August 2019
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.
Operations
Podcast: How Do Those Valentine’s Day Roses End Up in Your Bouquet? It’s Complicated.
Millions of blooms. Two continents. One day. And a very busy airport.
Leadership
Take 5: How to Build Trust in the Workplace
Trust is a powerful motivator. Here’s how to foster it among employees in your organization.
Finance & Accounting
How Chinese Businesses Establish Credibility with Foreign Investors
Where contract law is lax, investment banks step in to vet companies.
Operations
What’s the Best Way to Learn a New Skill—by Doing or by Viewing?
An analysis of eBay coders shows that studying a colleague’s work can pay off. Just be careful whose shoulder you’re looking over.
Careers
How to Feel Authentic While Building Your Personal Brand
Get beyond clichés like “adaptable” or “self-starter,” and learn to tell meaningful stories about yourself.
Careers
Podcast: Knock Your Next Business Presentation Out of the Park
From eliminating surprises to setting up the room, the best presenters do a lot more than practice.
Innovation
Looking to Innovate? Ditch the Startup Mentality and Adopt a Venture Capitalist Mindset
Rather than cultivating one great idea, bet on as many as you can.
Strategy
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.
Marketing
Should You Ignore What Your Customers Want? The Great Winemakers Do.
Rather than follow consumer taste, they push it in a new direction.
January 2019
Policy
Podcast: How the Boston Marathon Bombing Created a Rorschach Test for Perceptions of Race
And how a Kellogg professor found himself unexpectedly involved in the trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Politics & Elections
Which Gold Medalists Do We Tweet About? Liberals and Conservatives Differ
New research explores how political ideology can affect whose accomplishments we celebrate.
Policy
Which Voters Want to Expand Medicaid? Maybe Not the Ones You Think
4-year degree-holders tend to be big supporters—even though they are personally unlikely to benefit.
Organizations
How to Navigate a Vertical Merger after the AT&T and Time Warner Ruling
Here’s what companies can do to minimize antitrust concerns in an uncertain regulatory environment.
Not Everyone Benefited from Lower Interest Rates During the Great Recession
The Fed wanted to help struggling homeowners. But new lending rules undermined its efforts.
Organizations
How to Make Inclusivity More Than Just an Office Buzzword
Tips for turning good intentions into actions.
Innovation
Three Steps to Help Innovation Teams Succeed at an Established Company
A former Target executive shares how to move fast within organizations that are slow to evolve.
Politics & Elections
Politicians Vote Differently When Journalists Aren’t Watching
During natural disasters, the media spotlight shifts—and special interests benefit.
Operations
There’s a Better Way to Manage Your Inventory
Using data from a drug-store chain, a new model finds opportunities to prevent shortages and boost profits.
Marketing
Why We Can’t All Get Away with Wearing Designer Clothes
In certain professions, luxury goods can send the wrong signal.
Careers
Take 5: How to Take Charge of Your Professional Development
Kellogg faculty offer advice for every stage of your career.
December 2018
Policy
Podcast: Two Surprising Ways to Predict How Supreme Court Justices Will Vote
Here’s what a half century of data can tell us.
Marketing
Take 5: How to Build Customer Relationships That Last
Getting—and keeping—customer’s attention can be tough. Kellogg faculty offer tips.
Organizations
Are Women More Ethical at the Negotiating Table? It’s Complicated.
Plus, how women are judged differently when they break the rules.
Innovation
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.
Economics
What Google Is Teaching Economists About Unemployment Insurance
Search data can tell policymakers whether extending unemployment benefits delays job-seeking.
Organizations
Customers Can Be Jerks. Here’s Why Some Employees Retaliate.
But take heart, companies can curb that instinct for revenge.
Strategy
Why Do Trainees Get Stuck with So Much Grunt Work?
There must be faster ways to get them up to speed. Yet grueling apprenticeships persist in medicine, law, and the trades.
Innovation
Why Family Businesses Sometimes Make Decisions That Seem Bad for the Family
Even non-family firms can benefit when they think beyond their immediate self-interest.
Organizations
Organizational Change Is Often a Tough Sell, but Encouraging Peer Interactions Can Help
A study of teachers offers lessons on how to get employees on board with reforms.
Entrepreneurship
4 Qualities Venture Capitalists Look for in an Entrepreneur
A serial investor explains why you need more than just a cool idea.
November 2018
Leadership
Video: How to Restore Trust When It’s Been Broken
Plus, a way to encourage ethical behavior to avoid breaches in the first place.
Entrepreneurship
Podcast: Why It’s Crucial for Startups to Define Their Identity Early
Plus, dispelling a pervasive myth about successful entrepreneurs.
Leadership
Take 5: Fine-Tuning Your Powers of Persuasion
From understanding power dynamics to telling a memorable story, here’s how to sell your ideas.
Careers
Don’t Let Complacency Derail Your Career
How to hone your learning agility and take good risks.