Why I Research: Findings Fueled by the Head and the Heart

If/Then: Research findings to help us navigate complex issues in business, leadership, and society

This special episode of If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society explores the personal stories behind Stanford GSB faculty's groundbreaking research. Discover how individual experiences shape scholarly inquiry.

• Baba Shiv, professor of marketing, examines decision-making and the brain's liking and wanting systems. His self-proclaimed "irrational" nature led him to question whether good decisions are based on reason or emotion.
• Mohammad Akbarpour, professor of economics, found his passion in market design, seeing economics as "the right mix of thinking about humans and mathematics." His research on welfare economics stems from observing economic disparities in his native Iran.
• Deborah Gruenfeld, professor of organizational behavior, studies power dynamics inspired by her early career and family history. Her work reveals how even arbitrary positions of authority can dramatically alter behavior.

These faculty remind us that behind every groundbreaking theory are real people driven by curiosity to make sense of the world around them. Join us to hear how personal journeys fuel impactful business research.

Key Takeaways:

• Personal experiences shape research: Leading scholars draw inspiration from their own lives and observations, leading to innovative research questions and approaches.
• Challenging assumptions drives discovery: Researchers like Baba Shiv, Mohammad Akbarpour, and Deborah Gruenfeld push boundaries by questioning fundamental assumptions in their fields and themselves, leading to new insights.
• Human stories behind data: This episode reveals that even in data-driven fields like economics and organizational behavior, personal narratives and curiosity play a crucial role in shaping impactful research.

More Resources:

• Baba Shiv, faculty profile
• Mohammad Akbarpour, faculty profile
• Deborah Gruenfeld, faculty profile

If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. For a full transcript of this episode, visit our podcast’s website: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/why-i-research-findings-fueled-head-heart

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