MIT Sloan Management Review Article on How Previous Generations Influence Our Decisions

Researchers have come to know a great deal about how people choose to behave toward future generations, and why. Over the past 18 years, studies have identified the psychological barriers that define intergenerational dilemmas, such as when a current generation must give up benefits to act on the behalf of future generations. We have discovered that stewardship and legacy concerns, for example, can guide how citizens express generosity to future generations.

What we don’t know enough about is how previous generations influence our current decisions.

Here’s why it matters: Many stories from our ancestors were designed to keep new listeners from repeating the mistakes of the past. But in an era where the closest we get to modern folktales are TED talks, are organizations at risk of losing touch with the lessons of the past? In a time of great technological change, which demands reflection and a clear corporate culture as well as creative propulsion, this is a vital question.

About the Author

Morela Hernandez is an associate professor of business administration at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. The Darden School is on Twitter at @dardenmba. Links to Hernandez’s work are at morelahernandez.com.

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