Home
A First Step Towards Resilient Organisations
Cultivating resilience in the face of organisational crises hinges on the foundation of a clear strategy, heightened awareness and robust reserves.
How Sporting Events Can Score Big on Sustainability
The Rugby World Cup and other global tournaments can set the stage for both sporting excellence and sustainability.
INSEAD Insights: September 2023 Research Picks
Recent findings on online marketplace dynamics, new market creation, trust in AI, diversity in corporate boards and consumer choices.
It's the Journey, Not the Destination
Including information about your career journey can help convey warmth in written professional introductions.
Pay Attention to the Details
Focusing on the right information can pay dividends for any investor.
The Power of Distinct Owners as Value Catalysts
Uncovering the unique elements owners need to achieve business success and resilience.
A Nondisruptive Approach to the Environment
Companies can help the transition to a greener economy without sacrificing their financial interests.
Deflation Woes: Can China Avoid Japanification?
What the world’s second-largest economy could do to stop its spiral into economic stagnation.
1
comment
How Tech Transforms Luxury Brands’ Value Proposition
Luxury brands are increasingly leveraging technology to reduce uncertainty and enrich experience throughout the customer journey.
Covid-19 Furloughs Helped Firms Thrive
Even keeping low-wage workers on the payroll yielded benefits after Covid-19 restrictions ended.
How Luxury Consumers Can Seem More Authentic
Consumers can mitigate the negative social consequences of wearing luxury items by publicly revealing their passion for the products or brands.
Mastering the Game: The Advantage of AI Training
In the same way chess computers gave players a competitive edge, AI has the power to elevate skills and enhance performance.
Managing Systemic Risks in Tech: Lessons from Finance
The financial sector's track record in risk management offers invaluable lessons for the tech industry.
Frameworks and Focus Are Essential for Change
The crucial role business schools must play in building a better world.
How Founding Conditions Impact Start-Up Success
Diverse founding teams formed in unpredictable environments tend to perform better in similar subsequent conditions.
Inside the Black Box Crucial to Megaproject Success
Despite their importance to the global economy, most megaprojects fail to be delivered on budget or schedule. Here’s how managers could improve on that dismal record.
Unravelling the Link Between Socioeconomic Status and Obesity
A longitudinal study conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic suggests that stress plays a key role in explaining why obesity is more common among the poor than the rich.
1
comment
Pursuing Purpose After Early Retirement
Individuals who achieve financial independence seek greater purpose and meaningful work to enrich their lives.
Why Has the Humanitarian Sector Been Slow to Localise?
Despite a collective strategic intent to localise, progress has been slower than expected.
Is Transshipment More Cost-Effective Than Hubs?
Drones, self-driving vehicles and other technologies have made shipping stock between locations a viable alternative to obtaining them from a centralised facility.
Letting Go of the Urge to Rescue
Exploring the motivations behind our need to help others and embracing a balanced approach to offering assistance.
How LLMs Can Change the Way We Strategise
LLMs have notable limitations when it comes to strategy formulation, but deliberately imperfect prompts can challenge conventional thinking.
What Businesses Can Learn From Humanitarian Operations
Navigating uncertain and dynamic environments and overcoming resource and information scarcity are nothing new to humanitarian organisations.
Democracy, Defence and Conflict in the Age of AI
How can we ensure that AI fosters, rather than undermines, democratic values?
Must AI Accuracy Come at the Cost of Comprehensibility?
Companies looking to integrate AI in their operations should think twice before turning their backs on simpler, more explainable AI algorithms in favour of complex ones.
1
comment
Stop Going It Alone
Negotiating radical organisational change needs to be a collective effort.
1
comment
Better Geographic Investing Begins With an Inclusive Index
A novel stock return index can help portfolio managers make more informed investment decisions and better manage risks.
Customer Engagement in a Circular Economy
Embracing circular business models unlocks opportunities for companies to engage with customers, optimise resource utilisation and ensure a sustainable future.
The Importance of Strategic Minds
Directors and CEOs need to develop specific traits to effectively navigate strategic issues and help shape the future of companies.
1
comment
Navigating Trust and Safety in the World of Generative AI
The new generation of artificial intelligence can help defend against online harms – if we can effectively manage the risks.
How AI Can Improve Human Performance
AI training enhances strategic skills, especially in lower-skilled individuals. But it isn’t a perfect substitute for human training partners.
Why Demographics Matters More Than Ever for Businesses
How understanding expanding and shrinking population subsets could help business and investors identify opportunities to pursue and pitfalls to avoid.
The Psychological Strategies of Influencers
Understanding the psychology behind why influencer marketing works.
1
comment
ChatGPT and AI Disruption: Is Consulting Next in Line?
Consultants need to up their game to match algorithms’ ability to provide affordable strategic due diligence.
US-China Ties: Damage Controlled But Obstacles Ahead
Even before the top US diplomat headed to China this week, talk of a new Cold War was unhelpful. Still, Washington and Beijing have their work cut out steering their relationship back on course.
Beliefs and Emotions Shape Our Sustainability Journey
How exploring our beliefs, emotions and identities can guide us and others towards a more sustainable future.
A Holistic Approach to Navigating the New Workplace
How to foster a thriving and sustainable workplace culture to contend with the realities of the new office.
The Road Ahead for XR Technology in Business Education
How business schools can navigate the challenges and maximise the impact of immersive learning using VR.
Business Not as Usual: Companies Stepping Up in Crisis
In times of humanitarian disasters, the private sector must step up. Businesses can hardly be functional when society comes to a halt.
Leveraging Generative AI for Digital Transformation
Opportunities and risks for companies incorporating generative AI as part of their digital transformation strategies.
Governance in the Age of Technological Innovation
With new technologies redefining the global business ecosystem, how can boards navigate these changes and reinvent their business models?
From Super-Sized to Superior Gratification
Why we need to focus on eating as pleasure if we want to start eating healthier.
Thoughtful Consumption for Well-Being and Sustainability
Understanding consumer behaviour is key to making fashion more sustainable.
Five Key Insights for Positive-Sum Innovation
With the right tools, businesses can innovate and achieve growth without negatively impacting society.
Reinventing Yourself After a Setback
How to survive a significant career defeat and rebuild your professional and personal life.
4
comments
Super Apps in Asia, “Everything App” in the US?
All-in-one apps that dominate China and other Asian markets may soon materialise in the United States, albeit with significant variations.
Scaling Innovation in Genetics and Precision Medicine
How biotech start-ups can identify and solidify their customer base, scale their operations and unlock the full potential of precision medicine.
What All Tech Start-Ups Need to Succeed
Governance exists to help tech entrepreneurs prevent value destruction from day one.
When Shareholders Share, the Business Benefits
Offering company ownership to every employee can help reduce inequality.
A Flexi-Work World Needs New Performance Appraisals
Adopting the right metrics could help align objectives and encourage more companies to embrace flexible work arrangements.
Recognising Possibility in Uncertainty
If we frame uncertainty in a different way, we might embrace the possibility it brings instead of fearing it.
Retirement and Beyond: The Last Days of Executives
How to plan for the end of the professional life and a smooth transition to retirement.
The Future of Energy Transition and Climate Finance
What more can companies and investors do to facilitate the transition to cleaner energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Planning Matters: Coordination in Humanitarian Relief
In disaster response, humanitarian operations take place under high levels of stress and time pressure. There is no room for bureaucracy and ambiguity.
How Women Leaders Benefit From Using Humour
New research suggests that being funny helps leaders gain influence, and that women benefit more than men from using humour in public speaking.
