Content Type: Research Brief

A black and white illustration of a wave made of 100-dollar bills Research Brief / Investing

Across 145 Years and 17 Countries, a Common Thread in Risky Credit Booms

Do investors misprice assets, revise their risk appetite or make some other misjudgment?

An illustration of a man holding an umbrella standing ina sea of alarm clocks. Research Brief / Nudges

Lack of Urgency Can Undermine a Popular Behavioral Nudge

Encouraging pre-commitment to a future behavior helps people do hard things — but it can backfire

An aqua-colored view finder pointed at the ocean. Research Brief / Investing

How to Properly Incentivize Your Unicorn Finder

VCs and other investors need a contract with their seeker that blunts conflicts of interest

An exterior night shot of a Dollar General store. Research Brief / Retail

How Dollar Stores Contribute to Food Deserts

Expanding chains drive out independent grocers, reduce access to fresh produce

A sleeping baby wrapped in a white blanket wearing a black graduation cap with a red tasle Research Brief / Behavioral Economics

How Far Would You Go for an Ivy League Kid?

Study finds interest in screening embryos for education propensity, especially if everyone else is doing it

An overhead photo of two gentlemen on love seat one of whom is shaking hands with a man in an orange chair Research Brief / Mergers and Acquisitions

Face-to-Face Meetings, Before an Acquisition, Improve Outcomes for Buyers

Acquiring companies appear to get a better deal following frequent in-person meetings

Thousands of exuberant backers of the Equal Rights Amendment, marched on Congress to plea for extension of the ratification deadline. Research Brief / Public Policy

Do Social Laws Always Cause a Backlash?

Laws that threaten ideological preferences prompt some opponents to adopt more extreme beliefs

A collage of faces in white frames on a light green background Research Brief / Investing

How a Stock Analyst’s Face Affects Their Earning Estimates

Trustworthy and dominant-seeming men: access to corporate management. Dominant-seeming women: not so much.

A lone red char in empty office. Research Brief / Investing

As Concentrated Shareholder Ownership Rises, Wages and Employment Suffer

Where big investors gather, corporate wealth is reallocated away from workers

A cargo ship loaded with cargo container sits at a dock in Iceland Research Brief / Pricing

Measuring the Impact of Currency Moves on Consumer Prices

It varies across goods and services and can be blunted by monetary policy

A man sitting with his dog on the couch talking to his grandma on a cellphone Research Brief / Behavioral Decision Making

People Prioritize Shared Experiences, Even When Apart

People will endure inconvenience to synchronize events, regardless of proximity

A screen grab of the Volunteer Match website that reads "How do I?' on an orange and white background. Research Brief / Technology

Matching Algorithms Work Fine — Until Bypassed By External Links

How to rebalance supply and demand amid today’s chaotic internet traffic

A cube of hundred dollar bills wrapped in a blue bow Research Brief / Productivity

Trying Out Bonus-Pay Theory on Unsupervised, Low-Skill Tasks

Incentives boost output, but benefits level off at a fairly low point

An illustration of a man at the end of a cliff trying to pull up a coin tied to a string Research Brief / Markets

Options Market Signals Scope of Federal Reserve Interventions

Traders see an implicit promise beyond specific asset purchases

A side view of feet on a scale Research Brief / Health

Modest Financial Incentives Help with Weight Loss

Tying payments to weight, rather than behaviors, marginally more effective

A blue and white sign in front of a building that reads: FDA U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Research Brief / Health Care

FDA’s Breakthrough Program: Faster Drug OKs Without Sacrificing Safety

Dedicated FDA staff guide companies during design of clinical trials