Publications
Publications
Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(3,738)
- Faculty Publications (385)
- December 2014 (Revised May 2016)
- Case
Dhamani Jewels: Becoming a Global Luxury Brand
By: Lynda Applegate and Lisa C. Mazzanti
Dhamani started as a loose gemstone dealer in 1969 in Jaipur, India. By the 2000s, it was headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and had expanded into diamonds and retail. The family business was now in its second generation of leadership and aimed to become a... View Details
- December 3, 2014
- Article
Family Businesses Need One Person to Conquer and Another One to Rule
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article explores the different leadership styles needed in family businesses beyond the traditional "conqueror" archetype. While conquerors are growth-focused and hands-on, rulers are essential for managing complexity, focusing on governance, and addressing family... View Details
- December 2014
- Article
Rethink What You 'Know' about High-Achieving Women
By: Robin Ely, Pamela Stone and Colleen Ammerman
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the admission of women to Harvard Business School's MBA program, the authors, who have spent more than 20 years studying professional women, set out to learn what HBS graduates had to say about work and family and how their... View Details
- September 2014 (Revised February 2017)
- Case
Belk: Towards Exceptional Scheduling
By: Ethan Bernstein, Saravanan Kesavan, Bradley Staats and Luke Hassall
With 24,000 staff and over 300 stores, Belk Inc. sought to replace its entirely manual labor scheduling system with an automated software solution from Reflexis. Belk hoped the upgrade would simplify scheduling, reduce time employees spent in non-customer-facing roles,... View Details
Keywords: Retail; Scheduling; Local Autonomy; Automation; Metrics; Organizational Change; Human Resource Management; Process Improvement; Performance Measurement; Transparency; Southern United States; Retailing; Department Stores; System Outsourced Services; Employee Relationship Management; Selection and Staffing; Change Management; Governance Controls; Resource Allocation; Service Operations; Organizational Culture; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Performance Evaluation; Performance Improvement; Applications and Software; Family Business; Retail Industry; Technology Industry; United States
- August 2014
- Case
Opening the Valve: From Software to Hardware (A)
By: Ethan Bernstein, Francesca Gino and Bradley Staats
Valve, one of the world's top video game software companies, has also become an iconic example of an organization with virtually no hierarchy. A 400-person organization, Valve's unique organizational form (described in detail in the case and accompanying employee... View Details
Keywords: Valve; Self-Managed Organizations; Organization Design; Strategy; Flat Organization; Video Games; Organization Alignment; Family Business; Steam; Steam Machine; Design; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Human Resources; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Technological Innovation; Leadership Style; Management Practices and Processes; Organizational Design; Organizational Structure; Organizational Culture; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Groups and Teams; Alignment; Software; Hardware; Video Game Industry; Seattle
- August 2014 (Revised August 2015)
- Supplement
Opening the Valve: From Software to Hardware (B)
By: Ethan Bernstein, Francesca Gino and Bradley Staats
Valve, one of the world's top video game software companies, has also become an iconic example of an organization with virtually no hierarchy. A 400-person organization, Valve's unique organizational form (described in detail in the case and accompanying employee... View Details
Keywords: Valve; Self-Managed Organizations; Organization Design; Strategy; Flat Organization; Video Games; Organization Alignment; Family Business; Steam; Steam Machine; Design; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Human Resources; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Technological Innovation; Leadership Style; Management Practices and Processes; Organizational Design; Organizational Structure; Organizational Culture; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Groups and Teams; Alignment; Software; Hardware; Video Game Industry; Seattle
- August 15, 2014
- Article
Can an Outside CEO Run a Family-Owned Business?
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article explores the intricate dynamics that often characterize family-owned businesses, shedding light on key archetypes that play prominent roles within these organizations. Using a narrative approach, the article illustrates the challenges faced by leaders... View Details
- 2014
- Book
Consumer Lending in France and America: Credit and Welfare
By: Gunnar Trumbull
Why did America embrace consumer credit over the course of the twentieth century, when most other countries did not? How did American policy makers by the late twentieth century come to believe that more credit would make even poor families better off? This book traces... View Details
- July–August 2014
- Article
Obamacare Rules Pose Challenges for S Corp Owners
By: Josh Baron, Steve Salley and Judith L. Walsh
The article offers information financial impacts of tax by the U.S. Affordable Care Act (ACA) applied in January 2013 on family business shareholders and owners of S Corp. It discusses suggestions in tax planning to equalize tax burden including establishing family... View Details
- June 16, 2014
- Article
Working With Your In-Laws Isn't Always a Terrible Idea
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article delves into the complex dynamics involving in-laws within family-owned enterprises. In-laws often face a challenging dual role as they must conform to the same professional standards as non-family employees while concurrently grappling with perceptions of... View Details
- May 2, 2014
- Article
If You're Feeling Unappreciated, Give Someone Else Credit
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
Conflict in a family business can escalate quickly, but it's crucial to avoid it whenever possible. The article emphasizes recognizing the signs of escalating conflict and taking steps to prevent it. When disagreements arise, people often resort to legal action, which... View Details
- April 2014
- Teaching Note
CP Group: Balancing the Needs of a Family Business with the Needs of a Family of Businesses
By: William C. Kirby and Erica M. Zendell
- April 2014
- Teaching Note
From Beijing Jeep to ASC Fine Wines: The Story of an American Family Business in China
By: William C. Kirby and Erica M. Zendell
- April 10, 2014
- Article
Generation to Generation: How to Save the Family Business
By: Boris Groysberg and Deborah Bell
Most family-owned businesses—approximately 70%—last just one generation. Because an estimated 80% of businesses across the globe are family-owned, the low survival rate has alarming consequences. Consider this: In the United States alone, family-owned businesses (FOBs)... View Details
- March 18, 2014
- Article
Family Businesses Must Set the Agenda (Without Micromanaging)
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article discusses the role of owners in family businesses, using the story of Charles, who transformed his family's shipping business by taking ownership decisions. The article highlights that owners have the power to set goals, define performance metrics, hire... View Details
- March 2014 (Revised January 2017)
- Case
From Beijing Jeep to ASC Fine Wines: The Story of an American Family Business in China
By: William C. Kirby and Erica M. Zendell
In 1985, Don St. Pierre Sr. became President of Beijing Jeep, the troubled joint venture between American Motor Corporation and the Chinese government to build Jeep Cherokees in China. Just over a decade later in 1996, leveraging contacts from his time in the... View Details
- February 20, 2014
- Article
How to Thrive While Leading a Family Business
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article explores the differences between family business executives who thrive and those who struggle. It discusses how family business environments are inherently complex due to the intertwinement of work and life. Thriving leaders exhibit four key behaviors:... View Details
- February 18, 2014
- Article
Keep Your Kids out of the Entitlement Trap
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article discusses the concern among wealthy family business owners that their children may become entitled and fail to contribute to society. The fear is grounded in reality, as studies show that a significant portion of inherited wealth is squandered. The article... View Details
- December 6, 2013
- Article
Family Businesses Shouldn't Hunt for Superstar CEOs
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article discusses the challenges faced by family businesses when it comes to succession planning, particularly in selecting an outside CEO. It presents a case study of a third-generation family business looking for an external CEO, named "Mr. Wonderful," to manage... View Details
- November 2013 (Revised February 2016)
- Case
A Long, Bumpy and Unfinished Road: Education Reform in Memphis, Tennessee
By: Allen Grossman, J. Puckett and Nithya Vaduganathan
In 2010 the Memphis City School District merged with the neighboring Shelby County School system under the supervision of a single board of education and superintendent. It promised much more than just administrative synergies—it was an opportunity to change a... View Details