Publications

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Research Summary

Democratic Governance and Decision Making

By: David A. Moss

Under what conditions are public policies in a democracy determined by special interests or, alternatively, by the general interest? A good deal of academic work, particularly associated with the economic theory of regulation, suggests that special interests... View Details

October 2011
Supplement

Jack Hughes, Founder and Chairman of TopCoder, In-class comments 4/8/11

By: David A. Garvin

TopCoder's crowdsourcing-based business model, in which software is developed through online tournaments, is presented. The case highlights how TopCoder has created a unique two-sided innovation platform consisting of a global community of over 225,000 developers who... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Growth and Development; Technological Innovation; Problems and Challenges; Motivation and Incentives; Competition; Online Technology; Information Technology Industry

2010
Book

Government and Markets: Toward a New Theory of Regulation

By: Edward J. Balleisen and David A. Moss

After two generations of emphasis on governmental inefficiency and the need for deregulation, we now see growing interest in the possibility of constructive governance, alongside public calls for new, smarter regulation. Yet there is a real danger that regulatory... View Details

Keywords: Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Government and Politics; Markets; Business and Government Relations; Research

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11 Mar 2014
First Look

First Look: March 11

Maintenance of Certification Examinations By: Valentine, Melissa A., S. Barsade, Amy C. Edmondson, A. Gal, and R. Rhodes Abstract—Context: Physicians can demonstrate mastery of the knowledge that supports continued clinical competence... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

2006
Working Paper

Defining the Attributes and Processes that Enhance the Effectiveness of Workforce Diversity Initiatives in Knowledge Intensive Firms

By: Modupe Akinola and David A. Thomas

Workforce diversity continues to be a key focus for organizations, driven by globalization of the U.S. economy and the desire for organizations to more accurately reflect the demographic diversity of the US population. Yet, most research on diversity in organizations... View Details

Keywords: Diversity; Globalization; Employees; Retention; Knowledge Sharing; Research; United States

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07 Apr 2009
First Look

First Look: April 7, 2009

twenty-first-century collaboration, made possible by twenty-first-century information technologies. [ ] In this chapter we explore the new possibilities that digital networks create for firms as they seek to collaborate with customers.... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

17 Jun 2008
First Look

First Look: June 17, 2008

control. I maintain that the corporate governance rules in the past help to explain the peak in equity market development observed between 1890 and 1914 (by some measures, equity markets were more developed then than they are today). The Multiunit Enterprise... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

June 2014
Technical Note

A Note on Seeking, Receiving, and Giving Advice

By: David A. Garvin and Joshua D. Margolis

This note examines the processes of seeking, receiving, and giving advice by drawing on both academic research and the lessons of skilled practitioners. It begins with a discussion of the potential benefits and costs of advice-seeking and advice-giving. The note then... View Details

Keywords: Advice Taking; Coaching; Decision-making; Leadership; Interpersonal Communication; Personal Development and Career; Management Skills

March 2020
Case

SRS and the Defense Innovation Unit: Rethinking Procurement

By: Paul A. Gompers and David Lane

SRS and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) follows the process by which SRS, a lean maker of remotely-operated submersible vehicles, navigates the DIU’s acquisition process. Set up in 2015 to speed the U.S. military’s access to promising commercial technologies, the DIU... View Details

Keywords: Procurement; Defense Innovation Unit; Business Startups; Acquisition; Technological Innovation; Investment; Commercialization; United States

August 1992 (Revised September 2002)
Case

Star Distributors, Inc. (A)

By: David A. Thomas

Depicts the conflict and organizational problems that emerged in a franchise operation owned by Paul Logan, an African American, and John Heyman, a white American. Provides the opportunity to examine the ways in which race influences managerial behavior and... View Details

Keywords: Conflict Management; Performance Effectiveness; Franchise Ownership; Race; Management Style; Conflict and Resolution; Business and Stakeholder Relations

March 2010 (Revised December 2010)
Case

Danatbank

By: David A. Moss, Cole Bolton and Andrew Novo

In the summer of 1931, Germany was struggling with a deepening economic crisis. Production had fallen, unemployment was high, and bank deposits and gold were being withdrawn from the country at a rapid pace, threatening the value of the German mark. The country's third... View Details

Keywords: History; Risk Management; Business History; Capital Markets; Financial Crisis; Banks and Banking; Business and Government Relations; Banking Industry; Germany

2008
Working Paper

Media versus Special Interests

By: Alexander Dyck, David A. Moss and Luigi Zingales

We argue that profit-maximizing media helps overcome the problem of "rational ignorance" highlighted by Downs (1957) and in so doing makes elected representatives more sensitive to the interests of general voters. By collecting news and combining it with entertainment,... View Details

Keywords: Voting; Government Legislation; Media; Interests; Power and Influence; United States

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Teaching Interest

Creating the Modern Financial System

By: David A. Moss

Creating the Modern Financial System offers a vital perspective on finance and the financial system by exploring the historical development of key financial instruments and institutions worldwide. The premise of the course is that students will gain a richer and... View Details

23 Feb 2010
First Look

First Look: Feb. 23

http://hbr.org/product/handbook-of-leadership-theory-and-practice/an/12326-HBK-ENG Leadership and History Author:Walter A. Friedman Publication:Chap. 11 in Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice, edited View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

17 Nov 2009
First Look

First Look: Nov. 17

Lehman Brothers reduced their lending to a greater extent. Nobel Laureate Panel Discussion: What Retirement Means to Me Authors:Robert C. Merton, Paul A. Samuelson, and Robert M. Solow Publication:Chap. 1 in The Future of Life-Cycle... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

April 1996
Case

Confronting the Third Industrial Revolution

By: David A. Moss

Comprises three pieces. The first piece, which forms the body of the case, is adapted from a speech delivered by the author before the Harvard Business School Political Forum in early 1995. Originally entitled "The Economic Foundations of American Social Policy:... View Details

Keywords: Transition; Policy; Economy; Government and Politics; Society; United States

22 Mar 2011
First Look

First Look: March 22

and overly restricting access to credit and consumer choice. Nicolas Retsinas, Eric Belsky, and their colleagues aim to stimulate debate based on analysis of the opportunities and challenges presented by the various components of global... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 1999 (Revised April 2000)
Case

Cresud S.A.

By: Ray A. Goldberg, Jonathan West and David Benedict Pearcy

Cresud, a listed Argentine agricultural company, generates value by operating farms and through land appreciation. This case describes Cresud's business model, industry, and country context. Can a corporate farmer in agriculture use public funds to compete in both the... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Business Model; Value; Corporate Accountability; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry