Firing - Publications - Faculty & Research

2024
Report

Overcoming Barriers to Resolving Gaza and Beyond

As of early January 2024, discussion of the Gaza war heavily focuses on its humanitarian costs, cease fire possibilities, hostage prospects, and “day after” options. Yet what longer-term strategy guides actions on these vital issues while offering a more positive... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; War; International Relations; Israel; Middle East

Citation

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24 Mar 2022
Research & Ideas

Rituals at Work: Teams That Play Together Stay Together

bonding activity—regular rituals like doing the Walmart Cheer or firing a Nerf toy gun to conclude a project—led to a 16 percent increase in how meaningful employees judged their work to be, according to research by Harvard Business... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

05 Dec 2022
What Do You Think?

How Would Jack Welch’s Leadership Style Fare in Today’s World?

the company). On the other hand, under Welch GE either pioneered or stamped its approval on many useful practices that might not have otherwise enjoyed such widespread adoption. They include the Work-Out, Six Sigma quality, boundaryless behavior, View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Industrial Products; Media & Broadcasting; Medical Devices & Supplies; Manufacturing

18 Aug 2022
Op-Ed

Your Best Employees Are Burning Out: A Framework for Retaining Talent

firings and layoffs close to the age of retirement so businesses could avoid paying pensions. Also, instead of staying with one company for a lifetime, it became the norm for employees to change companies and roles during their careers.... View Details

Keywords: by Hise Gibson and MaShon Wilson

29 Jan 2024
Research & Ideas

Do Disasters Rally Support for Climate Action? It's Complicated.

Environmental disasters like wildfires can ignite awareness of climate change and boost eco-friendly politicians’ careers. But do voters perceive a tradeoff between environmental policies and local economic growth? In Brazil, home to a majority of the Amazon tropical... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

30 Sep 2002
Research & Ideas

Your Crisis Response Plan: The Ten Effective Elements

responses. Response modules might include: facility lockdown, police or fire response, evacuation, isolation (preventing people from entering facilities), medical containment (response to significant epidemic), grief management, as well... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Watkins

07 Mar 2011
Research & Ideas

Why Companies Fail—and How Their Founders Can Bounce Back

that goes against the normal tenets of morality and fair play. Ghosh cites as example a CEO who fires a bunch of employees in order to pay for his own severance package. In such cases, a manager's reputation will be tarnished to the point... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

29 Nov 2022
Research & Ideas

Is There a Method to Musk’s Madness on Twitter?

Since Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, purchased Twitter for $44 billion last month, the company has undergone a series of abrupt shifts. Some changes, like Musk’s firing of 50 percent of the firm’s 7,000 employees, were deliberate.... View Details

Keywords: by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette; Technology

28 Mar 2016
Research & Ideas

What's a Boss Worth?

recommendation. In situations where it’s important for a boss to have dedicated one-on-one interactions with employees, there may be diminishing returns when more workers are added to a team under his supervision. “You might be tempted to View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Service

29 Sep 2014
Research & Ideas

Why Do Outlet Stores Exist?

that companies are capturing more data on customers than ever before—recording not only demographic information, but also details on every product purchase they make. "So much attention is being put on retail analytics that it's like drinking from a View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Apparel & Accessories; Fashion; Retail

04 Sep 2001
Research & Ideas

Governing the Family-Run Business

policies, debt policies, even fire emergency policies. Brings the right people together at the right time to discuss the right (important) things. No organization is effective for long without doing these things. You should measure the... View Details

18 Jul 2023
Research & Ideas

Will Global Demand for Oil Peak This Decade?

Is the globe’s thirst for oil finally topping out? A major international energy watcher says yes, predicting last month that demand for global oil for transport will peak around 2026, plateau for all uses by 2028, and possibly hit a zenith by the end of the decade.... View Details

Keywords: by Alvin Powell, Harvard Gazette; Energy; Industrial Products; Auto; Green Technology

10 Dec 2021
Research & Ideas

Truth Be Told: Unpacking the Risks of Whistleblowing

two-thirds of the cases, the company just ignored the complaint. In another 10 percent of cases, the company is actually engaging in a cover-up. And then on top of that, some companies retaliate against the whistleblower, with firing... View Details

Keywords: by April White

18 Mar 2013
HBS Case

HBS Cases: LEGO

control. Finally, Knudstorp made big changes to the management team, firing five of seven manufacturing executives and appointing a new leader for the team. A psychoanalyst was brought in to teach the management team how to identify... View Details

Keywords: by Maggie Starvish; Entertainment & Recreation

05 Jul 2012
What Do You Think?

Why Is Trust So Hard to Achieve in Management?

met. Knowledge sharing would seem to foster trust as well. Other research suggests that trust may be associated with managers who hire, recognize, and fire the right people. At an organizational level, an aversion to letting people go in... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

26 May 2022
HBS Case

Apple vs. Feds: Is iPhone Privacy a Basic Human Right?

privacy comes under fire An industrial engineer known for his practical work style and deep manufacturing expertise, Cook has used his position to take on several hot-button topics, including fighting discrimination against people who... View Details

Keywords: by Avery Forman

23 May 2005
Research & Ideas

What Could Bring Globalization Down?

am not sure waves are the right natural-world image here. I would prefer to think of events such as forest fires or earthquakes—sudden crises arising from the advent of what scientists call "criticality." Q: What other... View Details

Keywords: by Cynthia Churchwell

08 Sep 2022
Book

Gen Xers and Millennials, It’s Time To Lead. Are You Ready?

will lead to an integrated life. In 2008, as the financial crash worsened, Sally Krawcheck was fired at Citibank for urging the firm to repay customers for defective investments. She stuck to her values and now leads her own online... View Details

Keywords: by Lane Lambert

27 Jul 2020
Book

Reflection: The Pause That Brings Peace and Productivity

first of the three fundamental approaches to reflection has traditionally been called contemplation, or downshifting from time to time. At work, many people tend to focus on output, and their minds act like race car engines, firing on all... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

Teaching Interest

Overview

By: Jill J. Avery

Creating Brand Value (MBA elective course)

Overview:

In the consumer/retail space, brands are often companies’ most valuable assets and sources of their sustainable competitive advantage. But, managing brands to achieve their full value potential... View Details

Publications