Devin Pope - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

Avoiding the Agony of a 'Bogey': Loss Aversion in Golf -- and Business

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:18:47 EST

Tiger Woods and other golf superstars who stand to win millions on inch-long putts apparently are subject to the same fear and aversion to risk that can afflict investors and managers. According to new research by two Wharton faculty members, even the best golfers systematically miss the opportunity to score a "birdie" -- when a player sinks a ball in one stroke less than the number of expected strokes for a given hole -- out of fear of having a "bogey" -- or taking one stroke more than what is expected. Playing it safe, however, has its own costs -- in golf and in business, the researchers say.

Is This Madness? How Losing by Just a Little Can Help a Team -- or Company -- Win

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:34:51 EST

Pay attention to the first-half scores in the early rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament, which began yesterday with 64 college teams vying for the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship. According to recent research by a pair of Wharton professors, teams that trail by a little at the half actually have a better chance of winning the game than the squad in the lead. The findings, they say, apply to the business world, too.

Fast Forward: Tech Giants Scramble For Bigger Piece of Growing Online Ad Market

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:40:28 EST

Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have been talking about -- and making -- deals that each believes will help secure its future in the fast-growing market for online advertising. No matter how their maneuvering concludes, advertising and marketing firms must get ready to adapt to new technology that promises to speed the migration of ads from traditional media to the web.

Career Crisis: Monster.com Has Choices to Make as It Approaches 'Middle Age'

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:47:58 EST

When the Internet was young, pioneering online job recruitment firm Monster.com rocked the way people look for work. Now, Monster itself has hit a rocky patch, marked by the resignation of three top officers, a major security breach and the rise of new competitors, including Craigslist. According to Wharton faculty and analysts, Monster is confronting the "middle age" that all veteran firms of the Internet's early days must face. The company remains a force in employment advertising, they say, but as it settles into maturity, Monster must find new ways to protect its established markets and expand overseas.