Harm - Publications - Faculty & Research

17 Jan 2018
Research & Ideas

If the CEO’s High Salary Isn't Justified to Employees, Firm Performance May Suffer

disclosures are not made with proper context, they could ignite worker backlash and harm productivity. “When you hear the amount that a CEO makes, it is going to seem outrageous. People are going to react with passion,” Rouen says. “So,... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

19 Dec 2022
Research & Ideas

What Motivates People to Give Generously—and Why We Sometimes Don't

of as dual-motive behaviors, which have some benefit to others but also some benefit to the self. Public radio is a good example, where you receive a tote bag in exchange for a pledge to the station. There was quite a bit of research on this, but it was inconsistent... View Details

Keywords: by Jen McFarland Flint, HBS Alumni Bulletin

19 Oct 2022
Op-Ed

Cofounder Courtship: How to Find the Right Mate—for Your Startup

harm businesses more than help. Certainly, when a great match happens it can be magic, but just like any marriage, one should not enter the relationship rashly. When thinking about whether or not you need a cofounder, consider: How could... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Austin

08 Oct 2020
Research & Ideas

Keep Your Weary Workers Engaged and Motivated

example by giving rewards for both individual and team performance. Without direct oversight, “Relationships can all too readily slide into cutthroat competition or totally collusive bonding. Either extreme will harm the firm's... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams

27 Feb 2019
Research & Ideas

The Hidden Cost of a Product Recall

quantify the innovation risks and opportunities that recalls pose in one of the most R&D-intensive industries, medical technology. Product failures in medtech, where the cost to bring a device to the market can top $90 million, can not only hobble a firm, but cause... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost; Manufacturing; Consumer Products; Auto; Medical Devices & Supplies

Web

Dean Srikant Datar Statements & Speeches | About

bigotry are ones we must decry; they contradict our values, undermine our mission, and harm our community. Published June 2, 2021 Dean Srikant Datar’s 2021 Graduation Address and Presentation of Alumni Achievement Awards At the 2021... View Details

02 Mar 2009
Research & Ideas

When Goal Setting Goes Bad

in many cases goals do more harm than good. Worse, they can cause real damage to organizations and individuals using them. "We argue that the beneficial effects of goal setting have been overstated and that systematic View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

01 Sep 2023
News

3-Minute Briefing: Frances Haugen: (MBA 2011)

I went to a Montessori preschool. My parents were very big on the idea that children are people and treated me with great seriousness. If they asked me to do something, I was allowed to ask why. Debate was a big part of my high school experience. Coaching debate... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; whistle blower; Facebook; leadership; social media

01 Oct 2021
Research & Ideas

Dying to Lead: How Reaching the Top Can Kill You Sooner

about these findings? Yes and no, says Nicholas. While the harmful effects of GE’s high-level jobs may appear worrisome to people currently working in the upper ranks of their companies, not every organization or industry may see the same... View Details

Keywords: by Jay Fitzgerald

12 Aug 2020
Research & Ideas

Why Investors Often Lose When They Sue Their Financial Adviser

vulnerable, especially when they’ve been physically harmed by a product or service. Many people don’t realize that they’re waiving their right to sue in a US court when they sign contracts or click “Agree” to a company’s terms of service.... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost; Financial Services

30 May 2005
Research & Ideas

Six Steps for Making Your Threat Credible

strategy requires careful calculation. Your sunk costs must be large and visible enough to make an impact but small enough that you are not significantly harmed by losses you may incur in the hope of influencing your counterpart. Don't... View Details

Keywords: by Deepak Malhotra

17 Apr 2022
Book

How to Avoid the 'Ethical Slide' That Leads Companies Astray

personally profit by violating the law or by harming or misleading others. The stakes can be enormous, especially when a big transaction or career-making decision is involved. This means people in business often face much larger... View Details

Keywords: by Lane Lambert

13 Jul 2020
Research & Ideas

Merck CEO Ken Frazier Discusses a COVID Cure, Racism, and Why Leaders Need to Walk the Talk

vaccine did more harm than good. We don't have a great history of introducing vaccines quickly in the middle of a pandemic. We want to keep that in mind. The second point that I think is very important is I think when we do tell people... View Details

Keywords: by Staff; Pharmaceutical

01 Feb 2010
Research & Ideas

The ‘Luxury Prime’: How Luxury Changes People

executives on Wall Street. According to Chua, their research found that "people who were made to think about luxury prior to a decision-making task have a higher tendency to endorse self-interested decisions that might potentially View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Gilbert

23 Aug 2021
Research & Ideas

Why White-Collar Crime Spiked in America After 9/11

cutbacks Previous studies have delved into the fact that the threat of prison time and fines can deter white-collar criminals from committing crimes that can greatly harm corporations, investors, and consumers alike, not to mention... View Details

Keywords: by Jay Fitzgerald

15 Sep 2021
Research & Ideas

Don't Bring Me Down: Probing Why People Tune Out Bad News

out negative information so they can plead ignorance and continue harmful behavior. Indeed, it may seem like people are purposely avoiding information to create an “excuse” that frees them from the accountability of their own decisions.... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

05 May 2020
Research & Ideas

China Tariffs and Coronavirus a Double Hit to American Retailers

the trade war,” Cavallo says. To the extent that tariffs exacerbate the cost of the pandemic, their continued application could further drag down the American economy, harming companies and consumers alike. In the end, companies may have... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

09 Oct 2001
Research & Ideas

Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Organizations

cutthroat competition or totally collusive bonding. Either extreme will harm the firm's performance. These swings can occur because each of the four drives was created by evolution to improve the odds of gene survival. When any one drive... View Details

Keywords: by Paul Lawrence & Nitin Nohria

Web

Globalization - Faculty & Research

what follows if managers recognize two kinds of duties of forbearance in their decision making that are commonly held to be among the most minimal of moral duties: the duty not to harm and the duty not to violate the liberty of others.... View Details

01 Feb 2023
What Do You Think?

Will Hybrid Work Strategies Pull Down Long-Term Performance?

performed remotely without harming the organization, he tacitly agreed with CNBC pundits recently who jokingly labeled his views as a “back-to-work” strategy, especially for jobs influencing client relations in any way. In another... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

Publications