Publications

10 Oct 2019
Working Paper Summaries

Birds of a Feather ... Enforce Social Norms? Interactions Among Culture, Norms, and Strategy

Keywords: by Hongyi Li and Eric J. Van den Steen

Unanticipated Gains

Social capital theorists have shown that some people do better than others in part because they enjoy larger, more supportive, or otherwise more useful networks. But why do some people have better networks than others?

Unanticipated Gains argues... View Details

July 1997
Case

Graffs, The (A)

By: Carl S. Sloane and Gregory C. Rogers

Examines dual-career issues and conflicts between spouses' career objectives, personal values, and life structures. It does so by a in-depth examination of the lives and careers of a professional couple (a successful entrepreneur and a lawyer), choice points in their... View Details

Keywords: Work-Life Balance; Family and Family Relationships; Conflict Management

Find at Harvard

06 Feb 2020
Research & Ideas

What We Learned from Reading Jeff Bezos’ Patents

works on specific types of inventions We were also interested in the types of inventions Bezos was personally involved in, so we broadly categorized his patents based on information in the patent abstract and description. We found that... View Details

Keywords: by Tricia Gregg and Boris Groysberg; Retail

July 2013 (Revised May 2024)
Case

BMVSS: Changing Lives, One Jaipur Limb at a Time

By: Srikant Datar and Saloni Chaturvedi

Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) is an Indian not-for-profit organization engaged in assisting differently-abled persons by providing them with the legendary low-cost prosthesis, the Jaipur Foot, and other mobility-assisting devices, free of cost. Known... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit Organizations; Financial Condition; Health Care and Treatment; Diversity; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Growth and Development Strategy; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Health Industry; India; Asia

8:30 AM – 6:45 PM EST, 02 Dec 2020
Virtual Programming

Building Resilient Organizations for Turbulent Times: Pathways for Driving Deep Change

Leaders of resilient organizations are masters of not only reacting to adversity but also of using headwinds to adapt and come out stronger.?This interactive program will provide a comprehensive model for how to develop and guide successful change within organizations.... View Details

15 Nov 2023
Video

Choosing Learning Over Knowing

May 2009
Case

Who is the Fairest of Them All? Choosing a Leader at Deronde International

By: Nitin Nohria and Martha Spaulding

Alain Deronde, the CEO of a French personal care company, has to choose a successor to head global product development from a diverse set of candidates with different backgrounds, strengths, and weaknesses. The candidates include Elise Bernier, Vice President of... View Details

Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Management Succession; Diversity; Management Teams; Product Development; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; France

January 1998 (Revised September 1998)
Case

Staples (A)

By: Myra M. Hart, Marco Iansiti and Barbara Feinberg

Chronicles development of a new business concept. Starts with Stemberg's search for a new employment opportunity, then provides details of his decision to launch a new venture concept through careful matching of personal capabilities and experience against a variety of... View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Personal Development and Career; Entrepreneurship; Management Skills; Retail Industry

January 2000 (Revised April 2010)
Case

Heidi Roizen

By: Kathleen L. McGinn and Nicole Tempest

Heidi Roizen, a venture capitalist at SOFTBANK Venture Capital and a former entrepreneur, maintains an extensive personal and professional network. She leverages this network to benefit both herself and others. The case considers the steps she's taken to build and... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Personal Development and Career; Power and Influence; Social and Collaborative Networks

July 2014
Teaching Note

Rebecca S. Halstead: Steadfast Leadership

By: Boris Groysberg and Deborah Bell

The case reviews Rebecca Halstead's career history, detailing how, through her personal attributes, skills, experiences, challenges, and organizational practices she developed into a successful leader and commander in the U.S. Army. The teaching note discusses... View Details

Keywords: Strategy And Leadership; Leadership And Managing People; Working Conditions; Groups and Teams; Competitive Strategy; Personal Development and Career; Organizational Culture; Personal Characteristics; Leadership Style; Gender; Power and Influence

Career Coach

Wendi Zhang

designing the evolution of their career and life. Wendi works full-time in Silicon Valley at Egon Zehnder, which she joined in January 2024. Immediately before her current role, she served as the VP of Business Development and Operations... View Details

Keywords: Consumer Products; Entertainment / Media; Entrepreneurship; Angel Investing; Financial Services (All); Venture Capital; Financial Services (All); Real Estate; Social Enterprise; Startup - Founder; Entrepreneurship; Startup - Joiner; Entrepreneurship; Technology

05 Jul 2006
What Do You Think?

How Important Is “Executive Intelligence” for Leaders?

is the relative importance of executive intelligence, style, and personality in effective leaders? What importance do these findings have for the selection of candidates for, and the design and execution of, formal (MBA) and on-the-job... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

20 Nov 2017
Research & Ideas

How Independent Bookstores Have Thrived in Spite of Amazon.com

specialized customer experience. Rather than only recommending bestsellers, they developed personal relationships with customers by helping them discover up-and-coming authors and unexpected titles.... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel (with video by Amelia Kunhardt); Retail

04 Jun 2024
Research & Ideas

Navigating Consumer Data Privacy in an AI World

an answer to key questions for privacy protection, such as: What is the compliance framework for accessing and using data in various tasks? Essentially, the person is responsible for developing and regularly... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Technology; Information Technology

04 Mar 2019
What Do You Think?

What’s the Antidote to Surveillance Capitalism?

than how businesses use it That same monitoring capability (used to fight terrorism) could be turned against American citizens if the regime ever lessened or abandoned its commitment to personal civil liberties.” Asher Rospigliosi... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Advertising; Consumer Products

March 2024 (Revised April 2024)
Case

Coursera's Foray into GenAI

By: Suraj Srinivasan, Michael Parzen and Radhika Kak

In early 2023, Maggioncalda, CEO of US EdTech firm Coursera, launched Project Genesis to develop a strategy for incorporating GenAI capabilities into the firm's offerings, asking his teams to focus on value to the firm and cost of implementation. The team identified... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; AI and Machine Learning; Brands and Branding; Business Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Technological Innovation; Education Industry; Technology Industry; United States

February 2009
Case

Paresh Patel: Building a Life in the Context of Global Business - October 2007

By: Howard H. Stevenson and Shirley Spence

This case tells the story of Paresh Patel, born in Boston to an Indian immigrant family, as he develops an entrepreneurial career, participates in the Indian diaspora, and builds a family life. It provides background on Paresh's heritage, describes his youth and... View Details

Keywords: Diasporas; Work-Life Balance; Personal Development and Career; Entrepreneurship; Boston; Mumbai