Alumnus and leading economist to present free lecture at UWSP

Metro Wire Staff

All great ideas have one thing in common: They are not guaranteed to succeed. Why do some ideas make it big while others fail to take off? One of today’s leading economists says it comes down to a single question: Can the idea scale?

University of Chicago professor of economics and UW-Stevens Point alumnus John List, ’92, will reveal why every idea’s greatest opportunity—and challenge—lies in its potential to go from small to big.

List will present “The Voltage Effect: How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale” at 8 a.m. Friday, March 4, in the Alumni Room of the Dreyfus University Center, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point. It is part of the annual Business and Society Lecture Series hosted by the UW-Stevens Point School of Business and Economics Center for Business and Economic Insight.

The presentation will be simulcast at UWSP at Marshfield in Room 514 of the Everett Roehl STEM Building, 2000 West 5th Street, Marshfield, and at UWSP at Wausau in the Veninga Theater at the Center for Civic Engagement, 625 Stewart Ave., Wausau.

The event is free, but pre-registration is required. The first 250 registered attendees will receive a free copy of List’s new book, “The Voltage Effect,” at the event.

List will also meet with students, faculty, and local entrepreneurs during his visit to his alma mater. Chief economic adviser at Lyft and formerly for Uber, he is a best-selling author whose work has been featured in most notable national media.

“John draws from his findings from his field experiments in providing practical advice on how organizations can scale their operations to ensure their success and maximize their impact,” said Professor of Economics Scott Wallace, director of the UW-Stevens Point Center for Business and Economic Insight.

According to List, to scale means to achieve the desired outcome when you move from a small group—of customers, students, or citizens—to a much larger one. And it’s not just for start-ups.

“Scaling ideas underpins all social and technological progress,” said List. “The innovations that change the world are those that reach the largest number of people.”

“List’s lessons apply to a wide range of organizational settings including business, philanthropy, education, and community associations,” said Wallace. “We’re thrilled to have John back on campus.”