To boost employees’ creativity, managers should consider offering a set of rewards for them to choose from, according to a new study by management experts at Rice, Tulane University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and National Taiwan Normal University.

The study, co-authored by Jing Zhou, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Management and Psychology at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is the first to systematically examine the effects of reward choice in a field experiment, which was conducted in the context of an organizationwide suggestion program. An advance copy of the paper is published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

“Organizations spend a lot of resources and exert a great deal of effort in designing incentive schemes that reward the employees who exhibit creativity at work,” Zhou said.

“Our results showed that the effort may be a bit misplaced. Instead of discovering one reward type that is particularly effective at promoting creativity, what is more effective is to provide the employees with the opportunity to choose from several reward types, if they submit one or more ideas that are among the top 20% most creative ones.”
 

Workers in the study were given a range of options: a financial reward for the individual employee or their team, a self-discretionary reward such as getting priority to select days off, or a donation the company made to a charity selected by the employee. Those choices had positive, significant effects on the number of creative ideas employees generated and the creativity level of those ideas, Zhou and her co-authors found.

The researchers arrived at their findings by conducting a quasi-experiment at a company in Taiwan over the course of several months. Then they conducted a second experimental study that included employees from 12 organizations in Taiwan to replicate the first study’s results and compared the results with a control group.

The studies also found that rewards aimed at helping others, such as making a donation to a charity, might be especially powerful. But for less-creative employees, alternative rewards that benefit those in need might actually lower creativity and should be avoided, the authors said.

The researchers also found that the choice of rewards fostered creativity by raising the employees’ belief in their ability to be creative. Alternative rewards also had a powerful impact on boosting the creativity of employees who earlier had scored high on an assessment of creative personality characteristics.

Zhou co-authored the paper with Greg Oldham of Tulane, Aichia Chuang of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Ryan Shuwei Hsu of National Taiwan Normal University.

Owl Have You Know

This episode is part of a set of short interviews which were recorded during Alumni Reunion Week 2021. Be sure to listen to the other two Alumni Reunion Week episodes. Ian Hernandez ’11 joins host Christine Dobbyn in the Owl's Nest.

Subscribe to Owl Have You Know on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

The Watt Sells Award

Each year, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) recognizes very top performers on the CPA Exam with the Elijah Watt Sells Award. Watt Sells Award winners must have passed the CPA Exam on their first attempt and have earned an average score above 95.5 across the exam’s four sections.

Nearly 75,000 people sat for the CPA Exam in 2020. Out of those thousands of test-takers, just 89 qualified to earn the prestigious Elijah Watt Sells Award.

Two Award Winners from Rice in 2020

We are exceptionally proud that two members of the Rice MAcc Class of 2020, Emily Rychener and Claire Weddle, earned the Watt Sells Award.

• Emily previously earned her bachelor’s in statistics from Rice in 2019. Emily is currently employed at PwC in Houston.

• Claire, also a “Rice Twice” graduate, earned her bachelor’s in mathematical economic analysis in 2019. She now works at PwC in Stamford, Connecticut.

Well done, Emily and Claire! We applaud you both for this wonderful achievement.

Four Years in a Row!

Emily and Claire’s accomplishment marks the fourth consecutive year that a Rice MAcc alum has won the Watt Sells Award. Our track record is especially noteworthy in light of the purposefully small size of the Rice Master of Accounting program – the MAcc Class of 2020 had just 25 graduates.

Moreover, none of Rice’s Watt Sells Award winners over the past four years had majored in accounting as undergraduates. In just one year, the Rice MAcc provides you the technical accounting and business education needed to excel on the CPA Exam, regardless of what your undergraduate major was.

And Rice’s CPA Exam success doesn’t end with our Watt Sells Award winners. The Rice MAcc program has ranked second highest in the nation on the CPA Exam pass rate for first-time test takers for two years in a row.

To learn more about the Elijah Watt Sells Award and our previous winners, read our blog post: Top CPA Exam Score Winner -- Third Year in a Row!

Find out whether the Rice MAcc program is a good fit for your career goals. Click here for more information about our admissions process. We also encourage you to reach out to us with any questions.

June 17 event will explore Blackness and future freedoms

Rice’s second annual Juneteenth celebration will bring together professors across the university — from Computational and Applied Mathematics to Modern and Classical Literature and Cultures — for three panels exploring ideas and questions central to the meaning and promise of the important holiday.

“Juneteenth and Emancipations to Come” will take place June 17 via Zoom, with an introduction at 8:45 a.m. from Reginald DesRoches, the Howard R. Hughes Provost and professor of civil and environmental engineering and of mechanical engineering. The event will close at 11:30 a.m. with an update from Rice’s Task Force on Slavery, Segregation and Racial Injustice.

