Publications

06 Sep 2022
Research & Ideas

Does Hybrid Work Actually Work? Insights from 30,000 Emails

Early COVID-19 lockdowns sparked a contentious debate that rages on in the workplace: Can businesses thrive if employees continue to work remotely? Skeptical CEOs, such as the leaders of Goldman Sachs and Starbucks, say they need workers... View Details

Keywords: by Ben Rand

Column

The Changing Geography of Work: Priorities for Policy Makers

By: Prithwiraj Choudhury

The COVID-19 pandemic thrust the issue of how and where we work into the spotlight. The adoption of remote and hybrid work increased exponentially as lockdowns necessitated social distancing. But now, as we enter a new phase of the pandemic, the Geography of Work—where... View Details

Keywords: Remote Work; Hybrid Work Model; Work-from-anywhere; Employees; Geographic Location; Policy

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03 Dec 2020
News

Use Remote Work to Revitalize the Cities That Need It Most

October 2021 (Revised November 2021)
Case

DRSi

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

In March of 2019, Jen Ransom Fuller purchased DRSi. DRSi, located in Bellevue, Washington, printed and reproduced architectural plans and drawings. Fuller planned to use her first year of ownership to learn the business and to run it in much the same way as the seller.... View Details

27 Mar 2020
News

Lessons from Italy’s Response to Coronavirus

19 Dec 2022
Research & Ideas

The 10 Most Popular Articles of 2022

Two intense years of pandemic distancing and disruption gave way to another sort of distress in 2022—a year of soul searching, burnout, and quiet quitting. The 10 most-read articles on Harvard Business School Working Knowledge showed a... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost

August 2022 (Revised October 2022)
Case

Sian Flowers: Fresher by Sea?

By: Willy C. Shih, Michael W. Toffel and Pippa Tubman Armerding

The setting for this case is the Sian Flowers, a company headquartered in Kitengela, Kenya that exports roses to predominantly Europe. Because cut flowers have a limited shelf life and consumers want them to retain their appearance for as long as possible, Sian or its... View Details

Keywords: Supply Chain; Supply Chains; Sustainability; Sustainable Agriculture; Sustainability Reporting; Carbon Emissions; Supply Chain Management; Quality; Ship Transportation; Cost Management; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Africa; Kenya; Netherlands; Europe

09 Jun 2022
HBS Case

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

problem. For some time, the company had to deal with a nationwide shortage of truck drivers. “Young people aren’t going to this business,” said Pietro Satriano, US Foods’ CEO, in a new Harvard Business School case study entitled US Foods: Driving Post-Pandemic Success?... View Details

Keywords: by Pamela Reynolds

30 Sep 2020
Blog Post

Reflecting on my service

ventured into combat, protecting my fellow veterans as we transitioned back into a difficult world. So it was no surprise to me that as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, I found myself once again seeking to... View Details

March 2021
Case

CashDrop (A)

By: Rembrand Koning, Paul A. Gompers and Sarah Gulick

In July 2020, Ruben Flores-Martinez had launched a startup, CashDrop, which provided easy and cheap sales options for small businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic helped CashDrop quickly grow. Flores-Martinez, who had previously sought and been denied venture capital... View Details

Keywords: Payment Systems; Small Business; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Venture Capital; Online Technology; Technology Industry; Financial Services Industry; Chicago; Illinois

December 24, 2020
Article

How Businesses Can Find “Hidden Workers”

By: Joseph B. Fuller, Manjari Raman, Eva Sage-Gavin and Ladan Davarzani

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, low- and middle-skill workers struggled to find and retain steady work. Now, many of these workers are considered “essential,” while many others are unemployed and struggling to find work. As the pandemic eases throughout 2021,... View Details

Keywords: Health Pandemics; Employees; Selection and Staffing