Skip to main content
Palgrave Macmillan

A Brain for Business – A Brain for Life

How insights from behavioural and brain science can change business and business practice for the better

  • Book
  • © 2018

Overview

  • Blend of both neuroscience and behavioural psychology
  • Illustrated with stories and interviews from leading industry players
  • Practical insights from brain science to help improve business performance

Part of the book series: The Neuroscience of Business (TNoB)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (11 chapters)

Keywords

About this book

Behaviour change is hard, but O’Mara shows that by adopting strategies that are well-founded in the science of brain and behaviour individuals and organisations can adapt to the demands of the modern world.

The brain matters in business. The problem is that our brains have many biases, heuristics and predilections that can distort behaviour and decision making. The good news is that we know more about how these work than ever before.

O’Mara’s starting point is that, as our behaviour arises from the structure and function of our brains, careful examination of a series of brain–based (‘neurocognitive’) analyses of common aspects of human behaviour relevant to business and management practice reveals lessons that can be used at work.

He begins by looking at neuroplasticity and how it is enables a shift from a restrictive ‘fixed mindset’ to an enabling ‘growth mindset’. He shows how this changing mindset approach – where the focus is on task and improvements based on effort – is scalable within organisations.

Next, as the brain is a living organ like the heart and lungs, O’Mara shows how to keep it physically in the best possible shape before examining how we exercise control over our behaviour, build resilience and create positive brain states. He also considers the implications for business of our brains wiring for status and illustrates how research shows that it is possible to de-bias assumptions about gender and race – and the impact that this has on performance.


Authors and Affiliations

  • Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Shane O'Mara

About the author

Shane O’Mara is Professor of Experimental Brain Research and a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator at Trinity College Dublin. His research interests include the brain systems supporting learning, memory and cognition; the brain systems affected by stress, depression and motivation; applying brain and behavioural science to organisations and business. He has published more than 120 peer-reviewed papers in these areas.

Bibliographic Information

Publish with us