Stanford GSB

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Management

Management

Updated 29/12/2025

09/10/2024

The Future of Everything: “Kuang Xu: How to Make (and Keep) Genetic Data Private”

One underappreciated fact about the explosion in genetic databases, like consumer sites that provide information about ancestry and health, is that they unlock valuable insights not only into an individual’s past and future, but also for that individual’s entire family. This raises serious concerns about privacy for people who have never submitted their genetic information for analysis, yet share much the same code as one who did. This week on If/Then, we’re sharing an interview from The Future of Everything with Stanford GSB Professor Kuang Xu. Xu is an expert in how genetic information can and should be used. He says that the DNA problem weighs heavily on privacy experts in fields ranging from law and engineering to public health and criminal justice. The fundamental question is: Can we create methods for accessing genetic data while maximizing the privacy of all involved? The Future of Everything is Produced by Stanford Engineering. For a full transcript of this episode, visit The Future of Everything’s website. Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Host Kevin Cool introduces an episode featuring The Future of Everything podcast with host Russ Altman and guest Kuang Xu, a professor at the GSB. (00:03:24) Genetic Technology and Privacy Risks The key ideas and methodology behind making genetic searches more private. (00:06:23) Social Network and Genealogy in Genetic Searches How a genealogy network functions as a social network in genetic searches. (00:09:23) Technical Aspects of Securing Genetic Data The difference between sequential and static methods for genetic searches. (00:11:19) Practical Application of Sequential Methods Ways the sequential search method could be applied without compromising privacy. (00:12:43) First Steps in Sequential Search What the first steps would look like when using the sequential search method. (00:14:41) Balancing Accuracy and Privacy Whether the new privacy methods compromise accuracy in identifying individuals. (00:15:22) Applications in Genetic Research How privacy methods can apply to genetic research for disease prediction and beyond. (00:18:22) Insights During Research Surprise findings from Kuang’s research on genetic privacy. (00:21:28) Privacy Beyond Genetics The possibility of applying these privacy techniques to other sensitive datasets. (00:22:58) Commercial Interest in Privacy Solutions The interest from companies in adopting these privacy innovations. (00:24:09) Genetics and Business School Connection Kuang’s work at Stanford’s School of Business and how it connects to genetics and privacy. (00:25:30) Emergency Room Waiting Times Research related to reducing waiting times in emergency rooms. (00:26:57) In-Person Voting and COVID-19 Spread Overview of data collected during in-person voting during COVID-19. (00:27:54) Conclusion See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

09/10/2024

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28 min
25/07/2024

If/Then: Why Research Matters

To wrap up the first season of If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society, we invited Senior Associate Dean Jesper B. Sørensen into the studio to talk about the importance of research at Stanford Graduate School of Business. He shares insights on what motivates faculty to study what they do and how it impacts practitioners across industries. “One of the challenges of being a great researcher is that you need to move away again from this kind of day-to-day reality.… I think a gift that a lot of our faculty have is to be able to both live in that very abstract kind of world and then make it relatable to somebody who’s not living in that world,” Sørensen says. “Sometimes putting fundamental insights into practice is really hard. One of the hallmarks of research is trying to isolate particular mechanisms through various kinds of control. Scientists live in the world where it’s a vacuum, and so we just watch the leaf fall and we can then time it and then tell you what the answer is,” Sørensen says. “And managers live in a world where the wind is blowing and there’s all these kinds of forces getting in the way.” In his conversation with podcast host Kevin Cool, Sørensen also shares his thoughts on three episodes from If/Then’s first season. If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

