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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(1,109)
- People (1)
- News (175)
- Research (686)
- Events (14)
- Multimedia (4)
- Faculty Publications (300)
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- 30 Jul 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
‘Organizing’, ‘Innovating’, and ‘Managing’ in Complexity Space
Keywords: by Michael C. Moldoveanu
- 11 Feb 2010
- Working Paper Summaries
The Architecture of Complex Systems: Do Core-periphery Structures Dominate?
- 2012
- Working Paper
Modularity and Organizations
Modularity describes the degree to which a complex system can be broken apart into subunits (modules) that can be recombined in various ways. Modularity is important for organizations and the economy because the boundaries of organizational units and corporations are... View Details
- 2010
- Working Paper
The Architecture of Complex Systems: Do Core-periphery Structures Dominate?
By: Alan MacCormack, Carliss Y. Baldwin and John Rusnak
Any complex technological system can be decomposed into a number of subsystems and associated components, some of which are core to system function while others are only peripheral. The dynamics of how such "core-periphery" structures evolve and become embedded in a... View Details
Keywords: Innovation and Management; Product Design; Practice; Core Relationships; Software; Information Technology Industry
MacCormack, Alan, Carliss Y. Baldwin, and John Rusnak. "The Architecture of Complex Systems: Do Core-periphery Structures Dominate?" Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 10-059, January 2010.
- 1990
- Chapter
Cost of Product and Process Complexity
By: S. Datar, R. Banker, S. Kekre and T. Mukhopadhyay
Datar, S., R. Banker, S. Kekre, and T. Mukhopadhyay. "Cost of Product and Process Complexity." Chap. 9 in Measures for Manufacturing Excellence, edited by Robert S. Kaplan, 269–290. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1990.
- May 2018
- Case
Harvest City: The Intelligent Procurement System Project
By: Lynda M. Applegate and Ramiro Montealegre
The Harvest City case describes the implementation of a cloud- and IoT-based intelligent procurement system at a new convention complex in the U.S. Midwest. The decision to build a convention complex is a strategic initiative for this city and involves extensive use of... View Details
Keywords: Information Technology; Projects; Management; Decision Making; Business and Government Relations; Information Technology Industry
Applegate, Lynda M., and Ramiro Montealegre. "Harvest City: The Intelligent Procurement System Project." Harvard Business School Brief Case 918-507, May 2018.
- 15 Aug 2007
- Op-Ed
3 Steps to Reduce Financial System Risk
Regulatory authorities face 2 challenges that need to be addressed forcefully if they are to contain a new source of systemic risk in international finance. First, the increasing migration of complex market... View Details
- Article
Look 'Outside the Building' for the Future of Leadership
The author discusses what she terms “outside the building” issues, such as climate change, pandemics, and racial/gender justice. These complex issues are “beyond the boundaries of single organizations.” As she writes, “I call this new leadership for the future... View Details
Keywords: Change Leadership; Advanced Leadership; Innovation; Complex Systems; Impact; Leadership; Change; Leading Change; Innovation Leadership
Kanter, Rosabeth M. "Look 'Outside the Building' for the Future of Leadership." Leader to Leader 100 (Spring 2021): 31–34.
- 5 Nov 2005 - 8 Nov 2005
- Conference Presentation
Exploring the Architecture of Complex Software Products
By: Alan MacCormack
- 2025
- Chapter
Leapfrog Leaders: Accelerating Systems Leadership Skills
By: Laura Cabrera, Derek Cabrera and Hise O. Gibson
We need leaders who can execute at the Strategic, Operational, and Tactical (SOT) levels. But, research shows it takes time for skills to develop at all three levels—too much time. Why does it take too much time? First, because expertise is borne of experience. An... View Details
Keywords: DSRP; VCML; Strategy; Operations; Leadership Development; Decision Making; Organizational Structure
Cabrera, Laura, Derek Cabrera, and Hise O. Gibson. "Leapfrog Leaders: Accelerating Systems Leadership Skills." In The Routledge Handbook of Systems Thinking, edited by Derek Cabrera, Laura Cabrera, and Gordon Midgley. London: Routledge, forthcoming.
- January 2020
- Article
Compensation Consultants and the Level, Composition, and Complexity of CEO Pay
By: Kevin J. Murphy and Tatiana Sandino
We provide fresh evidence regarding the relation between compensation consultants and CEO pay. First, firms that employ consultants have higher-paid CEOs—this result is robust to firm fixed effects and matching on economic and governance variables. Second, while this... View Details
Keywords: Consultants; Benchmarking; Incentive Pay; Executive Compensation; Complexity; Motivation and Incentives; Governance
Murphy, Kevin J., and Tatiana Sandino. "Compensation Consultants and the Level, Composition, and Complexity of CEO Pay." Accounting Review 95, no. 1 (January 2020): 311–341.