1
comment
Breaking the Cycle of Self-Sabotage
A roadmap for identifying and overcoming the self-defeating habits that hold you back.
1
comment
An Alternative Path to Innovation and Growth
How leaders can innovate and achieve growth without displacing industries, companies or jobs.
Intellectual Honesty Is Critical for Innovation
Here’s how to balance psychological safety and intellectual honesty for better team performance.
Without Shared Values and Goals, Tech Regulations Won't Work
The world needs to harmonise goals and values in order to rein in the potential harm technology can cause.
Can Companies Thrive in Permanent Beta?
When digital service providers come under pressure to put new and innovative services in the market fast, how does it affect the way companies measure service performance?
ChatGPT vs. Hybrids: The Future Depends on Our Choices
Imposing the equivalent of a worldwide moratorium on generative artificial intelligence is absurd. But developers might want to pause and reflect on what they hope to achieve before releasing AI applications to the public.
Why Career Conversations Matter
Meaningful discussions between managers and employees build stronger individuals and organisations.
How Will ChatGPT Shape Business, Society and Employment?
Will next-generation AI systems such as ChatGPT deliver the productivity boost modern economies need – and are we ready for it?
The Power of Governance for Tech Start-Up Success
Lessons from a serial entrepreneur on why good governance is crucial for tech start-ups to succeed.
How Corporate Thought Leadership Drives Business Success
What makes an organisation an opinion leader and how it affects business revenue.
1
comment
How to Effectively Engage Stakeholders
Strategies for identifying key players, managing stakeholder networks and creating joint value.
Joint Strategic Decisions: Do We All Need to Agree?
How organisations’ decision-making rules affect the way individual managers vote.
What Comes After the Fall of Silicon Valley Bank?
The bank’s collapse could have significant implications for monetary policy and banking regulations.
The Social Costs of Not Sharing Fake News
Not engaging with fake news online has its social costs; individuals are therefore forced to choose between spreading misinformation and social exclusion.
The Costs of Fuelling Economic Growth
A study of ten large global economies shows that exergy – not human labour – is the primary driver of GDP growth. Existing production models cannot explain growth.
Humanitarian Versus For-Profit Operations: When Lines Blur
What are the repercussions when humanitarian organisations adopt a commercial structure?
Why the World Needs Ambidextrous Leaders
What the launch of ChatGPT can teach executives about leading in disruptive times.
How Large Mergers Can Benefit Smaller Players
Joint ventures between dominant incumbents can create opportunities for smaller firms to enter the market and capture market share.
Why Did Silicon Valley Bank Collapse?
Risky investments and a lack of regulatory oversight contributed to the failure of Silicon Valley Bank.
1
comment
We Need to Talk About the Carbon Budget
With the release of the IPCC’s latest report confirming that the world is alarmingly far from achieving global climate goals, governments must set mandatory emissions targets for the private sector, establish a robust global carbon market, and distribute the global carbon budget and emissions rights fairly.
Bringing DEI into the Core of Our Institutions
Implementing DEI concepts effectively in business-school classrooms requires support from both institutions and the wider community.
For MNCs, Big Decisions About China Are on Ice
Western multinationals have put important moves on hold amid political and economic uncertainty.
How to Rapidly Test New Organisation Designs
Instead of blindly adopting industry best practice, companies can use gamified randomised control trials to pilot new organisation designs.
Circularity in Practice: Case of a Zero-Waste Island
Implementing sustainable solutions has everything to do with influencing behaviour, as shown in the Just Go Zero project on the Greek island of Tilos.
How Conspiracy Talk Helps People Make Sense of the World
Sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories on online social networks helped individuals cope with fear and uncertainty during the pandemic.
Transcending the Victim Mentality
How to overcome feeling like a victim and create a positive, hopeful attitude to life.
Will ESG Investing Solve Our Pressing Problems?
ESG or sustainable investing suffers from a principal-agent problem. Far more impact will be achieved when business leaders incorporate sustainability into business decisions.
It Doesn't Have to Be Lonely at the Top
Tips for leaders to gain valuable, actionable and informed feedback from their peers.
What Machine Learning Tells Us About Gender Stereotypes
Machine-learning models offer insights into how putting women in leadership positions affects gender stereotypes in the workplace.
Five Ways to Optimise Your Subscription Model
With more global distributors launching subscription models, retailers and consumer-packaged goods manufacturers must level up their offerings to stand out from the crowd.
Transformative Change Starts With Responsible Research
Responsible research can help businesses and leaders gain a competitive and sustainable edge in today’s volatile markets.
The World Economy in 2023: A Recession Year?
How current market and economic conditions will shape the year ahead.
Local Innovation as a Driver of Global Development
To achieve critical development goals, we need to champion local, innovative solutions to social problems.
Nonstop Flights Can Foster Global Firm Innovation
Nonstop flights can be a vital facilitator of innovation between international companies and their subsidiaries.
How Organisation Design Can Rescue the SDGs
We're not on track to meet any SDGs by 2030. Organisation designers can help.
4
comments
Demystifying China’s Internet Giants
A behind-the-scenes look at what makes or breaks China’s Big Tech flagbearers and their foreign exploits.
What’s Behind the Tech Layoffs?
INSEAD faculty on the state of the labour market and what’s to come for firms and employees.
How (Not) to Respond to a Humanitarian Crisis
Recognising post-disaster realities can enable individuals, media and organisations to help the Turkey-Syria earthquake victims more effectively.
Why Managers are Kinder to Women in Workplace Reviews
Employers are nicer to women because of the stereotype that women are “warmer”. Here’s why that’s a problem.
Cutting Through the Metaverse Hype
The barriers to mainstream metaverse adoption and the key opportunities and challenges it presents.
China is Back: What Its Reopening Means for the World
What the world economy, businesses and investors could expect from China’s return to the fray.
1
comment
How Slow-Motion Video Ads Make Products More Luxurious
Slowing down the speed of video ads can boost consumers' desires for the featured product or brand.
The Impact of Investor Gender on Female Founders
Female-led start-ups backed only by female venture capitalists have a harder time raising follow-on capital.
China’s Internet Giants: The Nuts and Bolts of Going Global
The lowdown on how ByteDance, Shein and Xiaomi succeeded outside of China while WeChat failed.
Can the Grammys’ Best New Artist Curse Be Undone?
Groups can stay creative and successful over time – if they don’t chase further acclaim.
ChatGPT and the Future of Business Education
How ChatGPT can help – and hinder – research and learning at business schools.
How Storytelling Makes You a Better Leader
Purposeful storytelling isn’t show business, it’s good business.
1
comment
Five Global Trends in Business and Society in 2023
INSEAD faculty weigh in on the greatest threats and opportunities for the year ahead.
Solving Grand Societal Challenges Through Creative Organisation Design
Combining for-profit entrepreneurship with a non-profit social mission through novel organisation design can achieve scale and impact.
Why Hierarchies in Organisations Aren’t All Bad
Hierarchical structures can be useful even for teams that need to be agile.
2
comments
Leading Change in Turbulence: Case of Discovery Inc.
In this video, Marinella Soldi shares ways to navigate the turbulent waters of digital transformation and why it is important to tackle both the strategic and cultural facets of change.
Only Fools Rush In: Pitfalls of Hasty Problem-Solving
Research into mindless maths reveals why it’s crucial to take your time when approaching a problem.
1
comment
How to Work Out What Your Employees Really Want
A holistic approach to understanding employees’ needs.
Three Key Global Strategy Challenges Companies Face
Multinationals are adapting and redesigning their global strategies in response to mounting pressures.
