IAESV recently hosted an event at the Leicester Business Festival on ‘Nudge for good: Harnessing behavioural science to inform business, charity and policy’.

Behavioural science provides a powerful way to deepen our understanding of the drivers of human behaviour. In doing so it provides simple, cost-effective ways to change behaviour in desirable ways. For instance, it can help businesses increase profits by better appreciating the needs of consumers. Similarly, it can be used to promote socially beneficial behaviours such as recycling and safer driving.

During the event the key theories of behaviour change were introdued with a discussion of how they can be applied in business, public policy and the third sector. The focus was on providing practical tools and methods that can be used. We also discussed a range of examples of behaviour change in action, including a longer discussion on the issue of cyber-security.

The event was led by Professor Edward Cartwright, Director of the Institute for Applied Economics and Social Value and Anna Cartwright, Associate Professor in Economics at Coventry University. It was attended by around 30 guests from local businesses, charities and public sector bodies.