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“Juneteenth is a time to reflect on our past and explore how we want to move forward in the future,” DesRoches said. “I believe the university has organized a lecture series that will provide that opportunity to anyone who wants to participate.”

Two additional hourlong sessions will feature presentations from faculty and one recent alum: Dani Perdue ’21. The newly minted mechanical engineering Ph.D. will kick off the first session, “Engineering for Black Lives,” with her talk: “Emancipated, Assimilated and Still Motivated.”

Rice’s most recent Sallyport Award winner and a National GEM Consortium Fellow, Perdue once personally recruited six Black students to Rice during a National Society of Black Engineers national convention. During her time as a graduate student, Perdue founded the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Association (GSA) and served as the president of the Black GSA as well as the Graduate Student Association’s first vice president of equity and inclusion.

The 9 a.m. “Engineering for Black Lives” panel will also feature Illya Hicks, professor and chair of the Department of Computational and Applied Mathematics (CAM), who will discuss “Computational Decision Making for Black Life.” C. Fred Higgs III, vice provost for academic affairs, director of the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership and the John and Ann Doerr Professor of Mechanical Engineering, will talk about “Becoming and Producing the Resilient, Tenured, Black R1 Engineering Professor in the 21st Century.”

Fay Yarbrough, associate dean of humanities, professor of history and founding faculty for Rice’s Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS) will chair the 9 a.m. “Engineering for Black Lives” session.

The 11:15 a.m. panel “On Blackness and Future Freedoms” begins with a talk from Jacqueline Couti, the Laurence H. Favrot Professor of French Studies and founding faculty for Rice’s Center for African and African American Studies, on “Black Culture for Sale in the French Atlantic: Negrophilia Flirting with Negrophobia.”

Assistant professor of sociology Brielle Bryan will speak to “The Racial Wealth Gap: Understanding Driving Factors and the Limits of Current Policy,” and Constance Elise Porter, senior associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion and clinical assistant professor of marketing in the Jones Graduate School of Business, will discuss “Equity in Entrepreneurship and Inclusiveness in Innovative Industries.”

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Alexander Byrd, vice provost for diversity, equity and inclusion and associate professor of history, will chair the 11:15 a.m. session “On Blackness and Future Freedoms.”

Along with Caleb McDaniel, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities and chair of the Department of History, Byrd will also close the event with an update from the task force, which has posted much of its ongoing work online in the form of webinars and podcast episodes.

Graduate student Adrienne Rooney, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Art History and a co-organizer of Rice’s Racial Geography Project, will chair the final panel.

Now celebrated nationwide, Juneteenth is of particular prominence for Texans. The holiday originated in Galveston and marks the anniversary of General Order No. 3 issued on June 19, 1865, which proclaimed the end of slavery in Texas and the official emancipation of its enslaved people. The original version was unearthed in the United States National Archives just last year.

Juneteenth is also directly responsible for the creation of the first public park in Texas: Houston’s Emancipation Park, which was established in 1872 for the sole purpose of hosting Juneteenth celebrations. After Emancipation Park was donated to the city in 1914, it remained an important public space for the Black community — and a new recreation center, public pool and bathhouse were designed for the park by none other than William Ward Watkin, founder of Rice’s architecture school. This year, the park will host its 149th annual Juneteenth celebration.

The lectures from Rice’s inaugural celebration of the holiday, “Reflections on Juneteenth and America’s Racial Legacy,” were archived by Fondren Library and are now available to view online.

“Juneteenth and Emancipations to Come,” June 17, 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., online. Free. Registration required.

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New research shows executives doubt the effectiveness of strategy planning, which is conducted by an overwhelming majority of large companies in the United States. That attitude may doom such plans’ successful implementation, the researchers argue.

Executives at 88% of large companies engage in strategy planning, according to the research featured in a chapter of “Focus: How to Plan Strategy and Improve Execution to Achieve Growth,” a new book co-authored by Vikas Mittal, professor of marketing at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, and Shrihari Sridhar, professor of marketing at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School.

In 1973, when Louis Gerstner, former CEO of IBM, sought fellow chief executives’ reactions on this topic for an article for McKinsey Quarterly, they responded that strategic planning is “basically just a plaything of staff” and “a staggering waste of time.”

Today, executives’ attitudes toward strategy planning are just as skeptical, according to three recent studies reported in the book.

The first study captured a national sample of 5,433 full-time employees with 668 senior executives including CEOs/presidents, senior/executive vice presidents or vice presidents. Among senior executives, 43% agreed or completely agreed they were doubted the effectiveness of their company’s strategy plans.

