Leadership & management

The widely watched Economic Policy Uncertainty Index has reached its highest level since the pandemic. And we’re only halfway through 2025. How can business leaders best navigate this environment? UVA Darden Professor Saras Sarasvathy shares lessons from successful entrepreneurs.

In his last lecture to the Executive MBA class of 2025, Professor Dan Murphy encourages leaders to move beyond simple stories that seem aligned with individual values and perspectives and to wrestle with the real-world complexities and tradeoffs found in economics, leadership and society.

The secret to driving innovation might not be creating more novelty — but knowing when to strategically scale back. Research from UVA Darden’s Lillien M. Ellis that examines the development of “Avatar,” the biggest box office success in film history, shows that reducing novelty in some areas leads to greater creative and commercial success.

A new business case on infamous tech company Theranos examines the risks for entrepreneurs, board members and investors in the fog of the innovation economy.

Professor Jim Detert says small behaviors — such as multitasking, being late, not truly listening, or displaying condescending body language — may seem minor but can have a significant negative impact. These habits might explain why someone can be seen as both “nice” and “kind of a jerk” at the same time.

A new study by Darden professor Young Hou and UCLA Anderson professor Christopher Poliquin examines the policy impact of CEOs speaking out on social and political issues.

New research by UVA Darden’s Manel Baucells and Yael Grushka-Cockayne explores how mental accounting affects project management decisions. Their findings show the key lies in balancing rational models with behavioral insights — a strategy that can turn challenges into opportunities for success.

From billion-dollar business deals to split-second survival choices, we make countless decisions daily. But which mental system should we trust: our lightning-fast instincts or our methodical logic? UVA Darden's Saša Zorc discusses how understanding both can lead to better choices in business and life.

When do thieves prefer to steal ideas — early or late in development? A new study by UVA Darden's Lillien M. Ellis explores the psychology of idea theft and finds a mismatch between when creators think their ideas are most vulnerable to theft and when idea thieves actually prefer to strike.