In description
I explore the impact of digital platforms as private regulators: what are the consequences, direct and unintended, of platforms’ rule-making choices on their stakeholders such as individuals, firms, regulators, and social movement organizations?
By interrogating the dominance of English and the myth of meritocracy, professors Daniel Martinez and Keith Robson uncover how language and social systems perpetuate exclusion in academia and professional settings. These insights call for a systemic rethinking of norms to promote true equity and inclusion. This conversation is critical, not just for accounting but for global academia and the broader professional world (as exemplified in a recent op-ed by Martinez in Forbes). Here are extracts from the Knowledge@HEC podcast series Breakthroughs.
By Daniel Martinez Ahloy , Keith Robson
When a corporate scandal breaks, everybody knows about it. But how long do scandals remain in the shadows of rumor? Julien Jourdan of HEC Paris and Alessandro Piazza of Rice University (Texas) say that data on sex abuse cases in the Catholic Church shows how community is key when it comes to allowing scandal to emerge and hit the headlines.The key findings in a nutshell:• Community influence: The likelihood of scandals emerging depends significantly on the social structure of the surrounding community.• Social connectedness: High social connectedness in a community (dense social spaces) fosters rumor circulation, increasing the chance of misconduct becoming public.• Broad application: These findings are broadly applicable, influencing policy and organizational approaches to prevent prolonged concealment of misconduct.
By Julien Jourdan
The big data revolution - the integration of vast amounts of data through Artificial Intelligence - has far-reaching economic implications, particularly for the financial industry and jobs in this industry. Why? And could AI potentially trigger the next financial crisis, as recently suggested by Gary Gensler, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)? HEC Paris Professor of Finance Thierry Foucault explored how data and algorithms are transforming investment decision-making and trading behavior in financial markets in a November Reskill masterclass. He also tackled the associated risks, and the implications for jobs in the financial industry. Extracts.
By Thierry Foucault
At the end of this year, marked by crucial elections in France and around the world, I would like to draw on recent research to shed light on the overlooked links between finance and politics. It has become a widely accepted idea that rising political polarization causes people with differing affiliations to view the world through distinct lenses and even to believe in different facts. Recent research shows that the financial industry is not immune to partisan biases; finance professionals, too, carry their political identities into their work. Let me take you on a tour of this research!
Ratings and rankings are frequently used to motivate companies to become good corporate citizens. The late Wooseok Jung, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resources, and his co-authors, Amanda Sharkey from the University of Notre Dame and David Tan from Johns Hopkins University in the US, studied the response of firms that barely make it into a CSR ranking, such as Tesla. They showed that in a specific context, companies can take significant action in the area of CSR but that these efforts are mostly window dressing.
HEC research professor Craig Anderson has been exploring the impact of “awe” on well-being for over a decade. The specialist in affective science recently published a paper on culture and awe, comparing the emotional approach of Americans and Chinese to this phenomenon. Anderson’s research was at the heart of a 2023 National Geographic documentary “Operation Arctic Cure” which traces the use of awe to alleviate PTSD in veteran soldiers. The American academic shares his insights into a new science reshaping policies in sustainability, marketing and health.
Shocking images get our attention, but the effects might be more nuanced than marketers realise, say Professors L.J. Shrum of HEC Paris and Elena Fumagalli of INCAE Business School, Costa Rica. Their recent paper on ‘shockvertising’ explores the subtle ways in which powerful negative images influence consumers.
By L. J. Shrum
Despite advances in workplace equality, the gender gap in leadership persists. Women continue to be underrepresented in management positions, particularly in male-dominated sectors. This gap is not just a result of discrimination or lack of opportunity but is partly rooted in how societal expectations influence leadership aspirations. Ekaterina Netchaeva, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resources at HEC Paris, is a leading researcher on gender dynamics in the workplace. Her extensive work, relayed by Bloomberg and Forbes, delves into the complexities behind why women aspire less to leadership roles than men. During her HEC RESKILL masterclass, Netchaeva explored the underlying causes of this leadership gap.
Marc Beretta’s RESKILL Masterclass focused on what he terms the "experience-based qualities for leadership development." These qualities were gathered from over 20 years of coaching top executives around the world. Drawing on over 20,000 hours of experience and real-life examples, Beretta identifies six core leadership qualities: awareness, agility, eco-friendliness, high standards, kindness, and co-visionary thinking. Beretta argues that such assets help leaders not only develop themselves but also foster healthier, more productive environments in their organizations. Extracts.
