Research and Development


Recent Research and Development Articles

Don't Make That Investment Yet. Here's Why

About to enter a new market or make a major investment in an existing one? A mistake could be costly. You may need to adopt a test-and-learn strategy first.  Read more

3 Steps to More Insightful Thinking

It's easy to fall back on 'group think' to address business challenges. But if you really want to generate game-changing ideas, you need a different approach.  Read more

Does Your Product Make a Real Impact? 

Serial entrepreneur & movie-maker Ted Leonsis discusses why he wants to make movies that are more than just movies.  Watch video

The $8 Can of Diet Coke

If your prices are well above the norm, is it your responsibility to make sure customers know that upfront?  Read more

Brand Messaging: Don't Get Lost in Translation

When people don't understand you, they tune you out. Make sure your customers get what you're saying.  Read more

Back-to-School Marketing: What's Your Strategy?

'Tis the season for back-to-school shopping. Here's a look at the spending forecast, plus tips for marketing to parents.  Read more

One Thing Every Great Entrepreneur Does

Visions, strategies, decisions--those are all important. But not as important as this.  Read more

Why a Laser Focus Is Bad for Business

Lots of founders will tell you that if you're not intensely focused on your start-up 24/7, you're not in it to win. Here's why that's bad advice.  Read more

Eric Ripert on How to Build a Classic Brand

Le Bernardin restaurant has received four stars 26 years in a row. The head chef explains what it takes for a brand to never go out of style.  Read more

5 Tips for Turning a Problem into a Business

No one understands your problems like you do. But can you make money off them?  Read more

How to Know if Your Marketing Firm Is Giving You BS

You want results, and all they talk about is "branding." What gives?  Read more

Start-up Task No. 1: Think Global

Planning a global strategy--even before you launch your first product--can help your company grow fast.  Read more

Groupon's CEO Gets Schooled in Small Business

To figure out what's next for his company, Andrew Mason has picked up a second job. Here's what he's been doing--and what he learned.  Read more

How 3 Top Brands Mastered Olympics Marketing

OK, so maybe you can't afford David Beckham. But you can still pick up tricks for hot Web videos from these top brands.  Read more

To Be or Not to Be Like Steve Jobs?

Nearly a year after Jobs' death, his legacy inspires fierce debate among entrepreneurs.  Read more

Best Way to Make Employees Better at Their Jobs

Forget trying to come up with motivational tools and "tricks." There's a better--and simpler--way to get more out of your staff.  Read more

6 Questions to Tune Up Your Growth Engine

Is your business model firing on all cylinders? These questions will help you determine if your business needs a few tweaks to keep humming along smoothly.  Read more

What Marketing Will Look Like in 2025

If you think Google and other websites know a lot about consumers now, wait until a few years from now.  Read more

Time to Break Up With Your Bank

Your relationship with your bank may be one-sided--and expensive. But you won't know unless you play the field.  Read more

Stealing Design Ideas From Mother Nature

How do you build a printer so that the ink doesn't dry up? Researchers find inspiration for this and other design problems in unlikely places.  Read more

Intuit Founder: 8 Tips to Get Your Mojo Back

Don't let a little success make you complacent. Scott Cook gives his tips for keeping innovation alive at your company.  Read more

How to Sneak Up on Incredibly Elusive Goals

If success always seems to be just out of your reach, consider approaching your goals from a new angle.  Read more

Stop Agonizing Over Details 

Genevieve Thiers and Dan Ratner, co-founders of Sittercity, talk about how their attitudes change over time.  Watch video

Getting (Big) Things Done

For too long you've served as Chief Fire Extinguisher. It's time to step back and start working on building your business.  Read more

Cool Aha Moment: The Cardboard Bicycle

Engineers told this Israeli entrepreneur that his idea would be impossible to pull off. He soon proved them wrong.  Read more

Everyone Agrees: Crowdsourcing Sucks

Are you sure there's wisdom in that crowd? Here's why you should reconsider putting crucial business decisions up for a vote.  Read more

Your Most Important Investment

Chances are, you're failing to invest in the most important asset of all. Do these five things and your business will be better for it.  Read more

3 Steps to Innovate Like Google

By leveraging the Alchemy of Growth 's Three Horizons Model, companies of any size can begin driving innovation throughout their organization.  Read more

To Design Better Products, Hit the Road

The next time you need inspiration, take a business trip. There's no better source of terrible (and brilliant) design than the travel industry.  Read more

How to Get Your Swagger Back

Confidence is everything in a start-up. Here's how to give yours a boost when it feels as if nothing is going your way.  Read more

9 Dumb Ways to Ruin a Meeting

If you must call a meeting, make it count. Don't waste everyone's time with one of these mistakes.  Read more

10 Habits of Remarkably Charismatic People

Charisma isn't something you have. It's something you earn. Here's how.  Read more

Why Scarcity May Be Your Best Competitive Advantage

When customers have to struggle to get their hands on something, they value it more--and they'll pay more to get it.  Read more

Best Entrepreneurship Book Ever Has Nothing to Do With Business

Want inspiration as an entrepreneur? Set aside those books about managing and leadership. This World War II story with a tragic ending might just be the best...  Read more

6 Essential Tools for Launching a Start-up

OK, so it isn't exactly the fun part of forming a company, but getting the legal stuff right is crucial. Here are some tools to help.  Read more