Content Type: Research Brief
Motivating Workers with a Sacred Symbol: Promise and Peril
A Chinese garment factory tidied up after golden coins were displayed
Gender Gaps in School Performance
Socioeconomic factors magnify the boy-girl divide and can explain cross-race differences
Retailing Cross-Platform Win: A Pop-Up Store Boosts Online Sales
Alibaba finds a fresh twist on an old-school store is an effective marketing tool
Women Are Likelier to Drop Out after Early Political Loss
But the “persistence gap” in seeking elective office narrows with experience
Why Aren’t There More Women Firefighters?
Aligning people’s idea of a firefighter with the range of work and skills actually required might reduce gender bias
Behavioral Economics Could Increase Obamacare Enrollment and Stabilize Markets
Greater subsidies aren’t enough: Lowering the complexity of enrollment is needed to bring more and healthier people into the market
Not Now: Correcting Imbalance in One’s Schedule Takes Planning and Time
People across studies want to change their lives, but are more inclined to do that in the distant future
Rising Rents Force Families to Curtail Spending on Food and Health Care
Cost burdens affect half of U.S. households that rent, as housing shortage worsens
In Some Industries, Are Corporate Combinations Actually Good for Consumers?
A model focuses on startups that, while developing innovative products, seek a lucrative buyout
How to Encourage the Discriminated-Against to Band Together
Membership in a stigmatized group doesn’t predispose acceptance of other stigmatized groups
Diversity: Measuring How and Why Groups See It Differently
Perceived differences between “diverse” and “sufficiently diverse”
Americans Sacrifice $3.4 Trillion by Claiming Social Security Too Soon
Can nudges, tailored to personality traits, persuade retirees to wait?
Businesses Vastly Overestimate the Likelihood of Being Audited
Should tax-collecting agencies keep audit activity secret to discourage cheating?
Less Leveraged Than the Competition: Ready to Snag Distressed Assets in a Recession
When bad times hit, highly indebted companies often have to sell operations and equipment at fire-sale prices
Forgoing a Tax Refund to Signal Brightening Financial Prospects
Companies that use loss carry-forwards to offset future tax liability, instead of claiming a refund, enjoy favorable lending terms