The Path to Better Negotiations May Start at the Dinner Table – Chicago News
Let’s explore the most interesting stories to emerge from Chicago business schools this week.
Which Gold Medalists Do We Tweet About? Liberals and Conservatives Differ – Kellogg Insight
As cultural awareness about the often unrecognized contributions of historically disadvantaged groups continues to grow, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management professor Nour Kteily hypothesizes that the more people prioritize social equality, the more they might actively promote the accomplishments of women and people of color.
Kteily notes, “Political liberals have a natural affinity for targets that belong to groups that they see as socially disadvantaged, and a motivation to raise these groups’ position in society. Given this, we reasoned that they would want to emphasize the good things that those who belong to groups that are otherwise overlooked are able to do.”
His study analyzes which individuals are primed to consider how underrepresented groups are overlooked and observed for their likelihood to promote a black woman faculty member according to their political ideology.
“Both liberals and conservatives shift up when they read that disadvantaged minorities’ accomplishments tend to be overlooked, but the ideological difference that exists at baseline remains,” Kteily notes.
You can read more about the study here.
Gies Creates Role of Chief Disruption Officer – Gies College of Business News
The University of Illinois Gies College of Business recently announced its newest leadership position: Associate Dean for Innovation & Chief Disruption Officer. The role will assist the business school to further innovative educational practices.
Robert Brunner, a longtime professor at the university, will ensure Gies remains up to date with current trends in technology and embraces future opportunities preemptively.
University of Illinois professor Robert Brunner has been officially named the new Associate Dean for Innovation & Chief Disruption Officer at the Gies College of Business.
Jeffrey R. Brown, Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor of Business and Dean, extolled Brunner’s qualifications:
“Professor Brunner is an outstanding thought leader with a universal view of technological innovations. [His] extensive experience and passion make him the perfect fit as our very first Associate Dean for Innovation and Chief Disruption Officer. I’m delighted that he will be taking a more prominent leadership role within our College.”
Brunner will be tasked with identifying future challenges in business and creating unique solutions. Brunner remarks, “In today’s world, you’re either part of the disruption, or you risk being disrupted. Gies College of Business is taking a proactive approach like no one else in the country. We are not business as usual and our students will benefit greatly because of it.”
You can read more about Brunner and the new position at Gies here.
Trying to Get People to Agree? Skip the French Restaurant and Go Out for Chinese Food – Chicago Booth News
Here’s a new negotiating tactic: enjoy a family-style meal with your counterpart before making your opening bid. When people in a business negotiation share not just a meal but a plate, they collaborate better and reach deals faster, according to new research from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
In the study entitled “Shared Plates, Shared Minds: Consuming from a Shared Plate Promotes Cooperation,” professor Ayelet Fishbach and Cornell‘s Kaitlin Woolley examine how the way a meal is served and consumed boosts cooperation. These results show that sharing meals not only helps people collaborate better, but also reach agreements faster.
Woolley and Fishbach conducted the experiment with friends and strangers. The results found that friends arrived at a negotiation agreement faster than strangers did. However, sharing plates had a significant effect for both groups.
“The degree to which a person felt she was collaborating with her partner while eating—sharing food rather than competing for that last bite—predicted her feelings of collaboration during the negotiation phase.”
Fishbach remarks, “Basically, every meal that you’re eating alone is a missed opportunity to connect to someone. And every meal that involves food sharing fully utilizes the opportunity to create that social bond.”
You can read more about the research here.
The Trump Threat Could Endanger Chinese Student Visas
For Chinese students looking to study in the United States, the trade war could start making things increasingly difficult. In fact, getting a student visa may become virtually impossible soon.
Earlier this year, the Financial Times reported that the Trump administration considered banning all Chinese students from the U.S. According to the newspaper, “Stephen Miller, a White House aide who had been pivotal in developing the administration’s hardline immigration policies, pushed the president and other officials to make it impossible for Chinese citizens to student in the U.S.” However, if that were to happen, the consequences would be devastating.
More than 350,000 Chinese citizens studied at U.S. universities during the 2016-17 academic year. That’s one-third of all international students, which means a ban would have a significant impact on available academic programs and more. For example, at the University of Illinois, University Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Kevin Pitts warned that the recent decline in Chinese student enrollment could “affect the in-state scholarships it can offer.”
And the results could become even more troubling if a continuing decline in Indian students follows. China and India make up almost half of all international students in the U.S. Without both of those countries, universities may be in serious financial trouble.
Businesses may not get off free from a ban either. A lack of Chinese student visas could mean moving more resources outside the U.S. to stay competitive. According to William R. Kerr, the author of The Gift of Global Talent, “This link between American competitiveness and immigration is a persistent theme for the tech industry … talent in the knowledge economy can go anywhere—excepting, of course, where nations impose limits on people flows.”
Even if a full ban doesn’t go into effect, the U.S. is already feeling the results of the heightened tensions between countries. In June, the Trump administration began enacting new restrictions for Chinese students, which has already decreased student application in 2018 and created uncertainty.
“There’s a lot of fear among Chinese students,” according to Heather Stewart, the Counsel and Director of Immigration Policy at NAFSA: Association of International Educators, in a recent Forbes interview.
“Before the visa policy change, there were concerns about visa denials and slow processing. Now with the one-year visa for certain areas of study, there is further apprehension that the U.S. will lose these talented students to other countries.”
At this point, there’s no way to know how the Trump administration could swing, but things aren’t looking good. There are few remaining Chinese goods on which the U.S. can impose tariffs, which means Chinese student visas could take the next big hit in the trade war.
Read the entire Forbes piece, “What Will Trump Do Next With Chinese Student Visas?”
