The Management Lab

The Paradox of Group Intelligence – Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions

Why can a group of intelligent, rational individuals still end up making poor decisions?
In this episode, Sean and Uri explore irrational group thinking, examining how dynamics like groupthink - where the desire for harmony leads to poor decision-making - occur.
We discuss what causes groups to fall into these traps, the potential harm to organizations, and how managers can promote a culture of critical thinking and open dialogue.
 
Research we cover in this episode includes:
Barr, K., & Mintz, A. (2022). Groupthink, Polythink, and Con-Div. Routledge Handbook of Foreign Policy Analysis Methods, 269.
Harel, M., Mossel, E., Strack, P., & Tamuz, O. (2021). Rational groupthink. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 136(1), 621-668.
Janis, I. L. (1972). Victims of groupthink: A psychological study of foreign-policy decisions and fiascoes. Houghton Mifflin
Pol, O., Bridgman, T., & Cummings, S. (2022). The forgotten ‘immortalizer’: Recovering William H Whyte as the founder and future of groupthink research. human relations, 75(8), 1615-1641.

How is AI shaping our public discourse?

AI is dramatically transforming the ways in which we create content, present information, and formulate arguments.
Technologies such as large language models, social media algorithms, and synthetic media generation have the potential to upend mechanisms of social discourse that are central to the functioning of liberal democratic systems.
In this episode of The Management Lab, we explore the impacts of AI on social discourse. We explore a wide range of questions, including the following:
What specific technologies have the greatest potential to affect social discourse?
How can we discriminate between truth and falsehood and what is the importance of critical thinking in an AI era?
What effects might AI have for organizations and managers?
Are there potential benefits for AI in social discourse?
What can we do to address the threats to social discourse engendered by AI?
This discussion is a bit broader that our usual focus, but tune in to learn more about AI and its societal impact.
 
Research discussed in the episode:
Brady, W. J., Jackson, J. C., Lindström, B., & Crockett, M. J. (2023). Algorithm-mediated social learning in online social networks. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 27(10), 947-960.
Brandt, J. (2023). Propaganda, foreign interference, and generative AI. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution.
Chesney, B., & Citron, D. (2019). Deep fakes: A looming challenge for privacy, democracy, and national security. California Law Review, 107, 1753.
Goldstein, J. A., Chao, J., Grossman, S., Stamos, A., & Tomz, M. (2024). How persuasive is AI-generated propaganda? PNAS Nexus, 3(2), 034.
Hazell, J. (2023). Spear phishing with large language models. arXiv Preprint arXiv:2305.06972.

Digital Empathy: Is Artificial Intelligence Revolutionizing Mental Health?

The use of AI for mental support is rapidly increasing. Research shows that AI designed to understand and respond to human emotions can help people combat depression, avoid suicide, and improve their human relationships. 
We examine both the potential and ethical questions arising from using AI for mental support. We also discuss how using such technologies can create new opportunities and challenges for organizations.
Sources Discussed:
Ayers, J.W., et al. (2023). Comparing physician and artificial intelligence chatbot responses to patient questions posted to a public social media forum. JAMA Internal Medicine, 183(6), 589-596.
Li, J. Z., Herderich, A., & Goldenberg, A. (2024). Skill but not Effort Drive GPT Overperformance over Humans in Cognitive Reframing of Negative Scenarios. PsyArXiv Preprints. URL: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/fzvd8
Maples, B., Cerit, M., Vishwanath, A., & Pea, R. (2024). Loneliness and suicide mitigation for students using GPT3-enabled chatbots. npj Mental Health Research, 3(1), 4.
Sharma, A., Lin, I. W., Miner, A. S., Atkins, D. C., & Althoff, T. (2023). Human–AI collaboration enables more empathic conversations in text-based peer-to-peer mental health support. Nature Machine Intelligence, 5(1), 46-57.

How Organizations Can Manage Technology-Induced Stress and Enhance Productivity

Techno-stress refers to the stress we feel because of our inability to adjust to the introduction of new technologies. It can reduce workers’ job satisfaction, increase attrition, and hinder organizations’ ability to innovate. Sean and Uri examine the science of the causes, nature, and implications of technostress, and how managers can mitigate its negative effects.
Research discussed in the episode:
Ayyagari, R., Grover, V., & Purvis, R. (2011). Technostress: Technological antecedents and implications. MIS Quarterly, 35(4), 831-858.
Califf, C. B., Sarker, S., & Sarker, S. (2020). The bright and dark sides of technostress: A mixed-methods study involving healthcare IT. MIS Quarterly, 44(2), 809-856.
Nastjuk, I., Trang, S., Grummeck-Braamt, J. V., Adam, M. T., & Tarafdar, M. (2023). Integrating and synthesising technostress research: a meta-analysis on technostress creators, outcomes, and IS usage contexts. European Journal of Information Systems, 1-22.
Tarafdar, M., Pullins, E. B., & Ragu‐Nathan, T. S. (2015). Technostress: negative effect on performance and possible mitigations. Information Systems Journal, 25(2), 103-132.

