Labor Productivity - Publications - Faculty & Research

2017
Report

Room to Grow: Identifying New Frontiers for Apprenticeships

By: Joseph B. Fuller and Matthew Sigelman

In the United States, apprentices are employed in just 27 occupations, mostly in skilled, physical trades. An analysis of job postings data shows that extending apprenticeships to more occupations provides an opportunity to expand employment and close the middle skills... View Details

Keywords: Employment; Training; Competency and Skills; Personal Development and Career; United States

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01 Dec 2023
News

Case Study: Staking a Claim

share that enthusiasm with a group that is also unlikely to fit the traditional insurance mold: people in their 20s, 30s, and even 40s. Terry, who worked in product management at Liberty Mutual for a dozen years, observes that life used... View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint; Insurance Carriers and Related Activities; Finance

July 1990 (Revised October 1999)
Case

Nordstrom: Dissension in the Ranks? (A)

By: Robert L. Simons and Hilary Weston

In 1989, the performance measurement systems and compensation policies of Nordstrom Department Stores unexpectedly came under attack by employees, unions, and government regulators. The case describes the "sales-per-hour" monitoring and compensation system that many... View Details

Keywords: Performance Consistency; Performance Evaluation; Compensation and Benefits; Motivation and Incentives; Labor Unions; Salesforce Management; Retention; Growth and Development; Industrial Products Industry; Industrial Products Industry

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Globalization - Faculty & Research

Globalization Globalization December 2014 Article Market Competition, Earnings Management, and Persistence in Accounting Profitability Around the World By: Paul M. Healy , George Serafeim , Suraj Srinivasan and Gwen Yu We examine how cross-country differences in... View Details

08 Sep 2014
Research & Ideas

The Strategic Way To Hire a Sales Team

Recruitment and selection are now more important for various reasons. Due to the data and analytical tasks facing many sales forces, productivity ramp-up times have increased. Each hire then represents a bigger sunk cost for a longer... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

22 Feb 2018
Book

The New History of American Capitalism

types developed by various social scientists during the past two centuries. One of the prime foci of social history, for example, was the history of labor. The history of capitalism picks up that interest but moves beyond wage labor in an... View Details

Keywords: Manufacturing

14 Aug 2018
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, August 14, 2018

examine the direct entry of platform owners into complementors’ product spaces. It finds that both the motivation and impact of such entries on complementors are multifaceted. The motivation behind platform owners’ direct entry goes... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

09 Jan 2020
Book

Rethinking Business Strategy in the Age of AI

more akin to an Apple, a Tesla, or a Nest, or a GoPro—where it’s a consumer product that has the foundation of sexy hardware technology and sexy software technology,” he is quoted in a book published today, Competing in the Age of AI:... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

26 Aug 2008
First Look

First Look: August 26, 2008

economic phenomenon in various host countries. The second part deals with the assimilation of immigrant workers in host-country labor markets and the use of social benefits by immigrants. The survey then considers the effect of... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Feb 2021
What Do You Think?

Has the New Economy Finally Arrived?

economy characterized by high growth, increased employment, and low inflation. It was supposedly driven by the productivity gains of an economy based less on heavy industry and more on service, as well as organizations that were... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

May 2011
Article

The Power of Small Wins

By: Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer

What is the best way to motivate employees to do creative work? Help them take a step forward every day. In an analysis of knowledge workers' diaries, the authors found that nothing contributed more to a positive inner work life (the mix of emotions, motivations, and... View Details

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22 Feb 2023
Blog Post

Meet the Disability Advocacy and Affinity Group (DAAG)

Rock, a Twin Cities based nonprofit focused on empowering young people through music education. Teresa Danso-Danquah (MBA 2024) - VP of Admissions and Administration I am a disability advocate, HR professional, and aspiring VC investor passionate about creating and... View Details

01 Jun 2023
News

Cultivating Prosperity in Afghanistan

Special Forces units while serving in Afghanistan. Saffron currently sells for $2,500 per kilogram because its harvesting and processing are so labor intensive. During the summer after their first year at HBS, Miller served as a brand... View Details

Keywords: Jennifer Gillespie

14 Oct 2021
In Practice

Reunited and It Feels (Not) So Good: Tips for Managing a Rocky Return

a work-from-home regime to WFA. Beyond improved productivity (under some conditions), WFA might enable companies to hire beyond their local labor markets and reduce real estate and utilities costs. As... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

23 Jan 2008
First Look

First Look: January 23, 2008

employed marketing and marketing strategies to diffuse products and brands internationally, despite business, economic, and cultural obstacles to globalization. The process was difficult and complex. The globalization of toiletries... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

November 2011 (Revised June 2012)
Case

The Big 3 Roar Back

By: William W. George

The "Big 3"—Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Chrysler—were all headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. Born between 1903 and 1928, they dominated the automobile industry in the U.S. for decades until they became complacent. In the 1970s they started losing share to... View Details

Keywords: Production; Labor Unions; Labor and Management Relations; Industry Clusters; Competitive Strategy; Auto Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Michigan

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09 Jun 2022
HBS Case

From Truck Driver to Manager: US Foods’ Novel Approach to Staff Shortages

workers to select and manage products in its warehouses. By the middle of 2021, US Foods, which employs about 26,000 workers, had 1,000 unfilled driving and warehouse positions. "You’re saying you might be a truck driver for a while, but... View Details

Keywords: by Pamela Reynolds

12 Nov 2012
Research & Ideas

Pay Workers More So They Steal Less

offering wages higher than the local competition experienced both increased productivity and lower turnover, but did not address the issue of employee theft. Employee theft comes with a huge price tag for US businesses, accounting for up... View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard; Retail

24 Jun 2008
First Look

First Look: June 24, 2008

that are important to both of you. Through managing up, you build a productive working relationship with your boss and create a way to use the complementary strengths of you and your boss to deliver value to your company. This volume... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

May 2025
Case

RTX's Lifetime Income Strategy: Shaping the Future of Retirement

By: Daniel Green, Luis M. Viceira and Sarah Mehta

Set in 2024, this case explores the Lifetime Income Strategy (LIS), a novel retirement product launched by aerospace and defense company RTX in 2012. Aiming to embed the security of a traditional pension within a 401(k) plan, the LIS allowed participants to secure a... View Details