About Ross Thought in Action

Ross Thought in Action provides content for business leaders, thought leaders, and the media. Our editorial team focuses on research that is clearly applicable to organizations and presents text, video, and audio features about faculty and ideas. We update this page frequently, and we send an email newsletter to subscribers every other month.

research focus

Emotional Ambivalence Leads to Accuracy
MAY 16, 2013

Think that emotions have no place in business? Think again. New research from U-M Ross professors Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks and Reuven Lehavy, as well as Ross PhD student Laura Rees, shows that people who feel conflicting emotions at the same time (emotional ambivalence) make more accurate forecasts. Why? The broadened perspective allows them to make more informative decisions.
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executive focus

Negotiating: Making the First Move Pays, Be Ready for Anxiety :: Video
MAY 21, 2013

Making the first move in a negotiation is the right move economically. However, new research by U-M Ross Professor Shirli Kopelman shows the stress of making the first move can lead to an overall letdown, even if one comes out on top. Kopelman talks about the role emotions play in negotiations and offers some strategies on how to deal with them and turn them into positive feelings. Kopelman brings her expertise in negotiations to the Ross Executive Education Program Negotiating for Positive Results, next offered Nov. 19-22. The class is team-taught with U-M Ross Professor Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks.
Read Article // Negotiating for Positive Results // More Executive Education

case study

REI Rentals Case Study Proves Good for Profits and Environment
MAY 15, 2013

Outdoor gear retailer REI has found that renting some equipment instead of selling it fits with its mission to please adventurous customers, make a profit, and take care of the environment. But a poorly managed rental program can sabotage all of those goals. A new case study by Professors Wally Hopp and Damian Beil shows how operations tools can be used to create an efficient system, manage inventory, and meet sustainability targets.
Read Article // REI Rentals (Click "Inspection Copy" for Free Case // More Case Studies

commentary

Professor Jerry Davis in New York Times: Bangladesh Collapse Implicates Every Consumer
MAY 8, 2013

The tragic building collapse in Bangladesh has put a sharp focus on supply chains and where our goods are made. Professor Jerry Davis, writing in the New York Times, says culpability for the incident goes all the way down the supply chain to us. His letter sparked a spirited debate on the role of consumer responsibility as part of the Times' "Sunday Dialogue." Not all responders agreed with Davis. Where do you weigh in on the issue?
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research focus

Blowing the Whistle on Bad Behavior Takes More than Guts
MAY 3, 2013

Conventional wisdom holds that one's personal characteristics drive the decision to speak up about bad behavior at work. But new research by Ross professor David Mayer shows that the work environment plays a bigger role than previously thought. While the ethicality of one's supervisor matters, co-workers also must model ethical behavior to encourage employees who witness unethical conduct to report it to management.
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faculty books

Sustainability 2.0: Flourishing
APRIL 24, 2013

Sustainability has fully permeated mainstream business strategy, but Professor Andrew Hoffman isn't pleased at how it's being translated. He and his mentor, retired MIT Professor John R. Ehrenfeld, have observed more mitigation, more "doing less bad," than transformation. Their new book, Flourishing: A Frank Conversation About Sustainability (Stanford University Press), deals with what sustainability should be, compared with what it's become.
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research focus

Weather Data Scrutiny Spurs Government Efficiency
APRIL 18, 2013

When the National Weather Service says the temperature reached 75 degrees on a given day, can you believe it? Probably so, if you live in one of the 24 cities where the Chicago Mercantile Exchange sells weather derivative contracts. Finance Professor Amiyatosh Purnanandam found measurement error rates of National Weather Service stations fell by about 10 percent after the exchange offered weather derivatives for that area. Purnanandam says his research is proof that financial markets change behavior.
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commentary and analysis

Ross Faculty in the Media

Financial Times – Jane Dutton featured and quoted in article on happiness in the workplace.

Boston Globe – Aradhna Krishna's research cited in story about the transparency of bombing victims' funds.

Associated Press – Bill Lovejoy on Ross' role, through the Integrated Product Development class, with Cass Community Social Services in Detroit.

Huffington Post – Jeff DeGraff blogs on “Alien Innovator Syndrome” and how to avoid it.

Harvard Business Review – Scott DeRue blogs on his Mount Everest climb and the leadership lessons learned.

The Economist – Brian Wu’s work on barriers faced by new companies in China cited.

your turn

If you have a question or topic you'd like to see addressed in the next issue of Ross Thought in Action, email us at rossthought@umich.edu.