If/Then

How do we lead with purpose, make better decisions, and navigate an uncertain future? On If/Then, Stanford GSB faculty break down cutting-edge research on leadership, strategy, and more, exploring enduring questions and the forces reshaping business and society today, from AI to geopolitics. Hosted by senior editor Kevin Cool.

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Episodes

Is Money Really the Best Measure of Value? With Mohammad Akbarpour

A dollar is a dollar, right? While most conventional economic theories view money as an objective store of value, Mohammad Akbarpour says this misses a subtle but important fact: different people value money differently. Many economists assume that the price someone is willing to pay for a good or service is equivalent to the utility they get from it. But Akbarpour, an associate professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business, isn’t convinced. “Different people have different marg...

Apr 03, 2024•25 min•Ep. 7

More than a Feeling: The Power of Emotional Decision-Making, with Baba Shiv

If we want to make better decisions, then we need to think more like an artist. Rationality is often seen as the gold standard when it comes to making decisions, but Professor Baba Shiv prompts us to consider: “Is a good decision based on reason? Or is it based on emotion?” Shiv is the Sanwa Bank, Limited, Professor of Marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business . Throughout his career, he’s researched how brain structures related to emotion and motivation affect the choices we make. “Emot...

Mar 20, 2024•24 min•Ep. 6

The Brain Gain: The Impact of Immigration on American Innovation, with Rebecca Diamond

Immigrants’ contributions to America include culture, cuisine — and groundbreaking ideas. “No one is that surprised that immigrants play a disproportionate role in innovation,” says Rebecca Diamond , a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business. But, she notes, “Innovation in itself is an elusive thing to measure.” By studying patents, Diamond has revealed new insights into the important role immigrants play in fueling innovation. Diamond explains more in this episode of If/T...

Mar 06, 2024•24 min•Ep. 5

So Crazy, It Might Just Work: How to Foster Innovation That Will Change an Organization, with Bill Barnett

If we want to seriously address the climate crisis, then we need to encourage foolish business ideas. When it comes to seemingly impossible problems like the climate crisis, Professor William Barnett says we need to reach for equally impossible solutions — ideas so crazy, they just might work. “Foolishness,” he says, “is the price of genius.” A professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business and a professor at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Barnett is e...

Feb 21, 2024•25 min•Ep. 4

You're In Control: How and When AI Can Be a Powerful Decision-Making Tool, with Kuang Xu

If we can manage our emotions about AI, then it can be a powerful decision-making tool. Artificial intelligence’s surge in power and accessibility has inspired polarized reactions. Some people are flocking to the technology with feverish excitement. Others can’t stay far enough away. Yet according to Kuang Xu, both of these responses might be the wrong ones. "When people hear ‘AI,’ their brain kind of shuts down,” says Kuang , an associate professor of operations, information, and technology at ...

Feb 07, 2024•24 min•Ep. 3

Zoom In... or Out? When Face-to-Face Meetings Matter Most, with Jonathan Levav

If we want to generate better ideas, then we need to get people back to the office. Jonathan Levav , a professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business, details his study of remote work and creativity. “Pairs that worked face-to-face generated 15 to 20% more ideas than pairs that worked on Zoom,” he notes. What’s more, in-person brainstorming helped people consider a wider and more diverse range of possibilities. “Working on Zoom was a double penalty. Fewer ideas — and a narrower s...

Jan 24, 2024•33 min•Ep. 1

Navigating Workplace Power Dynamics, with Deborah H. Gruenfeld

If we want to change power structures, then we need to understand the animal forces that drive our behavior. As Stanford Graduate School of Business professor of organizational behavior Deborah H. Gruenfeld observes, wherever there are humans, there are hierarchies. “People have a tendency to form hierarchies almost instantly in all kinds of organizational settings, whether the task requires it or not,” she says. Gruenfeld says our actions are still very much steered by primal drives. She unpack...

Jan 24, 2024•27 min•Ep. 2

Introducing If/Then

How do we get people back to the office? How and when can AI be a powerful decision-making tool? How will digital currencies transform payment systems? On If/Then, experts from Stanford Graduate School of Business share their research findings on a range of topics that intersect with business, leadership, and society. We’ll tackle practical, cutting-edge insights that will help you manage better, lead more confidently, and understand pressing issues affecting our lives. Join GSB senior editor an...

Jan 05, 2024•2 min

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