Research
When AI Is the Editor, Consumer Complaints Are More Likely to Succeed
An analysis of complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reveals that consumers are using tools like ChatGPT to help them articulate their concerns. Those AI-edited grievances have a higher likelihood of receiving relief, according to new research co-authored by Yale SOM’s Jiwoong Shin.
Companies That Receive State Subsidies Are More Likely to Break Workplace Laws
In a new study, Yale SOM’s Aneesh Raghunandan finds that state officials are then less likely to penalize companies that receive subsidies for corporate misconduct—and their leniency seems to encourage firms to ignore regulations.
Free Pre-K Gives Parents’ Income a Long-Lasting Boost
Prof. Seth Zimmerman and his co-authors found that parents with kids in New Haven’s lottery-based pre-K program earn thousands of dollars more per year than their peers, likely because they are able to work longer hours and make more progress in their careers.
A Simple Thumbs Up or Down Eliminates Racial Bias in Online Ratings
Yale SOM’s Tristan Botelho and his co-authors found that the ubiquitous five-star rating system could subtly propagate discrimination. But they also found a surprisingly simple fix: switching to a two-point scale (thumbs up or thumbs down) eliminated subtle racial bias in customer ratings of gig workers.
A Partisan Mismatch with State Government Means Higher Borrowing Costs for Cities
Are red cities marooned in blue states—and blue cities in red states—at a financial disadvantage because of partisan politics? A new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Anya Nakhmurina finds that cities whose leaders are from the opposite political party as their state governors are penalized in the bond market.
AI Photo Analysis Illuminates How Personality Traits Predict Career Trajectories
Recent advancements in AI have made it possible to infer personality traits from a single photograph of a person’s face. A new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Kelly Shue applies these techniques to a large set of photos of MBA graduates to assess the effects of personality on labor market outcomes.
The Key Information Hiding Behind ‘Consensus’ Target Stock Prices
Ordinary investors generally can only see an average of analysts’ target prices for a given stock. In a new study, Yale SOM’s Thomas Steffen and Frank Zhang find that when the degree of variation within that “consensus” figure is large, it’s a bad sign for future returns.
Investors Care About ESG-Related News—When It Impacts Returns
A new paper co-authored by Professor Edward Watts examines how retail investors weigh news about a public company’s environmental, social, and governance activity.
Settling the Debate on Whether Green Investing Pays
In a new study, Yale SOM’s Theis Jensen and his co-authors find that the return from green investments relative to brown ones is slightly negative—which is actually good news for the planet.
Swings in Building Permits Can Help Predict Financial Downturns
Yale SOM’s Cameron LaPoint and his co-author painstakingly assembled a century of local building permits. Again and again, they found, peaks in the issuing of permits preceded periods of economic turmoil.
