Jesper B. Sørensen, Senior Associate Dean at Stanford Graduate School of Business, discusses the pivotal role of research in navigating complex business challenges. He explains how researchers balance abstract theories with real-world applications, emphasizing the difficulty in implementing fundamental insights. Sørensen also highlights the shift towards social responsibility in business education, the transformative impact of data in understanding immigration and innovation, and the often-overlooked power dynamics within organizations.

While our team starts working on our second season, we'll still be sharing insights, bonus content, behind-the-scenes audio, and "class takeaways" from Stanford Graduate School of Business faculty throughout the summer. Stay Tuned! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Getting to elect our leaders is certainly a privilege. Yet, even in a representative democracy, the choice that citizens have is often only as good as the candidates they have to choose from. That’s why Professor Andrew B. Hall, The Davies Family Professor of Political Economy, wonders: How do we get society’s best and brightest to participate in politics?As a political economist at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences, Hall has spent years studying what motivates people to engage in the democratic process. On this episode of If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society, he shares his insights on how we can create a system that attracts a more diverse and qualified pool of candidates to run for public office and encourages greater voter participation at the local, state, and national levels.Key Takeaways: Engagement starts with incentives: Whether encouraging better candidates to run for public office or driving higher voter turnout, Hall says our democratic system must incentivize citizens to actively take part in the process.What's at stake?: People are more likely to participate in democratic processes when they understand how the outcome directly affects them. Hall cites how homeowners are more likely to vote on local zoning issues that impact their property values.Adapting new technologies thoughtfully: As new technologies emerge, Hall says it's crucial to consider how they can be harnessed to improve democratic participation and address the challenges facing our political system.More ResourcesAndrew B. Hall, The Davies Family Professor of Political EconomyWhat Kinds of Incentives Encourage Participation in Democracy? Evidence from a Massive Online Governance Experiment Stanford GSB Insights:Inside a Government Where People Are Paid to VoteIf You Lived Here, You Might Be a Voter By Now If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Associate Professor Daniela Saban discusses the importance of building fairness into algorithms for fair outcomes in job, housing, and relationship matching. She emphasizes the non-neutrality of algorithms and the need for conscious design choices to mitigate inequities. Saban explores the impact of user profiles on matchmaking algorithms, gender dynamics on dating apps, and strategies to improve equity in volunteer matching algorithms.

Professor Ed deHaan discusses the importance of financial literacy and understanding accounting principles for individuals. He advocates for early financial education and rational decision-making when it comes to money. By equipping youth with financial knowledge, we can empower informed consumers and leaders to make better financial choices.

Ken Shotts, a Stanford professor, discusses how good intentions alone aren't enough and the importance of binding institutions to uphold values. From organizational incentives to societal regulations, he highlights the need for concrete policies to align with stated values at personal, organizational, and societal levels.

Whether or not robots can feel is a question that, at least for now, might be better left to the philosophers. But what’s becoming increasingly clear, says Associate Professor Szu-chi Huang, is that robots do have the capacity to make us feel. In this episode of If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society, Huang delves into the effect that robots can have not just on our emotions, but on our behavior.Huang’s research shows that when people witness people helping others, they’re inspired to do the same. This is what she calls “pro-social” behavior. But she wondered: what happens when a robot is the one lending a helping hand? Are people inspired to by machines?To find out, Huang designed a study where participants were shown various news reports about natural disasters and the measures being taken in response. In some stories, the “heroes” were human first responders; in others, they were robots. “In both cases, we [explained] in detail what those heroes were doing,” says Huang. Whether dragging survivors out of ruins after an earthquake or disinfecting hospitals amidst a surging COVID-19 pandemic, “The actions are exactly the same, but the heroes are different.”Following test subjects’ exposure to these stories, Huang measured their willingness to engage in pro-social behavior, like donating to support children in need. What she found was those who saw robot heroes were significantly less likely to donate than those who saw humans take the same actions. “The robot stories actually make people feel less inspired,” says Huang. “And that has important consequences. If using robots lowers our intention to help others, it could have a pretty big negative social impact.”So what do we do as AI and robots play an increasing role in our lives? How do we embrace their benefits without downgrading our humanity and pro-sociability in the process? On this episode of If/Then, Huang explores how “humanizing” robots — highlighting their vulnerability, autonomy, and finitude — helps us connect with them and ourselves more deeply.TakeawaysWe are inspired to help people when we see others doing so. But what if it’s robots lending a helping hand? Are we still motivated to also help? How we “humanize” robots — choosing features that highlight their vulnerability, autonomy, and finitude — could help us connect with them and ourselves more deeply.More Resources:Robots or Humans for Disaster Response? Impact on Consumer Prosociality and Possible Explanations, Journal of Consumer Psychology Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast: From Dreaming to Doing: How We Set and Achieve GoalsFrom Stanford GSB Insights:Why We See Rescue Robots as Helpers, Not HeroesRedefining Success: Adopt the Journey Mindset to Move ForwardIf/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stanford finance professor Darrell Duffie discusses central bank digital currencies, highlighting benefits like improved financial inclusion and lower payment costs. He emphasizes the need for balanced regulation to foster innovation while mitigating risks. The conversation also touches on challenges like privacy concerns and the impact on the US dollar's global dominance.

Stanford economics professor Mohammad Akbarpour challenges the conventional view that money is an objective measure of value. He argues that people value money differently based on their circumstances. By considering money's subjectivity, we can design more equitable markets that maximize value and welfare for more people.

Discover how emotions play a crucial role in decision-making process with insights from Professor Baba Shiv. Uncover the power of embracing artistic thinking and the impact of emotions on confidence in decision-making. Explore the blend of science and art in leadership for effective decision-making outcomes.