In the second survey, of 57 executive MBAs, 25% agreed or strongly agreed they were “quite skeptical of their company’s strategic plan.” The third study of 23 executives in the energy industry, found 39% were “quite skeptical of their company’s strategic plan.”

“The skepticism about strategy planning appears to be a widely known but carefully guarded secret among corporate executives,” Mittal said. “With 2 out of 5 executives doubtful about strategy planning, the amount of time and effort being spent on strategy planning activities by companies such as Shell and ExxonMobil is puzzling. It could be that executives wildly overestimate the financial benefits of strategy planning but underestimate the level of skepticism everyone around them has in the strategy plan.

“If senior executives, middle managers and front-line employees doubt a company’s strategic plan, how can its implementation be successful? When people are doubtful about a strategy’s effectiveness, they lower their commitment to implementing it.”

“In many cases, senior executives think of strategy planning like an amateur stock picker thinks of stock-market investing. Both will selectively remember the few times when actions based on their hunches or gut feel succeeded, ignoring failures.”

Increasing confidence in a company’s strategic plan is not a simple matter of communicating it, Mittal said. “It requires executives to have humility and acknowledge that their hunches, gut feelings and judgment are more fallible than a strategy plan based on analytics using statistical analysis, machine learning algorithms and randomized experiments to establish true causality,” he said. “These techniques are used in basic corporate functions such as product development and testing, and strategy planning should have to stand the same test of rigor.”

Owl Have You Know

This episode is part of a set of short interviews which were recorded during Alumni Reunion Week 2021. Be sure to listen to the other two Alumni Reunion Week episodes. Tamara Hughes '16 joins host David Droogleever in the Owl's Nest.

Subscribe to Owl Have You Know on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Hometown

Houston, Texas

Undergraduate Institution and Major

University of Houston 

• Major: Supply Chain Management & Marketing
• Minor: International Area Studies in Asia

Pre-MBA Work Experience

I have been working in supply chain/operations in the chemical industry for the past five years at LyondellBasell. However, I have shifted towards talent management (still supporting supply chain) at the same company in the past year. 

Why business school? Why now?

Ever since I graduated in 2015, I always knew I wanted to pursue my MBA to continue my growth and learning. A mentor had told me “the longer you wait, the more valuable the MBA is.” At the time, I didn’t fully comprehend the importance of that advice but now it fully makes sense! I waited about five years before deciding to go back to school.  With having multiple years of experience under my belt, I am able to better understand the coursework and contribute more effectively in the classroom. Timing is different for everyone, but, for me, the current timing was right. Although 2020 was a whirlwind, I thought what better time than now to get this started. 

Why did you pick your school/program? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?

I was born and raised in Houston and knew I wanted to stay local to be able to continue working throughout my MBA. Rice has always been on my radar, but once I started digging into the different offerings, I realized that this was the best choice for me. I was interested in a program that had a full campus. I also wanted to have flexibility with the courses in my second year, which Rice has a wide variety of electives to choose from. I was looking for a school that had student organizations and other extracurricular activities that align with my interests. I knew I wanted to be academically challenged and to be surrounded by such bright individuals. Diversity, equity and inclusion was also extremely important to be, and I was fortunate to attend Rice at a time where these initiatives have grown immensely. Throughout the recruiting process, I heard the phrase “You Belong Here” multiple times. I instantly felt welcomed from the very first interactions that I had with the Rice community. Just like choosing a company whose values and culture interest you, you should have the same mindset when choosing a school.

What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to your graduating class?

Each student brings something unique to the table and to our class, which makes it so interesting to learn about each person’s experiences and background. I believe that I bring a unique, diverse perspective, leadership experience, and knowledge.  I have a passion of volunteering and giving back, and am dedicated to furthering growth and development. Nonetheless, I truly appreciate the cohesiveness despite the uniqueness of each individual.

Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?

During the pandemic, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen baking and cooking exploring new recipes and cuisines. However, I specifically found my love for baking traditional Arabic desserts, it sparked an idea and I think I can turn into a small business one day! Here’s another fact: when I was a senior in High School in around 2009-2010, we had to write our final research paper and were required to pull resources from the Fondren Library at Rice. That was actually the last time I stepped foot on campus until my first day of class of my MBA, it almost felt like a full circle with my education. I was familiar with the area around the campus, but I had forgotten how beautiful the campus itself was.

