Publications

June 2012 (Revised February 2014)
Case

Low-Carbon, Indigenous Innovation in China

By: Richard H.K. Vietor

For the past seven years or so, the Chinese government has been powering ahead with industrial policies to promote low-carbon energy technologies—wind, solar, electric batteries and vehicles, nuclear power, and even carbon capture and sequestration. In 2009, the... View Details

Keywords: Energy; Renewables; Carbon; Environment; Industrial Policy; Competitiveness; Environmental Sustainability; Policy; Renewable Energy; Competition; Globalized Markets and Industries; Energy Industry; China

January 2011 (Revised July 2012)
Case

Arcadia Biosciences: Seeds of Change (Abridged)

By: Arthur A. Daemmrich

Arcadia Biosciences is seeking to introduce genetically modified rice to China that will lower farmers' costs and generate environmental benefits through reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The case describes challenges facing this small agricultural biotechnology... View Details

Keywords: Plant-Based Agribusiness; Intellectual Property; Genetics; Environmental Sustainability; Science-Based Business; Climate Change; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Biotechnology Industry; China

January 2008 (Revised February 2008)
Case

Restructuring at Nova Chemical Corporation

Management of a diversified chemicals company faces two financial decisions: whether to finance a major investment in new production facilities for its rapidly expanding Environmental Products Division, and whether to sell a more slowly growing non-specialty chemicals... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Decision Choices and Conditions; Chemicals; Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Finance; Chemical Industry

2008
Working Paper

Resolving Information Asymmetries in Markets: The Role of Certified Management Programs

By: Michael W. Toffel

Firms and regulators are increasingly relying on voluntary mechanisms to signal and infer quality of difficult-to-observe management practices. Prior evaluations of voluntary management programs have focused on those that lack verification mechanisms and have found... View Details

Keywords: Management Practices and Processes; Information; Standards; Performance Improvement; Programs; Environmental Sustainability; Manufacturing Industry; United States

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13 Nov 2012
First Look

First Look: November 13

the paper: http://papers.nber.org/papers/w18250 The Consequences of Mandatory Corporate Sustainability Reporting Authors:Ioannis Ioannou and George Serafeim Abstract We examine the effect of mandatory corporate View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

12 Aug 2002
Op-Ed

Using Big Business to Fight Poverty

loans to fight poverty around the globe since the end of World War II, nearly half the world's six billion people still live on less than $2 a day; a fifth get by on less than $1. At times, foreign aid has even worsened the plight of the poor, by View Details

Keywords: by George C. Lodge

06 Aug 2020
Blog Post

WHY WE STARTED THE HBS BLACK INVESTMENT CLUB

institutional racism to become so entrenched in American life. Although the past few months have been difficult on myself and other members of the Black community, I am cautiously optimistic that the BLM movement can create lasting and View Details

Keywords: All Industries

23 Apr 2018
News

Sowing the Seeds of Leadership

competitive development of firms in 10 Latin American countries. After earning his degree and returning to INCAE, Condo taught competition and strategy while becoming involved in, and eventually leading, the school’s Latin American Center for Competitiveness and View Details

Keywords: Deborah Blagg

01 Jun 1997
News

Competition and Strategy Unit at HBS Sets Pace In Its Field

the theoretical foundations of competitive positioning and sustained competitive advantage fits into this area. He explores these topics in his seminar on Competition and Competitiveness as well as in a recent Harvard Business Review... View Details

Keywords: Susan Young

12 Nov 2013
First Look

First Look: November 12

http://hbr.org/search/314050-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School Case 514-026 Sustainability at Siemens Describes sustainability efforts at Siemens since arrival of Chief View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Web

Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship | Social Enterprise | Harvard Business School

Meaningful progress on complex social issues depends in part on the entrepreneurial ideas and energy of the next generation. In recent years, we have seen a sustained increase in HBS students launching social impact ventures. In response... View Details

01 Nov 2011
First Look

First Look: Nov. 1

short-term profits and returns to shareholders at the expense of worker safety and health, the environment, and society in general. In this article, I argue that a very different logic informs the practices of most high-performing and View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

02 Nov 2022
Blog Post

Climate Stories Episode #11: Mary Jo Veverka (HBS 1978): Fostering Actionable Climate Literacy

her current focus on climate education. “I wanted to create programs that would sustain student learning, programs that would be more impactful than a one-off field trip. These students are our next generation of climate stewards!” Today,... View Details

30 Apr 2007
Research & Ideas

All Eyes on Slovakia’s Flat Tax

foreign direct investment and for sustainable economic growth? These questions and more are explored in a forthcoming business case coauthored by Alfaro along with HBS professor Rafael M. Di Tella, Executive Director of the HBS Europe... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

May 2010
Teaching Note

Re-THINK-ing THINK: The Electric Car Company (TN)

By: Joseph B. Lassiter III

Teaching Note for [810105]. View Details

Keywords: Production; Product Launch; Entrepreneurship; Investment; Environmental Sustainability; Brands and Branding; Distribution; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Auto Industry; Indiana; Norway

2009
Chapter

Self-regulatory Institutions for Solving Environmental Problems: Perspectives and Contributions from the Management Literature

By: Andrew A. King and Michael W. Toffel

Scholars of management have long considered how institutions can help resolve market imperfections and thereby improve human welfare. Most previous research has emphasized the use of for-profit firms. Such institutions cannot effectively address many environmental... View Details

Keywords: For-Profit Firms; Investment; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Competitive Advantage

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January 1989 (Revised March 1995)
Case

Du Pont Freon Products Division (A)

By: Richard H.K. Vietor and Forest L. Reinhardt

In 1988, the Du Pont Co. is abruptly confronted with solid scientific evidence that chlorofluorocarbons are destroying the earth's ozone shield. Du Pont, with its Freon brand product line serving markets for foam insulation, electronics solvents, and especially... View Details

Keywords: Business Divisions; Policy; Management; Brands and Branding; Production; Service Operations; Natural Environment; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Environmental Sustainability

2015
Book

MOVE: Putting America's Infrastructure Back in the Lead

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter

Americans are stuck. We live with travel delays on congested roads; shipping delays on clogged railways; and delays on repairs, project approvals, and funding due to gridlocked leadership. These delays affect us all, whether you are a daily commuter, a frequent flyer,... View Details

August 2024
Case

Iogen: Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors

By: George Serafeim, Charlotte Foody and John Mulliken

Brian Foody, CEO of Iogen Corporation, was an early leader in advanced biofuels, developing a range of technologies to transform agricultural waste into transportation fuel. With $100 million in revenue and 350 patents across various biofuel technologies, Iogen was... View Details

Keywords: Technology; Biofuel; Market Attractiveness; Decarbonization; Technological Innovation; Climate Change; Energy; Environmental Sustainability; Transformation; Market Entry and Exit; Strategy; Energy Industry; United States; United Kingdom