Mike Norton

Mike Norton

Keynote Speaker: Behavioral Scientist, Incentives and Engagement Expert & Professor, Harvard Business School

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Mike Norton Biography

Michael I. Norton is the Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, and a member of Harvard’s Behavioral Insights Group. He holds a B.A. in Psychology and English from Williams College and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Princeton University. Prior to joining HBS, Professor Norton was a Fellow at the MIT Media Lab and MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

He is the co-author - with Elizabeth Dunn - of the book, Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending (Simon & Schuster 2013).

His work has been published in academic journals including Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Psychological Science, and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, has been covered in media outlets such as the Economist, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, and has been parodied by The Onion. He has appeared on National Public Radio, CBS, Fox, and MSNBC, and written op-eds for the New York Times, Forbes, and the Los Angeles Times.

His research has twice been featured in the New York Times Magazine Year in Ideas issue, in 2007 (Ambiguity Promotes Liking) and 2009 (The Counterfeit Self). His "The IKEA Effect: When Labor Leads to Love" was featured in Harvard Business Review's Breakthrough Ideas for 2009. In 2010, he won the Theoretical Innovation Prize from the Society of Personality and Social Psychology; in 2011, he won the SAGE Young Scholars Award from the Foundation for Social and Personality Psychology; in 2012, he was selected for Wired Magazine’s Smart List as one of “50 People Who Will Change the World.” His TEDx talk, How to Buy Happiness, has been viewed more than 3 million times.

At HBS, he is the course head for the first-year MBA course, "FIELD Foundations," and heads the Strategic Marketing Management executive program.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Mike Norton and other top speakers and celebrities.

Mike Norton Speaking Topics

Putting Customers to Work for You: A New Approach to Engagement

Recent years have seen an explosion of efforts by companies to involve their customers more deeply in their operations, from product design and assembly (e.g., Converse and Mountain Dew) to creating and selecting advertisements (e.g., Doritos SuperBowl ads). But do such efforts pay off? How can the successor failureof such efforts be assessed? And what factors should companies considering these new forms of customer engagement have in mind as they explore these ideas?

Mike will discuss his research on what has come to be known as the IKEA Effect (a Harvard Business Review Breakthrough Idea in 2009)the increased value people have for products they assemble themselves from misshapen mugs from long-ago pottery classes to bookcases from the Swedish retailer. In particular, he shows that involving customers in co-creation requires a careful balance between two opposing forces. First, the task has to be difficult enough for customers to feel that the firm has really allowed them to accomplish somethingleading companies to increase the difficulty of tasks; second, however, tasks that are too complicated lead customers to blame the firm for wasting their time. Mike describes the results of many of his fun experiments in which he asks people to build things ranging from IKEA furniture to LEGO sets to origami, which reveal how to find the right balance between these forces.

The Science of Spending: Prosocial Incentive Plans

Mikes research demonstrates that spending money on othersfrom giving money to a homeless person to buying coffee for a friendhas a larger impact on well-being than spending that money on stuffTVs, cars, and houses. He discusses the wide range of the experiments underlying this research, from sending undergraduates out on college campuses with stacks of cash to give away to interviewing poor people in Uganda about their spending habits.

Most importantly, Mike reviews his newest research examining the impact of prosocial incentives on both employees and customers. In experiments with employees ranging from bank tellers to pharmaceutical sales representatives, employees are given bonuses that they are encouraged to spend on othersdonating to charity, or buying gifts for their teammates. Such prosocial incentives have a substantial impact on employee satisfaction and performanceand in fact perform better than typical bonuses that employees are not required to spend on others. He reviews other efforts by companies to engage in such activities to increase engagement with their customersfrom the Pepsi Refresh Project to the Product (RED) campaign.

Mike Norton Videos

From the Lab to the Board Room: Understanding Rituals - YouTube
The Pleasure Principle - Mike Norton, Zeitgeist Europe 2013
The Pleasure Principle - Mike Norton, Zeitgeist Europe 2013 - Clip ...

How do I book Mike Norton to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Mike Norton for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Mike Norton, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Mike Norton or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Mike Norton for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Mike Norton, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Mike Norton, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Mike Norton speak about?

Mike Norton is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Finance, Business Leadership, Marketing and Economy.

Where does Mike Norton travel from?

Mike Norton generally travels from Boston, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Mike Norton?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Mike Norton for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Mike Norton for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Mike Norton or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Mike Norton is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Finance, Business Leadership and Marketing. The estimated speaking fee range to book Mike Norton for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Mike Norton generally travels from Boston, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Tom Koulopoulos, Kevin O'Leary and Mike Walsh. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Mike Norton for an upcoming event.

Mike Norton Speaking Topics

  • Putting Customers to Work for You: A New Approach to Engagement

    Recent years have seen an explosion of efforts by companies to involve their customers more deeply in their operations, from product design and assembly (e.g., Converse and Mountain Dew) to creating and selecting advertisements (e.g., Doritos SuperBowl ads). But do such efforts pay off? How can the successor failureof such efforts be assessed? And what factors should companies considering these new forms of customer engagement have in mind as they explore these ideas?

    Mike will discuss his research on what has come to be known as the IKEA Effect (a Harvard Business Review Breakthrough Idea in 2009)the increased value people have for products they assemble themselves from misshapen mugs from long-ago pottery classes to bookcases from the Swedish retailer. In particular, he shows that involving customers in co-creation requires a careful balance between two opposing forces. First, the task has to be difficult enough for customers to feel that the firm has really allowed them to accomplish somethingleading companies to increase the difficulty of tasks; second, however, tasks that are too complicated lead customers to blame the firm for wasting their time. Mike describes the results of many of his fun experiments in which he asks people to build things ranging from IKEA furniture to LEGO sets to origami, which reveal how to find the right balance between these forces.

  • The Science of Spending: Prosocial Incentive Plans

    Mikes research demonstrates that spending money on othersfrom giving money to a homeless person to buying coffee for a friendhas a larger impact on well-being than spending that money on stuffTVs, cars, and houses. He discusses the wide range of the experiments underlying this research, from sending undergraduates out on college campuses with stacks of cash to give away to interviewing poor people in Uganda about their spending habits.

    Most importantly, Mike reviews his newest research examining the impact of prosocial incentives on both employees and customers. In experiments with employees ranging from bank tellers to pharmaceutical sales representatives, employees are given bonuses that they are encouraged to spend on othersdonating to charity, or buying gifts for their teammates. Such prosocial incentives have a substantial impact on employee satisfaction and performanceand in fact perform better than typical bonuses that employees are not required to spend on others. He reviews other efforts by companies to engage in such activities to increase engagement with their customersfrom the Pepsi Refresh Project to the Product (RED) campaign.

Mike Norton Videos

From the Lab to the Board Room: Understanding Rituals - YouTube
The Pleasure Principle - Mike Norton, Zeitgeist Europe 2013
The Pleasure Principle - Mike Norton, Zeitgeist Europe 2013 - Clip ...
How to Buy Happiness

Mike Norton News

  • How do I book Mike Norton to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Mike Norton for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Mike Norton, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Mike Norton or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Mike Norton for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Mike Norton, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Mike Norton, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Mike Norton speak about?

    Mike Norton is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Finance, Business Leadership, Marketing and Economy.
  • Where does Mike Norton travel from?

    Mike Norton generally travels from Boston, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Mike Norton?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Mike Norton for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Mike Norton for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Mike Norton or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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