Topic: Technology
Why the Online Ad World Abandoned Soft-Floor Auctions
Complexity and a failure to boost platform revenue were culprits
When Surge Pricing Comes to the Supermarket
Charging more at peak times could reduce congestion and lift profits. Would customers revolt?
What’s in Your Social Media Feed?
On anime sites, what one’s friends are watching is the most persuasive prompt to engage
What Drives Engagement in $116 Billion Mobile Gaming Industry
Novelty and social connection boost time spent playing
Want To Elicit User-Generated Content? Try User-Generated Rewards
Recognition by peers leads to longer, more thoughtful online reviews and discussion threads
Want More Charging Stations? Spur Purchases of More EVs
Governments needn’t subsidize charging networks
Underappreciated Investment Edge: Company Trademark Filings
Not part of financial reporting, trademark activity predicts stock returns
Two Tech Giants — and Two Very Different Acquisition Strategies
Alphabet’s M&A feeds its core business; Amazon’s more likely to push into new areas
Trying Out Bonus-Pay Theory on Unsupervised, Low-Skill Tasks
Incentives boost output, but benefits level off at a fairly low point
Tracking Product Trademarks Expands Understanding of Innovation
R&D outlays and patents alone don’t effectively measure corporate creativity
To Spot Fake Online Reviews, Target the Reviewers
A test was 93% accurate; more efficient than analyzing reviews
Think Your Job Is Safe From Robots?
Automation depresses career pay for many workers, notably including those in industries not automating
The Role of Chance Encounters in Silicon Valley Innovation
Cellphone signals and patent citations approximate a theory’s long-sought paper trail
Testing 17 Theories on the Development of Complex Civilizations
Large-scale data project produces stark conclusion: military technology + agricultural productivity caused the takeoff