On the Sunny Side of the Suite
Which trait is better suited for business: optimism or pessimism? The executive suite may not seem like the best place for the triumph of hope over experience, but in Optimism and Economic Choice, forthcoming in the Journal of Financial Economics, Manju Puri and David Robinson of Duke University make the case that starry-eyed optimism might actually be a legitimate economic strategy. After analyzing responses to the triennial Survey of Consumer Finances, the authors compare individuals' levels of optimism with their choices in life and work. More optimistic people, they found, work harder, expect to retire later, invest more in individual stocks, and save more than pessimists. Only "extreme" optimists make decisions the authors consider imprudent: working fewer hours, saving less, and carrying above-average credit card balances. "Optimism in small doses," the authors conclude, "can be a good thing."
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