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Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences


New study introduces approach that can roughly double success rates of kidney transplants

A new study has introduced a 'failure-aware' algorithmic matching approach to improve the success rate of kidney transplants. The method takes pre-transplant compatibility failures into account probabilistically and can roughly double the number of successful transplants, depending on the setting.

Innovation and speculation drive stock market bubble activity, according to new study

A new study found that major innovations lead to bubbles in their industries, which are more likely to occur if they are radical and help bolster other industries. The study also found that stocks of innovating companies outperform the market during bubble periods, suggesting that innovations add value to both companies and the economy.

Does negative political advertising actually work?

A new study by Yanwen Wang, Michael Lewis, and David A. Schweidel found that negative political advertising is effective in influencing voter preferences and turnout, particularly when created by candidates or their campaigns. In contrast, positive advertising is less effective, while PAC-sponsored ads are significantly less impactful.

Student teams compete to create equity portfolios with analytics and operations research

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem team won the second annual O.R. & Analytics Student Team Competition by successfully applying analytics and operations research to create a high-performing equity portfolio. The competition challenges students to develop solutions to real-world problems, providing valuable experience that sets them ap...

New study takes the guesswork out of selecting and seeding teams for 'March Madness'

A new study has developed an automated approach to select and seed teams for the NCAA March Madness basketball tournaments, providing an objective and unbiased starting point. The algorithm achieved high accuracy rates, matching 24 of 38 top teams in seeding and 89.6% being within two seeds of committee rankings.

Music streaming sites benefit indie singers at the expense of top 100 artists

A new study reveals that Spotify significantly increases exposure and access to lesser-known indie artists while decreasing consumption of top 100 artists. The study monitored the music consumption habits of over 5,000 users for 2.5 years, finding a 62% increase in unique artists listened to within two weeks of joining Spotify.

Researchers develop new model to predict which universities student athletes will attend

Researchers developed a new model to predict university commitment from high school athletes' Twitter interactions, providing insights into recruitment efforts. The study found that interacting with a university on Twitter increases the odds of attending by 85%, while following coaches or fellow recruits boosts likelihood by 47-62%.

The hidden cost of crime: Tanzanians pay as much as 7 percent to protect money from theft

In Tanzania, consumers are willing to pay up to 7% for mobile money services that provide theft insurance against street robberies and home burglaries. The study found that people prefer to store cash in mobile wallets for short periods, with costs ranging from 1.52% per kilometer or 0.8% per day.

Calorie postings on menus cause more health mentions in online restaurant reviews

A study found that calorie postings on menus lead to a significant increase in health-related discussions in online restaurant reviews, suggesting potential spillovers towards healthier restaurants. The result indicates that calorie posting can shift consumers towards healthier alternatives not only inside but also outside the restaurant.

Liar, liar, pants on fire! Groups lie more than individuals, according to new research

A new study found that groups lie more than individuals when facing mutual financial gain and coordinating actions to achieve a shared goal. This phenomenon occurs even when all members have previously responded honestly, suggesting that group dynamics can shift moral norms and promote dishonest behavior.

Gaining distribution in small retail formats bring big payoffs even for major brands

A recent study found that gaining distribution in small retail formats, such as Save-A-Lot and Aldi, can lead to significantly higher sales increases compared to larger assortment stores. The study, published in Marketing Science, analyzed data from Systembolaget, a Swedish state-owned monopoly, and found that a 10% widening in retail ...

Sunny, rainy, or cloudy: New study shows how weather impacts response to mobile ads

A new study in Marketing Science found that consumer responses to mobile promotions are higher and faster in sunny weather than cloudy weather. The study suggests that firms can use local weather information to improve the effectiveness of their mobile ads, with better-than-yesterday or forecasted sunshine boosting purchase responses.

New study provides BRCA mutation carriers guidance for when surgery has greatest impact

A new study offers a decision-analytic model to help women with BRCA mutations determine the optimal age for preventive surgeries that can significantly reduce lifetime breast and ovarian cancer risk. The model recommends specific ages for bilateral mastectomy (BM) and salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) procedures.

New study shows setting stretch goals can undermine organizational performance

A new study published in Organization Science found that setting stretch goals can lead to lower risk-adjusted performance and higher variation in performance across organizations. The researchers discovered that about 80% of participants failed to reach their assigned stretch goals, often abandoning them for more manageable targets.

New study shows important economic contributions of H-1B visas

A new study found that H-1B visa holders contribute significantly to the growth of assurance business human capital in the US audit industry, with skilled foreign employees accounting for 28% of this growth. The authors warn of potential negative implications if further restrictions limit hiring of skilled employees from outside the US.

Generous health insurance plans encourage overtreatment, but may not improve health

A new study found that generous health insurance plans with low deductibles and copays can lead to unnecessary treatments for chronically ill patients. The study suggests that personalized medicine interventions, providing more information about treatment effectiveness, can reduce healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes.

When firms and customers share social responsibility, profits rise but donations can fall

A new study by researchers Minah Jung and Leif Nelson finds that when firms share social responsibility with customers, consumers are more sensitive to whether a portion of their payment goes to charity than how much. This has critical implications for the design of shared social responsibility programs.

Student team competition provides real-world experience for O.R. and analytics students

Eight student teams from around the world competed in the inaugural INFORMS O.R. and Analytics Student Team Competition, tasked with solving a challenging problem using an O.R. and analytics approach. The finalists were selected based on their use of the full analytics process, from framing the problem to quantitative analysis.

New study finds price discounts may backfire when combined with large donations

A new study published in Marketing Science found that combining large price discounts with donations to charity can actually reduce sales, as consumers' self-image motivation outweighs their intrinsic motivation to support the charity. The study's authors suggest that marketers should proceed with caution when using these techniques.