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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(4,005)
- People (11)
- News (1,262)
- Research (1,894)
- Events (9)
- Multimedia (83)
- Faculty Publications (1,250)
- March 2021 (Revised June 2022)
- Case
James Bryant Conant: Changing the World
By: Robert Simons and Shirley Sun
This case traces the rise of James Conant from a working-class neighborhood in Boston to president of Harvard University. The case describes how Conant, as a young man interested in chemistry and physics, embarks on studies to build his academic credentials and the... View Details
Keywords: Education; Science; Higher Education; Mission and Purpose; Research; Values and Beliefs; Personal Characteristics; Work-Life Balance; Personal Development and Career; Education Industry; Boston
Simons, Robert, and Shirley Sun. "James Bryant Conant: Changing the World." Harvard Business School Case 121-068, March 2021. (Revised June 2022.)
- January 2025
- Case
Shifting Winds: DEI in Corporate America
By: Clayton S. Rose, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon and David Lane
In the 2020s, intense and conflicting social and political pressures challenged organizational leaders around the world. Prominent among these were powerful competing views on workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion programs (DEI) in the United States. Public... View Details
Keywords: Disruption; Leadership; Crisis Management; Risk Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Civil Society or Community; Social Issues; Talent and Talent Management; Customer Satisfaction; Diversity; Ethics; Corporate Accountability; Employees; Retention; Recruitment; Adaptation; Programs; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; United States; Massachusetts; Maryland; Tennessee; District of Columbia
Rose, Clayton S., Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon, and David Lane. "Shifting Winds: DEI in Corporate America." Harvard Business School Case 325-017, January 2025.
- February 2003 (Revised March 2003)
- Case
Large Scale Change at The WSSC
By: Amy C. Edmondson and Corey B. Hajim
Describes the organizational transformation occurring at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), a public utility. Faced with the possibility of privatization after decades of providing service in the absence of competition or performance pressures, the... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Mission and Purpose; Change Management; Restructuring; Privatization; Resignation and Termination; Utilities Industry
Edmondson, Amy C., and Corey B. Hajim. "Large Scale Change at The WSSC." Harvard Business School Case 603-056, February 2003. (Revised March 2003.)
- November 6, 2017
- Article
The Common Traps of Working in Your Family's Business
By: Josh Baron
When your family’s name is on the door, you will never just be one of the gang — and everything you do could be fodder for the office rumor mill. Your actions are amplified because of your status in the company, and even seemingly small gestures can unintentionally... View Details
Keywords: Family Business; Attitudes; Behavior; Personal Development and Career; Mission and Purpose
Baron, Josh. "The Common Traps of Working in Your Family's Business." Harvard Business Review (website) (November 6, 2017).
- May–June 2018
- Article
Structure That's Not Stifling: How to Give Your People Essential Direction—Without Shutting Them Down
By: Ranjay Gulati
Most leaders view employee freedoms and operational controls as antagonists in a tug-of-war. They tend to focus on regulating workers’ behavior, often putting a damper on commitment, innovation, and performance without realizing it. But freedom and control aren’t zero... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Structure; Mission and Purpose; Framework; Employee Relationship Management; Performance Effectiveness
Gulati, Ranjay. "Structure That's Not Stifling: How to Give Your People Essential Direction—Without Shutting Them Down." Harvard Business Review 96, no. 3 (May–June 2018): 68–79.
- June, 2023
- Article
Walking the Purpose-Talk Inside a Large Company: Sustainable Product Development as an Instance of Divergent Change
By: Marissa Kimsey, Thijs Geradts and Julie Battilana
There is a growing interest in large companies pursuing a new purpose—changing their core reason for being from a singular focus on financial gain to a renewed responsibility to people and the planet alongside profit. Yet knowledge of how a large company can walk that... View Details
Kimsey, Marissa, Thijs Geradts, and Julie Battilana. "Walking the Purpose-Talk Inside a Large Company: Sustainable Product Development as an Instance of Divergent Change." Special Issue on Corporate Purpose. Strategy Science 8, no. 2 (June, 2023): 311–321.
