Publications

24 Jan 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research: January 24, 2017

earnings patterns. Firms with historically larger earnings in one quarter of the year (“positive seasonality quarters”) have higher returns when those earnings are usually announced. Analysts have more positive forecast errors in View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Career Coach

Cindy Horowitz

Cindy (HBS ’81) brings 20 years of broad management experience to coaching students interested in general management, finance, operations and other corporate roles. She helps students understand the various roles open to them and the career paths to advancement in... View Details

Keywords: Entertainment / Media; Commercial Banking; Financial Services (All); Publishing / Communications / Advertising; Retail

June 2011 (Revised August 2011)
Case

Colgate-Palmolive: Staying Ahead in Oral Care

By: Rebecca M. Henderson and Ryan Johnson

In 2011, Colgate-Palmolive (Colgate) was the global leader in oral care, with a dominant market share lead in toothpaste and a growing presence in toothbrushes and mouthwash. However, the firm faced stiff competition with perennial rivals P&G increasing their focus on... View Details

Keywords: Innovation Strategy; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Distribution Channels; Relationships; Competition; Competitive Advantage; Customization and Personalization; Health Industry

Educators

January 1996 (Revised September 2001)
Teaching Note

General Dynamics and Computer Sciences Corporation: Outsourcing the IS Function Series TN

By: F. Warren McFarlan

Teaching Note for (9-193-144), (9-193-145), and (9-193-178). View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Information Technology; Technology Industry

February 2014
Article

'Last-place Aversion': Evidence and Redistributive Implications

By: Ilyana Kuziemko, Ryan W. Buell, Taly Reich and Michael Norton

We present evidence from laboratory experiments showing that individuals are "last-place averse." Participants choose gambles with the potential to move them out of last place that they reject when randomly placed in other parts of the distribution. In... View Details

Keywords: Income; Rank and Position; Attitudes

Read Now

May 2004 (Revised September 2004)
Background Note

Outsourcing IT: The Global Landscape in 2004

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Brian DeLacey

Profiles the history and context of outsourcing, with particular focus on information technology. View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Information Technology

Educators

01 Jun 2005
News

When No News Isn’t Good News

do a good job and that you care about your role in the organization’s success. Try to weigh positive and critical feedback evenly. It’s human nature to focus on criticism while dismissing praise. When someone identifies a problem area,... View Details

Keywords: Deborah Blagg; career consulting; career advice

November 1983 (Revised May 1984)
Case

Duke Power Co.: Affirmative Action (A)

Presents the dilemmas faced by the executive vice president of construction who is committed to pursuing affirmative action goals but is required by the financial condition of the company to lay off one-third of its construction workforce, which contains many recently... View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Selection and Staffing; Ethics; Utilities Industry

November 2022
Article

Measuring Inequality beyond the Gini Coefficient May Clarify Conflicting Findings

By: Kristin Blesch, Oliver P. Hauser and Jon M. Jachimowicz

Prior research has found mixed results on how economic inequality is related to various outcomes. These contradicting findings may in part stem from a predominant focus on the Gini coefficient, which only narrowly captures inequality. Here, we conceptualize the... View Details

Keywords: Economic Inequalty; Gini Coefficient; Income Inequality; Equality and Inequality; Social Issues; Health; Status and Position

Article

Are You Suited for a Start-up?

By: Jeffrey Bussgang

Relative to established organizations, start-ups can be hard to figure out. What are the jobs to be done? The best entry points? How can you tell whether a company has potential for success and is the right fit for you? The author advises that you first assess... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Personal Characteristics; Job Search

Register to Read

December 2015
Teaching Note

Nokia's Bridge Program (A) & (B)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Susan J. Winterberg

This teaching note is designed to be used in conjunction with the cases "Nokia's Bridge Program: Redesigning Layoffs (A)," HBS No. 615-013, and "Nokia's Bridge Program: Outcome and Results (B)," HBS No. 615-014. Instructors could also assign "Layoffs: Effects on Key... View Details

Keywords: Layoffs; Plant Closure; Outplacement; Shared Value; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Business Exit or Shutdown

May 2010
Supplement

Flare Fragrances Company, Inc.: Analyzing Growth Opportunities, Spreadsheet Supplement (Brief Case)

By: John A. Quelch and Lisa D. Donovan

Keywords: Quantitative Analysis; Market Segmentation; Product Introduction; New Product Marketing; Product Lines; Product Positioning; Distribution; Analysis; Product Launch

2010
Working Paper

Do Call Centers Promote Education? Evidence from India

By: Emily Fair Oster and Mary Bryce Millett

Over the last two decades in India there have been large increases in outsourced jobs and large increases in schooling rates, particularly in English. Existing evidence suggests the trends are broadly related. In this paper we explore how localized these impacts are;... View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Education; Training; Geographic Location; Technology Industry; India

October 2008
Article

Minimally Altruistic Wages and Unemployment in a Matching Model with Monopsony

By: Julio J. Rotemberg

Keywords: Compensation and Benefits; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Economics