Publications

2012
Book

Strength in Numbers: The Political Power of Weak Interests

By: Gunnar Trumbull

This book investigates the sources of interest group influence on public policy. Trumbull argues that diffuse groups like consumers are more influential, and industry less influential, than we commonly assume. View Details

Keywords: Government and Politics; Interests; Power and Influence; Demand and Consumers; Policy

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2020
Article

Inconvenient Truths: Interpreting the Origins of the Internet

By: Shane Greenstein

A conventional economic narrative provides intellectual underpinnings for governments to subsidize research and development ("R&D") that coordinates risky research to benefit many in society. This essay compares this narrative with the origins and invention of the... View Details

Keywords: Lead Users; Technology Transfer; Internet and the Web; History; Analysis; Research and Development; Governance; Information Technology; Policy

10 Jul 2017
Op-Ed

Op-Ed: It’s a Bad Idea to Ban Customers From Recording Videos

Now, the evidence is quickly posted to social media for the world to critique—potentially blown out of proportion. “If a customer feels strongly enough to make a recording and perhaps tell friends, that’s a problem a smart retailer would want to fix” Indeed, many... View Details

Keywords: by Benjamin G. Edelman; Food & Beverage; Air Transportation; Retail; Service

2014
Working Paper

De Gustibus non est Taxandum: Heterogeneity in Preferences and Optimal Redistribution

By: Benjamin B Lockwood and Matthew Weinzierl

The prominent but unproven intuition that preference heterogeneity reduces redistribution in a standard optimal tax model is shown to hold under the plausible condition that the distribution of preferences for consumption relative to leisure rises, in terms of... View Details

Keywords: Spending; Policy; Taxation; Theory; United States

SSRN

March 2001
Case

Corruption in International Business (A)

By: Robert E. Kennedy and Rafael M. Di Tella

Explores various aspects of corruption in international business, in two sections. The first section provides a broad discussion of the ethical, business, and legal aspects of corruption. The second section provides a series of "caselets" that are designed to promote... View Details

Keywords: Crime and Corruption; Emerging Markets; Policy; Globalization

25 May 2016
Research & Ideas

How Consumers and Businesses are Reshaping Public Health

Editor's note. In the United States, a primary provider of health care is through employers. "Every corporation is a player in public health," writes John A. Quelch in a new book of case studies, Consumers, Corporations, and Public Health. Written by Quelch... View Details

Keywords: by John A. Quelch; Health

March 1992 (Revised June 1993)
Case

Lada do Brasil

By: James E. Austin and Helen Shapiro

In an effort to capitalize on the entrepreneurial opportunity presented by the Brazilian government's trade liberalization, a Panamanian automobile trading company launched a business of importing the Russian made Lada cars into Brazil. The company confronts a complex... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Transformation; Economics; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Capital; Policy; Competition; Auto Industry; Brazil

Article

Health Equity, Schooling Hesitancy, and the Social Determinants of Learning

By: Meira Levinson, Alan C. Geller, Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber

At least 62 million K-12 students in North America—disproportionately low-income children of color— have been physically out of school for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These children are at risk of significant academic, social, mental, and physical harm... View Details

Keywords: COVID-19; Public Health; Air Quality; Social Determinants Of Health; Schooling Hesitancy; Vaccine Hesitancy; Racial Injustice; Inequity; Inequality; Health Pandemics; Education; Health Care and Treatment; Policy; Race; Equality and Inequality

01 Sep 2020
News

The Devil You Don’t Know

Illustration by David Plunkert Illustration by David Plunkert Edited by Dan Morrell What examples from history can we reflect on as we begin to address the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and prescribe solutions for policy and... View Details

Web

Admissions & Financial Aid | MBA

the HKS Financial Aid Office for financial aid and follows standard HKS financial aid policies and procedures. Year 2 In Year 2, a student pays full HBS tuition and fees. The student applies to the HBS Financial Aid Office for financial... View Details

John R. Hegeman

Hegeman expanded Metropolitan Life from a struggling company into a nationwide concern. He increased the number of insurance policies from 10,000 in 1870 to nearly 20 million in 1918. During his presidency, the company’s income increased... View Details

Keywords: Finance

12 Nov 2008
Research & Ideas

The Marketing of a President

polling places on election day. This policy of inclusion meant that voting records were set in the general election and the primaries. Fifth, his advertising messages and his tone and demeanor throughout the campaign consistently... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch

Web

2.1.1 Citing Sources & Plagiarism | MBA

completion of assignments can vary, depending upon the policy set by the instructor. Students must assume that collaboration in the completion of assignments is prohibited unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. Students must... View Details

01 Aug 2018
What Do You Think?

Are Free Trade and Free Markets Quaint Ideas From the Past?

pressures from globalization have very different outcomes in terms of, say, income and wage inequality.” This suggests, he continued, that domestic social and political choices and the public policy mix are all important. “Rather than... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

June 1993 (Revised May 1997)
Case

SKA (Sweden)

By: David F. Hawkins

Management is debating a proposal to capitalize R&D. While Swedish GAAP permits capitalization, the general practice is to expense R&D as incurred. View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Financial Reporting; Framework; Balanced Scorecard; Policy; Accounting Industry; Sweden

October 2011
Case

CNBM: Rolling Up China's Cement Industry

By: Joseph L. Bower and G.A. Donovan

The Chinese government has charged Song Zhiping with the job of rationalizing China's cement industry. He has acquired 200 plus companies, but the industry is still fractured. Can he succeed? View Details

Keywords: Industry Growth; Mergers and Acquisitions; Policy; Government and Politics; Construction Industry; Industrial Products Industry; China

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December 2006 (Revised October 2007)
Case

Embrapa

By: David E. Bell and Mary L. Shelman

Brazil's national agricultural research corporation, Embrapa, has developed an integrated crop and livestock production system that will allow farmers and ranchers to intensify production and improve profitability. Broad adoption of the technology would provide the... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Policy; Business and Government Relations; Environmental Sustainability; Technology Adoption; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Brazil

September 2007
Journal Article

Refugee Camp Economies

By: Eric D. Werker

This paper describes the economy of a refugee camp. Key distortions to the economy of Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda are noted and the findings are used to construct a generic model of a refugee camp economy. Camp economies are influenced by host country... View Details

Keywords: Refugees; Economy; Policy; Civil Society or Community; Human Needs; Societal Protocols; Uganda

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