Insights From

Institute for Business in Society

Cat or Meerkat Culture? Religious Identity Threats at Work

A feeling that part of one’s identity is unwelcome at work threatens an employee’s connection with others and the organization, and a feeling rejection due to religion can be extreme. Here: A framework to think about how people respond when they feel their religious identities are threatened at work, in context of organizational culture.

Drilling and Debt: When Oil Production Doesn’t Respond to Demand

Why would oil producers continue to pump oil despite an excess supply globally and a shortage in storage space? Darden Professors Elena Loutskina and Daniel Murphy examine how oil prices went negative (and could again), collateralized debt and oil producers’ relationships with lenders, and broader implications for the oil market.

5 Building Blocks and the New Story of Business

Darden Professor Ed Freeman and Ben Freeman discuss stakeholder capitalism, the importance of and, and the key concepts we can learn from the problems imposed by the old story of business. They can lead us to a new one.  

The 4 Phases of Marketing Communication During Covid-19

With the onset of COVID-19, it was incredibly important for businesses to reach out to their consumers and preserve those consumers’ loyalty. Darden Professor Kimberly Whitler, an expert in marketing strategy and brand management, investigated how marketing teams were communicating with customers during the crisis.

A Word to Hedgehogs: Find Commonality Across Critical Issues

Philosopher Isaiah Berlin stated that people fall into two categories: the fox and the hedgehog. Professor Mary Gentile shares her thoughts on why they must co-exist and work together.

Rebound or Permanent Slump? Possible Impacts of US COVID-19 Fiscal Policies

Fiscal policy is a powerful tool to combat economic downturns, but the results depend on decreasing inequality, an imperative to the efficacy of fiscal multipliers. As COVID-19 cases rise, new research offers insights into which fiscal policies may bolster the economy — and the other options, which may have long-term ramifications.

Netflix, $100 Million and Black-Owned Banks

Netflix is investing $100 million in financial institutions that support Black-owned banks and Black communities. This investment isn’t just socially responsible in fueling opportunity; research shows that Black-owned banks outperform non-minority-owned peers. How does that reconcile with data that imply decline in success? Lack of initial assets.

Eye Banking in Ethiopia: A Sustainable Supply

Around 90 percent of the cases of blindness in Ethiopia are avoidable. Restoring and maintaining sight frequently depends on corneal transplants, but those require access, and the global demand is greater than the supply. One partnership created a system to meet 100 percent of the current demand for quality corneal tissue in Ethiopia.

Community-Led, Sustainable Development in Mexico

Grassroots organizations are engines for transformation but lack stable funding. To address these challenges, IAF and the Mott Foundation created a public-private partnership to put underserved communities in control of projects that improve quality of life, foster civic engagement and contribute to a more robust democracy in Mexico.

Muppets, Sanitation and Children as Change Agents Around the World

The greatest global health challenge for children is disease related to water, sanitation and hygiene. To address these health challenges, Sesame Workshop and World Vision established the Wash Up! initiative with the ultimate goal of reducing the number of children suffering or dying from preventable and treatable diseases.