Baer’s research interests include creativity and innovation in organizations, such as problem formulation, idea generation and solution implementation. Beyond teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, he is on the editorial board of Organization Science, the Journal of Applied Psychology, and the Academy of Management Journal. HE is frequently invited to speak at international conferences regarding organizational behavior.
Prior to teaching, Baer worked in the German automotive industry and, as a co-founder of a startup venture, consulted for firms in Europe and Asia.
New research from Olin Business School has identified one reason why some first-time producers struggle to repeat their initial creative productions while others go on to continually produce creative works.
Hybrid work may be the future for many organizations post-pandemic, but there will be significant challenges to overcome — perhaps even more so than traditional in-person offices and fully remote work environments, say Olin Business School researchers.
When faced with a cutting-edge technological idea, business leaders who approach the idea in more concrete “how” terms — rather than in abstract “why” terms — are less likely to be deterred by its novelty and more likely to recognize its utility, which increases their propensity to invest in the idea, according to new research from the Olin Business School.
Two researchers from Washington University in St. Louis and another from Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile found that daydreaming carries significant creative benefits, especially for those who identify with their profession and care for the work they do.
Companies often pride themselves on creating a collaborative culture that encourages the free-flow of ideas between colleagues. But a recent study co-authored by Olin Business School’s Markus Baer shows that territorial marking in the office can quickly squash much sought-after workplace creativity.
Women tend to outperform men when it comes to collaboration and creativity in small working groups, but force teams to go head to head in highly competitive environments and the benefits of a female approach are soon reversed, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
Chairs provide great support during long meetings, but they may also be holding us back. Standing during meetings boosts the excitement around creative group processes and reduces people’s tendencies to defend their turf, according to a new
Washington University in St. Louis study that used wearable sensors to measure participants’ activity levels.
Coming up with creative, fresh ideas does not necessarily imply that theywill ultimately be put into practice. However, the odds of one’s ideas making it into practice are better
when people are driven to push their ideas through the organization and
are savvy networkers, finds new research from Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.
Ideas are all around us — helping solve problems,
develop new products, and make important decisions. Good ideas are
rarely created in a vacuum, however. They often emerge when people
refine their ideas in response to suggestions and comments received from
colleagues.Having
strong bonds to an idea can make that necessary collaboration
challenging, finds new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
The study suggests that psychological ownership — the extent to which people feel as though an object, or idea, is truly theirs— may be at the root of this phenomenon.
Planning to negotiate a raise? Try not to discuss it with the boss in his or her office, suggests a new study by an organizational behavior expert at Washington University in St. Louis.
Expectant parents eagerly await the arrival of their bundle of joy, hoping that they will have the most beautiful and intelligent baby in the world. While parents might not have direct control over brains and looks, new research from a business professor at Washington University in St. Louis finds that parents can influence their firstborn’s creativity. More…
