EMILY NIX, Assistant Professor of Finance and Business Economics
"Managers and CEOs must provide thoughtful leadership in challenging situations, from reacting to worker misbehavior to deciding how to position their firms in an increasingly polarized socio-political environment. Yet leaders often have little hard evidence to rely on when making these decisions.
This presentation will explore two challenging choices managers face. First, in an increasingly polarized sociopolitical environment, firms are more frequently publicly engaging in politically and socially controversial issues, including guns, climate change, global conflicts, and abortion rights. Such engagement may be a positive signal for value-aligned current or prospective workers but could alienate those with differing viewpoints. The proliferation of firms and universities engaging in sociopolitical dialogue raises an important question: What are the consequences for these firms from engaging in socially or politically controversial topics, particularly when it comes to their workforce?
Second, #MeToo demonstrated that workplace harassment and assault are all too common. How do these incidents impact victims, perpetrators, and the broader workforce? What role can management play in exacerbating or mitigating these costs?
My research provides answers to these questions, leveraging unique big data from tax records, the police, Indeed, and Glassdoor to provide new insights to guide future choices."
Emily Nix holds a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University. She is a labor economist who studies the economic impacts of violence against women, the gender income gap, and inequality. Her research and expertise have been featured in Bloomberg, The Economist, the Financial Times, the Guardian, NPR, the Washington Post, and more. Her papers have been published in top economics journals, such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of Economic Studies,and Journal of Labor Economics.She has served as a consultant to both the Federal Reserve and the World Bank. Nix is also an award-winning teacher who made news in 2020 when she created a DIY light board to enhance the remote learning experience for her students, and has won multiple Golden Apple awards, the Dr. Douglas Basil Award, and an Excellence in Teaching Award.