When Feeling Good Feels Morally Wrong
After witnessing human suffering, people believe it is more appropriate to prolong negative emotions than repair their mood.
When Two Isn’t Always Better Than One
Receiving outsized credit can encourage individuals to work together even when it results in lower-quality output.
Putting a Price on Private Data
People value their private data higher in cash than in digital goods or services.
2
comments
Healthy Eating Interventions That Work
Mutually beneficial solutions for the food industry, health and the environment.
A Career in the Family Business: Duty or Choice?
Would-be joiners of family businesses can have their cake and eat it – if they get the ingredients right.
In Times of Chaos, Know Yourself
Self-aware leaders see the beauty in chaos and look within to find meaningful solutions.
Twitter's Remarkable Mission in a Divided World
Good governance is key to ensure that exceptional people, organisations and countries realise their full potential.
Our Best of 2022: Making Sense of an Uncertain World
This year’s trending articles offer insights ranging from how to work and manage better to what the economy might hold in 2023.
Confronting Climate Change in Africa
Experts discuss how the climate emergency is impacting Africa – and how leaders across the continent are taking action to mitigate it.
2
comments
How to Break Free From Herd Mentality
Nurturing independent thought can help us overcome dangerous sheeple behaviour and groupthink.
1
comment
In the US, Owning a Home May Not Lead to a Better Life
Policies meant to help lower-income Americans purchase homes may be perpetuating the Black-white wealth gap.
After the Guns Fall Silent, What Then?
Would an end of Russia's invasion of Ukraine result in lasting peace for the region?
1
comment
Managing in an Unimaginable World
Business leaders can leverage serendipity to help their companies deal with far-reaching market shocks.
The Problem With Being Too Easy-going
Failure to express your preferences in everyday situations can make you seem less likeable and even slightly less human.
How Biotech Firms Can Improve Cross-Functional Collaboration
Optimising the R&D-to-commercialisation handover process is crucial for the survival of young biotech companies.
After the Fall, What’s Next for Crypto?
Amid the collapse of crypto exchange FTX, Lily Fang, Antonio Fatás, Peter Zemsky and Jason P. Davis unpack why it happened and where crypto could go from here.
3
comments
Collaborations That Are Bad for Business but Benefit Employees
Sharing a partner with competing companies hinders the success of firms but helps employees’ careers.
Stakeholder Perspectives on Right-to-Repair Laws
Laws to protect consumers and the environment could be a game-changer for businesses and prompt change in business models.
Creating Your Blue Ocean Through Noncustomer Analysis
Adopting a blue ocean perspective can allow you to reach beyond your existing industry’s customers.
Can AI Help You Strategise Better?
Machine learning algorithms can uncover intricate patterns in big data and enable managers to strategise with more confidence.
Do Unconventional Offices Promote Creativity?
It is widely assumed that unconventionally-designed offices stimulate creativity. But that isn’t always the case – sometimes they may even impede innovation.
1
comment
The Future of Food: New Tech to Save the World
Could innovative, tech-driven solutions be key to fixing our broken food systems?
Live Abroad to Excel in the Language of Leadership
Leaders with broad multicultural experiences are better communicators and lead more effectively, particularly in multinational teams.
How Much Control Do You Really Have Over Your Career?
Chance events may have a greater impact on career trajectories than we think.
Crypto 3.0 Will Be More Human
At a recent INSEAD event, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin revealed technologies to manage online identities, preserve privacy and ensure the responsible use of AI.
1
comment
Should Companies Allow Returns of Customised Goods?
Allowing customers to return customised products can be a win-win for both consumers and business.
2
comments
How to Change Someone’s Mind
Powerful storytelling can awaken curiosity and challenge people to shift their outlook.
1
comment
Why It Pays to Be Sceptical About Behaviour Tests
Using such techniques to assess individual personality traits such as rationality might overstate their potential.
The Really Simple Steps to Creating an Innovation Engine
All companies need to do is give employees permission to generate ideas and nudge them in the right direction – then get out of the way, said Ben Bensaou in a Thinkers50 webinar.
GHG Emissions Reduction: Scientific Rigour and Stakeholder Engagement
How a step-by-step approach to sustainability helped INSEAD ensure meaningful results.
1
comment
The World’s Most Talent Competitive Countries, 2022
Mounting talent inequalities could become a significant roadblock to reaching key targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Navigating the New World of Work
Firms need to focus on building an inclusive environment and a culture of trust to overcome the challenges of remote or hybrid work.
The Importance of Soft Skills in Driving Productivity
The economy of the future requires a workforce with strong soft skills. Investing in these crucial skills can result in increased productivity.
The Road Ahead for Venture Capital
In this Thinkers50 webinar, Claudia Zeisberger provides insights into the state of the venture world in today’s climate of unprecedented uncertainty.
China’s Economy: Dragon in Turbulence
Anaemic growth and a crippling economic war with the United States weigh on Xi Jinping even as he cements his position as China’s most powerful leader since Mao.
How to Get More Value from Less Food
Marketing focused on the multisensory properties of food can encourage people to eat less and experience more pleasure.
The Power of Networking in the New Economy
In today’s gig economy, fleeting ties can be valuable to the career of the gig worker.
Can Fintech Be a Force for Good?
In this Thinkers50 webinar, Lily Fang discusses how the meeting of finance and technology could unleash a transformative force towards more inclusive financial services.
A World at War With Putin’s Regime
To defend democracy, the civilised world needs to stand with Ukraine in securing victory and continue to engage and pressure Russia to reform itself.
Americans Underestimate the Impact of Voter Suppression
Voting suppression is on the rise, but many Americans fail to anticipate the harm of seemingly minor voting restrictions.
4
comments
A Perfect (Macroeconomic) Storm
The outlook for the world economy next year doesn’t inspire optimism.
Responsible AI Has Become Critical for Business
Investors need to prioritise the ethical deployment of AI – too much is at stake if they don’t.
Rising to the ESG Challenge: Towards Effective Governance
Boards can drive the ESG agenda effectively by identifying what is material to their organisation and being willing to adapt along the way.
How to Design for Disruption
Why a structured approach can turn a volatile world into a growth opportunity.
Speed Kills: Why Some MNCs Fail to Pay Attention to Quality
When managers are too fixated on quick financial results, ethics and service tend to take a backseat.
Embracing Diversity With a Growth Mindset
Getting along with others is about more than just having things in common.
Why Communication Breaks Down
As workplaces become more diverse and work becomes more distributed, it is more important than ever to converge on a common code for effective communication.
The Hidden Power of Workers From Humble Backgrounds
Businesses need to do more to level the playing field for socioeconomically disadvantaged workers.
2
comments
Banning Payment for Order Flow May Benefit No One
Increased regulations could result in reduced market liquidity and a negative impact on retail traders.
Why The World is Attracted to Neo-Authoritarian Leaders
Leaders like Donald Trump do not rise in a vacuum. But what draws people to authoritarian rulers?
1
comment
The Pandemic Has Dealt a Blow to Gender Balance
Here’s what business leaders can do about it.
Affordable Homes for the Poor Can Boost Collective Well-Being
For all their much-studied drawbacks, affordable housing policies can be a net positive for the aggregate welfare of city dwellers.
Thinkers50: The Upside of Uncertainty
In this Thinkers50 webinar, Nathan Furr and Susannah Harmon Furr share practical tools for navigating life’s ambiguities.
Will China’s Internet Giants Conquer the World?
Dissecting the success and strategies of Chinese internet firms as more of them venture overseas.
Countering Climate Change With “Greener” Economics
Truly understanding the fundamental role of energy in the economy is key to a more sustainable future.
