Top 10 reads of 2023

Professor Alan Jagolinzer brought together 210 people ranging from psychologists and legal experts to journalists and political scientists for the first Cambridge Disinformation Summit in July. The Summit called for creation of an interdisciplinary lobby to gain access to crucial information in the fight against deliberately harmful information. Next steps include an event in Zurich to share research and policy proposals.

Read "Fighting disinformation needs interdisciplinary approach"

Coinciding with the COP28 climate-change summit in the United Arab Emirates, Professor Michael Pollitt reflects on the role of faith in how we approach climate change. He says climate-change campaigners get it wrong by using “apocalyptic” language of hell rather than a positive message of change. “We need to frame climate action as a good thing,” he says. “Religions are about hope.” 

Read "Does religion have the power to persuade us to take climate action?"

Candidates interested in the Executive MBA (EMBA) programme at Cambridge Judge gain a flexible new option through the launch of the School’s new Global EMBA programme. Combining the Cambridge experience with 2 separate weeks of face-to-face teaching in other countries, the new format may better fit some individuals’ circumstances, work patterns and learning styles. It’s a “very exciting chapter in the successful EMBA programme at Cambridge Judge Business School,” says Simon Taylor, Director of the Global EMBA programme.

Read "New Global EMBA offered at the University of Cambridge"

The new Cambridge MBA class of 2023-2024 includes 226 students representing 45 nationalities with an average of 6 years’ work experience. This diverse class, with an average age of 29, brings experience in fields ranging from finance to tech and from the military to the creative arts. In this article, we meet members of the new class from countries around the world including Nigeria, Ecuador, Hungary and China.

Read "Meet the Cambridge MBA class of 2023"

Prior to the Executive MBA, Matthew Symons had retired from professional rugby and begun working in real estate full-time. “I think it’s really tough when you’re transitioning out of sport and you’re doubting yourself the whole time,” Matt says. “A lot’s talked about, imposter syndrome, and you’ve got to relearn an entire skillset again in whatever you go into. Just giving a boost of confidence to your abilities is quite nice.”

Read "Rugby to real estate: Matthew Symons on his career and EMBA"

The interplay between agility and improvisation is a fascinating topic that helps organisations adapt to changes and uncertainty. In a new book chapter, Associate Professor Allègre Hadida and PhD candidate Nathan Odiase take a closer look at decision-making that requires people to think and act as circumstances shift. “The pandemic was a situation in which individuals and policymakers had to act based on uncertain information, including changing assessments of risk, so this topic is very timely in business and society more broadly,” says Allègre.

Read "Managing change: lessons in agility and improvisation"

This past year has seen a big rise in the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT, and also a huge increase in concern over how such technology will develop. Professor Michael Barrett focuses on practical approaches to address some downsides of AI such as algorithmic bias and the risk of marginalising certain communities and interests. The goal is “to sharpen our critical thinking around the potential risk of emerging data-driven technologies.”

Read "The dark side of AI: algorithmic bias and global inequality"

Despite urging by governments, physical inactivity has remained unchanged at low levels globally for more than 20 years. A new study co-authored by Professor Lucia Reisch looks at how cities have been more successful than school districts in implementing policies to encourage more physical activity. The key “is to develop effective implementation policies rather than simply outlining a well-known problem.”

Read "How governments and other authorities can better promote healthy lifestyles"

Cambridge MBA alumna Ambika Vora-Nagino (MBA 2018) had about 150 rejections before her idea for a young adult fantasy series was accepted by publisher Penguin Random House. Writing under the name A.A. Vora, Ambika’s fantasy trilogy is based on magic and creativity but it reflects her eye for logic as a management consultant.

Read "Alumna’s new fantasy trilogy snapped up by Penguin Random House"

Research on Bitcoin by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance at Cambridge Judge has been the go-to source for people interested in cryptocurrencies. That continued in 2023 when the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI) had its first major revision in response to changing circumstances. As Bitcoin has gained acceptance it has also attracted further scrutiny, so “acknowledging the complexity and nuance-rich nature of this topic is paramount”.

Read "Bitcoin electricity consumption: an improved assessment"