front line employees - Publications - Faculty & Research

26 Jun 2020
Research & Ideas

Why Japanese Businesses Are So Good at Surviving Crises

to do what must be done for the common good, including those on the front lines.” Yamato donates to rebuilding devastated areas Makoto Kigawa, CEO of Yamato—a home delivery service of everything from fresh food to skis and golf clubs—sent... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

03 Mar 2023
Research & Ideas

When Showing Know-How Backfires for Women Managers

in front of direct reports to demonstrate competence and combat negative stereotypes about their abilities. But, these displays came at the expense of less visible office work that is critical to their businesses’ performance. Her... View Details

Keywords: by Kara Baskin; Retail; Consumer Products

16 Jul 2020
Research & Ideas

Restaurant Revolution: How the Industry Is Fighting to Stay Alive

treating their employees well is the best way for them to ensure that customers’ concerns about safety are front of mind in every aspect of service while maintaining high standards for hospitality.... View Details

Keywords: by Michael S. Kaufman, Lena G. Goldberg, and Jill Avery; Food & Beverage

29 Nov 2022
Research & Ideas

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

structure is a bit out of hand and, by any metric, above comparable social media companies. And so, there is definitely an incentive here for them to try to get that in line sooner rather than later. If you compare Meta/Facebook to... View Details

Keywords: by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette; Technology

18 Apr 2011
Research & Ideas

It’s Not Nagging: Why Persistent, Redundant Communication Works

says. In the future, Neeley plans to expand this line of research, perhaps analyzing how managers collaborate with employees globally using technology. "This is what people use every day to relate, to... View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard

19 Dec 2023
Research & Ideas

15 Podcast Episodes That Grabbed Listeners in 2023

needed to take decisive steps to succeed against the major opposition to his leadership from both inside and outside the company. Twitter employees circulated an open letter protesting expected layoffs, advertising agencies advised their... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost

04 Apr 2023
What Do You Think?

How Does Remote Work Affect Innovation?

employers. Some couldn’t do what they’re doing without the opportunity. Employers appear to be less enthusiastic about remote work. Many feel that they have to offer it in order to access talent that would not otherwise be approachable. Although View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

29 Sep 2014
Research & Ideas

Why Do Outlet Stores Exist?

usually located in rural areas near the factory and selling damaged or irregular clothing, often to employees themselves. Even though most apparel manufacturing has long ago moved overseas, outlet stores have continued to exist—despite... View Details

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

27 Jan 2009
First Look

First Look: January 27, 2009

debut at a prominent industry conference, coverage on the front page of the New York Times' Business section, and the raising of a large round of financing from a top-tier venture capital firm. His attempts to find an acquirer have... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

12 Aug 2019
Research & Ideas

How Scale Changes a Manager's Responsibilities

recognize and try to stay ahead of these changes brought by scale. Here is advice for the CEO/founders of early-stage companies, but it also applies to leaders of any scaling organization, even inside a large corporate entity. Leadership changes at around 100 View Details

Keywords: by Julia Austin

22 Apr 2022
Research & Ideas

Companies Can Expand Their Talent Pool by Giving Ex-Convicts a Second Chance

12,000 jobs to workers who applied for employment via Wonolo’s on-demand job marketplace, the study reports. “The bottom line is that there’s a much bigger pool of talent out there waiting to be tapped,” says Cullen. Kim of Wonolo says... View Details

Keywords: by Jay Fitzgerald

14 Jan 2014
First Look

First Look: January 14

Harvard Business Review Can a Strong Culture Be Too Strong? By: Garvin, David A. Abstract—The article presents a case study of a business enterprise with high employee turnover that is considering adopting a personnel management... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

26 Jan 2010
First Look

First Look: Jan. 26

the politics are typically played out one disaster at a time, in line with the media coverage. This dynamic appears to focus public attention more on the immediate benefits of emergency disaster assistance than on the long-term costs.... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

14 Oct 2021
In Practice

Reunited and It Feels (Not) So Good: Tips for Managing a Rocky Return

disrupted days. In addition, they must protect employees who face greater disruptions on the home front from being penalized at work. Research shows that demands for work flexibility can be stigmatized and,... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

22 Apr 2019
Research & Ideas

Why Salespeople Struggle at Leading

“Finance now has a clearer line of sight on the enormous amounts of money they spend on sales, so they’re now asking questions,” he says. “Sales managers need to have answers to those questions, and that puts new pressure on their... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

03 Jun 2013
Research & Ideas

The Power of Rituals in Life, Death, and Business

Norton says. "With consumption, rituals seem to work because they increase your involvement in the experience." Employee Morale And Productivity Later this year, the researchers plan to study how rituals affect productivity and... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

07 Jul 2003
Research & Ideas

4+2 = Sustained Business Success

services that consistently meet customers' expectations. Put decision-making authority close to the front lines so employees can react quickly to changing market conditions.... View Details

Keywords: by Nitin Nohria, William Joyce & Bruce Roberson

07 Jul 2021
Book

Good News for Disgraced Companies: You Can Regain Trust

collaborated with Deloitte on TrustIQ, a proprietary tool that measures key elements of trust in major corporations and public sector organizations. “An increasingly large number of issues are piling up in front of companies, issues that... View Details

Keywords: by Lane Lambert

10 Jul 2007
What Do You Think?

How Much of Leadership Is About Control, Delegation, or Theater?

emphasize developing good leadership drive an extra 10 percent premium in EPS , I think most CFOs and CEOs would salute those results." Several shifted the topic (or did they?) to followership, suggesting an interesting set of questions. Ian Plowman initiated this... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

16 Jun 2021
HBS Case

Cruising in Crisis: How Carnival Is Riding Out the COVID-19 Storm

reported infections. By mid-March, Carnival, the largest cruise line in the world, suspended operations across the globe. Yet it took weeks to get its 260,000 guests and 80,000 employees who were floating at... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Travel

Publications