Publications

23 Jun 2021
Blog Post

How I Sourced My Internship Outside of the US: Abena Nyantekyi-Owusu

out an internship and later a full-time role, even if they weren’t always in perfect alignment. An Opportunity for Reflection For Nyantekyi-Owusu, the decision to spend two years at HBS was driven by a desire to pivot and a need to... View Details

November 1999 (Revised April 2002)
Case

Tim Hertach at GL Consulting (A)

By: Ashish Nanda, Thomas J. DeLong and Scot H. Landry

Ten years into his career after graduating from HBS, Tim Hertach discovers billing irregularities at his consulting firm. He must decide whether (and how) to challenge senior management or to stay quiet and protect his career. View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Ethics; Accounting; Consulting Industry

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

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

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

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

Reza R. Satchu

Reza Satchu is a Senior Lecturer in... View Details

23 Jan 2019
Blog Post

Leaving an Unhappy Job: How to Look Before You Leap

"vine" or job, but "an informed, intentional decision aligned with the goals you want and the impact you'd like to have." Pursuing an intentional process Like the other HBS Career... View Details

August 2018
Case

Christine Lagarde (A): A French Prime Minister Calls

By: Julie Battilana and Carin-Isabel Knoop

This case covers formative events and influences in Christine Lagarde’s childhood and her trajectory from studying political science and law to heading the world’s largest law firm. As she prepares to transition back to practice in 2005, the new Prime Minister of... View Details

Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Power and Influence; Decision Making

02 Jan 2024
Blog Post

The No. 1 Character Trait You Will Need to Succeed in Business

If you choose to pursue a career in business, I can guarantee that you will experience moments that will test you as never before. At times like those, what quality will you need more than any other? I believe that quality is courage.... View Details

18 Sep 2017
Blog Post

Applying HBS Lessons in an African Context

Nigeria, I realized that I had much more to learn about doing business in my home region. I applied to Harvard Business School because I thought I would gain skills in finance and management, as well as gain access to an alumni network that would help me launch a... View Details

July 2021
Case

Kevin D. Johnson: To Be a Venture Capitalist or an Operator?

By: Jo Tango and Alys Ferragamo

In May of 2021, Kevin D. Johnson had just graduated from a rigorous Executive MBA program, and he quickly needed to decide on his next career move. Johnson was the founder and CEO of a successful media company, Johnson Media Inc., but his career goals had shifted while... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Goals and Objectives; Race; Wealth; Decisions; Venture Capital; Personal Development and Career; United States

05 Nov 2019
Blog Post

Environmental Change and Ground-level Impact

Established in 2010, the HBS Business & Environment Initiative (BEI) works to deepen understanding of the environmental challenges facing business leaders and inspire new ideas and practical, effective solutions. BEI has established a network of 5,000 alumni whose... View Details

July 2011
Case

Teach Plus: Mobilizing a New Generation of Teacher Leaders

By: David A. Thomas and Stephanie J. Creary

This case profiles the evolution of Teach Plus, a non-profit organization founded on the premise that in order for public schools to continuously improve urban student achievement, teaching must become a career that motivates and retains effective early career... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Decision Making; Strategy; Nonprofit Organizations; Social Entrepreneurship; Teaching; Cambridge; Boston