Using data from a prominent online platform for launching new digital products, we document that the composition of the platform's ‘beta testers’ on the day a new product is launched has a systematic and persistent impact on the venture's success. Specifically, we use word embedding methods...

Entrepreneurs, especially in developing economies, rely on peers for advice and managerial knowledge. While a growing body of work shows that introducing entrepreneurs to new peers outside their immediate neighborhood and social circles improves performance, these results are seemingly at odds...

Can accelerators and investors pick the most promising startup ideas no matter their provenance? We investigate this question using unique data from a global accelerator in which judges across international regions are randomly assigned to evaluate startups headquartered across the globe. Our...

Guideline based clinical decision support systems provide patient-specific medical guidance to physicians, often at the point-of-care. A large body of research shows that these systems have the potential to reduce practice variation and human error. However, there is also evidence suggesting...

Network hiring — i.e. the preference for hiring workers who are referred by existing employees or have shared affiliations with them — is a prevalent practice across many industries. Considerable research shows that hiring within a firm's network provides soft information about potential...