Entrepreneurship & innovation

Hollywood has long portrayed robots as friendly and misunderstood but also a technology to be feared if left in the wrong hands. Today, humanoid robots are being designed not only to carry out simple tasks but also, display a broad range of emotions and react to people in real-time. But just because we can build it, should we?

Professor Saras Sarasvathy proposes a novel framework combining Elinor Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development model of collective action and effectuation to tackle climate change. Instead of relying on predictive top-down approaches, she advocates leveraging existing resources and partnerships while embracing unexpected opportunities.

With the U.S. presidential election looming, ballots, voting machines and election security are again in the news. UVA's David Nemer joins Good Disruption hosts Yael Grushka-Cockayne and Mike Lenox to discuss the role that culture and trust play in the acceptance of electronic voting and the importance of protecting the entire electoral process.

A growing number of MBA graduates are pursuing Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA), a strategy that lets them fast-track their way to the top by buying and running small businesses. Les Alexander, professor at UVA Darden, explains why ETA is booming.

Utility-scale power plants have long dominated electricity distribution. Now, distributed energy resources (DERs) like rooftop solar are changing this model. DERs can disrupt the grid if poorly managed, but if integrated well, can enhance efficiency and resilience. This shift marks a significant change in how energy is generated and distributed.

Social media is one of the biggest and most controversial disruptions in the last decade, arguably the last several decades. Algorithms, meant to create a more personalized experience, are isolating users from diverse opinions and news sources. How ca we use AI and data to redefine the user experience on social media to achieve healthier outcomes?