Why work is boring and how to make it more interesting

Workplace boredom refers to a state of low arousal and dissatisfaction, which is attributed to an inadequately stimulating work environment. It can lead to counterproductive behavior, job turnover, anxiety, and depression. Sean and Uri examine the science of the causes, nature, and implications of workplace boredom, and how managers can make it more interesting.

Beyond the Screen: Using AR and VR in the Workplace

With the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, excitement about the potential of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is running hot. In this episode of The Management Lab, we explore these emergent technologies along with their most promising business applications and the challenges to their organizational use.
 
Research we discuss in the episode:
Adhyaru, J. S., & Kemp, C. (2022). Virtual reality as a tool to promote wellbeing in the workplace. Digital Health, 8, 2055-2076.
Berman, B., & Pollack, D. (2021). Strategies for the successful implementation of augmented reality. Business Horizons, 64(5), 621-630.
de Regt, A., Barnes, S. J., & Plangger, K. (2020). The virtual reality value chain. Business Horizons, 63(6), 737-748.
Porter, M. E., & Heppelmann, J. E. (2017). Why every organization needs an augmented reality strategy. Harvard Business Review, 95(6), 46-57.
Riches, S., Taylor, L., Jeyarajaguru, P., Veling, W., & Valmaggia, L. (2023). Virtual reality and immersive technologies to promote workplace wellbeing: a systematic review. Journal of Mental Health, 1-21.
Venkatesan, M., Mohan, H., Ryan, J. R., Schürch, C. M., Nolan, G. P., Frakes, D. H., & Coskun, A. F. (2021). Virtual and augmented reality for biomedical applications. Cell Reports Medicine, 2(7), 100348.

Echoes of Prejudice: Exploring and Combating Stereotype Threat

Stereotype threat refers to the performance-sapping impact of situations in which people feel they are at risk of confirming or reinforcing negative stereotypes about a social group of which they are a member. Sean and Uri investigate the science of the causes and nature of stereotype threat, and how managers can mitigate its effects.

The do’s and don’ts of giving effective employee feedback

Employee feedback is an essential component of work life that can be a source of individual growth and organizational success but also of anxiety and rigidity. Sean and Uri investigate the science of how managers can deliver effective feedback.

Speaking Up or Holding Back: Navigating Voice and Silence in the Workplace

Employee voice refers to the ways in which employees communicate their opinions and suggestions to their managers on how to improve their organization.
Conversely, employee silence occurs when employees withhold their views due to fear of negative consequences or a belief that their opinions are not valued.
Understanding these dynamics is critical for managers because encouraging employee voice can lead to better organizational outcomes, such as higher performance, innovation, and employee retention. On the other hand, addressing the reasons behind employee silence can prevent potential issues from escalating and improve the overall workplace environment.
In this episode, we delve into the research on employee voice and silence and address some of its main questions:
What are the primary drivers of voice and silence?
What are the effects of voice and silence behavior on individual employees and organizations?
What can organizational leaders do to encourage voice and decrease silence behavior?
How can we design organizational structures and processes to encourage voice and decrease silence behavior?
Do men and women differ in their propensity for voice/silence behavior?

The Soul of Business: Spirituality in Organizations

In our rapidly-evolving, digitally-dominated world, many of us seek meaning, purpose, and a deeper connection to our inner self. This quest is not confined to our personal lives; it extends to our professional environments as well.
Spirituality, therefore, is emerging as a vital component for organizational success and employee well-being.
In this episode, Sean and Uri discuss spirituality in the workplace and unpack why spiritual practices and principles are no longer just personal pursuits but essential organizational strategies.
Some of the topics covered include:
What is spirituality and how it relates to religious beliefs.
The difference between personal and organizational spirituality.
How spirituality in the workplace can positively affect employees’ cognition, emotion, and behavior, ultimately driving organizational performance.
The potential of promoting mindful practices to enhance employee empathy, leadership skills, and resilience.
In our discussion, we draw on the following research:
Anderson & Burchell (2021) The effects of spirituality and moral intensity on ethical business decisions: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Business Ethics.
Good et al (2016) Contemplating Mindfulness at Work: An Integrative Review. Journal of Management
Harris (2014) Waking up: A guide to spirituality without religion.
Kolodinsky et al (2008) Workplace Values and Outcomes - Exploring Personal, Organizational, and Interactive Workplace Spirituality. Journal of Business Ethics.
Pourmola et al (2019) Investigating the impact of organizational spirituality on human resources productivity. Management Science Letters.