Dear friends:

I’d like to invite you to engage with our fall 2020 issue of Broad Matters, a publication from the Broad College of Business.

I hope you find these selected highlights of Broad faculty research, scholarly contributions and insights to be useful as we collectively navigate these extraordinary times.

Regards,

Sanjay Gupta
Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean

Research exposes discrimination against Black women with natural hair

New research from Michigan State University and Duke University reveals the prevalence of workplace discrimination against Black women for their natural hair, worn in styles like braids, afros, twists, dreadlocks and cornrows. Today, Black women with natural hair are often seen as less professional and are less likely to be referred for job interviews.

“Our findings suggest that Black women face disproportionate disadvantages in the labor market as a result of something that should really be irrelevant to one’s job performance,” Christy Zhou Koval, assistant professor of management and lead researcher, said.

How social media amplifies political activism and threatens election integrity

Social media has proven itself as a tool for political activism, from online boycotts to offline gatherings. It also has implications for how political campaigns operate. Social media can aid campaigns with voter targeting efforts, but it can also make the electoral process vulnerable to misinformation and manipulation.

Anjana Susarla, associate professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, writes on social media’s role in shaping politics and protests.

What are the keys to maintaining business during a recession?

Recessions are an inevitable part of the business cycle. Despite their regularity, recessions are not an easy circumstance for business leaders to bear. Decisions made during economic downturns can have life-or-death impacts, closing a business’s doors permanently or allowing it to flourish amid chaos. What are the strategic decisions business leaders should — or should not — be making?

New research from Anand Nair, professor of operations and supply chain management, along with researchers from the University of Melbourne and Monash University, answers this question and provides insights into different strategic decisions made during recessions.

How virtual teams can better share knowledge

One concern about remote work largely centers on the difficulties co-workers have in sharing knowledge and experience with each other.

However, findings published in Harvard Business Review Online by a team of researchers including Richard Saouma, associate dean at Broad for MBA, EMBA and professional master’s programs, suggest a method that could improve this process: guided meetings between coworkers, which can easily happen in person or remotely.

Empowerment initiatives can help — and harm — employees

Strategies meant to motivate people in the workplace may have unintended consequences — depending on who’s in charge. Nicholas Hays, associate professor of management, and Russell Johnson, MSU Foundation Professor of management, along with their lead author at the Ohio State University, found empowerment initiatives aren’t necessarily the answer for business leaders hoping to motivate their employees.

“People tend to think of empowerment in uniformly positive ways,” Hays said. “After all, humans crave independence and control, so giving it to them at work should be a good thing. However, as people feel increasingly autonomous, they can also become unmoored from others’ needs, expectations and social norms.”

Tomorrow’s Education, Today

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a monumental transition to remote teaching and learning. Leading the charge at Michigan State University was the Broad College’s Director of Learning Technology and Development, Jeremy Van Hof. Hear from Jeremy on the Broad Matters podcast about how this transition challenged him and his team while also creating opportunities for university-wide collaboration and new innovations in learning.