Advice to current prospective applicants

1. Take time to figure out your story and how all of your experiences will bring value to your application. Every portion should all relate back to the story. There should be a consistent theme throughout the application and naturally, the opportunities you take advantage of during your MBA will also relate back to the theme.
2. Do your research and figure out what you want to take advantage of when you start your MBA before you start. When you start, you will have SO many things to keep up with. If you define this early, it will allow you take advantage of those opportunities in a timely manner to maximize your experiences during your few years at your school. 
3. Once you have determined what you’d like to do, take advantage of the variety of opportunities that the school has to offer. Whether it be student organizations, electives, volunteering opportunities, internships, extracurricular programs, mentorship opportunities or whatever the case may be – each program will help you on your personal growth journey and will help shape your MBA experience.
4. Trust the process and the journey that you are setting on. You will come across bumps in the road, but you will be where you are meant to be.
5. Lastly, enjoy the ride and have fun! It can get extremely busy, but you and your classmates are in it together and you will look back and cherish the moments that you shared with others during the experience.

What is your initial impression of the school’s students/culture/community?

Starting an MBA in the midst of a global pandemic is quite a unique experience, but I was able to experience the Rice culture early on. They quickly adapted to virtual learning to allow a safe environment for us to continue with in-person classes. Seeing various other universities in Houston remain online, we were very fortunate to have the opportunity to continue the learning in a somewhat “normal” environment given the situation with COVID-19. However, we are excited that the conditions are improving so we can engage in more in-person activities with much lighter restrictions for our second year. Even with the restrictions, our class has been fortunate to build great connections and friendships. With that being said, it has been a wonderful experience, and I am thankful to be a Rice Owl! 

Tohfe Beidas is a Professional MBA student in the Class of 2022.

Hometown

The Woodlands, Texas

Undergraduate Institution and Major

University of Texas at Austin, BA Biology

Pre-MBA Work Experience

I have 25 years of work experience primarily in medical research and innovation for-profit and non-profit sectors. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, I worked for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. across several Texas Medical Center healthcare institutions. I served as vice president of marketing for an Austin-based biotech firm. I later co-founded two medical device companies that provided surgical services to hospital systems across the southwest region. Since 2012, I have worked at the Texas Heart Institute in the Texas Medical Center and volunteered with several non-profit advocacy organizations, including the American Heart Association, Texans for Stem Cell Research, Breakthrough Houston, Genetics Policy Institute, and Elnita McClain Women’s Center. I currently serve as a Rice Business Board Fellow for Children at Risk. 

Why business school? Why now?

I have 25 years of work experience primarily in medical research and innovation for-profit and non-profit sectors. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, I worked for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. across several Texas Medical Center healthcare institutions. I served as vice president of marketing for an Austin-based biotech firm. I later co-founded two medical device companies that provided surgical services to hospital systems across the southwest region. Since 2012, I have worked at the Texas Heart Institute in the Texas Medical Center and volunteered with several non-profit advocacy organizations, including the American Heart Association, Texans for Stem Cell Research, Breakthrough Houston, Genetics Policy Institute, and Elnita McClain Women’s Center. I currently serve as a Rice Business Board Fellow for Children at Risk. 

Why did you pick your school/program? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?

Adding value to my institution, family, and community – both personally and professionally – was my primary goal when choosing an MBA program. I chose Rice Business because I wanted not only to complete a rigorous curriculum but engage with a diverse and progressive alumni community after graduation to expand my network for professional, philanthropic and personal goals. 

What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to your graduating class?

We started our program during a global pandemic on Zoom — not exactly conducive to building relationships with your classmates. I knew that networking was one of the significant reasons many executives seek an MBA, so I decided to be brave and reach out personally to connect with as many of my classmates as possible in the first few weeks. Our cohort of 63 brilliant professionals is exceptionally close today, and I am honored to be in this program with every one of them.

Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?

In 2015, I recognized the need to submerge myself into a rigorous graduate program and decided to take a few courses at the Rice Glasscock Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. I was concerned that my ability to inspire others would soon hit a plateau if I did not seek formal training. I took 4 or 5 courses at night, and they were enlightening. Taking these continued learning courses solidified my decision to apply to the Rice MBA program. 

Post-MBA career interests?

My goal is to continue to advance my career in the non-profit sector and engage in additional opportunities with entrepreneurial individuals, companies and institutions in the future that are pursuing impactful business ideas that will benefit from my breadth of experience and new knowledge.

Advice to current prospective applicants

When evaluating the commitment, don’t be apprehensive about the time commitment. If you sit down and assess a 22-month program and break it down into weeks, it does not look so daunting. It is always possible to find time in your schedule. With solid scheduling discipline and support from your family, friends and co-workers the program is entirely manageable — and exhilarating. 

What is your initial impression of the school’s students/culture/community?

Inspiring and engaging with boundless optimism.  

Keri Sprung is an Executive MBA student in the Class of 2022.