careers
Podcast: Be Bold and Get What You Want
Done playing it safe? On this episode of The Insightful Leader, a three-time CEO offers advice on how to make difficult requests.
Leadership
Building Great Teams
Assembling and managing successful teams is a core leadership skill, whether you are convening a temporary task force, managing a full department, or running a school fundraiser.
Leadership
Podcast: Can a Little Embarrassment Make Your Team More Creative?
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: new research suggests an unusual icebreaker to try at your next brainstorming session.
Policy
Dozens of New Terrorist Organizations Emerge Each Year. Which Ones Will Become Most Dangerous?
A new tool gets at the answer using the same techniques that investors use to evaluate startups.
Marketing
Entrepreneurs, Don’t Let Branding Become an Afterthought
Start defining your brand strategy on day one. Your future self will thank you.
Organizations
Why You Should Skip the Easy Wins and Tackle the Hard Task First
New research shows that you and your organization lose out when you procrastinate on the difficult stuff.
Careers
Take 5: How to Be Prepared for Important Career Moments
Expert advice on getting ready to network, negotiate, or make your case to the CEO.
Leadership
How Business Leaders Can Prepare for a Cyberattack
The former head of U.S. Cyber Command explains why any company can be a target.
Organizations
In an Era of Easy Outrage, When Should Brands Take a Stand?
A Kellogg professor explains how companies can navigate boycotts while staying connected with customers.
Economics
How Dodd-Frank Made Commercial Mortgage Loans Safer
The financial reform bill increased the cost of certain loans, but lowered the risk of default.
Economics
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.
Economics
How Raising the Sales Tax Could Help Fight a Recession
New research points to a counterintuitive new tool to spur spending.
October 2019
Marketing
Stories Can Be Powerful Persuasive Tools. But It’s Important to Understand When They Can Backfire.
New research reveals why sometimes sticking to the facts is your best bet.
Healthcare
Would "Medicare for All" Really Reduce Healthcare Costs in the U.S.?
Single payer drives significant savings in countries like Canada. But new research suggests it might play out differently in the U.S.
Economics
Companies Are Shifting Investment Away from Physical Capital, with Far-Reaching Consequences
Buildings and machinery are out. Software, IP, and research are in. Here’s why it matters.
Marketing
It’s Time to Radically Rethink the Customer Experience. Here’s How to Get Started.
To provide millions of personalized interactions, organizations will need to lean heavily on automation and AI.
Organizations
How to Create a Human-Friendly Workplace in an Age of Automation
Three ways humans and machines can work together—to the benefit of organizations and their employees.
Careers
Take 5: The Case for Being More Authentic at Work
When done thoughtfully, authenticity can make for more confident, ethical leaders. Here’s how to ensure you’re being your true self.
Careers
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.
September 2019
Finance & Accounting
Is Maximizing Shareholder Value a Thing of the Past?
Top CEOs recently “redefined” the purpose of a corporation. Kellogg faculty weigh in.
Marketing
First Impressions Matter for Groups, Too
Labeling something or someone as “first” can have a dramatic effect on our perceptions of those who follow.
Careers
Take 5: What Business Leaders Can Learn from the Military
Army colonels share advice on recruiting millennials, managing up, and keeping the broader mission in mind.
Marketing
Is Your Digital-Advertising Strategy Paying Off?
Brands are demanding evidence that campaigns are working. Here’s what they should be asking.
Economics
Daughters’ Math Scores Suffer When They Grow Up in a Family That’s Biased Towards Sons
Parents, your children are taking their cues about gender roles from you.
Careers
Nobel Prize Winners—They’re Just Like Us!
The career paths of these elite scientists are surprisingly similar to those of their less accomplished peers.
Marketing
Too Many Options? Here’s a Data Visualization Technique That Can Lead to Better Decisions.
It’s a surprisingly simple way to thwart our irrational impulses.
Economics
Some High-Frequency Trading Strategies Can Damage the Stock Market’s Health
But a small tweak to how trading orders are processed could help.
Careers
How to Get the Ear of Your CEO—And What to Say When You Have It
Every interaction with the top boss is an audition for senior leadership.
Social Impact
What’s Keeping Corporate Boards from Becoming More Diverse
And what leaders can do to change that.
August 2019
Policy
Why Antitrust Regulators Don’t Scare Big Tech
A business law expert explains why the market is more likely than the government to rein in Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google.
Policy
The Business Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Two economists propose a bipartisan immigration overhaul, with an eye towards the future of the labor force.
Politics & Elections
When People Think Their Neighbors Support Trump, They’re More Likely to Express Anti-immigrant Views
Social norms are powerful—but fluid. A study of the 2016 election shows how they can change.
Careers
Ready to Reenter the Workforce? Read This First.
Four suggestions for transitioning back to work after a long break.
Leadership
Need to Make a Critical Decision? Here’s How to Ensure You Have the Right Intel.
