Originally found at ScienMag

Prof. Linus Dahlander from ESMT Berlin, alongside Prof. Henning Piezunka and PhD candidate Sanghyun Park from INSEAD, analyzed 1.44 million ideas to understand how organizations unknowingly shape the ideas they receive. Data came from organizations that asked visitors how they could improve their websites before choosing which ideas to use. Chosen ideas were communicated for all to see.

The analysis reveals that organizations with higher consistency in selection tended to favor similar ideas. Over time, contributors adjusted their proposals to align more closely with perceived organizational preferences, enhancing their likelihood of acceptance but also resulting in reduced diversity in the ideas submitted. Individuals who felt their ideas were less likely to be selected gradually ceased making suggestions. Consequently, while the relevance of the ideas submitted may have increased, their diversity diminished.

...These findings were published in the Academy of Management Journal.

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Read the original research in Academy of Management Journal.

Read the Academy of Management Insights summary.

Learn more about the AOM Scholar and explore their work:

• Henning Piezunka, INSEAD