BRIEFING The unexpected merits of dressing down at work, impressive results from an ambitious Latin American learning collaboration and an intriguing new form of sustainable tourism all feature in this round-up of news and research from BGA schools. Tim Banerjee Dhoul , Ellen Buchan and Colette Doyle report THE LATEST NEWS FROM ACROSS BGA’S NETWORK Business
THE SCIENCE BEHIND ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS IN TRAINERS AND A T-SHIRT
hoodies, t-shirts, joggers and trainers, meanwhile, increases credibility and can outweigh formal qualifications and experience. “Entrepreneurs often have a more relaxed style. Our hypothesis was that unlike other business contexts, where formal attire signals professionalism and inspires trust, something else is important here: being perceived as genuine and authentic,” explained Hanken professor Joakim Wincent, who co‑authored the research with faculty at IE Business School, the University of St Gallen, Bayes Business School and the University of Notre Dame. “First impressions – and therefore clothing – play a big role. Our research shows that early and subtle social signals can have consequences far
beyond the first meeting between investors and entrepreneurs. It affects which ideas receive funding, which in turn affects the conditions for innovation, entrepreneurship and, in the long term, even economic development,” continued Wincent. The research was based on three studies that analysed what participants wore in the US TV show, Shark Tank between 2009 and 2019; 101 early-stage investments made by a European angel group between 2012 and 2024; and the results of an online experiment in which people with equity-investment experience were shown pictures of entrepreneurs and asked to review their startup. This was designed to test causal links and rule out alternative explanations. EB
SCHOOL Hanken School of Economics Finland
lose your eyes and picture an entrepreneur – are they in a sharp suit or a simple t-shirt?
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Whereas formal attire commonly conjures up the idea of professionalism and experience, researchers at Hanken School of Economics have found that for entrepreneurs, informal dress can help project authenticity and inspire trust. They also found that entrepreneurs can even be perceived by investors as lacking in experience if they dress formally; defined as wearing a suit, tie or trouser suit. Casual clothing, such as
6 Business Impact • ISSUE 1 • 2026
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