Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/58063
From the Editors Beauties and the Freak I recently read Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by economist Steven Levitt and The New York Times writer Stephen Dubner. I'd like to say I was inspired to read this fascinating book by an insightful review or a professor's recommendation—but I can't. Here's my sordid admission: I read the book after see- ing Dubner's appearance on the decidedly intellectually undemanding American reality television show "Beauty and the Geek." For those unfamiliar with its premise, "B&G" pairs socially backward but intelli- gent men with beautiful but, well, not-as-intelligent women. Teams work together to complete tasks that go against their types, vying to win a large cash prize. Imagine my surprise when, in one episode, the beauties were given Freakonomics as assigned reading. They then were asked to interview Dubner himself about the book's content. Since most of the participants hadn't read past the contents page, the "interviews" were predictably amusing. But I was more fascinated by Dubner himself. There he was, a highbrow writer for The New York Times, discussing research that he and an esteemed economist had co-authored, on a television show that neither highbrow writers nor esteemed economists tend to fre- quent in large numbers. Just as Dubner and Levitt posit macroeconomic questions in Freakonom- ics, I asked some questions of my own: Could Dubner's brief appearance on such fluffy fare as "B&G" influence the public's perception of business research? Could repeated exposure to business research have an impact on how people view its relevance to their own lives and work? I'm not the only one asking such questions. In our article in this issue, "Research in Action," we found that business schools with mission-based commitments to research are inventing new strategies to disseminate their faculty's knowledge to more diverse, and often nonacademic, audiences. They are translating the technical underpinnings of business inquiry into a language that's more accessible to a broader group of people. In this way, they hope to expand the scope and impact of their faculty's work. So, yes, it was strange to see the women attempt to engage Dubner on topics about which he knew so much and they so little. Still, while these women may not be part of many business schools' expanded target audience, some of the show's viewers are. Dubner's appearance, however seemingly mismatched with the medium, brought a taste of business research to the mainstream. I'm not sure if more people picked up a copy of Freakonomics as a result of Dubner's appearance on reality TV, but I do know he sparked my interest in the book. That may be what many business schools have in mind. They want to spark interest, make connec- tions, and create avenues of communication between business facul- ty and the rest of the world. Such avenues, many believe, can ensure that business research is not a closed system. Instead, by reaching a broader audience, schools can make sure their research achieves greater real-world impact. Moreover, they do their part to enhance the public's understanding—and appreciation—of business. ■ z 6 BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2007 BILL BASCOM COURTESY "BEAUTY AND THE GEEK"