2
comments
The Coming of Age of Humanitarian Logistics
We are closer than ever to a holistic supply chain management approach now that the humanitarian sector has recognised the importance of logistics.
NFTs as a Force for Good: The Savvy Salamanders
How a group of MBA students built a community of crypto pioneers and a unique approach to fundraising.
How to Show Compassion Without Compromising on Performance
Many leaders think they have to choose between delivering results and supporting employees’ needs. They don’t – but doing both sustainably requires careful navigation.
Casting a Wider Net in OTC Trading: For Better or Worse?
Simultaneous multilateral search for quotes may not always lead to the best deal in over-the-counter trading for dealers and the market.
A China Blockade of Taiwan Will Hurt Us All
The global economy will bear the consequences of an all-out economic war between the United States and China should the latter try to shut off Taiwan.
Biden’s Misguided Tax on Share Buybacks
The Biden administration’s ideological distaste for companies purchasing their own stock may do more harm than good.
2
comments
Could Living Near the Office Make You a Better CEO?
Besides enjoying a shorter commute, living close to the office may allow CEOs to boost ties with employees and the firm’s bottom line.
Ten Steps Towards a More Fulfilling Life
The journey towards a more fulfilling existence starts within you.
Four Elements of Successful Stakeholder Communication
Firms can enhance cooperation and reduce conflict by understanding the different dimensions of stakeholder dialogue.
What Religion Teaches Us About Great Leadership
What can guiding figures and best practices in Judaism, Islam and Catholicism tell us about leadership?
1
comment
The Special Bond Behind Every Brilliant Idea
The way we view ourselves shapes the way we develop and connect with our own ideas.
Online Feedback Requests Are Effective, Even if Ignored
Requesting feedback from online users can influence their behaviour, even when the requests go unanswered.
In Age of Deglobalisation, MNCs Need Closer Ties to Thrive
Cultivating relationships with local communities and other stakeholders will help multinationals counterbalance increasingly powerful governments.
Better Human-AI Collaboration May Depend on Workflow Design
Improving how humans work with algorithms could simply be a matter of redesigning workflow.
Corporate VC Is Booming, but Is It What Your Start-Up Needs?
A guide to choosing the right corporate investment for entrepreneurs.
Bob Ayres at 90: Key Insights on Energy in the Economy
Groundbreaking observations on the fundamental role energy and materials play in the economy.
6
comments
Paradox Mindset: The Source of Remarkable Creativity in Teams
Teams are more successful if they embrace internal differences and explore conflicting ideas instead of glossing over them.
A “Human” Understanding of the World Through AI
Information search could be made less biased and more holistic through the lens of empathy.
Making Sense of Attribution in Online Advertising
While online advertising has grown rapidly, methods to justify marketing spend on digital platforms have yet to catch up.
1
comment
How to Shoot for the Holy Grail of Social Media Marketing
Quality, consistent and simple messaging is what will bring in sales. The rest is just noise.
2
comments
Can We Get Better at Navigating Uncertainty?
What innovators have learnt that empowers them to face the uncertainty of new pursuits.
The X Factor in Crafting New CXO Roles Successfully
CXO roles have proliferated in recent decades, making it difficult for some title holders to find their footing in an ever-changing C-suite landscape.
Healthy in the Wrong Way: When Food Marketers Don’t Listen
The meaning of “healthy” is constantly evolving, and food marketers are not always meeting consumers’ expectations.
The Importance of Gatekeepers in Impacting Real Change
How a social movement and an influential magazine successfully challenged the morally problematic use of fur in fashion.
Why Leaders Won’t Stop Waging Wars
War brings out the worst in people and destroys the very foundations of humanity.
How to Find Fulfilment by Taking a Step Down
Three stories of professionals who bucked the trend and found greater meaning in their work life.
1
comment
Empowering Public Health Leaders in Africa
A unique programme to foster leadership and supply chain skills through public-private capacity-building efforts.
Consumer Streaks Are Motivating – The Key Is Keeping Them Alive
People often go out of their way to repeat a behaviour if it is logged and highlighted to them.
1
comment
Finding Meaning in Life
Create a compelling self-narrative based on the five pillars that influence the way we experience meaning.
1
comment
Too Many ESG Funds Mislead Investors
Regulatory reckoning with ESG funds does not go far enough.
Building Momentum in the Energy Transition: Key Insights from Davos and Beyond
If the nascent energy transformation is to take off, business and government must work together to promote circular systems.
Organising in the Metaverse: Five FAQs for Managers
An explainer on how social interaction in all its forms might take place in the virtual universe.
1
comment
Making Humanitarian Operations More Sustainable
Do good intentions always lead to good outcomes? Experience shows that the lack of coordinated response can lead to future humanitarian and sustainability challenges.
Why the Customer Isn’t Always Right
Consumer behaviour on food-logging tools reveals initial expectations don’t match actual experience.
What Good Could Come After Financial Success?
All of society would benefit if successful entrepreneurs used their skills to promote positive social change.
1
comment
Mind the Inventory Risk: Price Paradox Under Competition
In competitive environments, operational innovation could well be the answer to inventory risk.
What the World Can Learn From Nordic Boards
Proactive, engaged and democratic, corporate boards in Nordic countries are well-placed to deal with today’s increasingly complex operating environments.
Are Our Supply Chains Ready for the Next Global Health Crisis?
We need resilient healthcare supply chains to prepare for the next global health emergency. Here’s how to do it.
Has Hybridity Killed Teamwork?
The time has come to check whether the benefits of teamwork still outweigh the costs.
Unlock the Full Value of Your Business Relationships
A fruitful relationship starts with asking the right – and sometimes difficult – questions.
The Rising Importance of Value Innovation for Creating New Growth
With limited resources at hand, companies need to stay smart and efficient when it comes to investing in innovation.
Overcoming Competitive Pressures: “Making” vs. “Milking”
A fresh take on the classic theme of generic business strategies.
1
comment
Not All Heroes Wear Capes. They May Just Have More Willpower
We instinctively see people with stronger self-control as more virtuous and more capable of realising good intentions.
Burnout Won’t Prevent Itself
While people make sure to charge their phones, they don’t always take the time to recharge themselves.
What It Means to Lead in a Multipolar World
By overcoming our fears and creating a brave space for dialogue, we can relate and lead better in the new multipolar world.
2
comments
Don’t Kill Share Buybacks
New proposed restrictions on companies buying back their own stock would likely backfire.
1
comment
The Pitfalls of Flaunting Your Social Status
Ditch the luxury logos if you want to be seen as a cooperative team player.
1
comment
Psychological Safety Unlocks the Potential of Diverse Teams
The dissimilar backgrounds of diverse team members often result in clashes unless care is taken to create a psychologically safe environment.
2
comments
How Can Managers Use AI to Find the Right People?
Eight recommendations to help firms win the war for talent.
3
comments
Stop Labelling Negotiations as Win-Win or Win-Lose
Too many people have an either naïve or fatalist view of these terms, which have become so misunderstood that we should perhaps even discard them.
Unfinished Business: Co-Creating Solutions With Beneficiaries
Under severe budget constraints, how can NPOs manage the trade-offs between offering variety versus serving more beneficiaries?
The Problem When Bankers Marry Social Workers
When you and your romantic partner disagree about the meaning of work, it reduces your odds of quickly landing a job should you find yourself unemployed.
Preserving the Multiplicity of Voices in French Fine Wines
An INSEAD conference for family-owned French wine estates reveals important lessons for the continuity of excellence in other sectors.
