A new study published in Information Systems Research found that attractive MBA graduates earn a 2.4% beauty premium, with the top 10% most attractive individuals earning tens of thousands of dollars in cumulative career earnings over 15 years.
A new study by INFORMS reveals that corporate chain ownership of fertility clinics enhances patient outcomes, including a 27.2% increase in IVF cycles and a 13.6% improvement in success rates. Chain-owned clinics adopt standardized practices that prioritize healthier single births while reducing risky multiple births.
A new study published in INFORMS Journal Marketing Science found that users are more likely to listen to playlists prominently featured on Spotify's Search Page than those created by third parties. The research also shows that superstar artists added to playlists increase followers, but platform algorithms prioritize these playlists ov...
A new AI model analyzes complex medical factors to predict ICU length of stay, providing clear explanations for clinicians to guide critical decisions. This approach has the potential to reduce ICU overcrowding and decrease hospital costs by improving predictions and offering actionable insights.
A new study published in Marketing Science found that Washington state's short-lived soda tax led to a significant decrease in soda consumption, particularly among stores frequented by tax opponents. The research suggests that the effectiveness of consumption taxes depends on public support for the tax.
A new study utilizes AI and optimization to identify socioeconomically equitable solutions for addressing opioid use disorder, aiming to reduce overdose deaths and improve access to treatment. The approach considers state-level data and socially vulnerable populations, leading to a greater reduction in overdose deaths and treatment gaps.
A new study reveals that some Medicare Advantage plans engage in strategic cross-subsidization, offering extra benefits to healthier patients while providing fewer benefits to sicker patients. This practice can lead to reduced care quality for vulnerable populations and exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare access.
A new study found that banning print advertising in Germany's Saarland state during the pandemic resulted in a 6% decrease in grocery retail sales. In contrast, adjacent Rhineland-Palatinate state saw no decline in sales.
New research suggests that statewide menthol cigarette bans have failed to curb consumption, with smokers turning to neighboring states for menthol cigarettes. A higher tax on menthol cigarettes or a national ban at the federal level are considered more effective approaches by researchers.
A new study published in Marketing Science found that large language models (LLMs) can generate similar outputs to human surveys, with agreement rates between 75%-85%. This means that LLMs can be used to conduct market research for certain product categories, increasing efficiency and potentially reducing costs.
A new study found that female entrepreneurs who receive guidance from female mentors experience significant improvements in performance, including a 32% sales increase. The study suggests that female-to-female mentorship dynamics yield more positive and supportive engagement, leading to better outcomes for female entrepreneurs.
A recent study published in Marketing Science found that brands supporting Black Lives Matter (BLM) suffer a decline in consumer social media activity, including fewer followers and likes. In contrast, brands with more historical prosocial posting on social media and socially oriented missions may benefit from BLM support.
Research by Ozturk, He, and Chintagunta found that women and minorities are charged higher interest rates, with women facing a 0.6% markup and minority borrowers paying 2.6% more. These markups amount to significant annual losses, with the estimated total being $40.3 million for women and $226.3 million for minority borrowers nationwide.
A new study has developed a simple model for screening out bad ideas in crowdsourcing contests using artificial intelligence. The research found that AI can assist in the crowdsourcing process by identifying atypical ideas while preserving more inclusive and rich ideas.
A new study in Management Science found that AI favors junior workers over senior colleagues due to their lower sensitivity to imperfections, despite the latter's greater task-based experience. This challenges conventional wisdom and highlights the importance of considering worker experience types when introducing AI into the workplace.
A study by Boston University and UC Berkeley found that incentivized reviews are more likely to contain low-quality information and correspond to worse guest experiences. In contrast, non-incentivized reviews with the same star ratings led to better guest experiences.
Researchers developed an algorithm that uses wearable health tracker data to identify promising treatment strategies for Parkinson's disease, which could improve patients' outcomes. The model suggests a novel medication approach that benefits almost all patients and offers the potential to revolutionize care.
A new study published in Management Science found that vertical integration in hospitals results in higher costs and decreased patient care quality. The study, which analyzed data from Medicare patients treated by gastroenterologists, suggests that financial incentives are a major factor driving these changes.
A new study found that temporarily relaxing paywall restrictions leads to an increase in subscribers. The researchers discovered that users who experienced 'free' access during certain events were more likely to subscribe afterwards.
New research reveals that 41.4% of departing employees withdraw their 401(k) savings, resulting in a significant loss of retirement savings. The study found that psychology and administrative factors contribute to this phenomenon, with employers often unaware of the issue.
When healthy food options are no longer discounted, consumers tend to opt for cheaper alternatives. A new study found that temporary incentives to buy healthier foods have a limited impact on long-term purchasing habits.
A new study in the INFORMS journal Manufacturing & Service Operations Management uncovers how to showcase hospital wait times to increase efficiency, accurately route emergency vehicles, and save money. The study provides a comprehensive picture of patient waiting trajectories for low-acuity patients and first responders, aiding in bet...
Researchers found that selectively targeting large-scale drug vendors on the dark web leads to a significant decrease in transaction volume and the number of remaining vendors. Small vendors were most deterred, while those selling dangerous drugs were more deterred relative to less dangerous ones.
Researchers found that women outperform men in online video games when they conceal their gender identities, suggesting a 'neutralizing effect' on male competitors. This finding challenges common stereotypes about women's behavior in competitive environments.
