Publications

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September 2016 (Revised July 2017)
Supplement

Transferring Knowledge Between Projects at NASA JPL (B)

By: Dorothy Leonard and Christopher Myers

At the conclusion of the (A) case, Jennifer Trosper needed to decide whether or not to throw her support behind the training and outreach represented by the ROV-E program to build small rovers like the ones used on the surface of Mars by NASA JPL. The (B) case... View Details

Keywords: Knowledge Sharing; Knowledge Management; Employees; Experience and Expertise; Decision Making; Aerospace Industry; United States

07 Nov 2023
Research & Ideas

When Glasses Land the Gig: Employers Still Choose Workers Who 'Look the Part'

Seeking a programming gig? Wear glasses and keep your laptop in frame if you want your profile picture to attract recruiters on hiring platforms. A new study finds freelancers are more likely to land work when they “look the part” for a... View Details

Keywords: by Scott Van Voorhis

24 Aug 2012
Working Paper Summaries

Equalizing Outcomes vs. Equalizing Opportunities: Optimal Taxation when Children’s Abilities Depend on Parents’ Resources

Keywords: by Alexander Gelber & Matthew Weinzierl

05 Feb 2024
Research & Ideas

The Middle Manager of the Future: More Coaching, Less Commanding

Zhang says. They still maintain traditional supervisory responsibilities such as setting work schedules, enforcing human resource policies, conducting job reviews, and more. At the same time, managers are also accountable for meeting... View Details

Keywords: by Ben Rand

23 Jan 2024
Research & Ideas

How to Keep Employees Productive: Support Caregivers

needs, or poorly promoted in the organization. Companies should analyze the utilization of caregiving services and investigate what makes a benefit popular or unpopular. Go beyond EAPs. Employee assistance programs (EAPs) aren't... View Details

Keywords: by Kara Baskin

December 2004 (Revised April 2006)
Case

Managing Diversity at Cityside Financial Services

By: Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas

Cityside Financial Services, a disguised consumer bank, serves both a largely African-American urban community and a more affluent, predominantly white clientele. To match the gender and racial makeup of its staff to that of its customers, Cityside's sales division... View Details

Keywords: Selection and Staffing; Situation or Environment; Race; Employees; Gender; Customer Satisfaction; Diversity; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry

31 Jul 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, July 31, 2018

forthcoming Journal of Medical Internet Research Reimagining Health Data Exchange: An Application Programming Interface-Enabled Roadmap for India By: Balsari, Satchit, Alexander Fortenko MD, MPH, Joaquin A. Blaya PhD, Adrian Gropper MD,... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

Article

Individuals' Decision to Co-Donate or Donate Alone: An Archival Study of Married Whole Body Donors in Hawaii

By: Michel Anteby, Filiz Garip, Paul V. Martorana and Scott Lozanoff

Background: Human cadavers are crucial to numerous aspects of health care, including initial and continuing training of medical doctors and advancement of medical research. Concerns have periodically been raised about the limited number of whole body... View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Health Care and Treatment; Personal Characteristics; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Health Industry; Hawaii

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February 2015 (Revised May 2017)
Case

Delhaize Group: Developing Leaders

By: Boris Groysberg and Sarah L. Abbott

Delhaize Group, the Belgian-based global food retailer, was focused on competing in the food retailing industry by developing leading positions in key markets via localized retailing strategies. Delhaize was committed to offering its customers superior value while... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Organizational Alignment; Talent Management; Leadership Development; Globalized Firms and Management; Human Capital; Talent and Talent Management; Corporate Strategy; Organizational Culture; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Belgium

03 Oct 2023
HBS Case

Layoffs Can Be Bad Business: 5 Strategies to Consider Before Cutting Staff

says, “because they want to ensure they have the financial resources to take care of people properly.” 4. Apologize—and mean it Poorly run layoff programs can be tremendously damaging to a company’s reputation. If current and downsized... View Details

Keywords: by Ben Rand; Telecommunications; Technology; Financial Services; Manufacturing

29 Mar 2016
First Look

March 29, 2016

how SAP is also using the program to rethink and re-engineer its Human Resource Management policies and processes to make them more inclusive and effective. Purchase this case:... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

April 2021
Article

Work-From-Anywhere: The Productivity Effects of Geographical Flexibility

By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, Cirrus Foroughi and Barbara Larson

An emerging form of remote work allows employees to work-from-anywhere, so that the worker can choose to live in a preferred geographic location. While traditional work-from-home (WFH) programs offer the worker temporal flexibility, work-from-anywhere (WFA) programs... View Details

Keywords: Geographic Flexibility; Work-from-anywhere; Remote Work; Telecommuting; Geographic Mobility; USPTO; Employees; Geographic Location; Performance Productivity

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October 2017 (Revised March 2020)
Case

Medicetra Medtech Company, Inc.

By: Doug J. Chung

Medicetra MedTech Company is a dental equipment distributor, and senior management is deciding whether to implement a new incentive compensation program for the sales force. For many years, Medicetra had paid salespeople only a fixed salary. Although the current plan... View Details

Keywords: Sales Compensation; Sales Force Retention; Employee Fairness; Salesforce Management; Compensation and Benefits; Motivation and Incentives; Retention; Fairness; Performance Improvement

16 Oct 2023
HBS Case

Advancing Black Talent: From the Flight Ramp to 'Family-Sustaining' Careers at Delta

scale and create those [inclusive] pipes at the time.” So, in 2017, Bastian began a fresh strategy to advance underrepresented groups’ access to jobs at Delta. This included the launch of the Propel Collegiate Pilot Career Path Program, the first known pilot pathway... View Details

Keywords: by Lane Lambert; Air Transportation

05 Feb 2024
What Do You Think?

How Do You Hire for Attitude?

Business School when I was the faculty chair of the MBA program some years ago: We All Learn—We All Teach—For Life. That message was intended for both students and faculty. To the list of other questions we might employ in determining a... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

June 2021
Technical Note

Introduction to Linear Regression

By: Michael Parzen and Paul Hamilton

This technical note introduces (from an applied point of view) the theory and application of simple and multiple linear regression. The motivation for the model is introduced, as well as how to interpret the summary output with regard to prediction and statistical... View Details

Keywords: Linear Regression; Regression; Analysis; Forecasting and Prediction; Risk and Uncertainty; Theory; Compensation and Benefits; Mathematical Methods; Analytics and Data Science

04 Jan 2017
What Do You Think?

How Much Bureaucracy is a Good Thing in Government and Business?

various comments on this web page is desperation when it comes to government. It seems like many Americans are just starting to give up, which is the absolute wrong approach.” Citing the Glass-Steagall Act in banking as well as actions establishing other social View Details

Keywords: by James L. Heskett

January 1991 (Revised March 1991)
Case

Prepare/21 at Beth Israel Hospital (A)

In response to escalating cost pressures throughout the hospital industry, the management of Beth Israel Hospital (BI) decided to implement a productivity plan to cut their operating costs. They chose the Scanlon Plan, an employee participation and incentive program... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit Organizations; Cost Management; Employees; Health Care and Treatment; Health Industry