1
comment
Taming Your Inner Critic
Eight concrete ways to lead a more contented life.
Climate Change Gets Up Close and Personal for Board Members
Shell’s directors are the first to face legal action for mismanaging climate risk. Two new INSEAD reports offer advice to board members seeking to avoid the same fate.
How Family-Work Conflict Keeps Us Glued to Our Mobile Phones
Torn between family obligations and work, many people can’t resist working on their phones after hours, creating a downward spiral for their well-being and home life.
Biodiversity: Why Should Business Care?
Unlike the climate crisis, biodiversity loss is just starting to get the attention it deserves.
Creating People-Centric International Organisations With AI
The United Nations is both a fascinating playground for artificial intelligence applications and a showcase of AI implementation problems and solutions.
ENGIE: Powering the Energy Transition With Data
What does it take for a utility company to develop a data- and AI-driven software business?
1
comment
Designing a Circular Business Strategy That Works
To avoid costly mistakes due to overly optimistic assumptions, a good understanding of the market and the product is needed.
Sales Numbers Are Up? It May Only Be Inflation
Managers need proper information systems to decipher the real causes of any bump in sales revenue and decide whether investments are required.
When Two Leaders Collide, the Result Can Be Less Fraud
When the head of a family firm ranks lower in the family hierarchy than another leader at that firm, the misalignment can help prevent fraud in the emerging market context.
Putting Covid-19 Testing to the Test
The pandemic has underscored the chronically poor testing capacity and calls for diagnostics strategies at the national level.
Rethinking the Role of Leaders in the Creative Process
A strong vision and a more disciplined approach can actually equal more creative results.
1
comment
Want to Help Ukrainian Refugees? Don't Send Random Stuff
An open letter urging well-intentioned donors to think twice before inadvertently doing more harm than good.
5
comments
Venture Capital Crucial to Push for ‘Ethical’ AI and Tech Standards
Venture capitalists’ role as funding source and mentor of tech start-ups makes them uniquely placed to press for more responsible use of technology.
Escaping the Survival Trap
Why expanding your network is crucial for long-term creative success.
The Start-Up Blind Spot That Trips New Ventures
Having a great business plan is not enough. Start-ups also need good organisation design.
Business Schools Can Help ‘Break the Bias’ for Women
Institutions like INSEAD are uniquely equipped to address systemic biases.
How Conversations About Work Affect Closeness
'The 36 Questions That Lead to Love’ can teach us something about fostering connectedness and trust in the organisation.
Russia’s War on Ukraine: First Lessons and Outlook
Russia loses big, China gains, and win-lose becomes a new normal.
18
comments
‘Tech for Good’ Needs a ‘Good Tech’ Approach
Responsible practices using tested processes must be the focus when creating new technology.
A Foot in the Door: Strategies to Connect With Investors
Even modestly connected entrepreneurs are six times more likely to succeed in accessing early-stage investors – if they push the right buttons.
Into the Mind of White-Collar Criminals
What society and business schools can do to stop corporate crimes.
Gratitude Is More Powerful Than You Think
Regular appreciation and thanks from service users can make a huge difference in the lives of burnt out essential workers.
Senior Leaders As Chief Reframing Officers
The important role of leaders in giving their employees the space and permission to get creative.
1
comment
ESG in the Air
How the airline industry is riding a transformation to sustainability.
Where a Firm’s Value Truly Lies
A new approach to uncovering the sum of all the parts of a modern firm.
Making Sure That Everyone Knows Their Place
Why formal structures and greater diversity create status disagreements and how to fix the issue.
Lessons in Sustainable Change Management: #deCOALonize Kenya
The campaign to prevent the construction of a coal power plant on an idyllic island in the Indian Ocean.
Should Employees Be Allowed to Choose What They Want to Do?
The degree of specialisation is the deciding factor.
Six Global Trends in Business and Society
A stark look at the risks business education must address in 2022.
1
comment
Negotiating With a Team? Skip the Chit-Chat
Team negotiators may achieve higher joint gains when they first discuss superordinate goals that either team can’t achieve without the help of the other.
Meditating Away a Guilty Conscience
Mindfulness meditation can make one feel less bad about moral violations as well as lessen the desire to make amends.
1
comment
A Simple Guide to Charting the Evolution of an Ecosystem
Capture key changes and pivots with a timeline.
Carpe Diem: Don’t Postpone Your Dreams
Far from a hedonistic cry, carpe diem instructs us to live a life of meaning.
1
comment
Why Facebook Is Rebranding Itself as Meta
Is the tech company dodging bad publicity or creating a gatekeeper economy?
2
comments
Could Green Methanol Be What China Needs to Reach Net Zero?
Methanol produced with solar and wind energy is a clean and cheap alternative fuel that could slash China’s emissions by as much as 80 percent.
2
comments
A Sociological Take on Creativity: Believe in the Unexpected
Amid the relentless pursuit of creativity, it may be time to reconsider how we define it.
AI: A World of New Opportunity and Risk
A new toolkit for C-suite execs on how to responsibly adopt artificial intelligence.
1
comment
Middle Managers: The Forgotten Heroes of Innovation
The importance of building a support network to implement promising ideas.
3
comments
Can Private Equity Make Money While Doing Good?
With the right tools, investors can help prevent an impact investing debacle.
ESG Strategy in Action
Lessons from translating a global water conservation strategy into a coherent and impactful action plan.
Using the Global Goals as a Systemic Approach to Relief
With the UN SDGs as a guide, how can non-profits and NGOs do their work while considering long-term impact?
The Devil Is in the Details When Assessing Circular Solutions
Identifying the right blend of circular economy strategies is vital for economic and environmental returns.
Our Best of 2021: Managing Change in Tumultuous Times
This year's top articles look at adaptation, resilience and how we all manage change.
1
comment
How Nasdaq’s Board Diversity Rule Creates Potential for Real Change
The new rules requiring qualitative and quantitative disclosure about board diversity will better inform investors and (hopefully) spur further progress.
3
comments
Seven Ways to Put Procrastination Behind You
Don’t chalk it up to a lack of motivation.
Why Businesses Should Negotiate Prices With Customers
In most scenarios, B2C companies have more to gain by bargaining than not.
The Hidden Cost of Solar Energy
The current recycling capacity for solar panels can’t cope with an influx of customers prematurely discarding their existing panels for cheaper, more efficient models.
1
comment
Leading Climate Strategy From the Board
Many boards fail to walk the talk when it comes to fighting climate change. Here are some straightforward solutions for directors.
1
comment
China’s Urban Rich and the Quest For Common Prosperity
The key to closing China’s income gap lies in education and bolstering the ranks of its professionals, the meteoric rise of its urban elites in recent decades suggests.
Race to Zero: Biz Schools Must Supercharge Firm Engagement
Mixed outcomes from COP26 mean business schools must step up to help business leaders accelerate the transition to a net-zero global economy.
The Unexpected Role of PE Firms in Reducing Within-Firm Pay Inequality
The incentives that drive PE firms have an interesting by-product: a reduction in income inequalities, such as the gender wage gap.
The Pursuit of Purpose May Be Harming Your Organisation
People who see their work as a calling tend to be regarded as better employees, with unintended consequences for co-workers as well as their organisation.
1
comment
Should Firms Encourage Their Customers to Vaccinate?
Private firms can boost their bottom line while promoting pro-social information.
New Variants Show Why the World Urgently Needs Vaccine Equity
Delivering more vaccines to low- and middle-income countries is vital if we want to limit the emergence of new coronavirus variants.
