Research and Development


Recent Research and Development Articles

4 Most Important Qualities of an Entrepreneur

Forget about your business idea--most of them don't pan out anyway. Here's what it really takes to succeed.  Read more

Whittle Down Your To-Do List. Finally

Those items at the bottom of the list? You know you'll never get to them, so stop trying--there's a better way to get more done.  Read more

How to Turn a Commodity into a Unique Business

Here's how one founder turned popcorn--yes, popcorn--into a multi-million dollar company.  Read more

The Next Big Thing in Ads

With the help of NFC-enabled smartphones, ads are getting even more interactive. But are they right for your company?  Read more

5 Reasons Why You Need a Shrink

The start-up life is lonely and stressful. Without solid emotional support, your new venture might be dead in the water.  Read more

Windows 8: The Next Frontier for App Developers

Pundits are skeptical about the future of Microsoft's operating system, but there are three reasons why it's a big deal for software entrepreneurs.  Read more

The Case Against Holiday Sales

This time of year, your competitors slash prices to reel in the holiday shoppers. Here's why that's not a game you should play.  Read more

Big Data: You Have No Idea How Much It Will Change Your Life

Futurist Juan Enriquez on the mind-blowing changes that Big Data is about to unleash on your business, your health, and life in general.  Read more

4 Decision-Making Mistakes to Avoid

Every day, you must make decisions large and small. Here's what's keeping you from making them more confidently.  Read more

How Much Poor Performers Cost You

Chances are, you're spending too much time on employees who don't deliver. Here are seven tips to pull yourself out of the time suck.  Read more

Does Sex Sell, or Just Make Customers Impatient?

Researchers delve into the finer points of advertising: Do sexy ads have the right effect on consumers? Maybe not.  Read more

2 Simple Keys to Define Your Brand

What does your brand stand for? Probably a lot less than you think. Here's why you need to rethink it.  Read more

The Secret to Great Customer Research

Are founders incapable of doing great UX? A pair of Silicon Valley veterans debate whether start-ups should outsource user-experience research.  Read more

Why You Need to Choose New Heroes

It's great to have role models you admire--unless they're holding you back from reaching your true potential.  Read more

'We Made a Product Nobody Wanted' 

After buying Excel Dryer, entrepreneur Denis Gagnon realized he had to build a better product. The company spent three years (and almost went bankrupt) creat...  Watch video

Is Your Start-up Built to Survive?

During and in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, a certain kind of start-up thrived. Here's why--and what you should learn from it.  Read more

6 TED Talks Every Entrepreneur Should Watch

A handful of sage speakers lay out research and advice business owners everywhere should heed.  Read more

Do What You Love? Screw That

Want to be happy? Don't build a business based on something you love doing.  Read more

How to Bulletproof Your Company Culture

Growth often comes at a cost: Acquisitions and fast hiring decisions can wreak havoc on your company culture. Here's how not to let it happen.  Read more

Ex-Boss's Confession: 'Analytics Saved My Career'

The company had a vision of where it needed to go--but no map to get there. Here's how a little data saved the day.  Read more

Break: The Most Important Part of Breakthrough

Patterns and rules can be good. But sometimes you need to break them to create a breakthrough business.  Read more

Don't Have a Schtick? Get One Now

Richard Branson does crazy stunts. Another founder wears orange every day. Here's why adopting your own schtick could help you succeed.  Read more

Want to Spy on Rivals? There's an App for That

Social media can offer lots of clues into your competitors' strategies. The trouble is capturing all that data. A new app promises to do it for you.  Read more

4 Lessons From Nate Silver's Election Predictions

Why do big election predictions matter? They offer key lessons about how to be smart with 'big' data.  Read more

9 Tips to Turn an Idea into a Business

Here's a straightforward approach to analyze a product's potential and bring it to market.  Read more

3 Reasons Your Start-up Should Tackle Really Big Problems

It's certainly not an easy entrepreneurial path, but one VC says there's never been a better time to pursue big ideas that solve thorny problems.  Read more

How to Achieve Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals

Leadership expert Jim Collins explains what drives some entrepreneurs to relentlessly pursue bold ideas--and succeed where others have failed.  Read more

Why You Can't Trust What You Know

A Skimmer's Guide to The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date , by Samuel Arbesman.  Read more

Start-up DNA? Signs Facebook Hasn't Lost It

The social media company recently stopped testing its own Pinterest-like feature. It was a smart move--and one any company can learn from.  Read more

Big Thinkers Are Pissed Off & Passionate

For entrepreneur Peter Diamandis, big is never big enough. Here, he talks about what it takes to think on a grand scale.  Read more

Save Lives By Sharing Data

Sage Biometrics gives medical researchers a means (and a reason) to cooperate.  Read more

What VCs Really Care About

New research offers insights into how venture capitalists make funding decisions.  Read more

The Doomsday Prediction You Should Heed

Whether it's right or wrong, there are good reasons to pay attention to this grim economic prediction.  Read more

What the Drive-Through Window Can Teach You

Don't run a fast-food business? It doesn't matter. Any company could stand to improve the efficiency of its operations.  Read more

4 Secrets to Get Inside Your Customers' Heads

"Extreme research" can help you build products customers love. Here's how one company does it.  Read more