Publications

September 20, 2016
Article

The 5 Models of Family Business Ownership

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Choosing one is among your most important decisions. View Details

February 18, 2014
Article

Keep Your Kids out of the Entitlement Trap

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

This article discusses the concern among wealthy family business owners that their children may become entitled and fail to contribute to society. The fear is grounded in reality, as studies show that a significant portion of inherited wealth is squandered. The article... View Details

Keywords: Family Ownership; Wealth; Family and Family Relationships; Personal Development and Career

July 9, 2013
Article

Why Fights Erupt in Family Businesses

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Lack of boundaries and formal structure create potential for nasty (and lasting) disagreements. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Conflict and Resolution; Organizational Structure

26 May 2016
News

Alan F. Horn, MBA 1971

been fully developed. “He took a chance on me,” says Horn, who moved from Cincinnati to Los Angeles, where he launched a career in entertainment that included cofounding (with Rob Reiner) Castle Rock Entertainment and running Warner Bros.... View Details

Keywords: Susan Young

Portrait Project

May Lam

experiences for their own sake. I had been robbing myself of the joy of being fully immersed in the present moment – a moment in which I should have been feeling and being, not just thinking and doing. With my one wild and precious life,... View Details

April 7, 2017
Article

Signs You’re Losing Control of Your Family Business

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

These red flags signal the need to reassert authority. View Details

January–February 2021
Article

A Culture of Continuity Is Key to Family Business Longevity

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Keywords: Family Business; Organizational Culture; Success

Find at Harvard

September 26, 2022
Article

Is Your Family Office Built for the Future?

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Family offices can provide a number of benefits, including privacy, customization, and having your own team to handle a wide range of services, such as guiding family philanthropy, managing shared properties, or even managing household help. Successful principals in... View Details

Keywords: Business Offices; Family and Family Relationships

April 15, 2015
Article

What to Do If a Feud Threatens Your Family Business

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Keywords: Family and Family Relationships; Family Business; Conflict and Resolution

February 2011 (Revised November 2012)
Case

Product Development at OPOWER

By: Thomas Eisenmann and Rob Go

OPOWER, a software startup that helps utilities engage their customers in ways that reduce energy consumption, is scaling rapidly. The company's new head of product management has designed a system to address a point of constant tension: whether to build custom... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Customer Relationship Management; Entrepreneurship; Growth Management; Product Development; Sales; Customization and Personalization; Energy Conservation; Environmental Sustainability; Information Technology Industry; Utilities Industry

Educators

12 Apr 2016
News

How Disney’s Alan Horn Manages the Movies

say that the semi-autonomous businesses, with Pixar and Lucasfilm based in Northern California, run themselves. But director Rob Reiner, Horn’s old friend and former partner at Castle Rock Entertainment, suggests that even the best talent... View Details

01 Mar 2004
News

Protecting against the Erosion of Brand Value

and sell books.” What’s at work here is commoditization, a process that results in companies being unable to profitably differentiate their products and services. “The specter of commoditization sends chills down every executive’s spine — as well it should,” note the... View Details

Keywords: Publishing Industries (except Internet); Information

01 Dec 2022
News

Ink: Comfort in Discomfort

The Excerpt The past or the future. Personal gain or the greater good. Consistency or change. In their new book, Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems, co-authors Wendy Smith (PhDOB 2006) and Marianne Lewis point out that... View Details

29 Feb 2024
Blog Post

IFC India: JSW Steel and Cement and the Quest to Capture Carbon in Hard to Abate Sectors

Professor Vikram Gandhi’s Immersive Field Course (IFC) “Development while Decarbonizing: India’s Path to Net-Zero" delved into the critical aspect of decarbonization and sustainability goals amid India's rapid development. The course presented an opportunity for... View Details

21 Apr 2020
News

The Future of Project Work

Keywords: project work; gig economy; Remote work

15 Apr 2016
News

Uber for MBAs Is a Worrying Sign

Keywords: HourlyNerd; Management of Companies and Enterprises; Management

01 Oct 2002
News

A Change of Life

The New York Times, never afraid to tackle the Big Questions, recently looked into the matter of Rob Waldron (MBA '92) and pondered thusly: Does his career switch represent a societal change in America, or is it just Rob, doing his thing?... View Details

01 May 2013
News

Zameer Kassam, MBA 2007

“I found my passion at HBS. When Rob Kaplan challenged our Leadership and Organizational Behavior class to articulate our passion, I surprised myself by announcing, ‘I am passionate about jewelry.’ It was a powerful moment for me—to say... View Details

March 18, 2014
Article

Family Businesses Must Set the Agenda (Without Micromanaging)

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

This article discusses the role of owners in family businesses, using the story of Charles, who transformed his family's shipping business by taking ownership decisions. The article highlights that owners have the power to set goals, define performance metrics, hire... View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Family Ownership; Governing and Advisory Boards; Goals and Objectives