A Different Kind of Family Firm Hiding in Plain Sight
The link between ownership and control is tenuous in a certain type of family firm.
Negotiators Should Decrease Concessions Across Rounds
Signalling your bottom line reduces your counterparty’s ambitions.
Why Allyship Is Key to Gender Balance
To achieve equity, both men and women must advocate for it.
Why Investors’ Memories May Be Bad for Their Wealth
How positive bias can lead overconfident investors to inflate the size of their wins and forget their losses.
Post-Pandemic, Firms Need Chief Social Connectivity Officers
In this new hybrid working environment, people shouldn’t go to the office to stare at their computer, but to connect.
Using Corporate Social Initiatives to Build a Purpose-Driven Organisation
An impact-driven intrapreneurial venture can be a useful stepping stone for changing a company’s DNA, but its unintended consequences need to be managed carefully.
How DBS Became the ‘World’s Best Bank’
The Singapore titan’s tech-charged quest to take the banking out of banking has paid off handsomely.
5
comments
The Circular Economy: From Enthusiasm to Realism
Circularity for circularity’s sake is not the goal – sustainability is.
1
comment
Innovation Is Everyone’s Business
Offering employees the tools and motivation to create ideas is the key to an innovative organisation.
A Sign of the Times: The ESG Buyback
Using ESG sensitivities to market financial products.
Boosting Vaccine Production Needs the Right Degree of Flexibility
The unequal access to Covid-19 vaccines stems from production shortfalls. Building more flexibility into manufacturing processes can help – here’s how.
What Does the Microfinance Debate Imply for Impact Investing?
A flexible, outcome-focused approach is the best way to achieve societal goals.
Improving Women’s Access to Mobile Family Planning Services
Cash-strapped NGOs could reach more clients in rural areas – at no extra cost – by basing their visit frequency on data instead of habits.
Companies Must Put Equality at the Heart of the Race to Zero
Singular pursuit of net-zero by 2050 could exacerbate inequality and derail our chances of a climate-resilient future.
The Sustainability Imperative for the Legal Profession
Lawyers should step up to help the world seize its “last best chance”.
Aligning Individual and Organisational Values
How employees’ personal values fit within their organisation.
1
comment
How to Create a Safe (and Open) Online Space
Regulatory and business challenges must be met for an internet that is both safe and allows for freedom of expression.
Performance Reviews Need a Brand-New P&L
Is your firm’s performance review process helping or hindering progress for your high potentials?
2
comments
The World’s Most Talent Competitive Countries, 2021
The pandemic revealed strengths and weaknesses in how nations develop and retain talent.
1
comment
Covid Has Accentuated Our Every Vice
Of all seven deadly sins, leaders need to guard against pride.
An Unintended Side-effect of Hedge Fund Activism? Human Capital Loss
When hedge fund activism triggers an exodus of key employees, everyone loses.
The Politics of Influence in Top Management Team Meetings
Interactions between the chief executive and other members of the top management team appear to follow distinct scripts. Managers who take note can boost their standing or stay out of harm’s way.
When the Problem Isn’t the Problem
Private healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries may not have all medical supplies in stock, but collaboration mitigates individual clinic level shortages. Policy design should not ignore this.
What to Do With Contrarians?
Even when they are wrong, those who think differently add value to an organisation.
1
comment
Marketing Automation: Utopia or Dystopia?
Firms must take consumer psychology into account and resist the temptation to maximise short-term profits at the cost of consumers.
Trust, Social Capital and the Bond Market Benefits of ESG
Although ESG-oriented investments are becoming increasingly common, their benefits are often only realised during certain time periods. So, when do these investments deliver economic payoffs?
Recognising and Confronting Racism in Europe
Systemic racism is not only an American problem. The European experience demands a different kind of anti-racist conversation.
1
comment
The Importance of Incorporating Innovation in a Firm
In this INSEAD Knowledge podcast, the author describes lessons from his work with innovation and multinationals.
Is Stargazing Your Preferred Management Style?
For too many leaders, astrology acts as a crutch that gives them a false sense of control in an uncertain world.
6
comments
The World’s Most Innovative Countries, 2021
Tracking innovation around the globe in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.
Three Steps to Optimising Your Firm’s Hybrid Work Strategy
You need a strong process to reconcile the needs and wants of your various stakeholders.
If Your Company Were a Political Party, Which Would It Be?
Four simple questions will tell you where your organisation stands on today’s wide-ranging ideological spectrum.
We All Want to Be Good – Then Life Happens
Starting with the best of intentions, people overestimate their ability to follow through.
Five Lessons From Xiaomi’s Path to Smartphone Supremacy
Xiaomi’s leadership team idolised Steve Jobs. Now, it seems the student has become the master.
3
comments
When Authenticity Means Conflict: Towards a Truly Inclusive Organisation
Rightfully celebrated, authenticity in the workplace may have some limitations.
Why Targeted Lockdowns Could Be Better for Everyone
Covid lockdowns may be with us for a long time to come, but they could be made sharper, less painful and possibly even more effective.
When Scandal Hits, It Pays to Resemble the Villain
Financial wrongdoing by a single firm often batters its industry peers. Managers and investors may yet profit by using a granular lens to identify a handful of firms that will emerge stronger.
1
comment
What Distinguishes the Super Rich From the Rest of Us
Peeking into the inner theatre of the seriously wealthy.
How the “Butterfly Effect” Can Harm Firm Performance
Firms need to develop appropriate HR risk management strategies to lessen the impact of unanticipated employee departures.
1
comment
How Social Media Makes for Happier Families
There is a hydraulic relationship between domestic happiness and exposure to social media content opposite to our views.
Research Hacks to Help You Negotiate Anything
Even zero-sum negotiations can turn into a win-win.
Strategising for Success in Winner-Take-All Industries
Wild differences in performance within a market are largely shaped by that market’s dependence on resources.
Cancelled by Association: How Stigma Spreads in Different Cultures
The tendency to stigmatise others for misdeeds committed by family members appears to extend to even acquaintances and is stronger in close-knit cultures.
How Tech Can Make You Happier, Fitter and More Popular
Three rules to optimise the influence of your smartphone on your well-being.
The Essence of Agility and Resilience After Covid
Navigating unprecedented levels of uncertainty takes a careful combination of technology and talent.
How “Mind-Body Dissonance” Leads to Creative Thinking
Hacking human evolution to unlock innovative potential in our brains.
In Global Trade, Familiarity Breeds Commerce
Given time and experience, even countries far apart in geography and culture can build strong trade links.
Pursuing the Arts After a Career in Business
How three mid-career professionals leveraged their business skills as they became full-time artists.
The Neuroscience of Eating
An entire biological ecosystem – encompassing complex connections between our gut and brain – underpins our daily food choices.
2
comments
To Find Your Dream Career, Show Your Unconscious Who’s Boss
The social pressures you think are holding you back are most likely your own projection.
1
comment
How the Afterglow of Victory Boosts Future Performance
When we perform well together, we feel less tense with each other, and when we feel less tense with each other, we perform better.
Six Steps to Overcome Shame
As old as time and very much universal, feelings of shame can lead to self-destructive behaviour in even the best of leaders.
1
comment
The Missing Millennial Homebuyers
Property prices fell during the Great Recession, but millions of millennials in the US still couldn’t afford their first homes. Here’s why – and how we could tackle the next housing crisis better.
How Executives Should – and Shouldn’t – Engage With Customers
When done the right way, customer engagement can turn into a lucrative opportunity.
2
comments
Are You Asking the Right Questions of Your Data Team?
Asking great questions is perhaps the most underappreciated skill of great data-driven leaders.
