Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Wait: The Art and Science of Delay by Frank Partnoy


From Publishers Weekly: "Giving a thumbs-up to procrastination, financial expert Partnoy notes that, while we "are hard wired to react quickly," everyday experiences can be altered and improved by delaying decisions. He backs this claim with solid research across a variety of fields, from behavioral economics and neuroscience to psychology, animal behavior, finance, and law. Pacing is a key element in everything from race-car driving to comedy: "When a master comedian is on, he or she creates a new and warped world of time. The greatest comedians are masters of delay." Even such quotidian questions as "When is the ideal moment to apologize?" are ruled by subtleties of time. To illustrate the "slow hunch," a full chapter details the two 3M scientists who patiently waited and persisted for 12 years while management decided whether Post-it Notes would be a good product. Entertaining and provocative, Partnoy probes and illuminates the complexities of human decision making with surprising insights and recommendations."

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