Ever wonder what causes a “fall from grace” for so many in the public eye?
Emory University Goizueta Business School’s James Wade, Asa Griggs Candler Chaired Professor of Organization & Management recently worked with Joseph Porac of NYU Stern, Scott Graffin and Jonathan Bundy of the University of Georgia, and Dennis Quinn of Georgetown University to research the 2009 British MP expense scandal and traced its impact on Parliamentary elites. The study raises significant questioning in regards to the media’s role in shining light on well-known public figures and pressuring them to be held accountable for their behavior.
“Spectacular “falls from grace” by well-known elites have become increasingly common in today’s transparent society. Until now, the academic literature has been unclear as to whether falls from grace occur because high-status elites are more likely to push the limits of proper behavior or because they are more likely to be noticed and chastised when they do.”
The researchers found evidence in support of latter. Read more here.
Wade and his fellow researchers’ study has found its way into numerous media outlets, including The Economist, The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch, and Yahoo! Finance.
James Wade joined Goizueta Business School in the summer of 2011. Prior to joining Goizueta, he taught organizational behavior, organizational theory and strategy at the University of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin, Rutgers University and Georgetown University. His research has explored a wide range of issues ranging from corporate governance to industry evolution. Some of his current research explores product demography and its consequences in the storage industry, status dynamics among corporate CEOs, the determinants and outcomes of political scandals, the evolution of sports leagues, stigmatization and identity processes among products in the pharmaceutical industry, categorization processes in the Brazilian film industry, and career mobility among NFL coaching staff.