2
comments
Xiaomi’s Road to Internet-of-Things Dominance
The key to building the world’s largest IoT company? A novel collaboration-based strategy of “strategic coalescence”.
How Entrepreneurs Solve the Big Fish vs. Big Pond Dilemma
Collaboration with a partner is not strictly a two-way affair; instead, prospective partners take the entire competitive landscape into account when forming ties.
Developing Quality Conversations About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Organisations – including business schools – are increasingly focused on expanding their DEI capabilities. Consider these best practices for productive conversations around DEI.
Three Dimensions of Leadership Agility
There is one certainty in a VUCA world: The solution that works today may not work tomorrow.
2
comments
CEOs Who Play to Type Win the Market
An important CEO attribute that shapes firm strategies such as mergers and acquisitions is uncovered.
The Hidden Hazards of Smart Device Medical Advice
Diagnostic mobile medical apps call for increased regulatory intervention, even if they do not dispense advice or treatment.
Marked for Disruption, Deep in Denial: Law Firms at a Crossroads
The greatest threat to the survival of law firms isn’t technological, but psychological.
3
comments
Mixing Business and Pleasure for Competitive Advantage
A recent study shows how entrepreneurial team formation can be improved by combining two established strategies.
The Complex Psychology of Covid-19 Compliance
Three main psychological factors helped determine whether people responded to first-wave Covid restrictions with deference or defiance.
How Should Humans Collaborate With AI?
When bringing algorithms and employees together, businesses should respect rather than ignore human preferences.
1
comment
Two CEOs, No Drama: Ground Rules for Co-Leadership
The co-CEO model can actually work. Here’s how.
How Africa Could Astonish the World
Already the most dynamic and youngest continent, Africa could be the world’s next growth miracle – with the right type of leadership.
1
comment
How Online Product Reviews Affect Market Share
To find out how user-generated content affects your bottom line, you need a fine-tuned strategy for data analysis.
4
comments
Professionalising the Family Firm
A conversation about the opportunities and threats that spur families into action.
2
comments
A ‘Lab in the Field’ Approach to Evidence-Based Management
Simplified experimentation in the field may be the best of both worlds, provided its results are viewed with the proper perspective.
A Blue Ocean Compass for Your Post-Covid Strategy
Four questions to help you rethink industry logic and existing practices to prepare for a powerful comeback.
2
comments
Encouraging Sustainability: Why the Business Case Isn’t Enough
The business case for pro-environment investments makes sense intuitively, but appealing to executives’ sense of responsibility might work better.
The Relationships That Create Successful Acquisitions
A study of start-up acquisitions shows important patterns on both sides lead to a successful integration.
How a Second Opinion Could Help Curb the Opioid Crisis
Altering management decisions early in the process can have a significant impact on long-term opioid use.
Rethinking Capitalism: The Power of Creative Destruction
With the proper safeguards, creative destruction – the process by which the new replaces the old – remains the way to greater economic growth and prosperity.
Your Leadership Toolbox: A Coaching Approach
How you can use tips from coaches to adapt to a world in flux.
The New Normal for Innovation
We’re entering a deglocalised world where firms must ceaselessly innovate in order to survive.
When American Firms Misbehave, Chinese Companies Pay the Price
“Guilt by association” in US financial markets appears to be driven by investors’ prejudice against Chinese firms.
Without Psychological Safety, Hybrid Work Won’t Work
People managers have their work cut out for them.
1
comment
When Do Managers Have an Information Advantage Over Analysts?
The role of network centrality in timing buybacks.
Why Do Innovation Outposts Fail?
The steps multinationals can take to create a brokerage environment that fosters innovation.
Nudging Kids to Their Highest Potential
How a top global NGO uses behavioural science to support parents and educators in some of the most challenging contexts.
1
comment
There Goes the Neighbourhood: Legalised Marijuana and Property Values
When a recreational marijuana dispensary opens, it depresses property prices in its immediate vicinity.
2
comments
Our Addiction to Charismatic Leaders Needs to Stop
The antidote to narcissistic leaders who coast on their charisma is a paradigm shift in education.
9
comments
Three Ways Digitalisation Changes Corporate Responsibility
The Fourth Industrial Revolution changes the 'who', 'whom' and 'what' of corporate responsibility.
1
comment
Make the Internet Moderate Again
Extremist opinion looms larger when the moderate majority stays silent online. But there’s a simple and cost-free way to balance out the discourse.
Four Steps to Securing Your Leadership Mandate
Stop hiding your leadership light under a bushel. Achieving the legitimacy you deserve in your organisation entails a sequential process.
7
comments
Building and Leading Your Organisation’s Data Capability
The most impactful data teams can think strategically while delivering technically.
The Competencies and Constraints That Determine Leadership Success
A novel management theory looks past individual leaders to constraints that might limit their effectiveness.
Social Capital Makes the Difference Between ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ Buybacks
Executives who respect both the letter and the spirit of ethical norms aren’t born – they’re shaped by their home communities.
Why Family CEOs Outperform Their Non-Family Predecessors
Pitfalls and solutions for non-family chief executives.
The “Frenemy” Effect: When Strategic Alliances Go South
How to fuel – and cool – competitive wars.
All Hands on Deck for the Circular Economy
The key to achieving zero-waste is a systems approach where all stakeholders – including academics – work together to the same ends.
From Band-Aid to Deep Impact: Building Effective Social Sector Organisations
Making a real difference requires combining your passion with a problem-solving mindset and a rigorous approach.
Breaking Bad: Humanitarians Who Went Corporate
How three professionals who started in purpose-driven organisations continued to do good after migrating to “the other side”.
Simple Rules for the Post-Pandemic World
Learning and using rules of thumb makes a difference both during crises and when opportunity knocks.
How to Tell the Age of an Innovation
All innovations make the journey from “eureka” to “meh”. But they don’t do so according to fixed rules.
The Connections Between Love and Work
Seven lessons about relationships that could save your career.
DEI When We Need It the Most
Covid-related setbacks require redoubled DEI efforts, but are companies delivering?
Weight Loss Surgery Reduces Susceptibility to Food Marketing
Behavioural and neuroscience research by INSEAD and Sorbonne Université suggest bariatric surgery does a lot more than just help patients lose weight.
How Silicon Valley Ate Itself – and What Comes Next
The Valley’s pre-eminence isn’t going anywhere, but its special gloss has faded. And that’s a good thing, for both society and the future of innovation.
When Nepotism Pads CEO Pay: Evidence From Indian Family Firms
Poor corporate governance in emerging economies allows some publicly listed family firms to use CEO pay to exploit corporate resources at the expense of minority shareholders.
Four Ways Today’s Teams Are Making Us Lonely
They say it’s lonely at the top. But in the workplace, even team members are feeling lonely.
Do CEOs Matter?
Conditions that underpin the power and impact of chief executives vary widely, with remarkable results.
A Seven-Step Choreography for Thriving Teams
Changes at team level will never take hold unless individuals’ objectives and behaviours are synchronised with those of the group.
1
comment
Keeping Meaning Alive as Your Workload Surges
These days, we’re all expected to do more. But that doesn’t mean the psychological fulfilment we get from our work has to suffer.
Three Key Steps to Prepare for Data and AI Leadership
To harness the potential of new technology, today’s data-driven business leaders must also be politicians and communicators.
1
comment
Why Some Employees Improve Their Creativity and Others Don’t
How our beliefs about creativity explain our ability to improve and sustain it over time.
Who’s Afraid of the Experience Economy?
Great brand experiences drive better business outcomes, during the pandemic and beyond.