- 2019
- Working Paper
Compensation Consultants and the Level, Composition, and Complexity of CEO Pay
By: Kevin J. Murphy and Tatiana Sandino
We provide fresh evidence regarding the relation between compensation consultants and CEO pay. First, firms that employ consultants have higher-paid CEOs—this result is robust to firm fixed effects and matching on economic and governance variables. Second, while this... View Details
Keywords: Consultants; Benchmarking; Incentive Pay; Executive Compensation; Complexity; Motivation and Incentives; Governance
Murphy, Kevin J., and Tatiana Sandino. "Compensation Consultants and the Level, Composition, and Complexity of CEO Pay." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 18-027, September 2017. (Revised March 2019. Accepted and forthcoming at The Accounting Review.)
- December 2020
- Article
The Parable of the Auctioneer: Complexity in Paul R. Milgrom's Discovering Prices
By: Scott Duke Kominers and Alexander Teytelboym
Designing marketplaces in complex settings requires both novel economic theory and real-world engineering, often drawing upon ideas from fields such as computer science and operations research. In Discovering Prices, Milgrom (2017) explains the theory and design... View Details
Kominers, Scott Duke, and Alexander Teytelboym. "The Parable of the Auctioneer: Complexity in Paul R. Milgrom's Discovering Prices." Journal of Economic Literature 58, no. 4 (December 2020): 1180–1196.
- 31 Jul 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
Communication (and Coordination?) in a Modern, Complex Organization
- 2022
- Working Paper
Developing a Sustainable High Commitment, High Performance System of Organizing, Managing, and Leading: An Actionable Systems Theory of Change and Development
By: Michael Beer
This paper presents a theory for developing an adaptive high commitment, high performance system of organizing, managing, and leading. It is a synthesis of my 50 years of action and field research presented in my books and articles. It operationalized and makes... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Learning; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Leadership; Management Practices and Processes
Beer, Michael. "Developing a Sustainable High Commitment, High Performance System of Organizing, Managing, and Leading: An Actionable Systems Theory of Change and Development." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 23-016, September 2022.
- September 1992
- Case
Kodak Business Imaging Systems Division
By: Marie-Therese M. Flaherty and Steven C. Wheelwright
Describes Kodak's decision regarding a manufacturing site for some of its products. Compares several types of products (with different cost structures) and several worldwide locations (with different characteristics). Provides a framework (model) for comparing and... View Details
Keywords: Framework; Production; Product; Global Range; Supply Chain Management; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Electronics Industry
Flaherty, Marie-Therese M., and Steven C. Wheelwright. "Kodak Business Imaging Systems Division." Harvard Business School Case 693-043, September 1992.
- 2008
- Working Paper
Communication (and Coordination?) in a Modern, Complex Organization
By: Adam M. Kleinbaum, Toby E. Stuart and Michael L. Tushman
This is a descriptive study of the structure of communications in a modern organization. We analyze a dataset with millions of electronic mail messages, calendar meetings and teleconferences for many thousands of employees of a single, multidivisional firm during a... View Details
Keywords: Business Conglomerates; Interpersonal Communication; Organizational Structure; Social Issues; Boundaries
Kleinbaum, Adam M., Toby E. Stuart, and Michael L. Tushman. "Communication (and Coordination?) in a Modern, Complex Organization." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 09-004, July 2008.
- May 1992 (Revised January 2000)
- Case
Asea Brown Boveri: The ABACUS System
By: Robert L. Simons
Describes the computer-based information system (ABACUS) used to monitor and control business operations in a complex, global company. Describes the technical attributes of the database system, financial reporting requirements, target setting and profit calculations on... View Details
Keywords: Financial Reporting; Profit; Business Growth and Maturation; Analytics and Data Science; Design; Accounting Audits; Growth and Development; Globalized Firms and Management; Complexity; Technology Industry
Simons, Robert L. "Asea Brown Boveri: The ABACUS System." Harvard Business School Case 192-140, May 1992. (Revised January 2000.)
- October 2014
- Article
Hidden Structure: Using Network Methods to Map System Architecture
By: Carliss Y. Baldwin, Alan MacCormack and John Rusnak
In this paper, we describe an operational methodology for characterizing the architecture of complex technical systems and demonstrate its application to a large sample of software releases. Our methodology is based upon directed network graphs, which allows us to... View Details
Baldwin, Carliss Y., Alan MacCormack, and John Rusnak. "Hidden Structure: Using Network Methods to Map System Architecture." Research Policy 43, no. 8 (October 2014): 1381–1397.