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- September 1995 (Revised March 2023)
- Background Note
Process Fundamentals
By: Ann E. Gray and James Leonard
This note provides an introduction for a course or module covering the basic elements of production or service operations and how processes are managed. Begins by discussing the activities that take place in a "process." Analysis tools such as the process flow diagram... View Details
Gray, Ann E., and James Leonard. "Process Fundamentals." Harvard Business School Background Note 696-023, September 1995. (Revised March 2023.)
- 2025
- Working Paper
A Preference for Revision Absent Improvement
By: Ximena Garcia-Rada, Leslie K. John, Ed O’Brien and Michael I. Norton
People regularly encounter revised stimuli (e.g., revised versions of products, new editions of
books, tweaked recipes, and technological updates). In principle, a world of constant revision
should benefit people by affording them the most up-to-date offerings. In... View Details
Keywords: Product Change; Versioning; Expectancy Effects; Heuristics; Intuitive Processing; Product Marketing; Change; Perception; Consumer Behavior
Garcia-Rada, Ximena, Leslie K. John, Ed O’Brien, and Michael I. Norton. "A Preference for Revision Absent Improvement." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 19-087, February 2019. (Revised April 2025.)
- 2002
- Working Paper
Building Process Improvement Capacity: Structuring Problem Solving As Skill Building Exercises
Spear, Steven J. "Building Process Improvement Capacity: Structuring Problem Solving As Skill Building Exercises." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 02-006, September 2002.
- 2022
- Article
Improving Efficiency and Reducing Costs of MRI-Guided Prostate Brachytherapy Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing
By: Nikhil G. Thaker, Rajat J. Kudchadker, James R. Incalcaterra, Tharakeswara K. Bathala, Robert S. Kaplan, Ankit Agarwal, Deborah A. Kuban, Benjamin D. Frank, Prajnan Das, Thomas W. Feeley and Steven J. Frank
Integrated quality improvement (QI) and cost reduction strategies can help increase value in cancer care. We applied standard QI and TDABC methods to improve workflow efficiency and reduce costs for MRI-guided prostate brachytherapy. We constructed process maps,... View Details
Keywords: Brachytherapy; Quality Improvement; Prostate; Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing; Cost Accounting; Health Care and Treatment; Performance Efficiency; Health Industry
Thaker, Nikhil G., Rajat J. Kudchadker, James R. Incalcaterra, Tharakeswara K. Bathala, Robert S. Kaplan, Ankit Agarwal, Deborah A. Kuban, Benjamin D. Frank, Prajnan Das, Thomas W. Feeley, and Steven J. Frank. "Improving Efficiency and Reducing Costs of MRI-Guided Prostate Brachytherapy Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing." Brachytherapy 21, no. 1 (2022): 49–54.
- Research Summary
Managing Processes
David A. Garvin is examining the nature and use of managerial and organizational processes—the means by which work is accomplished—including strategic processes that chart corporate direction, resource allocation processes that distribute funds,... View Details
- Article
The Perils of Excellence: Barriers to Effective Process Improvement in Product-Driven Firms
By: Rebecca M. Henderson, Jesus del Alamo, Todd Becker, James Lawton, Peter Moran, Saul Shapiro and Dean Vlasak
Henderson, Rebecca M., Jesus del Alamo, Todd Becker, James Lawton, Peter Moran, Saul Shapiro, and Dean Vlasak. "The Perils of Excellence: Barriers to Effective Process Improvement in Product-Driven Firms." Production and Operations Management 7, no. 1 (Spring 1998): 2–18.
- April 2008
- Module Note
Improvement with Customer-Operators
By: Frances X. Frei and Dennis Campbell
Taught as the third module in a Harvard Business School course on Managing Service Operations: Understanding the Customer Operating Role (606-092). Explores how firms can systematically leverage their customer-operators in the organizational improvement process is... View Details
Keywords: Service Operations; Performance Improvement; Customer Focus and Relationships; Framework; Employees; Business Model; Management Practices and Processes; Organizational Design
Frei, Frances X., and Dennis Campbell. "Improvement with Customer-Operators." Harvard Business School Module Note 608-135, April 2008.
- August 2021
- Article
Improving Sales Hiring
Sales hiring presents inherent challenges not found to the same extent in talent management in other functional areas. Moreover, common hiring practices make a tough job needlessly harder. This article suggests practical ways to improve sales hiring: Hire for the Task,... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "Improving Sales Hiring." Top Sales Magazine (August 2021), 20–21.
- May 2006
- Exercise
Improving Performance: Boat Building Exercise
By: Steven C. Wheelwright and Kerry Herman
Provides a framework for team problem solving and process improvement following concepts widely attributed to Toyota Motor Co. View Details
Wheelwright, Steven C., and Kerry Herman. "Improving Performance: Boat Building Exercise." Harvard Business School Exercise 606-147, May 2006.
