Kellogg School launches online research digest

Kellogg Insight, a new publication, provides business leaders with key findings in an accessible format, drawing from diverse Kellogg faculty research

By Adrienne Murrill

Sept. 18, 2007 – Today the Kellogg School of Management announced the launch of Kellogg Insight, a Web-based research digest that highlights Kellogg faculty research.

The publication is available at http://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu. It showcases key research findings by Kellogg professors in a sophisticated yet accessible manner, and its articles explore an array of subjects, such as entrepreneurship, innovation, finance, international business, leadership, marketing and policy. The digest fuses theory with practice.

“Kellogg Insight summarizes key research findings for businesspeople and students, as well as educational peers and members of the media,” said the Kellogg School’s Dean Dipak C. Jain. “Whether visitors are looking to secure tips for work or simply find food for thought, they will find a topic that will pique their interest and spark creativity.”

Kathleen Hagerty, senior associate dean for faculty and research, said Kellogg Insight also serves alumni requests for a resource that reflects an up-to-date account of what the faculty is producing, and it meets the needs of Kellogg students who wanted faculty research highlighted on a broader level, with the premise that “great leaders have great insight.”

The site is designed to share knowledge and establish an ongoing connection with its readers. In addition to providing a summary of faculty research, Insight goes behind the research and explores the motivations for faculty to delve into the topic.

“This initiative will continue to be supported by the Kellogg School and a team of dedicated PhD and MBA candidate writers, as well as accomplished science writers, who work with faculty to summarize their research in a concise, compelling manner,” Hagerty said. Students who collaborated with the administration to develop Kellogg Insight will continue their efforts as Kellogg Insight Scholars — MBA students who contribute summary articles.

“Kellogg Insight takes detailed, substantial research articles published primarily in academic journals — many of them more than 60 pages in length — and makes them accessible to the general reader,” said Director of Publication Initiatives Sheila Duran. “The original articles contain terrific gems of insight for people of broad interests, but they are not easily available to the time-starved business leader.”

The digest will be updated on a monthly basis, and it presents a set of diverse and meaningful issues in articles such as:

• an analysis of when it is profitable for a startup to build a strategic alliance or outmaneuver an incumbent in “Compete or Cooperate?” an article based on Professor Scott Stern’s research;
• an exploration of the role of trust in the marketplace in “Trust Required Here,” a piece summarizing research by Professor Kent Grayson;
• a look at how the death of national leaders impacts the growth of their countries in “Do Leaders Matter?” based on Professor Benjamin Jones’ research;
• an explanation of the white-black educational achievement gap as the outcome of rational choices in “‘Acting White,’ or Just Acting Rationally?” an article based on the research of Professor David Austen-Smith;
• the shortcomings of auctions in determining the offer price for a stock in an initial public offering (IPO) are discussed in “Why Do IPO Auctions Fail?” based on Professor Ravi Jagannathan's work.

Kellogg Insight gives readers exposure to the diversity of research backgrounds among the school’s faculty members, which includes fields such as economics, operations research, psychology, sociology, systems engineering and political science. Through the Kellogg curriculum, faculty members help students develop into global leaders who grasp broad trends in the business environment.

“Employers are increasingly seeking MBAs with strong analytical skills in addition to a broad understanding of business fundamentals,” said Patricia Ledesma, director of research computing, who has been heavily involved in overseeing content production for the digest.

Through Kellogg Insight, faculty research is shared with the greater business world as students, alumni and other readers digest and apply it to their experiences.

For questions regarding Kellogg Insight, please contact Meg Washburn,
Assistant Director of Media Relations.