For conventional, profit-seeking companies, moving into social impact carries huge contradictions. An ad hoc, small-scale initiative is an inexpensive way to do a bit of good and receive a nice warm glow in the process. But any attempt to achieve more serious impact through scaling the initiative will likely trigger awkward discussions about how much…
As companies test a new product, they often learn that it can deliver unexpected benefits. This very famously happened in the case of Viagra, a product originally developed to treat cardiovascular problems. During the first human trials of the compound, a study nurse reported that male subjects would frequently lie on their stomachs on the…
People who perceive themselves as busy are more likely to make healthier choices, a new study has shown. Although we complain about being too busy in today’s fast-moving world, it has some advantages. Individuals who perceive themselves as busy are more likely to delay gratification. They subsequently make decisions that benefit them in the long-term….
“Maintaining possessions is more difficult than acquiring them.” – Demosthenes Most managers, whether they are in charge of setting sales quotas or other KPIs, often search for that holy grail-like balance between compelling results and keeping the troops happy. Things get even trickier when the context is less than ideal – a recently expired key…
Let’s say you’re wondering whether to set more money aside this coming year. You could go for a modest goal, such as increasing your savings by 1%, or pick a more ambitious one. You could also tell yourself: “I won’t increase my savings, but I’ll make sure to maintain whatever savings I already have.” New…
Framing products around virtuousness can help businesses market to those with a busy mindset, according to new research. Global business school, Insead, recently found the mere perception of yourself as a busy person, or what they call a busy mindset, is a ‘badge of honour’ that can be used to promote better self-control, and marketers…
On the surface, the growth of crowdfunding has been phenomenal. Since its inception in 2009, projects listed on Kickstarter have raised $3.3 billion. Over 133,000 projects have become successfully funded. This has led many to claim that crowdfunding can democratize product innovation and access to capital by allowing small entrepreneurs, who lack access to resources,…
Using Kickstarter as a yardstick for the growth of online crowdfunding platforms gives us a sense of the dramatic growth experienced by such platforms. Since its inception in 2009, projects listed on Kickstarter have raised US$3.3 billion. Over 133,000 projects have become successfully funded. Based on such data many have claimed that crowdfunding can democratise…
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, the company’s annual losses were in excess of US$1 billion. Bankruptcy loomed on the short-term horizon. One of Jobs’ first moves was to hire an ad agency to help him rebuild the brand’s status. It resulted in the famous “Think Different” campaign. At the campaign launch, Jobs…
What do you do best? I’m good at identifying research ideas that will have impact not just on theory development but also on practice and then executing the research and seeing it through to publication. This requires a degree of tenacity, which I have. I’m also good at making hard decisions to close down projects…