The cost of new ideas

Katz, Joshua H

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/110423 Copy

Description

Title

The cost of new ideas

Author(s)

Katz, Joshua H

Issue Date

2021-03-25

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Goncalo, Jack

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Goncalo, Jack

Committee Member(s)

• Loewenstein, Jeffrey
• Lewin Loyd, Denise
• Ferguson, Melissa

Department of Study

Business Administration

Discipline

Business Administration

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

Creativity, Evaluation

Abstract

Existing research provides extensive advice on how firms can stimulate the generation of ideas, but there is limited research on the potential psychological consequences of idea generation and brainstorming for the people who actively engage in this process. Moreover, theories of counterfactual thinking and comparative evaluation, lead to competing predictions about the downstream consequences of idea generation. Some perspectives would suggest idea generation should lead to an increase in satisfaction with the status quo, while others suggest the opposite. In this paper, I empirically reconcile these competing perspectives to propose that new ideas can serve as upward counterfactuals to experiences, possessions, or organizations, which then make those experiences, possessions, or organizations seem worse by comparison. I conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for future research on the consequences of idea generation.

Graduation Semester

2021-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/110423

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2021 Joshua Katz

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