The question of the intention-action gap is central for behavioral sciences, and Big Data can effectively help tackling it effectively, leading to efficient policies in a number of domains…
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Michelle Segar, a faculty associate at the University of Michigan’s Center for Positive Organizations, suggest to first “find the right why” and then proceed to a four action steps to begin applying the changes you want to make in 2017…
The ease and relative affordablility with which most Europeans can consume electricity can make them oblivious of the impacts of power generation on the environment, but new visualization tools might help to make this information more salient.
Giovanna and Jacopo study the business sustainability of supplying off-grid areas in Pakistan with a Pay as You Go solar systems…
In his aftermath analysis of the US presidential elections, Nate Silver points out that Data Scientist always need to trust the data at the end of the day, even if common sense may try to bring you on another playground…
By selling efficient and long lasting L.E.D lights, companies are in fact setting a short term to their own industrial activities…
Read more →A recent article on the 1843magazine from The Economist discusses how researchers in the Silicon Valley design their apps to increase people’s motivation and decrease difficulty of taking action…
In a very recent article, Politico analyses how the projected success of connected vehicles in saving energy will depend on how humans relate to this emerging technology. The potentials are huge and can be effective in a number of domains. For instance eco-driving allows …
L osing is part of sports. Watching your favorite team lose a big game can be tough to handle. You feel disappointed, upset or even angry.
Read more →Two recent web articles about Nudges units in Australia and India provides interesting examples on how simple nudges work effectively in different countries. For instance…
Big data already allow utility companies and municipalities to save huge quantities of energy and save lots of carbon emissions. Read more for concrete examples…
Does growing up in a disadvantaged social environment affect a person’s earnings, education, health, crime involvement and other life outcomes? People’s various concerns can lead to two opposite directions: one the one hand, a disadvantaged area may depress life outcomes …
On May 25th-26th I had the honor to participate in a workshop on the language of energy. Researchers, designers, and representatives from utilities and other energy-related organizations gathered in Naples to discuss the idea of developing a Natural Language for …
This month, Germany started to subsidize electric drive vehicles up to 4,000 EUR for the acquisition of a new car. Aimed at incentivizing emission reductions in the transport sector, the real impact on car sales still has to be assessed, …
There are two kinds of uncertainties in life. For the first type, you have information sources like weather forecasts, drug-package inserts, and mutual-fund brochures, all of which provide descriptions of possible outcomes (rainy or sunny, various complications, potential profits) and probabilities. …
Today, the presentation of the new Tesla model once more reveals a great interest of certain consumers to engage in seemingly overly expensive goods such as buying Electric Drive Vechicles, making it perahaps look an irrationale choice. Yet, the price tag …
It may sound counter-intuitive that people would strategically avoid costless useful information. However, it is already observed that people indeed avoid information actively in various situations, from finance to management or even mourning…
How many times we tend to buy products that our peers own, being it a smartphone, an app or a car? People’s decisions often are influenced by the decisions made by their friends and neighbours. This has been found in a …
The path that leads from a research idea to a research paper is like a roller coaster. When you slow down and think you are coming to an end, it’s probably time for a new thrilling ride.
Read more →Research shows that adding a label with information on fair labor standards increased sales of expensive items while a similar label had no effect on cheaper items or items purchased in outlet stores. Why?