1
comment
Can Managers Who Wear Many Hats Be Trusted?
The more diverse your goals are, the greater the temptation to muddy the waters on performance.
1
comment
Testing Google’s Claim of Quality
Research suggests that, by using a tying strategy, dominant platforms may be able to gain traction in new markets with a lower quality product than what is offered.
Bluebeard Revisited: Knowledge Is Power
Long seen as a cautionary tale about women’s curiosity, it should be reinterpreted as the story of a woman’s emancipation.
What Makes Business Ecosystems Succeed?
Our framework guides you through the forces driving Airbnb and other ecosystem-based businesses.
1
comment
From Fear to Enlightenment: Building Resilience During Covid Year One
The four tools and strategies top leaders used most to convert stress and anxiety into positive energy.
1
comment
Using Science to Enhance the Customer Experience
Hypotheses and experimentation are helping the Saudi government transform the way it serves customs users.
3
comments
Putting People at the Centre of Operations
The field of operations management has deep roots in developing effective processes for people. How can we encourage further growth in this area?
The Darker Side of Organisational Life
Cultural change is not for the faint-hearted or the politically correct.
3
comments
How the Rural-Urban Divide Plays Out on Digital Platforms
Urban entrepreneurs on digital platforms have access to better offline information, which gives them an edge over rural entrepreneurs.
What Yelp Reviews Can Tell Us About the State of the Economy
Data from online sources like Yelp can help you take the pulse of local business activity in the absence of updated official statistics.
Regulating the ‘Wild West’ of Token-Based Business
Evolving standards of crypto regulation may actually result in sharper oversight than is common in the non-token world.
Reverse Mergers Went Bust. Will SPACs Follow?
Despite current exuberance, the signs don’t augur well for “blank cheque” companies.
How to Tame a Belligerent Colleague
Antagonistic behaviour is usually rooted in low self-esteem.
Who Wins the Market: The Swift or the Smart?
Both speed technology and information are vital trading inputs.
Strategy and Leadership Lessons From the ‘Notorious RBG’
As the business world increasingly strives to be a catalyst for social justice and societal progress, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s work provides many valuable lessons for leaders.
The Fundamentals of Transforming from Matrix to Agile
Nothing less than an evolution of strategy, structure, processes, people and technology will do.
3
comments
How Happiness, Anger and Anxiety Can Help You Negotiate
Don’t suppress your emotions – harness them to negotiate better.
Can State and Shareholder Capitalism Combine?
The structural “liabilities” of state-owned enterprises can, in fact, be creative assets that privately owned firms can emulate.
What It’s Like to Be a Gig Worker During a Pandemic
How precarious workers balance financial uncertainty, health risks and mental well-being in the age of Covid-19.
The Next Decade Will Be a Leadership Game Changer
Success begins with a clear-eyed understanding of the trends that will define the years to come.
1
comment
A Post-Mortem on Product Management
Treating product management as a role, rather than a culture all its own, deadens its meaning and impact.
1
comment
The Group Dynamics That Define Well-Functioning Boards
There is an intangible aspect to successful boards that cannot be captured by curating the right CVs.
Social Media Helps Global “Dream Teams” Come Together
Academic international collaboration is now evolving beyond conferences or formal networks as constantly improving social media connects more researchers.
Prospects and Pitfalls for the Post-Pandemic Organisation
Big changes are coming for organisations and organisation designs. Whether they will be for good or ill depends on how leaders confront three key possibilities uncovered by the pandemic.
1
comment
What It Means to Embark on a Journey of Change
Many executives have a nagging sense that something is amiss in their lives. But not all of them find the courage – or the tools – to tackle what needs fixing.
3
comments
How Disempowerment Drives Demand for Risky Skin-Lightening Products
Empowering darker-skinned women in emerging markets acts as a buffer against a toxic combination of sexism, colourism and economic disadvantage.
What’s Style Got to Do With Strategy?
Careful calibration of aesthetics and style can elevate companies and individuals above the competition.
The Five Essential Roles of Corporate Ecosystems
Most firms that try to build an ecosystem would be better off joining an existing one. The first step is for them to know where they would fit.
2
comments
How LGBTQ+ Employees Can Embrace Authenticity
Four professionals with different sexual orientations and gender identities describe their journeys.
What Ails Corporate Executive Committees?
Fragmentation among top leadership teams is widespread. CEOs should pay heed – and sharpen their most important strategy execution tool.
Nokia’s Reinvention Was Emotionally Driven
No less than start-ups or SMEs, large organisations can accomplish a radical strategic shift – if they can regulate managers’ raw emotions in the aftermath of failure.
Can the Subscription Economy Save Financial Services?
The traditional FSI business model is looking threadbare – and not only because of the pandemic. Some players are seeking new territory by transitioning to subscriptions.
1
comment
Overcoming Barriers to Supply Chain Agility
A careful look at how some firms responded to the Covid-19 crisis reveals a new, more effective supply chain frontier.
Why Firms Should Care About the Career Stage of China’s Officials
Tasked with a broad range of objectives, government officials will prioritise different ones depending on their career stage and mobilise firms accordingly.
How Boards Can Steer Companies to “Build Back Better”
The momentum for sustainability is strong despite misgivings over current financial strains. Few businesses can afford to ignore it.
A First Step Towards Resilient Organisations
Cultivating resilience in the face of organisational crises hinges on the foundation of a clear strategy, heightened awareness and robust reserves.
INSEAD Insights: September 2023 Research Picks
Recent findings on online marketplace dynamics, new market creation, trust in AI, diversity in corporate boards and consumer choices.
The Power of Distinct Owners as Value Catalysts
Uncovering the unique elements owners need to achieve business success and resilience.
Inside the Black Box Crucial to Megaproject Success
Despite their importance to the global economy, most megaprojects fail to be delivered on budget or schedule. Here’s how managers could improve on that dismal record.
Letting Go of the Urge to Rescue
Exploring the motivations behind our need to help others and embracing a balanced approach to offering assistance.
Stop Going It Alone
Negotiating radical organisational change needs to be a collective effort.
1
comment
A Holistic Approach to Navigating the New Workplace
How to foster a thriving and sustainable workplace culture to contend with the realities of the new office.
Governance in the Age of Technological Innovation
With new technologies redefining the global business ecosystem, how can boards navigate these changes and reinvent their business models?
What All Tech Start-Ups Need to Succeed
Governance exists to help tech entrepreneurs prevent value destruction from day one.
Retirement and Beyond: The Last Days of Executives
How to plan for the end of the professional life and a smooth transition to retirement.
How Women Leaders Benefit From Using Humour
New research suggests that being funny helps leaders gain influence, and that women benefit more than men from using humour in public speaking.
1
comment
Breaking the Cycle of Self-Sabotage
A roadmap for identifying and overcoming the self-defeating habits that hold you back.
1
comment
Intellectual Honesty Is Critical for Innovation
Here’s how to balance psychological safety and intellectual honesty for better team performance.
How Corporate Thought Leadership Drives Business Success
What makes an organisation an opinion leader and how it affects business revenue.
1
comment
Joint Strategic Decisions: Do We All Need to Agree?
How organisations’ decision-making rules affect the way individual managers vote.
Why the World Needs Ambidextrous Leaders
What the launch of ChatGPT can teach executives about leading in disruptive times.
How to Rapidly Test New Organisation Designs
Instead of blindly adopting industry best practice, companies can use gamified randomised control trials to pilot new organisation designs.
It Doesn't Have to Be Lonely at the Top
Tips for leaders to gain valuable, actionable and informed feedback from their peers.