Publications

Register to Read

January – February 2011
Article

The Price of Fairness

By: Dimitris Bertsimas, Vivek F. Farias and Nikolaos Trichakis

In this paper we study resource allocation problems that involve multiple self-interested parties or players and a central decision maker. We introduce and study the price of fairness, which is the relative system efficiency loss under a "fair" allocation assuming that... View Details

Keywords: Price; Fairness

Find at Harvard

September 2009 (Revised January 2012)
Case

Suntech Power

By: Richard H.K. Vietor

Suntech, a Chinese manufacturer of photovoltaic cells and solar panels, is the third largest solar company in the world. About 90 percent of its sales have been in Europe—especially Germany and Spain. But with its new "pluto" technology, and with new governmental... View Details

Keywords: Solar Power; Renewable Energy; Globalized Markets and Industries; Competition; Market Entry and Exit; Business and Government Relations; Expansion; Strategy; Energy Industry; Green Technology Industry; China

March 1990 (Revised October 1999)
Case

Mary Kay Cosmetics: Sales Force Incentives (A)

By: Robert L. Simons and Hilary Weston

Describes the incentive system by which Mary Kay Cosmetics motivates the sales force of 200,000 independent agents who comprise the firm's only distribution channel. Illustrates the powerful effect on sales-force behavior that results when creative types of employee... View Details

Keywords: Motivation and Incentives; Cost Management; Salesforce Management; Distribution Channels; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; United States

2008
Working Paper

Beyond Gender and Negotiation to Gendered Negotiations

By: Deborah M. Kolb and Kathleen L. McGinn

Where do we start if we are interested in understanding how gender plays out in negotiations that take place within organizations? Do we start with women and men and explore their individual differences in thought, motivation, style, appetite for risk, and propensity... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Organizational Culture; Gender

Read Now

08 Jan 2015
News

Healthcare strategy 2015 — Back to the basics: 12 key thoughts

17 Jun 2014
News

Disruptive Genius

23 Nov 2013
News

Are American Workers the Best?

21 Jul 2022
News

The ‘Great Resignation’ Started Long Ago

08 Aug 2021
News

Business Needs to Rethink Its Role in Politics

10 Mar 2020
News

Why Capitalists Need to Save Democracy

26 Dec 2017
News

Breaking Down the New U.S. Corporate Tax Law

TeachingInterests

Financial Reporting and Control

By: Paul M. Healy

Throughout their careers, business leaders are required to measure and evaluate their organization's economic performance, improve resource allocation and strategy implementation within their organizations, and build accountability for performance through effective... View Details

June 2022 (Revised November 2022)
Case

The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Sweden's Utopia at a Crossroads

By: Debora L. Spar and Julia M. Comeau

Sweden’s model of capitalism rests on a unique social contract, in which social welfare priorities can co-exist within a vibrant capitalist system. In 2022, however, contemporary pressures were growing on the traditional Swedish model, including mounting calls for... View Details

Keywords: Capitalism; Social Welfare; Policy; Privatization; Immigration; Social Issues; Civil Society or Community; Government and Politics; Sweden

February 2002
Case

Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia

By: F. Warren McFarlan, Mark Keil and Garrett W. Meader

LaGrange, GA was the first city in the world to offer free Internet access to citizens. The city manager and mayor must assess the project and decide whether to continue. This case chronicles the city's efforts to build a telecommunications infrastructure and offer... View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Infrastructure; Technology Adoption; Cost vs Benefits; Information Technology Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Georgia (state, US)

August 2000 (Revised September 2000)
Case

Extraprise

By: Srikant M. Datar, Krishna G. Palepu and Sarah S. Khetani

In the three years since it was founded, the Boston-based Internet strategy consulting firm, Extraprise, has changed its strategy three times. Jennifer Gabler, the CFO, considers what kinds of control systems she can put in place to ensure the company can continue to... View Details

Keywords: Information Management; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Mathematical Methods; Information Technology; Outcome or Result; Business Growth and Maturation; Growth and Development Strategy; Web Services Industry; Information Technology Industry; Boston

January 1991 (Revised April 1995)
Case

Cooper Industries' Corporate Strategy (A)

By: David J. Collis

Describes the development of a successful corporate strategy based on the acquisition and subsequent consolidation of low-technology manufacturing companies. Starting with a company history and discussion of current business segments, the case goes on to detail the... View Details

Keywords: Value Creation; Corporate Strategy; Acquisition; Manufacturing Industry