Publications

2025
Working Paper

Centralized Governance in Decentralized Organizations

By: Lin William Cong, Daniel Rabetti, Charles C.Y. Wang and Yu Yan

We systematically document governance centralization in decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and study its drivers and economic implications. Using multiple data sources and granular on-chain transactional data, we compare our findings to those in corporate... View Details

Keywords: Blockchain; Governance; Voting; Organizations; Financial Services Industry

SSRN

03 Jan 2008
What Do You Think?

Does Judgment Trump Experience?

judgment is worthless; good judgment without experience is still good judgment!" On the other hand, Robert Moses asserted that "a person without experience is very unlikely to have good judgment; experience is the wheel that grinds and hones." And View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

24 Feb 2009
First Look

First Look: February 24, 2009

Prosocial Identity Reduces Prosocial Behavior Authors:Adam M. Grant, Andrew Molinsky, Joshua D. Margolis, Melissa Kamin, and William Schiano Periodical:Journal of Applied Social Psychology 39, no. 2 (2009):... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

April 1999 (Revised October 2001)
Case

Motive Communications

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Marco Iansiti, Myra M. Hart, William W Chan and Find Findsen

The founders of Motive Communications, Inc., a recent start-up dedicated to reinventing the support chain involved in the delivery of information technology support services, put in place a development process hinged on extensive customer feedback. As part of this, a... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Customer Relationship Management; Risk and Uncertainty; Information Technology Industry

01 Oct 2009
What Do You Think?

Can the “Masks of Command” Coexist with Authentic Leadership?

"When a leader builds a mask around him/her you close yourself from learning." Joe Schmid had no doubt, saying, "I'll simpl(ify) the question substituting 'two faced' for 'mask.' Can a two faced leader be 'authentic'? Absolutely not." View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

12 Mar 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, March 12, 2019

Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes A Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing Analysis of Emergency Department Scribes By: Kaplan, Robert S., Heather A. Heaton, David M. Nestler, William J. Barry,... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

06 Dec 2011
First Look

First Look: Dec. 6

roles. Courage in the C-Suite Authors:Rosabeth M. Kanter Publication:Harvard Business Review 89, no. 12 (December 2011) An abstract is unavailable at this time. Read the atricle: http://hbr.org/2011/12/courage-in-the-c-suite/ar/1 Values,... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

January 2013
Supplement

Wanxiang Group: A Chinese Company's Global Strategy (B)

By: William C. Kirby, Nancy Hua Dai and Erica M. Zendell

Supplements the A Case 308-058. With an almost forty-year history as a business in China, the Wanxiang Group has navigated through the significantly different political and economic changes in China to succeed as a global leader in the auto parts industry, and to... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Global Strategy; Business Conglomerates; Vertical Integration; Goals and Objectives; Mergers and Acquisitions; Auto Industry; China; United States

July 2010
Teaching Note

China Netcom: Corporate Governance in China (A) and (B)

By: Regina M. Abrami, William C. Kirby and F. Warren McFarlan

Teaching Note for 308027 and 308091. View Details

Keywords: Telecommunications Industry; China

February 2010
Teaching Note

Sealed Air China (TN)

By: Regina M. Abrami, William C. Kirby and F. Warren McFarlan

Teaching Note for [308051]. View Details

Keywords: Globalization; Investment; Growth and Development Strategy; Experience and Expertise; Market Entry and Exit; Production; Performance Efficiency; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Service Industry; China; Shanghai

29 May 2012
First Look

First Look: May 29

strategist to develop the optimal strategy without a comprehensive optimization. And it derives some broader organizational implications. Download the paper: http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/12-102.pdf Cases & Course MaterialsHeavy Metal (A): Baosteel Enters... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 2015 (Revised March 2018)
Case

Air Products' Pursuit of Airgas (A)

By: Charles C.Y. Wang, Paul M. Healy, Penelope Rossano and Kyle Thomas

This case centers around the Air Products' hostile takeover attempt of Airgas in 2010. Air Products argued that its offer of a 38% premium is generous given Airgas' poor performance, which Air Products attributed to underperforming and entrenched managers at Airgas. On... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Business and Shareholder Relations; Industrial Products Industry; Energy Industry; Chemical Industry

February 1974
Journal Article

Natural Selection of Life History Attibutes: An Analytical Approach

By: Robert S. Kaplan, Howard M. Taylor, Robert Gourley and Charles Lawrence

Find at Harvard

April 2014
Teaching Note

Teach For China and the Chinese Nonprofit Sector

By: William C. Kirby and Erica M. Zendell

April 2014
Teaching Note

Boardroom Battle Behind Bars: Gome Electrical Appliances Holdings—A Corporate Governance Drama

By: William C. Kirby and Erica M. Zendell

April 2014
Teaching Note

The China Entrepreneurs Forum

By: William C. Kirby and Erica M. Zendell

05 Jan 2009
Research & Ideas

Most Popular Articles and Working Papers 2008

The story behind Dean Kamen's Segway scooter, and his combustive meeting with the kingpins of Apple and Amazon. Excerpt from Code Name Ginger. 5. Updating a Classic: Writing a Great Business Plan Harvard Business School professor William... View Details

Keywords: by Staff

04 Sep 2012
Research & Ideas

Why Most Leaders (Even Thomas Jefferson) Are Replaceable

solid data to answer the question of who mattered. So he made lists of US presidents and British prime ministers that dated back to George Washington in 1789 and Britain's Charles Grey in 1830. He noted how historians ranked them on... View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard

July 1979 (Revised August 2019)
Background Note

Note on Taxation

By: William J. Poorvu, Arthur I Segel, Glenn S. Miller, Michael D. Kummer, Charles F. Wu, Po Sit and Joseph M. Gerstel

Every real-estate transaction is affected by the tax consequences that result from its form and substance. Structuring a transaction without a thorough understanding of its tax considerations is likely to reduce the transaction's potential value. The failure to utilize... View Details

Keywords: Property; Taxation; Investment