News Releases
Three Tips for a Happier Workplace
For better results, prioritize employee well-being Workplaces filled with happy employees experience better performance. So says Raj Raghunathan, a Texas…
Building an Ethical Culture
Focusing employee attention on a company’s mission promotes workplace values Ethical scandals in business are often attributed to “bad apples”…
Don’t Be Rude: Polite Answers Favored by Online Questioners
Civil replies beat confrontational ones when answering other online readers Based on the research of Andrew Whinston Spend some time online…
Working Better Together
Organizations benefit from hiring workers of various backgrounds and abilities, says the dean for diversity and inclusion at Texas McCombs…
Clinical Optimization
Researchers work together to help patients see multiple clinicians on one visit By Steve Brooks Illustration: Nata Metlukh When a first-time…
How To Fail Smart
Why those seeking to innovate must allow for failure along the way Successful innovators are often well acquainted with failure.…
The Personnel Component
How people analytics can help your company get ahead. By London Gibson Sekou Bermiss of Texas McCombs says it’s important for…
Creative Workers Need Both Incentives and Breaks
For best results, churn out ideas, rest, repeat. Based on the research of Steve Kachelmeier Illustration by Dave Plunkert To encourage good…
What Gym Memberships Can Teach Us About Self-Control
Membership renewal strategies rely on understanding how people self-regulate It happens every year: We tell ourselves this time we’re going…
Movie Studios Build Buzz With Fake Film Tweets
It’s movie night. Which film should you see? Your decision might be swayed by fake tweets from studios. Based on the…
People Analytics: A New Weapon in the War for Talent
The human resources field is at a pivot point with the increased influence of People Analytics, a data-driven approach to…
What These Brands Know About Marketing That You Don’t
The most powerful secret to unlocking brand growth is the ‘transformational insight’ By Rob Malcolm Each of these brands achieved…
Will You See the Doctor Now?
Two landmark studies use patient no-show probability to create a scheduling model that minimizes patient wait time while maximizing profit…
In Sales Force Incentives, Give Choice a Chance
Want to get more sales out of a sales contest? Let your sellers pick their own incentives. Based on the…
Letting Banks Know Who’s Got the Power to Pay
Each year in the U.S., more than $15 billion of overdue credit card debt goes into collections. But it doesn’t…
Working Together is Easier if You Can Distinguish Perspective-Taking From Empathy
New research offers pointers on seeing a co-worker’s point of view — knowing when to read their thoughts and when to read…
Is Your LinkedIn Network Jinxing Your Job Search?
Think before you link on the popular career site. Having too many connections actually weakens your network power. Based on the…
The New Work-Work-Life Balance
Young workers are increasingly taking on side gigs in hopes of advancing professionally. Experts offer some tips for managing them. By…
Brick-and-Mortar Retailers Could Get a Boost by Tracking In-store Displays
Internet of things technology gives suppliers the ability to more efficiently monitor promotional displays — and boost profits Based on the research…
Blockchain Conversation Needs a Change
Why we should stop talking about blockchain ideals and start talking about economics By London Gibson Blockchain has been a…
Want to Stop a Whistleblower? Listen Carefully.
Companies that establish a culture of respect can identify and resolve problems before a whistle is blown. By Jeremy M. Simon…
How to Manage the Innovation Butterfly
All actions have unintended consequences and risks. This so-called ‘butterfly effect’ requires specific strategies for innovators. By Renee Hopkins Does…
Loyalty to a Leader Is Overrated, Even Dangerous
History is replete with tales of all-powerful leaders, but followers have an obligation to think for themselves and to speak…
Why Performance Rankings Can Backfire for Promotions
Ranking workers against one another can be good for business — except when they’re competing for a promotion. Based on the research…
Women Bring More Skills, Better Performance to the C-Suite
Data show that firms do better with female leaders in the mix. Based on the research of David Harrison, Laura Starks,…
Blockchain Innovation
McCombs takes a global role in research and development of groundbreaking new crypto-technology By Steve Brooks When the doors to…
Planning for Idle Time and Interruptions
If your workday is plagued by idle time and interruptions, new research shows how to turn them to your advantage…
Keeping Calm When You’re on the Clock
Stress limits thinking capacity and is harmful to health. Here are three ways to get back into the productive zone.…
Political Misfits in the Workplace
Being the only conservative or liberal political voice at work can determine how long employees stick around. Based on the research…
To Boost App Sales, Reconsider the Free Versions
Most mobile apps entice new users with free versions, hoping they’ll like them enough to buy paid versions. That strategy…
Improve Your Company’s Social Reputation, and Investors Will Notice
There’s good news for companies with bad reputations for social responsibility, finds a new study from Texas McCombs Based on…
How to Pitch An Idea Your Boss Will Like
Too often, workers get encouraged to make suggestions, only to have them fall on deaf ears Based on the research…
How to Handle Political Disputes With Co-Workers
Love your job, but can’t handle the political viewpoints from your colleagues? Four ways to cope when the discussion gets heated.…
How One App’s Buyout Can Boost Competitors
When Facebook bought Instagram, competing apps were expected to vanish. Instead, some actually gained users. Based on the research of Ashish Agarwal…
Supply Chains, Not Trade Agreements, Keep Tariffs Low
Based on the research of Kishore Gawande Look at the iPhone in your hand. From the outside, you might see a…
Tenure, Not Time, Predicts Client Loyalty
When agent Jerry Maguire learns he’s getting the boot from his sports management company, his SMI swan song is a…
Business Schools Need To Start Teaching Students How To Think Like Steve Jobs
UT entrepreneurship professor says future-focused imagination can be taught, and it’s high-time business schools started Based on the research of…
Your Co-Workers Are Computers
AI is changing how work gets done, with researchers forecasting both more efficiency and increased monitoring By Jeremy M. Simon…
Thanks, but No Thanks
Why we tend to withhold our gratitude, and why researchers say that needs to change. Based on the research of Amit Kumar…
Gleaning Fresh Ideas From Your Board Members or Franchisees
Companies invest significant resources to come up with innovative new products. Two new studies suggest less costly alternatives: franchisees and…
In E-commerce, Trust Is More Crucial Than Price
Facebook’s tribulations demonstrate what can happen when a company loses its users’ trust. New research finds key ingredients to creating…
Ethics Demystified
A free video-based ethics curriculum is putting a new face on an age-old problem—and helping educators light a better path…
More or Less: Why Timing is Key to Your Team’s Creative Success
For creative teams, knowing when to stop brainstorming is crucial By Jeremy M. Simon Senior marketing lecturer Stephen Walls steps…
Politicians Who Pass on PACs Get More From CEOs
Business PACs have gotten a bad name, but banning their campaign contributions could have worse side effects. Candidates who refused…
In Social Media Age, New Products Need New Marketing Ideas
Consumers often look to other consumers before deciding to try a new product. But in the world of social networks,…
To Sell Spicy Food, Appeal to Aggression
As Americans’ taste buds grow more adventurous, they’re getting fonder of spicy food. How can marketers more effectively appeal to…
Is Your Partner Wrecking Your Financial Literacy?
How relationship roles shape a lifetime of money know-how for better — or for worse Based on the research of Adrian Ward When…
Empathetic Cops Are Less Happy, Struggle More on the Beat
Police officers with a strict law-and-order ideology hold up better under public animosity than their more empathetic peers Based on…