- March 2023
- Case
Between Two Minds: The Staglin Family
By: Lauren Cohen, Ronnie Stangler and Grace Headinger
Garen Staglin, Founder and Chairman of One Mind, reflected on his life’s work in brain health. As he contemplated stepping down in the next few years, he weighed how to pass along this legacy to his son, Brandon Staglin, the impetus behind and next generation of the... View Details
Keywords: Nonprofit Organizations; Well-being; Management Succession; Family Ownership; Mission and Purpose; Health Industry
Cohen, Lauren, Ronnie Stangler, and Grace Headinger. "Between Two Minds: The Staglin Family." Harvard Business School Case 223-053, March 2023.
- May 2025 (Revised June 2025)
- Background Note
Social Enterprise in Latin America
By: Brian L. Trelstad and Karina Souza
This research note provides an overview of the social enterprise ecosystem in Latin America, exploring current dynamics across key markets, including country-specific insights on Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Central America. In a region characterized... View Details
Keywords: Impact Investing; Developing Countries and Economies; Social Entrepreneurship; Emerging Markets; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Ownership; Social Enterprise; Business Strategy; Equality and Inequality; Microfinance; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Banking Industry; Financial Services Industry; Information Technology Industry; Latin America; Brazil; Mexico; Argentina; Colombia; Chile; Guatemala; Central America; Peru; Uruguay
Trelstad, Brian L., and Karina Souza. "Social Enterprise in Latin America." Harvard Business School Background Note 325-117, May 2025. (Revised June 2025.)
- February 2020
- Teaching Note
Essential Explorations at MUJI
By: Tomomichi Amano and Das Narayandas
Launched as a private brand in 1980 to counter the increasingly brand-conscious consumer in Japan, MUJI offered beautifully designed, fairly priced, no-frills quality goods. The once modest private label brand with 40 products had expanded significantly by 2019 to more... View Details
- June 2006 (Revised January 2007)
- Case
e-Types A/S
A successful young design firm faces a difficult decision: whether to compromise its creative values to win a big job. The client brief is very conservative. The company is pretty sure it can win the design competition, but the design staff hates what they think they... View Details
Austin, Robert D., Shannon ODonnell, and Silje Kamille Friis. "e-Types A/S." Harvard Business School Case 606-118, June 2006. (Revised January 2007.)
- 25 Aug 2022
- News
Up on the Corner
platform to broaden our expertise to new domains such as digital fabrication for affordable housing, particularly as we look to expand our mission of equitable housing in the US and internationally." View Details
- May–June 2023
- Article
Should Your Start-up Be For-profit or Nonprofit?: A Guide for Social Entrepreneurs
By: Cait Brumme and Brian Trelstad
Years ago the line between nonprofit and for-profit enterprises was clear, but that has changed. Nonprofits now offer products that compete with those of the best for-profits, and for-profits can deliver as much social value as charities. Despite the blurred... View Details
Keywords: Business Startups; Social Entrepreneurship; Mission and Purpose; Nonprofit Organizations; For-Profit Firms; Decision Choices and Conditions
Brumme, Cait, and Brian Trelstad. "Should Your Start-up Be For-profit or Nonprofit? A Guide for Social Entrepreneurs." Harvard Business Review 101, no. 3 (May–June 2023): 136–145.
- July 2019 (Revised November 2022)
- Case
Backstage at Boston Ballet
By: David G. Fubini, Ryan Raffaelli, Begum Agca Okutgen and Julia Kelley
This case asks students to consider how to prioritize goals when placed in a new leadership role. In August 2014, Meredith “Max” Hodges became the youngest Executive Director (ED) in the Boston Ballet’s 51-year history. In her first year, she was able to claim several... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Behavior; Managing Change; Strategy Execution; Priorities; Arts; Buildings and Facilities; Decision Making; Theater Entertainment; Leadership; Business or Company Management; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Strategic Planning; Problems and Challenges; Nonprofit Organizations; Strategy; Marketing; Price; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States; North America; Massachusetts; Boston; New England; Northeastern United States
Fubini, David G., Ryan Raffaelli, Begum Agca Okutgen, and Julia Kelley. "Backstage at Boston Ballet." Harvard Business School Case 420-005, July 2019. (Revised November 2022.)