25/07/2024

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17 min
13/08/2025

The Joy of Discovery and Why Research Matters

As we celebrate the conclusion of the second season of the If/Then podcast, we present a bonus episode featuring Deborah H. Gruenfeld, the Joseph McDonald Professor and Professor of Organizational Behavior and a Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Gruenfeld, who appeared on the first season of If/Then in an award-winning episode about hierarchies and the nature of power, returned to the studio to share her thoughts on the value of academic research and its impact on individuals and organizations. “The nice thing about research is that it provides tools and methods and an approach to learn about what’s true in the world, taking into account that what we learn from firsthand experience is not reliable,” she says. “Research helps us build a body of knowledge about what's actually true that we can trust.” This episode was recorded on July 16, 2025. Related Content: Deborah H. Gruenfeld, faculty profileWhy Research MattersWhy I Research: Findings Fueled by the Head and the Heart If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

13/08/2025

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16 min
25/09/2024

Why I Research: Findings Fueled by the Head and the Heart

This special episode of If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society explores the personal stories behind Stanford GSB faculty's groundbreaking research. Discover how individual experiences shape scholarly inquiry. Baba Shiv, professor of marketing, examines decision-making and the brain's liking and wanting systems. His self-proclaimed "irrational" nature led him to question whether good decisions are based on reason or emotion.Mohammad Akbarpour, professor of economics, found his passion in market design, seeing economics as "the right mix of thinking about humans and mathematics." His research on welfare economics stems from observing economic disparities in his native Iran.Deborah Gruenfeld, professor of organizational behavior, studies power dynamics inspired by her early career and family history. Her work reveals how even arbitrary positions of authority can dramatically alter behavior. These faculty remind us that behind every groundbreaking theory are real people driven by curiosity to make sense of the world around them. Join us to hear how personal journeys fuel impactful business research. Key Takeaways: Personal experiences shape research: Leading scholars draw inspiration from their own lives and observations, leading to innovative research questions and approaches.Challenging assumptions drives discovery: Researchers like Baba Shiv, Mohammad Akbarpour, and Deborah Gruenfeld push boundaries by questioning fundamental assumptions in their fields and themselves, leading to new insights.Human stories behind data: This episode reveals that even in data-driven fields like economics and organizational behavior, personal narratives and curiosity play a crucial role in shaping impactful research. More Resources: Baba Shiv, faculty profileMohammad Akbarpour, faculty profileDeborah Gruenfeld, faculty profile If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. For a full transcript of this episode, visit our podcast’s website: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/why-i-research-findings-fueled-head-heart See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

25/09/2024

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9 min
05/02/2025

Is Work Killing Us?

Is burnout simply the cost of doing business? What responsibility do employers have for the health and well-being of their workers? Jeffrey Pfeffer, the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business and author of Dying for a Paycheck and 7 Rules of Power, says that the connection between workplace stress and negative health outcomes is as strong as the link between smoking and cancer — and may contribute to as many as 120,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone. So what do we do about it? Pfeffer’s answer isn’t just surprising — it’s a radical critique of the way we work today. This episode features Sundance Scardino, a retired para-rescue specialist, firefighter, and paramedic. Is it time to rethink the way we work? Email us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. This conversation was recorded on September 10, 2024. Related Links: Jeffrey Pfeffer faculty profile“The Workplace Is Killing People and Nobody Cares”“We Have 30 Extra Years”: A New Way of Thinking About AgingWhy “Copycat” Layoffs Won’t Help Tech Companies — Or Their Employees If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

05/02/2025

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27 min
07/08/2024

All Else Equal: “Disentangling Causation and Correlation” with Guido Imbens

It can be tempting to think one thing causes another because they happen in succession, but there’s a lot to unwrap in the idea of causality. This week, If/Then is featuring an episode from the podcast All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions. Listen as hosts and finance professors Jonathan Berk and Jules van Binsbergen explain the difference between correlation and causality, and examine cases where it is tempting to assume one thing caused another. Their guest for this episode, Guido Imbens, is a professor of Economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2021. All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions Podcast is a production of Stanford GSB and is produced by University FM. It is hosted by Jonathan Berk, The A.P. Giannini Professor of Finance at Stanford GSB, and Jules van Binsbergen, The Nippon Life Professor in Finance, Professor of Finance, at The Wharton School. Each episode provides insight into how to make better decisions. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

