Research Reverb

Alex Vandenberg discusses the results of history on what makes a positive peer-to-peer recognition program in the workplace.

A new framework from Gies Business professor Ujjal Mukherjee combines machine learning with scheduling optimization to tackle one of healthcare's toughest problems: the sickest patients are often the least likely to get time with a doctor.

Anand and Wang discuss the results of their study, which found unfavorable FDA inspection outcomes to be associated with fewer drug shortages

Firms can sell their dirty plants but keep using that plant's output. Professor Qiping Xu reveals the "cosmetic redrawing" of corporate boundaries and why divestment sometimes fails the planet.

Every year, 39 million American women get a mammogram, and about 10% of them receive an unsettling call that could trigger weeks of anxiety. Gies Business professor Eren Ahsen thinks new technologies can fix that. His research finds that a "delegation" model (where algorithms triage low-risk cases and flag the tricky ones for human experts) could cut screening costs by up to 30% without...

Drivers for ride-sharing companies, short-term renters, freelancers, and other one-off jobs are part of a growing market called the gig economy. The phenomenon is not new. It picked up steam in the early 2010s and carried it into the mid-2020s. Recently, researchers Spyros Lagaras, a professor of finance in Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, joined researchers...

Is erasing medical debt from credit reports just a placebo? Gies Business economist Julia Fonseca and her coauthors found that withholding small medical debts from reporting had no impact on credit scores or decisions.

In studying 355 elite national soccer teams from around the globe, Gies Business Professor Mike Szymanski finds that teams led by multicultural managers enjoy an advantage in a sport where nations from every corner of the world collide. He has demonstrated that this same idea also applies to international business. One of his more recent projects extended this interest in diversity to the domain o...

A small scooter can have a big impact. Gies Business professor Unnati Narang digs into the surprising ripple effect of Chicago's 2019 e-scooter rollout - from rideshare jumps to bikeshare dips and hidden side effects for consumer mobility and safety.

Companies are walking a fine line between transparency and strategy when it comes to tax disclosures. In this episode, Gies Business professor Stefan Richter discusses his new research revealing how tax authorities are mining public information — from corporate filings to LinkedIn — and how companies subtly adapt their reporting to stay compliant while revealing as little as possible.

In today's hyper-connected world, we're constantly bombarded with messages and demands. But it goes beyond information overload; it's relational overload. In this episode, we chat with Gies Professor Pranav Gupta about his groundbreaking research on this phenomenon and discuss strategies for navigating this complex landscape.

In this episode, we dive deep into the power of product names with Gies Professor Olga Khessina. Her research reveals that the name of a product could be the difference between success and failure — especially in high-velocity industries where products come and go rapidly.

In this episode of Research Reverb, we're diving into the complexities of transparency in drug development and its surprising impact on innovation. Professor Hanu Tyagi explores the tension between openness and creativity in the pharmaceutical industry. What if being too transparent is slowing down the next groundbreaking cure? In his research, Professor Tyagi finds that increased transparency...

Do you think loving a certain food makes you a better connoisseur? It might surprise you to learn that being passionate about food could actually dull your senses! In our latest episode, Gies Professor Maria Rodas explains why "love" might just be blinding when it comes to taste. Her explores how chocoholics, cheese lovers, and coffee fans often miss subtle flavor differences in their favorites—si...

Ever felt extra motivated at work because you were part of a high-status team? Or maybe you’ve found yourself going the extra mile for your company because of the pride you felt for a specific project? New research reveals that group status within an organization is a major driver of how much effort we put in. In this episode of Research Reverb, Gies Business professor Jeff Lowenstein discusses hi...

We dive into a conversation with Gies Professor Yang Gao, who co-authored a paper examining whether Community Notes can influence users to retract misleading tweets. From the mechanics of the system to the psychological factors at play, Gao shares key findings about how these notes might restore trust in social media and prevent the spread of false information. The discussion also touches on the b...

Ever had an app crash just as you were about to make a purchase? You're not alone, and it could cost businesses millions! In our latest podcast episode, we dive deep with Gies Professor Unnati Narang into the surprising impact of mobile app failures on retail. Unnati's research with a major retailer revealed that even a two-hour app outage can lead to significant revenue losses, impacting in-store...

What if we could hear directly from executives about the prevalence of accounting fraud? For the first time, we’re getting estimates straight from the source, and the results might surprise you. In our latest podcast episode, Gies Professor Alex Vandenberg talks about a groundbreaking study that sheds light on how common earnings manipulation really is. This episode covers: 1) The 5 types of earni...

Have you ever thought that cheating must provide an advantage? A fascinating new study on the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal flips this idea on its head and challenges us to rethink assumptions about misconduct and performance. Gies Professors Deepak Somaya and Joe Mahoney explain that despite a carefully planned system, the Astros’ cheating didn’t statistically improve their performance. It...

In this episode, Gies Professor Jack Goncalo shares his fascinating research on the link between creativity and indulgence. His study suggests that engaging in creative tasks can trigger a "treat-yourself" mentality, leading to indulgent behaviors such as overeating, drinking more alcohol, or skipping workouts. Through a series of experiments, he reveals how creative thinking activates the brain's...