- 24 May 2013
- Working Paper Summaries
Improving Store Liquidation
- September 2009
- Article
A Detailed Analysis of the Reduction Mammaplasty Learning Curve: A Statistical Process Model for Approaching Surgical Performance Improvement
By: Matthew Carty MD, Rodney Chan, Robert S. Huckman, Daniel C. Snow and Dennis Orgill
Background: The increased focus on quality and efficiency improvement within academic surgery has met with variable success among plastic surgeons. Traditional surgical performance metrics, such as morbidity and mortality, are insufficient to improve the... View Details
Keywords: Experience and Expertise; Health Care and Treatment; Medical Specialties; Outcome or Result; Performance Efficiency; Performance Improvement
Carty, Matthew, MD, Rodney Chan, Robert S. Huckman, Daniel C. Snow, and Dennis Orgill. "A Detailed Analysis of the Reduction Mammaplasty Learning Curve: A Statistical Process Model for Approaching Surgical Performance Improvement." Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 124, no. 3 (September 2009): 706–714.
- 05 May 2014
- Research & Ideas
Reflecting on Work Improves Job Performance
improve their job performance. “Our work shows that if we'd take some time out for reflection, we might be better off.” In the working paper Learning by Thinking: How Reflection Aids Performance, the authors show how reflecting on what... View Details
Keywords: by Carmen Nobel
- October 2001
- Background Note
A Note on Team Process
By: Linda A. Hill and Maria Farkas
When tasks are highly complex, demand a diversity of skills, or require a commitment from the involved parties, teams are usually the most effective way to approach them. But a group of people working together does not automatically equally a team, and groups are often... View Details
Keywords: Competency and Skills; Decision Making; Management; Business Processes; Performance Effectiveness; Performance Efficiency; Groups and Teams; Conflict and Resolution
Hill, Linda A., and Maria Farkas. "A Note on Team Process." Harvard Business School Background Note 402-032, October 2001.
- September 2023
- Teaching Note
Shad Process Flow Design Exercise: Kick-Off Class
By: Willy C. Shih
The Shad Process Flow Design Exercise is a simulation designed to help students cement what they learn in the process fundamentals section of the RCTOM course by giving them the opportunity to translate classroom concepts into actual physical processes and experience... View Details
- February 26, 2024
- Article
Making Workplaces Safer Through Machine Learning
By: Matthew S. Johnson, David I. Levine and Michael W. Toffel
Machine learning algorithms can dramatically improve regulatory effectiveness. This short article describes the authors' scholarly work that shows how the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) could have reduced nearly twice as many occupational... View Details
Keywords: Government Experimentation; Auditing; Inspection; Evaluation; Process Improvement; Government Administration; AI and Machine Learning; Safety; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms
Johnson, Matthew S., David I. Levine, and Michael W. Toffel. "Making Workplaces Safer Through Machine Learning." Regulatory Review (February 26, 2024).
- August 2018 (Revised July 2019)
- Background Note
Conducting a Kaizen
By: Willy Shih
Kaizen, meaning change for the better in Japanese, is a set of activities directed at improving standardized work, equipment, and procedures for carrying out daily production or other business operations. It was popularized by Toyota as an integral part of its Toyota... View Details
Keywords: Best Practices; Continuous Improvement; Kaizen; Process Improvement; 5S; Muda; Toyota Production System; Production; Service Operations; Performance Improvement; North and Central America; Asia; Japan
Shih, Willy. "Conducting a Kaizen." Harvard Business School Background Note 619-016, August 2018. (Revised July 2019.)
- 15 Jul 2013
- Research & Ideas
Five Imperatives for Improving Health Care
innovation efforts traditionally have focused on new products such as drugs and devices, survey respondents ranked process improvements in care delivery as the most promising opportunity for View Details
- December 2016
- Article
Deal Process Design in Management Buyouts
Management buyouts (MBOs) are an economically and legally significant class of transaction: not only do they account for more than $10 billion in deal volume per year, on average, but they also play an important role in defining the relationship between inside and... View Details
Subramanian, Guhan. "Deal Process Design in Management Buyouts." Harvard Law Review 130, no. 2 (December 2016): 590–658.
- Article
Enacting Rituals to Improve Self-control
By: D. A. Tian, J. Schroeder, G. Haubl, J. Risen, M. I. Norton and F. Gino
Rituals are predefined sequences of actions characterized by rigidity and repetition. We propose that enacting ritualized actions can enhance subjective feelings of self-discipline, such that rituals can be harnessed to improve behavioral self-control. We test this... View Details
Tian, D. A., J. Schroeder, G. Haubl, J. Risen, M. I. Norton, and F. Gino. "Enacting Rituals to Improve Self-control." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 114, no. 6 (June 2018): 851–876.
- December 2005 (Revised October 2006)
- Case
Pharmacy Service Improvement at CVS (A)
CVS's retail pharmacy operations are functioning poorly and dissatisfying customers. Many customers are defecting as a result. A pharmacy service improvement team has documented the current prescription fulfillment process, its exception rates, and the problems... View Details
Keywords: Information Technology; Performance Improvement; Business Processes; Retail Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States
McAfee, Andrew P. "Pharmacy Service Improvement at CVS (A)." Harvard Business School Case 606-015, December 2005. (Revised October 2006.)