NOVEL SOLUTIONS
Fun With Research
SHANNON WETZEL, SENIOR EDITOR
17.7% raise. If this short, research-based nugget has you thinking twice about your company’s budget for training, then “Stats & Curiosities” from Harvard Business Review might be up your alley.
A The little book is not focused on a single
topic. Instead, it culls interesting tidbits from a wide array of research in business, econom- ics and psychology that address various ways humans act, react and interact with the world around them. If you want to know more, you’d have to find the original report on your own, but for anyone who likes a good statistic, particu- larly one that might be useful in your business, this book could be for you. Some of the more valuable statistical findings
are in the “Stats You Can Use” chapter. Here, you learn studies have shown that teams of two workers can solve a problem more quickly than teams of four, telling employees how their performance compares to their peers boosts pro- ductivity, those who trust their gut instincts do so with good reason, and inexperienced bosses are more effective when giving direct orders while well-established bosses are more effective when they seek input. Other chapters in the book address ways
morals and ethics affect people’s actions, how males and females differ (or don’t) in the work- place, which behaviors affect a person’s health, and how environment triggers working behavior. “Stats & Curiosities” is little more than a
research-based trivia book—unapologetically so. Many of the stats revealed in the text might give you something to mull over on the commute to work, and you might adjust some of your manage- ment strategies in small ways. But this is not some- thing that will cause you to completely overhaul your management approach. Perfect for a two-hour flight or to keep in a
reception area, “Stats & Curiosities” takes a look at business research in a fun, accessible way. It is worth considering for a Christmas gift for someone in your office—but don’t throw it in with a $500 watch. According to a study, expen- sive items seem less valuable when combined with low-cost items.
48 | MODERN CASTING December 2013
“People who were asked to guess the weight of a box of potatoes gave an estimate that was 10% less if they were told they’d get help lifting it.”
Metalcasters’ Translation: An onerous task seems easier when help is promised. When you
need your employees to make an extra push to fi ll a customer’s order quickly, let them know how you will help them achieve that task. Perception of how diffi cult something will be to do depends not on what people can do on their own, but what they think they can do with others’ help.
ccording to a study of nearly 5,000 workers in Spain, employer-provided training has the same net effect as a
ABRIDGED
Relevance to Metalcasters Technical Diffi culty Self-Help Fluff Profi t Booster
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68