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February 1997 (Revised July 2004)
Case

Walden Woods

By: William J. Poorvu and Arthur I Segel

In 1984, Mortimer Zuckerman and Ed Linde, through their firm, Boston Properties (BP), acquired land in Concord, MA to build a 147,000-square-foot, first-class suburban office building. BP proceeded to go through the permitting and approval process with the town and was... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Decision Choices and Conditions; Entrepreneurship; Property; Environmental Sustainability; Conflict and Resolution; Real Estate Industry; Massachusetts

November 2023 (Revised August 2024)
Background Note

Life Cycle Assessment: An Overview

By: Willy C. Shih, Michael W. Toffel and Kelsey Carter

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a holistic approach to quantifying the environmental impacts—including resources consumed and wastes produced—associated with the entire life cycle of a product, from the production or extraction of the raw materials used in its creation,... View Details

Keywords: Life-cycle; Environmental Performance; Design; Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Measurement and Metrics; Standards; Accounting; Environmental Accounting

07 Jul 2016
News

Creating a Viable Future in Rural Africa

Louise Fenn Ruhr (MBA 1977) is helping empower poor and displaced communities in the developing world—particularly women—cope with the impact of climate change through sustainable food, water, energy, and income-generation programs. As... View Details

24 Apr 2014
News

Protecting conservation land while turning a profit

the lands will be managed sustainably in perpetuity, and, in many cases, the assurance of public access to the land for recreation,” he explains. Based in Hanover, New Hampshire, Lyme is recognized as a leader in conservation investing,... View Details

22 May 2020
In Practice

Post-COVID Health Care: More Screens, Less Red Tape?

of (systemic) invention. The opportunity, therefore, is to start reinventing the future health care delivery system that will sustainably deliver prevention and sick care in a post-COVID world. Amy C. Edmondson (@AmyCEdmondson) is the... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost

05 Apr 2011
First Look

First Look: April 5

Authors:Tiona Zuzul and Amy C. Edmondson Abstract Building on research in strategy formation and organizational innovation, this paper reports on a field study of a young company in the sustainable cities industry. We examine how company... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

31 Aug 2010
First Look

First Look: August 31

possessed competitive advantages and management skills residing in contacts, knowledge, information, and relationships that sustained long-lasting and successful international businesses and that gave them genuine efficiency-enhancing... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 2019 (Revised June 2020)
Case

Indigo Agriculture: Harnessing Nature

By: Marco Iansiti, Michael W. Toffel and James Barnett

Indigo Agriculture used a digital-enabled research and development (R&D) process to launch its initial product, microbial coatings for agricultural seeds, which increase crop yields while reducing the need for fertilizers. In doing so, the company developed direct... View Details

Keywords: Carbon Sequestration; Operations; Supply Chain; Social Enterprise; Product Development; Distribution Channels; Business Strategy; Digital Platforms; Environmental Sustainability; Science-Based Business; Climate Change; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Green Technology Industry; United States; Massachusetts

01 Dec 2015
News

Alumni and Faculty Books for December 2015

Alumni Books Think to Win: Unleashing the Power of Strategic Thinking by Paul Butler, John F. Manfredi, and Peter Klein (MBA 1971) (McGraw-Hill Education) The authors provide a proven plan for making strategic thinking part of any organization’s DNA to drive View Details

01 Jun 2007
News

Mission Possible

opportunities to become change agents for society by creating pattern-breaking approaches and sustainable solutions, explains HBS lecturer Stacey Childress. Unlike business entrepreneurs who are motivated by profits, social entrepreneurs... View Details

Keywords: Roger Thompson; Margie Kelley; Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Educational Services; Social Assistance; Health, Social Assistance

09 Mar 2021
News

A For-Profit Business That Makes Education Accessible

agencies in 29 states as a tool to assist those who are unemployed bolster their skills. “Our workplaces are changing very dramatically,” Feerick says. “We can provide people with the most up-to-date courses to give them an edge.” A View Details

Keywords: April White

22 Feb 2022
News

March 2022 Alumni and Faculty Books

vision for the organization of the future; reveals the workplace innovations that emerged during the pandemic; and defines the new model of leadership for sustaining continuous change throughout the coming years of opportunity and... View Details

2022
Article

Reversible Power-to-Gas Systems for Energy Conversion and Storage

By: Gunther Glenk and Stefan Reichelstein

In the transition to decarbonized energy systems, Power-to-Gas (PtG) processes have the potential to connect the existing markets for electricity and hydrogen. Specifically, reversible PtG systems can convert electricity to hydrogen at times of ample power supply, yet... View Details

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September 2020 (Revised June 2021)
Case

Algramo

By: Michael Chu, Monica Silva and Mariana Cal

Founded in 2013 by José Manuel Moller in Chile, Algramo first became known for addressing the “poverty tax” (the surcharge paid by lower income families for staples sold in smaller sizes) through specially-designed dispensers in low-income neighborhood grocery stores... View Details

Keywords: Packaging-as-a-wallet; Plastic Waste; Business At The Base Of The Pyramid; Reusable Packaging; Alliances With FMCGs To Meet ESG Goals; Social Entrepreneurship; Environmental Sustainability; Strategy; Value Creation; Goals and Objectives; Business Model; Consumer Products Industry; Latin America; South America; Chile

September 2009 (Revised December 2009)
Supplement

Genzyme Center (B)

By: Michael W. Toffel and Aldo Sesia

Genzyme Corporation is in the midst of planning its new corporate headquarters, which incorporates many innovative green building features. After learning that the building as planned would likely earn a LEED Silver rating, an intermediate score in the LEED green... View Details

Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Standards; Cost vs Benefits; Biotechnology Industry; Construction Industry; Real Estate Industry; Green Technology Industry

March 2008 (Revised July 2010)
Case

China in Africa: The Case of Sudan

This case examines the relation between China's demand for resources and political risk. View Details

Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies; Business and Government Relations; Risk and Uncertainty; Environmental Sustainability; Sudan; China

January 1994 (Revised May 1995)
Case

Xerox: Design for the Environment

By: Richard H.K. Vietor

In 1990, Xerox undertook an "Environmental Leadership Program" designed to make Xerox an industry leader in non-polluting operations, recycling, and products actually designed for the environment. This effort flowed naturally out of the system of total quality... View Details

Keywords: Product Design; Production; Service Delivery; Service Operations; Organizational Design; Environmental Sustainability