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Recent Research Archive

Archives by Year
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996      
February 10, 2012

Using Market Footholds to Confuse the Competition

A niche in a new market can be a base for growth — or a way to keep rivals off guard.
February 3, 2012

How Monitoring by Stock Analysts Pays Dividends

Performance improves at firms that are tracked — the more analysts, the bigger the boost.
January 27, 2012

The “Third Team” Approach to Board Effectiveness

Gains are seen when a subset of directors and senior executives share knowledge and ideas.
January 20, 2012

When Safety Measures Boomerang for Online Auction Sites

Having too many protections puts buyers off by getting in the way of good deals.
January 13, 2012

The Dollar Payoff from CSR and Sustainability

How a deep commitment translates into better numbers in the stock market and on the bottom line.
January 6, 2012

Mixed Blessings from Antidumping Tariffs

Revenues rise at protected companies, but from price hikes — and production decreases.
December 23, 2011

How Hard Times Affect a CEO’s Career

Starting out in a recession scales down the scope of success.
December 16, 2011

Rosy Talk Makes Shareholders See Red

Overly optimistic statements in company disclosures increase litigation risks.
December 9, 2011

Aftermath of Bank Bailouts: More Risk

Loans and investments got edgier when U.S. aid was given.
November 23, 2011

Turning Tight Money into Smart Money

Investments become more prudent when borrowing becomes harder.
November 22, 2011

Taming the “Bullwhip Effect” in Supply Chains

How upstream companies can hedge the risks from demand cycles.
November 11, 2011

Importing Experts to Increase Exports

Skilled foreign employees help firms sell abroad.
November 4, 2011

A One-Two Punch to Foster Creativity

Both incentives and training are needed to spur innovation.
October 28, 2011

A Limit to Brand Extensions

Cultural associations can really help — or hurt.
October 21, 2011

Dialing for Dollars with Phone Apps

Branded mobile applications can spark interest in new product categories.
October 14, 2011

The Impact of Bankruptcy Laws on Startups

An easier way out prompts more entrepreneurs to get in.
October 7, 2011

The Decision-Making Flaw in Powerful People

Overflowing with confidence, many leaders turn away from good advice.
September 30, 2011

The Continuing Payoff from Open Innovation

The use of external partnerships grows increasingly productive over time.
September 23, 2011

When Employees Talk and Managers Don’t Listen

Dangers lurk if suggestions are sought but are not considered.
September 16, 2011

Reading the Body Language in International Negotiations

Nonverbal cues can be misunderstood, to a deal maker’s detriment.
September 9, 2011

When a Chairman Runs the Show

The CEO is often number two in companies with concentrated ownership.
September 1, 2011

The Challenge of Managing Innovation and the Core Business

Three leadership principles turn inherent conflicts into long-term growth.
August 26, 2011

In Marketing, a Few Bad Words Can Be a Good Thing

How positive impressions get bolstered by bits of negativity.
August 23, 2011

Putting a Dollar Value on Academic Business Research

MBA students who attend schools where teachers publish frequently end up earning more.
August 12, 2011

How CEO Security Affects Investment Strategies

Fixed-term contracts encourage R&D and capital expenses, but only up to a point.
August 5, 2011

The $169 Billion Hidden Market: People without Banks

Targeting the 9 million “unbanked” households in the United States.
July 29, 2011

How Mandatory Reporting on Sustainability Pays Off

Forced sensitivity to environmental and ethical issues improves a company’s standing and competitiveness.
July 22, 2011

One Way to Lose Employees: Train Them

Workers with new skills will leave if they don’t see a career path ahead.
July 15, 2011

Managing Major Corporate Initiatives

A five-point plan to keep steering committees on track.
July 8, 2011

When Knowledge Sharing Turns to Knowledge Hiding

Employees balk at requests for information out of distrust — or worse.
July 1, 2011

Lessons from Failure

Unsuccessful efforts to improve the status quo often have the richest silver linings.
June 24, 2011

Dealing with the Ghosts of Change Management

Transitions that left scars in the past can hurt new initiatives.
June 17, 2011

Optimal Decision Making in Foreign Markets

The secret to success is to control the impact of national culture on operations abroad.
June 10, 2011

The Stagecraft of Steve Jobs

How Apple’s CEO used narrative and dramatic techniques to manage his message.
June 3, 2011

Measuring Brand Personality to Sharpen Marketing Campaigns

Three factors — favorability, originality, and clarity — determine a product’s identity.
May 27, 2011

A Double Dividend from Word of Mouth

Not only do businesses pick up new customers from referrals — those making the recommendations wind up becoming more loyal, too.
May 24, 2011

Is Creativity a Bad Trait for a Senior Leader?

Supporters of the status quo — not the creative types — are seen as more effective.
May 13, 2011

Long-Lasting CEOs and Their Close-Knit Boards

Directors may not be all that independent, but their savvy advice often pays off.
May 6, 2011

How Performance Reviews Pay Off

Sometimes, the least productive workers will bounce back the most.
April 29, 2011

Doing Business in Corrupt Places

It’s fraught with risk, but could lead to competitive advantage.
April 22, 2011

Getting Back at the Boss

Passive retaliation against bad management finds its fans in the workplace.
April 15, 2011

Managing Telecommuters and Office Workers

A five-prong effort to increase the effectiveness of a blended staff.
April 8, 2011

Short-term Compensation and Banking Failure

A study of stock option transactions reveals a link between the financial institutions most battered by the crisis and sales of shares by CEOs and other executives.
April 1, 2011

How Knowledge Management Affects Team Performance

Improvements in efficiency and quality vary with a team’s tasks and location, as well as with the access its members have to institutional databases.
March 25, 2011

Coping with a Job Loss after 50

Suddenly unemployed, older managers adopt strikingly different story lines about their situation — with dramatically different implications.
March 18, 2011

How Information and Communication Technologies Affect Decision Making

Wider access to databases pushes decisions down the org chart. E-mail, Wi-Fi, and smartphones tend to push them up.
March 11, 2011

When People Break Up with a Once-Loved Brand

To reduce bad-mouthing by disgruntled customers, especially online, companies have to help the aggrieved party move on.
March 4, 2011

Building Trust through Subliminal Cues

Direct contact with someone may not be as important in judging trustworthiness as was previously believed.
February 25, 2011

The Tricky Nature of Customer-Service Questionnaires

Surveys make patrons feel better about the service they’ve received — but can also delay their return visit.
February 22, 2011

Getting a New Job? It Pays to Speak Up about Salary

In a soft economy, collaborative negotiation may be the winning strategy.
February 11, 2011

The Impact of Financing Risk on Innovative Startups

Staged financing of new firms poses dangers to early investors. But in a hot market, it can set loose a frenzy of funding.