Publications
Publications
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- All HBS Web
(2,525)
- Faculty Publications (177)
- October 2009
- Article
Making Time Off Predictable—and Required
By: Leslie Perlow and Jessica L. Porter
People in professional services believe a 24/7 work ethic is essential for getting ahead—and so they work 60-plus hours a week and stay tethered to their BlackBerrys. This perpetuates a vicious cycle: Responsiveness breeds the need for more responsiveness. When people... View Details
- Article
Specialization and Success: Evidence from Venture Capital
By: Paul A. Gompers, Anna Kovner and Josh Lerner
This paper examines how organizational structure affects behavior and outcomes, studying the performance of different types of venture capital organizations. We find a strong positive relationship between the degree of specialization by individual venture capitalists... View Details
- July – August 2009
- Article
Hiring Stars and Their Colleagues: Exploration and Exploitation in Professional Service Firms
By: Boris Groysberg and Linda-Eling Lee
- March 2009 (Revised May 2011)
- Case
Addleshaw-Goddard LLP
By: Robert G. Eccles, Amy C. Edmondson and James Weber
Addleshaw-Goddard (AG), the 15th largest law firm in the U.K., is seeking ways to serve larger clients on more important legal matters. Part of this strategy involves its "Client Development Centre (CDC)," an innovative idea and set of services launched by Dr. Jim... View Details
- February 2009 (Revised April 2011)
- Supplement
Mistry Architects (B)
By: Amy C. Edmondson, Robert G. Eccles and Mona Sinha
This case is a follow-up of Mistry Architects: Innovating for Sustainability (A) (Case 609-044). In Case (A) Sharukh and Renu Mistry found and run an architectural firm dedicated to being both client-oriented and environmentally responsible. The case uses a difficult... View Details
- February 2009 (Revised April 2011)
- Supplement
Mistry Architects (C)
By: Amy C. Edmondson, Robert G. Eccles and Mona Sinha
This case is a follow-up to "Mistry Architects: Innovating for Sustainability (A)" (Case 609-044) and (B) (Case 609-064). In Case (A) Sharukh and Renu Mistry founded and run an architectural firm dedicated to being both client-oriented and environmentally responsible.... View Details
- 2009
- Other Unpublished Work
Organizational Alignment in Professional Services
By: John J. Gabarro, Thomas J. DeLong and Robert Lees
- 01 Jan 2009
- Conference Presentation
The Current State of Professional Service Firms
By: Thomas J. DeLong
Keywords: Business Ventures
- June 2008 (Revised July 2008)
- Case
Kit Hinrichs at Pentagram (A)
By: Linda A. Hill and Emily Stecker
This case focuses on Kit Hinrichs, a 65-year-old partner at Pentagram, a privately owned multidisciplinary design firm. One of the world's most prestigious design firms, Pentagram was founded by five designers from different disciplines in London in the 1970s. By 2008,... View Details
- May 2008
- Background Note
The Producing Manager: A Double-Barreled Role
By: John J. Gabarro and Thomas J. DeLong
The purpose of this note is to ground and amplify on the characteristics and challenges of the producing manager role. It is in response to requests from participants for a piece of "take away" material that can be shared with colleagues in professional service firms... View Details
- December 2007 (Revised February 2009)
- Case
Don Jenkins: Resigning from the Firm
By: Boris Groysberg, Geoff Eckman Marietta and Steven Manchel
Don Jenkins, a star event planner at a large firm, resigns to take a position at a boutique firm. However, Don may have made some mistakes when departing that could be trouble later on down the road. The case can be used to teach the business and legal aspects of... View Details
- 2007
- Book
When Professionals Have to Lead: A New Model for High Performance
By: Thomas J. DeLong, John J. Gabarro and Robert Lees
For too long, professional services firms (PSFs) have relied on the "producer-manager" model, which works well in uncomplicated business environments. However, today's managing directors must balance conflicting roles, more demanding clients, tougher competitors, and... View Details
- 2007
- Other Unpublished Work
Practice Segmentation in Professional Services
By: John J. Gabarro, Thomas J. DeLong and Robert Lees
- 2007
- Other Unpublished Work
Professional Service Firms: A Breed Apart
By: John J. Gabarro, Thomas J. DeLong and Robert Lees
- September 2006 (Revised March 2007)
- Case
Recruitment of a Star
By: Boris Groysberg, Stephen Balog and Jennifer Haimson
Details power dynamics that unfold in the firm when one of its best and brightest threatens to leave. It focuses on the dynamics of attracting, hiring, compensating, negotiating, and leveraging a star performer in a professional service firm. In particular, traces the... View Details
- March 2006 (Revised February 2007)
- Case
UBS: Towards the Integrated Firm
By: Rajiv Lal, Nitin Nohria and Carin-Isabel Knoop
In late June 2005, UBS Group CEO Peter Wuffli--anointed "Master of Zurich" by the financial press--was returning to Zurich from the firm's latest three-day Senior Leadership Conference (SLC). Tapping 600 top managers, this SLC featured an outdoor event at a former... View Details
- October 2005 (Revised September 2006)
- Case
Sapient Corporation (Abridged)
By: Rakesh Khurana and Joel Podolny
Describes the start-up, growth, organizational design, and operations over the first 10 years of a professional services firm. Focuses on the creative use of organizational purpose and values as an integral part of strategy and alignment of organizational activities. View Details
- July 2005
- Case
Harvard Business School and the Making of a New Profession
By: Rakesh Khurana, Tarun Khanna and Daniel Penrice
Since its founding in 1908, Harvard Business School's mission has been to perform a much-needed service for American society by turning business management into a profession. One of the most important factors in the founding of HBS and the nation's other new business... View Details