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The Cost of Conviction: Consumer Response to CEO Activism

A CEO goes on record supporting gun rights, and consumers react. Some stock up on the company’s products, others boycott. What fuels such “lifestyle politics”? Are consumers motivated by deep personal belief, or are they publicly signaling their values to an audience of like-minded peers?

The Good Disruption Podcast

Good Disruption is a podcast series featuring lively discussion between Professors Yael Grushka-Cockayne and Michael Lenox, sometimes joined by industry experts. They examine cutting-edge technologies and practices, then make personal calls on whether they amount to good disruption, bad disruption or actually no disruption.

Decision by Committee? Ask for a Show of Hands

The benefits of diversity in decision-making are well-documented. Having different perspectives and expertise produces better outcomes. But those don’t necessarily surface during discussions. How can leaders and organizations get the most from diverse perspectives and enhance the quality of conversations to achieve the best decisions?

Pop Culture and Corporate Culture: Netflix and the Dave Chappelle Controversy

Trust is built slowly and erodes quickly. Netflix was lauded as an inclusive employer, but when it aired Dave Chappelle’s controversial special The Closer, it seemed unprepared for backlash from multiple stakeholders, including the LGBTQ+ community. What could it have done better to balance the paramount issues of freedom of speech and inclusivity?

A Taxing Conundrum: Land vs. Property

In the U.S., municipal governments raise revenue through property taxes, based on a percentage of the value of land and all the structures built upon it. But economists have long recognized a problem: The higher the value of the structures, the higher the tax will be, which means that property owners are disincentivized from building on their land.

Robots at the Helm: The Hidden Cost of Algorithmic Management

Advances in AI and machine learning algorithms that can collect, interpret and generate data are happening fast. What happens when organizations automate managerial processes in pursuit of productivity gains? How might having an AI “boss” make people feel about themselves, their jobs and their status within the organizations that employ them?

Smart Technology, Education and the Future of Democracy

Smart technology will completely change both your way of life and your way of working. We will live in the most disruptive time for the workforce since the Great Depression. What does this mean for millions of lives, for the public school system and for society at large? And what is to be done about it?

The Middle Class of Business: Building Enduring Ventures

Professor Saras Sarasvathy discusses the virtues of the “middle class of business,” what she calls enduring companies that grow steadily but not massively and that create jobs and spur economies. Teaching entrepreneurship is akin to teaching the scientific method to those who aren’t scientists, and the mindset can help solve problems in the world.

Good Disruption: Disruptors Every CEO Needs to be Prepared for in 2024

From the explosion of Generative AI to the evolution of the hybrid workplace, disruption has become the “norm” for business. How will business and society be shaped by disruption in 2024?

Is Silicon Valley the Next Detroit?

Is Silicon Valley the next Detroit? Despite layoffs in Big Tech, there are reasons to remain optimistic that the Bay Area can continue to avoid the fate of so many communities that have seen their prospects dim as their once hot new industry faded. The key is to avoid stagnation by encouraging vigorous competition.