A new study of the 2016 fiscal crisis in India led by researchers at Washington State University shows that political identity can matter as much as financial resources in shaping how entrepreneurs respond to government initiatives.

In markets where producers drive the creative process, high-status producers can opt for more radical changes for their artists’ image, whereas middle-status producers are likely to shift their artists’ image to follow popular categories. The new research, published in Strategic Management Journal, uses Korean pop music — or K-pop — to demonstrate how the status of entertainment agencies affects how idol groups shift categories, an effect that is also limited by the artists’ gender.

The research — from Heeyon Kim of Cornell University, Yoonjeoung Heo of Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, and Chi-Nien Chung of Hong Kong Polytechnic University — expanded on prior studies that explored the limitations of category shifting for artists. Instead, the team considered how, when social actors shift categories over time, they develop multifaceted identities, which can offer substantial advantages to the artist.

Tepper School Professor Tim Derdenger and Ivan Li from the University of Texas at Dallas challenge the "rich get richer" narrative about Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college football, revealing that it has increased competitive balance by distributing elite talent more widely and empowering a broader range of schools to attract top recruits.

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study, social isolation was found to have increased globally after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the initial increase disproportionately seen in lower-income populations and subsequent increases broadening across socioeconomic strata. Targeted interventions for vulnerable groups and research examining country-level policies are urgently needed to mitigate high isolation levels and reduce inequities.