Research and Insights from Texas McCombs
Want to Stress-Proof Your Office? Let Workers Show Their True Colors
Workplace friendships suffered during the pandemic, but trust mitigated the damage, according to new research Based on the research of…
Auditing Committees Hire Handsome Partners
Does your audit committee lack Big Four experience? They’re more likely to select an outside auditor for their good looks. Based…
Work Teams With More Freedom Perform Better
Software teams improved productivity and customer satisfaction when the company took a hands-off approach. Based on the research of Indranil Bardhan…
A Better Way to Make Risky Decisions
From predicting the weather to developing pharmaceuticals, we can measure risk using decision analysis Based on the research of Jim Dyer…
Workplace Injuries Decline After Private Equity Buyouts
Companies see annual injuries per employee fall by up to 15% following a PE acquisition Based on the research of…
To Deepen Connections, Skip the Small Talk
Want to build relationships and feel happier? New research suggests we get personal Based on the research of Amit Kumar…
We’re Not as Smart as Google Makes Us Think We Are
Looking up answers online can leave us overconfident about what we know Based on the research of Adrian Ward From the…
Online Attention Predicts Stock Returns
To forecast returns, a new research-based tool tracks internet stock discussion Based on the research of Ashish Agarwal In recent…
How Images Get Consumers to Time Travel
First-of-its-kind study looks at visual entropy’s connection to buying behavior Based on the research of Raj Raghunathan and Adrian Ward…
Crowdfunding Succeeds When Asks Are Timed Right
Apply this research-based strategy to know when to contact key donors — and whom to save for the last minute Based on…
Incentivize Activity, Not Just Sales
Paying workers simply to take action — like making more sales calls — improves results for their company Based on the research of Raghunath…
More Direct Flights, Improved Organ Donations
In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers looked at the impact of direct airline flights on kidney sharing and transplantation. Based on…
9 Research-Based Revelations About Multitasking
Think you’re great at completing multiple tasks at the same time? A new study shows why you’re probably wrong. Based on…
Activism Moves Companies Beyond the Bottom Line
Businesses face increasing pressures — both internal and external — to address political and social issues, experts say Corporations are taking stands in ways…
Virtual Reality Provides Real-Life Sales Forecasts
Having shoppers test in-the-pipeline products means companies can develop more user-friendly durable goods Based on the research of Sebastian Hohenberg…
Facing the Future
After decades studying technology, a researcher predicts what’s next in AI, bitcoin, and the post-pandemic workplace The future has been…
SEC’s Terrorism Focus Hinders Financial Oversight
Flagging possible dealings with a state sponsor of terrorism led to missed errors in financial reporting Based on the research…
Fighting Bias in Machine Learning
Improving fairness in the life-changing decisions made with algorithms Technology can help us make better decisions. But it can also…
Sorry, Siri: Drawbacks to Algorithms Sounding Too Human
In online marketing, consumers more readily forgive algorithm errors — unless the algorithm pretends to be human Based on the research of…
The Role of the Office in a Post-COVID World
A year of remote work will have lasting effects, expert says When COVID-19 emptied office buildings around the globe early…
Mapping a Year of Disruption
[VIDEO] Admiral Bobby Inman gives his take on global hotspots and a full year of the global pandemic and its…
To Guard Against Hostile Takeovers, Worried CEOs Emphasize Bad News
Chief executives focus on the negative to protect their companies, new research shows Based on the research of Shuping Chen…
Let Consumers, Not Banks, Control Their Personal Financial Data
The result? Better terms from banks and insurers. Based on the research of Cesare Fracassi In the online world where…
Watch Me Work
Workplaces that monitor employees can learn something from police attitudes around wearing body cameras Based on the research of Shefali Patil…
Marketers Move the Needle for Entrepreneurs
Can a marketer have a measurable impact on a small business? A field experiment in Africa quantifies, at last, how…
Startups Lose Innovative Edge Under Corporate Funding
When an established tech company invests in a startup, innovation suffers Based on the research of Francisco Polidoro Jr. When a…
How to Strengthen Your Network
A communication expert’s advice for connecting with new people in our virtual times There’s an overused phrase that it’s not…
Changes to Vaccine Contracts Could Save Lives Worldwide
By retooling the way vaccines are paid for, health organizations could incentivize pharmaceutical companies to get more doses to poorer…
COVID-19 Under a Business Microscope
As the globe continues to tackle a historic health threat, Texas McCombs researchers are studying business, drug approvals, and more…
A Learning Revolution
The McCombs response: Necessity closes school’s classrooms and gives birth to innovations By Matt W. Turner Illustration by Michael Driver When…
Companies Take Risks When Making Secret Political Contributions
‘Covert’ sponsorship of an embattled nonprofit — identified by a whistleblower — drove investors to sell off companies’ stock Based on the research of…
Housing Speculators Could Bring on Repeat Crash
Housing speculation inflated a third of the housing bubble that led to the Great Recession. In parts of the country,…
Fraud Revealed as Key to Financial Crash
Fraud in asset-backed securities was an underrated cause of the most recent financial crash — and it could bring on another one…
Three Steps to Better Investing
Advice on selecting mutual funds, listening to CEOs, and considering climate change, courtesy of Texas McCombs research If you’re looking…
Picking a Physician? Don’t Rely on Online Reviews
If you have a chronic disease, relying on review websites for choosing a doctor could be hazardous to your health…
To Demotivate Your Workers, Connect Pay to Hours Clocked
Employees of all ability levels see pay solely based on their hours worked as unfair Based on the research of…
Why Do Nonprofits Misreport Their Financial Performance? It’s About Manager Pay
When you donate, your money often doesn’t support the nonprofit’s mission as much as it says it does. Based on the…
Sellers Who Disclose Prices Can Maximize Profits
To drive up sales, dealers should disclose price at the start of a negotiation Based on the research of Sebastian…
Why You’re Unlikely to Hear About a Company’s Bad Behavior
Oil spill repeat offenders are less likely to receive attention, new research shows Based on the research of Francisco Polidoro…
To Gain Business Skills, Embrace a Learning Mindset
Staying home offers an opportunity for online education, say business professors Feeling isolated at home? When it comes to learning,…
Viral Videos Get a Boost From Sharing Big
Want your videos to go viral? Expand your platforms. Based on the research of Vijay Mahajan Brands that want their…
When We Fear an Awkward Phone Call, We Often Turn to Text
Why making an ‘uncomfortable’ call may be good for our interpersonal connections — and health Based on the research of Amit Kumar…
Tether Connection Puts Bitcoin at Risk
An unstable digital currency called Tether, used for trading better-known currencies such as Bitcoin, could crash the whole crypto market…
Communicating Emotion Effectively in a Virtual World
Keeping close ties at work is increasingly important — and difficult. But research shows it’s possible even in a virtual workplace. Based…
It Only Takes Seconds to Alert Facebook Users to Fake News
Amid a pandemic and looming election, curbing misinformation is urgent Based on the research of Tricia Moravec In the Information…
Facing COVID-19, Some Businesses Should Reopen Before Others
During a pandemic, research shows not all locations ought to be treated the same Based on the research of Avinash…
A Dirty Secret About Cleaning Your Plate
Childhood lessons about not wasting food can backfire on public health, but smart marketing can undo the damage Based on…
Loose Credit Led to Housing Price Bust
Excessive credit supply — not irrational buyer euphoria — was to blame for the 2003–2010 cycle, research shows Based on the research of John…