Michael Totty

Writer

About

Michael Totty is a freelance reporter and editor. Previously, he was a news editor with the Wall Street Journal in charge of assigning and editing Journal reports on technology, energy, health care, management and other topics. Totty works from Berkeley, California.

A young man wearing a blue shirt plays a game on his cellphone Research Brief / Behavioral Economics

What Drives Engagement in $116 Billion Mobile Gaming Industry

Novelty and social connection boost time spent playing

Two man fist bumping as they sit in front of a computer at a desk Research Brief / Behavioral Decision Making

Matching Incentives with the Right Relationship

The kind of reward matters less than the type of connection between giver and recipient

Close-up of energy meters Research Brief / Energy

Household Energy Efficiency: Not All Upgrades Are Created Equal

Behavior, other factors influence which improvements are effective

A close-up of Aadhaar card held in a man's hand Research Brief / Technology

Addressing Its Lack of an ID System, India Registers 1.2 Billion in a Decade

Digital identity used in nearly every realm of life

Shopping cart with digital display. Research Brief / Sales

How Loyalty Programs Might Become More Profitable

Target customers with easy access to a competitor?

A man tests a phone from a display in a store Research Brief / Supply Chain

Offering Free Upgrades Early to Manage Inventory and Boost Profit

Waiting until one product model runs out can be a costly mistake

Research Brief / Corporate Investment

A Skeptical Board Can Protect Shareholders From an Empire-Building CEO

Director expertise disciplines CEO into providing better information

Research Brief / Data Analytics

Old Ways of Thinking Cause Managers to Disregard Analytics

Highlighting the right data and making it relevant can help overcome resistance

remote worker using technology Research Brief / Workplace

Technology Alone Won’t Decide the Future of Remote Work

Social and institutional forces ultimately enable — or stifle — change

Rows of gantry cranes at a harbor on a hazy day Research Brief / Supply Chain

Trump’s Tariffs Did, In Fact, Hurt U.S. Importers

Companies with Chinese suppliers suffered — those with more diversified supply chains suffered more

Research Brief / Advertising

TV Ads are Cheaper for Advertisers with Seniority

T-Mobile’s $22.1 million disadvantage to AT&T; Arby’s pays more than Burger King

Research Brief / Ride-Sharing Services

Robotaxis Aren’t Sure Route to Ride-Hailing Profits

A model weighs vehicle cost and ownership to assess benefits to riders, drivers and companies

Map of Peru with gold nugget on top Research Brief / Banking

How Commodity Price Swings Destabilize Bank Relationships

Small firms in Peru shop nationwide for cheap credit, but loyalty runs two ways

Research Brief / Debt

Medical Debt in Collection Estimated at $140 Billion

Poorer residents of states refusing to expand Medicaid hit hardest