07/08/2024

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29 min
10/07/2024 · BONUS

Stay Tuned for If/Then's Summer Series

While our team starts working on our second season, we'll still be sharing insights, bonus content, behind-the-scenes audio, and "class takeaways" from Stanford Graduate School of Business faculty throughout the summer. Stay Tuned! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

10/07/2024 · Bonus

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1 min
26/06/2024

Who Wants to Run? Incentivizing Better Participation in Politics, with Andrew B. Hall

Getting to elect our leaders is certainly a privilege. Yet, even in a representative democracy, the choice that citizens have is often only as good as the candidates they have to choose from. That’s why Professor Andrew B. Hall, The Davies Family Professor of Political Economy, wonders: How do we get society’s best and brightest to participate in politics? As a political economist at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences, Hall has spent years studying what motivates people to engage in the democratic process. On this episode of If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society, he shares his insights on how we can create a system that attracts a more diverse and qualified pool of candidates to run for public office and encourages greater voter participation at the local, state, and national levels. Key Takeaways: Engagement starts with incentives: Whether encouraging better candidates to run for public office or driving higher voter turnout, Hall says our democratic system must incentivize citizens to actively take part in the process.What's at stake?: People are more likely to participate in democratic processes when they understand how the outcome directly affects them. Hall cites how homeowners are more likely to vote on local zoning issues that impact their property values.Adapting new technologies thoughtfully: As new technologies emerge, Hall says it's crucial to consider how they can be harnessed to improve democratic participation and address the challenges facing our political system. More Resources Andrew B. Hall, The Davies Family Professor of Political EconomyWhat Kinds of Incentives Encourage Participation in Democracy? Evidence from a Massive Online Governance Experiment Stanford GSB Insights:Inside a Government Where People Are Paid to VoteIf You Lived Here, You Might Be a Voter By Now If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

26/06/2024

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30 min
10/07/2024

Daniella Pierson: Why Failure is the Measure of Success

“It wasn’t luck. I worked every single second of the day – I was obsessed with it. I wanted independence for myself, for my family, and I didn’t want to go back to Jacksonville.” In 2022, Daniella Pierson was named the youngest, wealthiest, self-made BIPOC woman in the world by Forbes. The 28-year-old grew her first company, The Newsette, to a $200 million dollar valuation without taking on a single investor. As a one-woman operation, she advertised through word of mouth and ran the company from her college dorm room. She wasn’t just working against a full college course load. Pierson also battled OCD and ADHD diagnoses. Her mental health experiences would help inspire the mental fitness startup Wondermind, confounded with Selena Gomez in 2022. Two years later, Pierson is already onto her next project: Breadwinner, a financial literacy brand dedicated to helping young visionaries turn their barriers into building blocks. In this View From The Top interview, Pierson sits down with Zach Doherty, MBA ’24, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey, work life balance, and what’s next for Breadwinner. “This is my ecosystem of everything that I have proven in my story. None of my businesses have ever been me first.” Stanford GSB’s View From The Top is the dean’s premier speaker series. It launched in 1978 and is supported in part by the F. Kirk Brennan Speaker Series Fund. During student-led interviews and before a live audience, leaders from around the world share insights on effective leadership, their personal core values, and lessons learned throughout their career. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

10/07/2024

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1 hr
30/11/2018

Jeffrey Katzenberg: Be Original, Be Unique, Be Risky

Getting fired while seemingly at the apogee of a career would faze most executives. But it only took Jeffrey Katzenberg eight days to recover after being shown the door at Disney, where he’d headed its motion picture division for 10 years. In just over a week, he teamed with Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and David Geffen to launch DreamWorks, where they turned out hits including Saving Private Ryan, Castaway, A Beautiful Mind, and Shrek. Listen to the former Dreamworks CEO on an episode of View From the Top, the podcast: See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

30/11/2018

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56 min

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