Senior Leaders - Publications - Faculty & Research

02 Apr 2007
Lessons from the Classroom

Making the Move to General Manager

this transition into general management." For new general managers—or just as likely in companies these days, senior functional managers who operate as part of an executive team or who have important cross-functional or... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

04 Nov 2015
What Do You Think?

Why Does Gender Diversity Improve Financial Performance?

included those that “women have greater analytical skills and coordinate activities with much (greater) ease than men while upholding company values and strategy” (Mathews Daniel Kapito); “Having senior female View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

20 Jul 2021
Research & Ideas

Bankruptcy Spells Death for Too Many Businesses

a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has hit many companies hard—some to the point of considering bankruptcy—Antill’s research findings may help business leaders make important decisions to avoid the high price of liquidation and choose a... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

26 May 2003
Research & Ideas

When Silence Spells Trouble at Work

that a senior executive is making a poor decision. "Shouldn't we tell her?" he asks his boss, who laughs cynically. "Yes," the boss replies. "Let's end our careers by challenging a decision that won't change.... View Details

Keywords: by Leslie A. Perlow

22 Feb 2021
Book

Reaching Today's Omnichannel Customer Takes a New Sales Strategy

Selling is changing, but broad generalizations and false dichotomies about ecommerce, big data, and other trends—hallmarks of current sales advice—are keeping business leaders from making sound decisions, says Frank Cespedes, author of a... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

01 Feb 2021
What Do You Think?

Has the New Economy Finally Arrived?

involve initially educating the senior leaders, as these are the folks who can open the right doors, make the needed resources available, and align the D&I process with all of the business objectives. Additionally, leadership must be... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

18 Sep 2019
Op-Ed

WeWork—The IPO That Shouldn’t?

corporate leader with a bit of what some call a messiah complex. Facebook, Alphabet, Snap, UBER, Lyft and even Amazon shared one or more of these features, yet none experienced the negative uproar generated by WeWork. "The lessons... View Details

Keywords: by Nori Gerardo Lietz; Financial Services; Real Estate

03 May 2022
Research & Ideas

Desperate for Talent? Consider Advancing Your Own Employees First

Job openings in the United States continue to hover at record high levels, exacerbated by the Great Resignation and a sputtering emergence from the pandemic. Competition remains fierce among companies struggling to find qualified workers. Yet many employers,... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

18 Mar 2019
Research & Ideas

Stuck in Commuter Hell? You Can Still Be Productive

typically unstructured time and allows people to feel prepared for the day ahead. (It’s effective in the same way other rituals, like exercising before work, can help people transition between their home and job roles, the researchers say.) Business View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

30 Jun 2021
In Practice

The Harvard Business School Faculty Summer Reader 2021

Michelle's story is a stark contrast and look forward to hearing her side of things. Next up for me this summer for physical books is my colleague Tsedal Neeley's Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding From Anywhere. As a longtime leader of... View Details

Keywords: by Kathryn Haviland

17 Nov 2020
Research & Ideas

Why a Blended Workforce May Be Key to Lasting Competitive Advantage

In recent years, companies have been anxious about the lack of skilled workers to fill pivotal jobs. But then came COVID-19 and a subsequent recession. The ensuing business turmoil and record-high unemployment may have temporarily distracted companies from their... View Details

Keywords: by Joseph B. Fuller

07 Feb 2019
Book

How Big Companies Can Outrun Disruption

and safety requirements that can constrain what you can try, of course, but anyone can be deeply involved in creating a culture where things are done differently. What it takes is senior leaders who enable... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

21 Nov 2015
HBS Case

HBS Cases: Stella McCartney Combines High Fashion with Environmental Values

they were not aware of all these initiatives that you’re talking about. So, one of their main recommendations to the company was to be much more proactive in conveying these initiatives to consumers. That was a big “aha” moment for the View Details

Keywords: by Brian Kenny; Fashion

27 Jun 2019
Research & Ideas

Rituals Strengthen Couples. Here’s Why They’re Good for Business, Too

can benefit What business leaders might find especially interesting about the research results: Many rituals that couples perform involve some form of joint consumption of products or services. In one study, 64 percent of the rituals... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

03 May 2010
Research & Ideas

What Is the Future of MBA Education?

remain relevant, business schools will have to rethink many of their most cherished assumptions." In an interview, we asked Datar and Garvin to explain more. Datar, the Arthur Lowes Dickinson Professor of Accounting at Harvard University, is the Harvard Business School... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Education

09 Mar 2015
Research & Ideas

Why Entrepreneurs Should Go Work for Government

Mitchell B. Weiss has heard it too many times: government doesn't work. Too slow. Too bureaucratic. Too burdened by procurement rules and performance measures. "Some of that is fair, and some of that is unfair, but it adds up over time," says Weiss, a View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

16 Aug 2004
Research & Ideas

Luxury Isn’t What It Used to Be

senior advisor at Steuben Glass in New York who operates her own consultancy. "It's a great art to define what relevancy means for your brand while keeping its heritage alive. It's a matter of catering to existing clients while... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Consumer Products

19 Sep 2016
Research & Ideas

Why Isn't Business Research More Relevant to Business Practitioners?

10,000 senior marketing executives based in San Jose, California. “There is often a disconnect between practitioners and academics, who tend to be far removed from operational complexities and market dynamics.” Donovan Neale-May,... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Education

08 May 2020
In Practice

Nonprofits Hurt by COVID-19 Must Hoard Cash to Hold On

survey by the Charities Aid Foundation of America. A staggering 97 percent of respondents expect their funding to decline during the next 12 months as the struggling economy and social distancing hurts fundraising efforts. What can nonprofit View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost

27 Feb 2006
Research & Ideas

Take Responsibility for Rising Stars

development of individual star managers but also for helping senior executives and HR experts define and create a balanced leadership development system for the entire company. They must tackle questions such as "How will we balance... View Details

Keywords: by Jeffrey M. Cohn, Rakesh Khurana & Laura Reeves

Publications