Leadership & management

Innovation is essential for a business to thrive, and behind all innovation is creativity. While there are many definitions of creativity, the one that is most agreed upon is that it produces something that is both novel and meaningful. Creativity is not something that people have or don’t; rather, it is a skill that anyone can perfect and grow.

Sustaining your stream of economic profits depends on there being certain barriers to entry and imitation to reduce competitive pressures. Here’s how to form a strategic analysis that identifies and analyzes direct competitors to forecast future cash flows and calculate an expected market value for the business.

It turns out that people perceive idea theft as a greater transgression than money theft and judge it more harshly, according to new research from Darden Professor Lillien Ellis. Further, people perceive the theft of creative ideas as worse than the theft of practical ones.

Negotiation doesn’t have to be a battle, but an exchange that advances careers and builds relationships. For women, this perspective can tap into expectations others have of “female” strengths, as well as some competencies many already use. Here, drawn from research on negotiation and gender: techniques to achieve constructive, win-win outcomes.

Business decisions can be daunting; risk is a factor, stakes can be high, and analysis may integrate both quantitative and intangible dimensions. In the pursuit of more and better data, decision-makers should not neglect another essential element of the process: the evaluation of all possible outcomes.

Positive deviance is about how we can deviate from the norm in ways that are honorable and generative, authentic, and that have positive impact and open the door to others to do the same. Leveraging difference — mobilizing gender identity and minority status in this way — can activate a slew of personal, organizational and societal benefits.

Innovation is essential for a business to thrive, and behind all innovation is creativity. While there are many definitions of creativity, the one that is most agreed upon is that it produces something that is both novel and meaningful. Creativity is not something that people have or don’t; rather, it is a skill that anyone can perfect and grow.

Innovation is essential for a business to thrive, and behind all innovation is creativity. While there are many definitions of creativity, the one that is most agreed upon is that it produces something that is both novel and meaningful. Creativity is not something that people have or don’t; rather, it is a skill that anyone can perfect and grow.

Professor Jim Detert discusses the dangers of inferring individuals’ intentions and strategies leaders can use in efforts to ensure balance and objectivity in an organization.

The lady doth protest too much? Research shows that people are indeed likely to interpret anger as guilt in the face of an accusation — though it’s more likely an indication of innocence. Darden Professor Gabrielle Adams investigates various responses to accusations and how we interpret their veracity: angry denial, calm denial or silence.