A new study by MIT and Michigan State University found that altering job descriptions to make them more gender-neutral has little impact on applicant behavior. Despite efforts to appeal equally to women and men, the research reveals no practical effects of 'degendering' job listing language.
Researchers found that 'not-so-choosy consumers' who visit shallow stores are the driving force behind price decisions. These consumers compare prices before purchase, making them the key influencer of prices across industries.
A new study by Amazon uses robotics and operations research to enable humans and robots to work together effectively, reducing distance traveled by robots by 62% and resulting in $500 million in annual savings. The algorithm has also reduced storage footprint by 29%, leading to more efficient use of space and a productive human workforce.
A new study in Organization Science finds that employees who speak up in the office have their ideas heard and implemented more effectively when they choose a person with authority and resources. Choosing the right person depends on both hierarchy and competence.
A new study in Management Science finds that direct load control contracts can reduce peak-demand energy costs by about 5% and summer peak demand by 4,000 megawatt hours. By controlling air conditioners and other devices in residential and commercial units, utilities can increase grid reliability and reduce electricity costs.
A new study in Management Science found that variable pricing increases primary market ticket sales by 1.59% per game, with customers embracing lower prices for less popular games and higher prices for more attractive games.
A new study in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management finds that Medicare Advantage (MA) programs unintentionally incentivize health plans to cherry-pick profitable patients from traditional Medicare. The researchers propose a modified medical loss ratio mechanism to address this risk selection problem.
Researchers found three reasons retailers are reluctant to adjust new product prices: lack of price changes on related products, state-level pricing laws requiring price stickers, and 99-cent endings. Larger price frictions often lead to product discontinuation, hindering sales success.
A study by Cornell University and Northwestern University found that boycotts have a limited impact on brand sales, while buycotts have a short-lived effect in increasing sales. The researchers analyzed sales data over time and by market, as well as social media activity, to determine the net effect of boycotts and buycotts on sales.
Research finds that women are less likely to engage in competitive environments when making decisions independently, but more willing to compete when making decisions on behalf of others. This disparity results in an equal representation of men and women in competitive situations.
New research finds that firms stage data breach announcements around significant news to reduce media coverage and market impact. This strategy harms consumers by not adequately 'punishing' firms for their misbehavior, suggesting shorter disclosure deadlines be mandated.
A new study highlights the importance of distinguishing between consumers' intrinsic and instrumental privacy preferences when providing data-sharing options. The research found that marketers and websites should separate these two components to reduce bias in analysis and improve understanding of consumer behavior.
A new study found that people can achieve long-term health goals by coupling wearable health devices like Fitbits with economic incentives. The 'gain-loss' incentive approach offers both rewards for reaching goals and penalties for failing to meet them, driving increases in physical activity.
A new study utilizes cell phone data to optimize pandemic lockdown policies, resulting in a reduction of infections by up to 23%-42% while minimizing economic losses. By targeting specific areas with targeted closures, the approach achieves higher economic activity compared to uniform citywide closure policies.
A new study published in the INFORMS journal Management Science reveals that high-profile police brutality and racially-charged events have a direct positive effect on what children are learning in U.S. public school classrooms, resulting in increased requests for antiracism resources and culturally-aware dialogue.
A new study in Marketing Science found that five-star ratings increase over time due to inflation, making the system less informative. The researchers' model suggests that reputation systems, which play a critical role in online marketplaces, may be built on an unstable foundation.
A new study found that female-owned startups funded by female venture capitalists are two times less likely to get additional financing compared to those with male investors. Female founders who receive support from a woman were perceived as less competent and had their business ideas deemed less promising. In contrast, startups with b...
A study found that frequent-flyer program members are more likely to choose higher fares and earn points when their home airport is the airline's hub, resulting in a potential 7% cost savings for companies. This behavior changes when travelers must pay out of pocket, with an average increase of 8% in price paid.
A new study published in INFORMS Journal Manufacturing & Service Operations Management found that augmented reality devices increase worker productivity by 44% compared to traditional paper instructions. However, this technology also hinders long-term innovation and efficiency in the workplace.
A new study published in Management Science journal found that considering chronic conditions when developing screening guidelines can significantly alter disease screening recommendations. This approach has been shown to reduce the misuse of limited screening resources, particularly for patients at risk of developing chronic conditions.
A new study published in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management finds that partnering with governments is essential for providing cash assistance to refugees. The researchers recommend adopting a price-dependent cash assistance policy to restore distorted incentives and benefit both refugees and host communities.
A new study examined the results of the CARES Act stimulus program and found that blanket payments did not adequately consider local conditions. The researchers estimate that recipients spent between 29c to 51c on necessities within four days, with increased spending in cash transactions and grocery purchases.
A new study by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Baylor University found that self-regulation on Airbnb platforms can lead to a 5% reduction in average crime rates, but may also increase theft incidents. Self-regulation is critical to reducing crime linked to commercial listings.
A new study found that audio music consumption decreased by over 12% during the pandemic, while people turned to video platforms for entertainment. The researchers attributed this shift to human mobility playing a larger role in music consumption than previously thought.
New research in Marketing Science reveals that banning tobacco products can result in a 4% decline in gross sales for retailers. The study also suggests that the impact of such bans can be felt across other unhealthy product categories, affecting overall store revenue.
Adding women to a company's board of directors can help speed up necessary product recalls and increase customer safety, according to new research. Companies are also less likely to hide quality problems when more women are on the board.