A former Army colonel shares four steps leaders can take to get the information they need when they need it.
Take 5: What You May Not Know about Advertising
Research reveals how ads can affect shopping behavior, elections, and even our health.
Finance & Accounting
The Groucho Marx Theory of Efficient Markets
A finance professor argues that markets remain efficient only if enough people believe they are not.
Marketing
How Anger Can Help Us Make Better Decisions
Yes, you read that right: Sometimes being mad helps you focus on what you want.
Organizations
Numeric Performance Reviews Can Be Biased Against Women
The ten-point scale favors men in some situations. But a simple change to the rating system can level the playing field.
Organizations
What Makes a Corporate Board Member Most Influential?
New research explores what it takes for directors to drive big-picture strategic change at a company.
Economics
China Weathered the Global Recession with an Aggressive Stimulus Package. But Did It Prop Up the Wrong Firms?
A cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of credit expansion.
July 2019
Innovation
The Appeal of Handmade in an Era of Automation
This excerpt from the book “The Power of Human” explains why we continue to equate human effort with value.
Podcast: What Leaders Can Do to Build Trust Quickly
Lessons from Kellogg’s interim dean on establishing credibility, encouraging criticism, and empowering your team.
Leadership
How to Establish Yourself as an Interim Leader
Kathleen Hagerty reflects back on her year as interim dean of the Kellogg School.
Innovation
Artificial Intelligence Is Improving How Companies Do Business
Here are four of the most significant trends.
Strategy
Take 5: How to Increase Your Office's Productivity
Research-backed tips for improving workflows and discouraging slacking.
Economics
Should Antitrust Laws Really Be Changed, or Should We Just Enforce the Laws We Have?
A presidential assassination brought the trust-busting Teddy Roosevelt to power. The episode offers lessons for today’s antitrust regulators.
Policy
Do Soda Taxes Work? It’s Complicated.
A look at the Philadelphia soda tax shows that it had some benefits—but it didn’t stop people from buying sugary drinks.
Policy
We’re at a Data Privacy Crossroads. Where Do We Go From Here?
What individuals, regulators, and companies need to consider as we live more of our lives online.
Leadership
4 Steps to Becoming a More Self-Aware Leader
Here’s how to hone your emotional intelligence to benefit your team and your career.
Politics & Elections
Are Voters Biased Against Female Politicians?
In many cases, no. But economic anxiety can ignite powerful gender stereotypes.
Organizations
How Family Businesses Can Adapt for the Next Generation
Five tips for staying relevant—and successful—as an “enterprising family.”
Innovation
AI and the Social Sciences Used to Talk More. Now They’ve Drifted Apart.
Research shows that the gap between these disciplines is growing, which could make it harder to address social and ethical problems.
Organizations
Most Employees Retaliate If They're Slighted at Work
Here’s how managers can break the cycle of office conflict.
June 2019
Policy
Do High Local Taxes Really Hurt Economic Growth?
Corporate incentives and low tax rates are supposed to make a city more business-friendly. An economist explains why that’s often not the case.
Marketing
Take 5: The Psychology of Healthy Eating
Opting for a salad instead of a steak can be hard. Research from Kellogg can help.
Leadership
For Teams, What Matters More: Raw Talent or a History of Success Together?
A study of professional sports teams suggests that one factor is clearly more important, but the best teams combine them both.
Economics
A Nation’s Wealth May Depend on How Much Its Workers Can Learn on the Job
New research suggests that formal schooling is not the panacea to global inequality that many have long believed it to be.
Organizations
Could Bringing Your "Whole Self" to Work Curb Unethical Behavior?
Organizations would be wise to help employees avoid compartmentalizing their personal and professional identities.
Politics & Elections
One Nation Invades Another. What Will Happen Next?
Game theory reveals why some conflicts escalate and others don’t.
Marketing
How to Create a Brand Name That Works
Tide. Peloton. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. The best names share four traits, according to an excerpt from Kellogg on Branding in a Hyperconnected World.
Entrepreneurship
Uber and Airbnb Outpaced Regulators by Becoming Indispensable. Parking App Haystack Met a Very Different Fate.
The startup had a popular business model and positive press. Its founder explains why it still failed.
Finance & Accounting
What Causes Stock Market Swings?
Tariffs? Job reports? Oil prices? A new volatility index pinpoints which factors make investors feel uncertain.
Careers
Are You Doing the Work You Were Meant to Do?
It’s never too late to forge your own path. Here are four steps.
May 2019
Careers
Take 5: How to Kickstart a Successful Career
Young professionals, smart decisions now will open doors for you in the future.
Marketing
The Dos and Don’ts of Repositioning Your Brand
This “strategy of last resort” should not be undertaken lightly. An excerpt from Kellogg on Branding in a Hyper-Connected World.
