Ideas to Action

Search

Darden Ideas to Action: Most Read Stories of 2022

Darden Ideas to Action insights draw from faculty expertise, books, research, cases and white papers. Here: the most read stories of 2022. How can one build a brand? What happens when buzz turns to backlash? How does a strategist prepare for the unforeseeable? What inequalities to women face in feedback? And why is storytelling an essential skill?

The Economics of AI

The past year has seen a dramatic shift in the landscape for the economics of AI. Artificial intelligence has made remarkable progress, and this progress has been faster than many expected. As we enter 2023, Darden Professor Anton Korinek shares some facts and his expert opinions on the implications of these developments.

Can Blue Apron Develop a Recipe for Profitability?

Innovation, supply-chain disruption, strategy and hot competition: Are there just too many meal-kit cooks in the industry’s kitchen? Blue Apron provides a case in point on all of the above.

Melissa Thomas-Hunt

Melissa Thomas-Hunt is professor at both the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.

The Stakeholder Podcast: Leadership, Inequality and Power

Is power inherently bad? Why do social class disparities emerge in organizations, and how can those organizations mitigate inequality — do they change hearts and minds or internal structure? Darden Professors Ed Freeman and Peter Belmi discuss power, leadership and inequality on The Stakeholder Podcast.

How Process and Practice Can Combat Bias

Human beings are inherently biased. Our biases come from certain heuristics — shortcuts we take that help us distill information and make fast judgements. To combat this, organizations can implement standardized procedures that minimize the discretion that managers use in evaluating people. How?

We Have Ignition: Fusion Breakthrough ‘Exciting’ but Viability a ‘Long Way Away’

The holy grail of clean energy? For the first time, scientists achieved nuclear fusion ignition, a nuclear reaction that produces more energy than it consumes. Darden Professor Mike Lenox, an expert in innovation and sustainability, offers perspective on the breakthrough, its potential and the path emerging technologies take to widespread adoption.

Ayana Younge

A professor in the Leadership and Organizational Behavior academic area, Ayana Younge’s research lies at the intersection of emotions, social hierarchy and interpersonal processes.

The Gift of Gratitude

The power of a simple “thank you”: New research from Darden Professor Ayana Younge shows how expressions of gratitude reap social and professional benefits — for the thanked, the thanker and those who witness a grateful exchange.

Weirdness at Work: Diversity of Perspective

“Positive weird” needs to be another focus as we seek to understand how to create better organizations and communities that bring out the best in both marginal and dominant members.