Publications

2016
Working Paper

Designing Online Marketplaces: Trust and Reputation Mechanisms

By: Michael Luca

Online marketplaces have proliferated over the past decade, creating new markets where none existed. By reducing transaction costs, online marketplaces facilitate transactions that otherwise would not have occurred and enable easier entry of small sellers. One central... View Details

Keywords: Trust; E-commerce; Market Design

9 AM – 10 AM EDT, 26 Jun 2019
HBS Online

HBS Online Sustainable Business Strategy

Learn how to become a purpose-centered business leader while examining the critical role that businesses play in solving the world's big problems, including climate change, income inequality, and social injustice. Program Dates: June 26, 2019 - July 17, 2019 View Details

9 AM – 10 AM EST, 06 Feb 2019
HBS Online

HBS Online Sustainable Business Strategy

Learn how to become a purpose-centered business leader while examining the critical role that businesses play in solving the world's big problems, including climate change, income inequality, and social injustice. Program Dates: February 6, 2019 - February 27, 2019 View Details

29 Sep 2020
Blog Post

Virtual Networking Tips from HBS Career Coaches

When you think of networking, the image that may come to mind first is shaking hands and filling up a small plate with cheese and crackers at a networking event. For some, this type of networking comes... View Details

Article

Red Light States: Who Buys Online Adult Entertainment?

By: Benjamin Edelman

This paper studies the adult online entertainment industry, particularly the consumption side of the market. In particular, it focuses on the demographics and consumption patterns of those who subscribe to adult entertainment websites. On the surface, this business... View Details

Keywords: Online Technology; Segmentation; Film Entertainment; Demographics; Web Sites; Competition; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Demand and Consumers; Legal Liability; Culture; Religion; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States

28 Aug 2009
News

Faculty Pioneer Award in Social Entrepreneurship

2016
Working Paper

The Empirical Economics of Online Attention

By: Andre Boik, Shane Greenstein and Jeffrey Prince

In several markets, firms compete not for consumer expenditure but instead for consumer attention. We model and characterize how households allocate their scarce attention in arguably the largest market for attention: the Internet. Our characterization of household... View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Competition; Behavior; Resource Allocation; Household; Cognition and Thinking

December 2009
Article

How to Combat Online Ad Fraud

By: Benjamin Edelman

Online advertisers frequently fall victim to dishonest, tech-savvy publishers. Here's a sampling of common scams with some advice on how to outwit their perpetrators. View Details

Keywords: Misleading and Fraudulent Advertising; Online Advertising; Ethics; Marketing; Behavior

2013
Chapter

The Design of Online Advertising Markets

By: Benjamin Edelman

Because the market for online advertising is both new and fast-changing, participants experiment with all manner of variations. Should an advertiser's payment reflect the number of times an ad was shown, the number of times it was clicked, the number of sales that... View Details

Keywords: Misleading and Fraudulent Advertising; Online Advertising; Price; Market Design; Measurement and Metrics; Sales; Motivation and Incentives; Internet and the Web

Web

The Network Effect: HBS and the Arts in NYC | Social Enterprise | Harvard Business School

10 Dec 2013
Working Paper Summaries

Information and Incentives in Online Affiliate Marketing

Keywords: by Benjamin G. Edelman & Wesley Brandi; Publishing; Technology

October 1999 (Revised October 2000)
Case

Women's World Banking: Catalytic Change Through Networks

By: James E. Austin and Susan Hamerling

Describes the evolution of Women's World Banking, an international microfinance nonprofit promoting financial access for poor women. Explores the organization's development of different types of networks to achieve its mission. View Details

Keywords: Mission and Purpose; History; Networks; Microfinance; Nonprofit Organizations; Gender; Growth and Development Strategy

Educators

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Web

Verification | HBS Online

network will be able to verify the validity of your HBS Online certificate or credential directly from your profile: 1. Access your LinkedIn account and open your profile 2. Navigate to the Education section... View Details

01 Mar 2005
News

Online Job Bank Debuts

SULLIVAN: “Searches can be made by industry, function, location, salary, and several other variables.” Building on the traditional strengths and advantages of alumni networking, a newly launched online Alumni Job Bank has upgraded the... View Details

Keywords: Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

2020
Working Paper

Socioeconomic Network Heterogeneity and Pandemic Policy Response

By: Abhishek Nagaraj, Mohammad Akbarpour, Cody Cook, Aude Marzuoli, Simon Mongey, Matteo Saccarola, Pietro Tebaldi, Shoshana Vasserman and Hanbin Yang

We develop and implement a heterogeneous-agents network-based empirical model to analyze alternative policies during a pandemic outbreak. We combine several data sources, including information on individuals’ mobility and encounters across metropolitan areas,... View Details

Keywords: Health Pandemics; Policy; Outcome or Result; Analysis

February 2011 (Revised November 2012)
Case

PatientsLikeMe: An Online Community of Patients

By: Sunil Gupta and Jason Riis

PatientsLikeMe (PLM) is an online community where patients share their personal experiences with a disease, find other patients like them, and learn from each other. The company was founded by Jamie and Ben Heywood when their 29-year-old brother was diagnosed with ALS... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Health Disorders; Knowledge Sharing; Growth and Development Strategy; Product Launch; Digital Platforms; Social and Collaborative Networks; Health Industry

Educators

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October 14, 2019
Article

Designing Better Online Review Systems

By: Geoff Donaker, Hyunjin Kim and Michael Luca

Online reviews are transforming the way consumers choose products and services of all sorts. We turn to TripAdvisor to plan a vacation, Zocdoc to find a doctor, and Yelp to choose a new restaurant. Reviews can create value for buyers and sellers alike, but only if they... View Details

Keywords: Reviews; Internet and the Web; Design; Quality; Reputation

March 2018 (Revised June 2018)
Case

Knowledge Sharing at REMA 1000 (A)

By: Tatiana Sandino and Olivia Hull

A year after Norwegian grocery chain REMA 1000 adopted Workplace, Facebook’s enterprise social network, Chief Human Resource Officer Tore Høylie is asked to evaluate its impact on company culture and communication. Almost 90% of the workforce is engaged with the... View Details

Keywords: Social Network; Enterprise Social Media; Facebook; Workplace; Social and Collaborative Networks; Communication Technology; Performance Improvement; Organizational Culture; Knowledge Sharing; Social Media; Retail Industry; Norway