- September 2024
- Case
Leadership for Stretch Goals: Inspiring Employees to Achieve the Impossible at Charter Next Generation
By: Ethan Rouen and Elisabeth Powell
In 2023, Kathy Bolhous, CEO of Charter Next Generation (CNG), set out to achieve an ambitious "Moonshot"—increasing profits by $100 million within three years, purely through internal innovations and efficiency gains, without layoffs or new revenue streams. After years... View Details
Keywords: Profit; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Leadership; Growth Management; Mission and Purpose; Employee Ownership; Motivation and Incentives
Rouen, Ethan, and Elisabeth Powell. "Leadership for Stretch Goals: Inspiring Employees to Achieve the Impossible at Charter Next Generation." Harvard Business School Case 125-025, September 2024.
- August 2024
- Case
Pioneering Pain Management: CWC Alliance Combats the Opioid Epidemic
By: Susanna Gallani, Karen L. Sedatole and Sarah Mehta
Set in March 2024, this case is about CWC Alliance (CWC), a nonprofit working to prevent opioid addiction in the U.S. Founder Cammie Wolf Rice launched CWC in 2018 after her son, Christopher Wolf, died of a heroin overdose. Wolf’s dependence on opioids stemmed from a... View Details
Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Innovation and Invention; Jobs and Positions; Nonprofit Organizations; Expansion; Growth and Development Strategy; Service Delivery; Mission and Purpose; Health Industry; United States; Georgia (state, US); Atlanta
Gallani, Susanna, Karen L. Sedatole, and Sarah Mehta. "Pioneering Pain Management: CWC Alliance Combats the Opioid Epidemic." Harvard Business School Case 125-012, August 2024.
- December 2001 (Revised November 2002)
- Case
John Smithers
By: Nitin Nohria and Todd Jick
Describes an ill-fated effort to institute a total quality program. Using the vantage point of one of the managers selected to be a quality instructor, the case traces the rise and fall of the quality effort during its very brief existence over the course of six... View Details
Nohria, Nitin, and Todd Jick. "John Smithers." Harvard Business School Case 402-041, December 2001. (Revised November 2002.)
- October 2023
- Supplement
Rheaply: Circularity For Every Business Supplement 2
By: Rembrand Koning and Alicia Dadlani
Pitch deck explaining the later vision of the company that was presented by the CEO to potential investors. View Details
- April 2025 (Revised June 2025)
- Case
Governing Sustainability in a Shifting Context (A)
By: Lynn S. Paine and Will Hurwitz
In early 2025, boards of directors had to rethink corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts amid rapidly-shifting social, legal, regulatory, and economic forces. While just a few years earlier, calls to address racial justice and climate change reached into... View Details
Keywords: Climate Change; Corporate Governance; Diversity; Leadership; Business or Company Management; Mission and Purpose; Social Media; Race; Environmental Sustainability; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Governing and Advisory Boards; Lawfulness; Lawsuits and Litigation; Measurement and Metrics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Shareholder Relations; Social Issues; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Banking Industry; United States
Paine, Lynn S., and Will Hurwitz. "Governing Sustainability in a Shifting Context (A)." Harvard Business School Case 325-121, April 2025. (Revised June 2025.)
- August 22, 2019
- Article
CEOs Say Their Aim Is Inclusive Prosperity. Do They Mean It?
By: Lynn S. Paine
Earlier this week, the Business Roundtable issued a statement on corporate purpose. It is noteworthy both for its endorsement of inclusive prosperity as an ideal and for its rejection of maximizing shareholder returns as the sole corporate objective. However, the real... View Details
Paine, Lynn S. "CEOs Say Their Aim Is Inclusive Prosperity. Do They Mean It?" Harvard Business Review (website) (August 22, 2019).
- July 2021 (Revised August 2021)
- Supplement
Airbnb Emerges from the Pandemic: Lessons for Stakeholder Governance (B)
By: Benjamin C. Esty and Allison M. Ciechanover
As the COVID pandemic spread in early 2020, global travel ground to a halt. For Airbnb, the San Francisco-based platform for renting accommodations, the impact was both swift and severe as revenues plummeted more than 70% over the prior year. Responding to the sudden... View Details
Keywords: Business and Stakeholder Relations; Corporate Governance; Crisis Management; Leadership; Two-Sided Platforms; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Value Creation; Decision Making; Goals and Objectives; Travel Industry; Tourism Industry; Service Industry; United States
Esty, Benjamin C., and Allison M. Ciechanover. "Airbnb Emerges from the Pandemic: Lessons for Stakeholder Governance (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 222-003, July 2021. (Revised August 2021.) (To be taught in September 2021.)