Publications

Teaching Interest

Overview

Business, Government, and the International Economy (BGIE) is a course about the broad economic and political context in which business operates. Throughout their careers business leaders are asked to formulate and lead their firm's responses to the external... View Details

Keywords: International Economy; Macroeconomics; Political Economy

03 Nov 2021
Blog Post

Recent Grad Reflections: From Being Cold Called to Becoming a Case Protagonist

change the perception of what an “ideal VC” is. When I was an MBA student, one of my favorite aspects of the case method was stepping into the shoes of the case protagonist to make a decision from their perspective. Yet never in my... View Details

16 May 2015
Blog Post

Using an MBA to Reimagine the Music Industry

through the case method? Our HBS Takeaways series is an effort to help prospective students understand life at HBS through the experiences of students who are about to graduate. Kiran Gandhi studied mathematics at Georgetown before pursuing a View Details

30 May 2013
News

Are Golden Years a Golden Opportunity to Innovate?

01 Aug 2016
Blog Post

Reflecting on the Value of an MBA

get right to the core of the decision to get an MBA: “Is two years away from work and this tuition going to be a worthwhile investment in myself?” It’s also present in more mundane decisions while you’re... View Details

August 2015 (Revised January 2022)
Case

George Washington and the Foundations of American Democracy

By: Tom Nicholas and Matthew G. Preble

George Washington is perhaps the most well-known of the U.S.'s founding fathers because of his political and military achievements. However, Washington also operated a number of successful business ventures out of his Mount Vernon estate, and he became a landowner on... View Details

Keywords: Government; History; George Washington; Democracy; Decision Making; Entrepreneurship; Government and Politics; Business History; Leadership; United States

13 Mar 2019
Research & Ideas

Ignore This Advice at Your Own Peril

School researchers: Disregarding advice from colleagues could invite harsh backlash that just might damage valued workplace relationships, according to the recent paper Seeker Beware: The Interpersonal Costs of Ignoring Advice, published in Organizational Behavior and... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

29 May 2001
Research & Ideas

Race Does Matter in Mentoring

subsequently plateaued in middle management tended to make their decisions based on perceived fast-track career opportunities, not on the actual work. They were more prone to take salary and title promotions... View Details

Keywords: by David A. Thomas

October 1986 (Revised July 2010)
Case

Karen Leary (A)

By: Linda A. Hill

Describes the evolution of the working relationship of Karen Leary, a new manager of a Merrill Lynch retail branch, and Ted Chung, a new financial consultant in the branch. Leary has some concerns about her working relationship with Chung and with his performance.... View Details

Keywords: Management Style; Employee Relationship Management; Decision Choices and Conditions; Personal Development and Career; Performance Evaluation; Diversity; Financial Services Industry

March 2016 (Revised January 2023)
Teaching Note

Carla Ann Harris at Morgan Stanley

By: Lakshmi Ramarajan

This case follows Carla Ann Harris, an African-American executive on Wall Street, from her childhood to the eve of her 20th year at Morgan Stanley. In addition to her professional identity as an investment banker, Harris is also an accomplished gospel singer, an... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Identity; Personal Development and Career; Success; Values and Beliefs; Social Entrepreneurship; Financial Services Industry

January 2023 (Revised June 2024)
Case

Elon Musk at Tesla

By: George Serafeim and Amram Migdal

This case gives an overview of Elon Musk’s career arc through the lens of the 2003 founding of Tesla and its growth through 2022. Background information is included on Tesla’s unique strategic decisions, its operational and reputational struggles and successes, and the... View Details

30 Nov 2021
Blog Post

Searching for Professional Passion Through My VC Summer Internship

jobs challenged me intellectually and exposed me to some amazing colleagues, but I often struggled to feel passionate about the work itself. I was intrigued by the challenges inherent to the tech business landscape, but I realized that I needed a better understanding... View Details

November 2003 (Revised May 2005)
Case

Beverly Stern: Retail Executive

By: H. Kent Bowen and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld

Beverly Stern has been a successful operating manager in three prominent retail chains: GAP, Pottery Barn, and Williams-Sonoma. Stern's last job at a start-up did not meet her expectations, and she must now decide what to do next. She has an offer to start a new retail... View Details

Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Experience and Expertise; Personal Characteristics; Jobs and Positions; Decisions; Retail Industry