Marketing
Want Your Kids to Eat More Healthy Food? Offer Them Less.
Here’s a counterintuitive way to make carrots more “yummy.”
Careers
In the Hunt for Top Talent, Don’t Overlook Older Workers
A veteran recruiter shares tips on hiring this valuable, and growing, segment of the labor force.
Policy
How Big Is the Gender Gap in Science Research Funding?
Two new studies look at who wins the prestigious grants and prizes that can make or break a scientist’s career.
Finance & Accounting
A Comprehensive Model for Building Winning Stock Portfolios
Linking fundamental analysis and portfolio optimization may be the key to solving the “investor’s problem.”
Marketing
A Surprisingly Simple Way to Encourage Customers to Take a Risk
How certain kinds of visuals can inspire people to be more adventurous.
Marketing
5 Ways to Know Your Customer Better Than Your Competitors Do
For starters, get out of the office and find your end users.
Careers
How Introverts Can Learn to Love Networking
Four tips for turning this trait into a “networking superpower.”
Careers
Worried You’re Not Saving Enough for Retirement? Here’s What You Can Do.
An economist offers suggestions for individuals and policymakers to help make retirement more secure.
April 2019
Innovation
Podcast: Unleash Your Inner Designer
You—yes, you!—can use design thinking to find creative solutions to your customers’ problems.
Organizations
Take 5: Cultivating Empathy in the Workplace
What to understand about this critical, but surprisingly complex, trait.
Marketing
What You Need to Know about the Newest Frontier of Brand Storytelling
An excerpt from Kellogg on Branding in a Hyper-Connected World explores the power of a “transmedia” approach.
Economics
When an Industry Consolidates, What Happens to Wages?
A surprisingly consistent answer has emerged in one sector: healthcare.
Policy
Do Police Body Cameras Provide an Impartial Version of Events?
New research reveals that people assign blame differently after viewing body cam versus dash cam footage.
Organizations
Bias in Organizations May Not Just Come from the Top
Leaders can face bias from their staff, too. A new study shows that male teachers are more likely to leave schools that are led by women.
Data Analytics
To Improve Customer Experience, Embrace the Outliers in Your Data
Don’t ignore them. Let them highlight your biggest failures and juiciest opportunities.
Strategy
For Companies Worried About a Trade War, the Time to Act Is Now
A lot of companies are “holding tight and hoping it all just goes away.” Don’t be one of them.
Finance & Accounting
Three Quarters of Americans Aren’t Putting Enough into Their 401(k)s
With employers shifting away from pensions, there’s an urgent need for improved financial literacy.
Entrepreneurship
You Just Bought a Small Business. Now It’s Time to Lead.
Four tips for tackling the unique challenges of entrepreneurship through acquisition.
March 2019
Organizations
Climate Change Is Transforming the Economy. How Will Your Company Adapt?
“Until organizations learn to internalize the threat, they’re in danger of falling behind.”
Leadership
Podcast: Great Leaders Ask, "What Really Matters?"
Former Fortune 500 CEO Harry Kraemer discusses how knowing and acting on your values can guide you through a crisis.
Organizations
Take 5: How to Build a Collaborative Workplace
Simple strategies for reaping the benefits of collaboration.
Marketing
Good Brand Design Appeals to Consumers on an Unconscious Level
An excerpt from “Kellogg on Branding in a Hyper-Connected World” uses an iconic brand—Coca-Cola—to illustrate the power of design thinking.
Organizations
Podcast: Revenge of the Customer Service Rep
Why employees sabotage customers, and what companies can do about it.
Marketing
How Tech Giant SAP Built Its Brand with Help from Employee Stories
A conversation with CMO Alicia Tillman.
Organizations
Worried Your Employees Are Slacking? Rethink How You Pay Them.
A new study reveals the optimal incentive system, and it’s surprisingly simple.
Operations
Why First Come, First Served Isn’t Always the Best Approach to Customer Service
Is it time to give impatient people their own line?
Data Analytics
How to Build Artificial Intelligence that Everyone Can Trust
Experts from IBM Watson and Kellogg discuss how to remove bias and increase transparency in machine-learning algorithms.
Careers
Four Ways to Influence Your Bosses without Alienating Them
Here’s how to make your manager look good and become indispensable in the process.
Innovation
How Much Does Innovation Drive Economic Growth?
A study of millions of patents lifts the veil on how new ideas influence productivity.
Marketing
How (Not) to Change Someone’s Mind
Psychologists have found two persuasion tactics that work. But put them together and the magic is lost.
Careers
To Land Top Jobs, Women Need Different Types of Networks than Men
Simply being well-connected is not enough.
February 2019
Organizations
Want to Revolutionize Your Field? You May Need to Rethink the Size of Your Research Team.
Large and small teams produce different types of breakthroughs, according to an analysis of 50 million patents, software products, and academic papers.
