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- All HBS Web
(2,641)
- People (9)
- News (822)
- Research (1,137)
- Events (3)
- Multimedia (39)
- Faculty Publications (825)
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- 04 Apr 2011
- HBS Case
Reinventing the National Geographic Society
scientific society with a mission "to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the National Geographic Society (NGS) soon launched a scholarly journal, National Geographic Magazine. Using revenues secured from members, the... View Details
- 09 May 2017
- What Do You Think?
Should Management Be Primarily Responsible to Shareholders?
Shareholder value is easy to measure. Agency theory simplifies the mission for managers; they need only serve one primary master. Theorists have been hard-put to come up with notions as easy to understand and implement. Now, Friedman’s... View Details
Keywords: by James Heskett
- 2023
- Book
Deeply Responsible Business: A Global History of Values-Driven Leadership
By: Geoffrey Jones
Corporate social responsibility has entered the mainstream, but what does it take to run a successful purpose-driven business? This book examines leaders who put values alongside profits to showcase the challenges and upside of deeply responsible business. Should... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Responsibility; Business Ecuation; Socially Responsible Investing; Business Education; Ethics; Leadership; Business History; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Religion; Social Enterprise; Social Issues; Wealth and Poverty; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Banking Industry; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Computer Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Education Industry; Fashion Industry; Financial Services Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Green Technology Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Electronics Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; United Kingdom; Germany; United States; Japan; India; Latin America
Jones, Geoffrey. Deeply Responsible Business: A Global History of Values-Driven Leadership. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2023.
- January–February 2023
- Article
Rethink Your Employee Value Proposition: Offer Your People More Than Just Flexibility
By: Mark Mortensen and Amy C. Edmondson
A lot of leaders believe that the formula for attracting and keeping talent is simple: Just ask people what they want and give it to them. The problem is, that approach tends to address only the material aspects of jobs that are top of employees’ minds at the moment,... View Details
Keywords: Compensation and Benefits; Retention; Recruitment; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Culture; Satisfaction
Mortensen, Mark, and Amy C. Edmondson. "Rethink Your Employee Value Proposition: Offer Your People More Than Just Flexibility." Harvard Business Review 101, no. 1 (January–February 2023): 45–49.
- 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
Keywords: Creativity; Interpersonal Communication; Employee Relationship Management; Leadership; Performance Effectiveness; Emotions; Motivation and Incentives; Groups and Teams; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Innovation Leadership; Working Conditions; Management Practices and Processes; Management Skills; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Culture; Performance Productivity; Attitudes; Behavior; Happiness; Perception; Trust; Time Management; Resource Allocation; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Managerial Roles
Amabile, Teresa M., and Steven J. Kramer. "The Power of Small Wins." Harvard Business Review 89, no. 5 (May 2011).
- 24 Apr 2023
- HBS Case
What Does It Take to Build as Much Buzz as Booze? Inside the Epic Challenge of Cannabis-Infused Drinks
while working as consultants at Bain & Company in 2018. Alcohol alternative with a social mission Considered one of the first cannabis beverage firms, Cann has sold more than 10 million cans of low-calorie flavored seltzer infused... View Details
- 23 Sep 2022
- Research & Ideas
8 Strategies to Sustain Business Innovation
a same-day reply by phone or email. The rules aren’t mission statements, but rather a way to make learning experiences easier to adopt and follow. McDonald adds, “Even simple rules can outlive their usefulness.” 6. Make the new look... View Details
Keywords: by Lane Lambert
- 2015
- Working Paper
The Impact of Funds: An Evaluation of CDC 2004-12
By: Josh Lerner, Ann Leamon, Steve Dew and Dong Ik Lee
CDC was founded in 1948 as part of the U.K. government's efforts to develop the economic resources of Britain's remaining colonies. Since then, CDC has pursued a series of strategies to "do good without losing money," as its original mission was phrased. Its approach... View Details
Lerner, Josh, Ann Leamon, Steve Dew, and Dong Ik Lee. "The Impact of Funds: An Evaluation of CDC 2004-12." Working Paper, October 2015.
- June 2014 (Revised February 2017)
- Case
Kathy Giusti and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
By: Richard G. Hamermesh, Joshua D. Margolis and Matthew G. Preble
What do you do when your rising professional career is cut short by an unexpected cancer diagnosis? Kathy Giusti shifted careers, built a new organization that transformed how cancer research is done, and now faces the challenge of sustaining the organization and its... View Details
Keywords: Philanthropy; Philanthropy Funding; Entrepreneurship; Health Care; Management Styles; Personalized Medicine; Health Care Outcomes; Cancer; Cancer Care In The U.S.; Personal Care; Leadership; Leading Change; Social Entrepreneurship; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Health Care and Treatment; Leadership Style; Management Style; Management Skills; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Strategy; Health; Health Industry; United States; Canada; Spain
Hamermesh, Richard G., Joshua D. Margolis, and Matthew G. Preble. "Kathy Giusti and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation." Harvard Business School Case 814-026, June 2014. (Revised February 2017.)
- 08 Aug 2005
- Research & Ideas
Decision Rights: Who Gives the Green Light?
extraordinarily difficult and controversial management task." And therein lies a big problem, because how effective an organization is at making high-quality decisions consistent with its mission and objectives, the experts note, is... View Details
Keywords: by Peter Jacobs
- 01 Feb 2022
- Book
Innovation Isn’t Just for Startups: How Big Companies Can Succeed
Although Carol was a scientist by background, along with many of the leaders she hired, it had not been her vision that started the unit. She focused intensely on the mission and vision for the venture, engaging organizational consultants... View Details
Keywords: by Lane Lambert
- August 2020 (Revised May 2021)
- Case
PayPal: The Next Chapter
By: Michael Porter, Mark Kramer and Annelena Lobb
Can a social purpose and stakeholder capitalism confer a powerful competitive advantage in the age of COVID-19? For PayPal, the answer is yes. After spinning off from eBay in a 2015 IPO, the company declared its purpose as "democratizing financial services" by ensuring... View Details
Keywords: Mission and Purpose; Finance; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Social Entrepreneurship; Competitive Advantage; Financial Services Industry
Porter, Michael, Mark Kramer, and Annelena Lobb. "PayPal: The Next Chapter." Harvard Business School Case 721-378, August 2020. (Revised May 2021.)
- 28 Sep 2011
- Research & Ideas
The Profit Power of Corporate Culture
Corporate culture is often thought of as a hard-to-define, or soft concept in management circles. Soft not in the sense that it isn't important—most CEOs will tell you that their ability to inculcate values and mission into the DNA of a... View Details
Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne
- April 2009 (Revised May 2009)
- Case
Oprah Winfrey
By: Nancy F. Koehn, Erica Helms, Katherine Miller and Rachel Wilcox
The case explores the entrepreneurial journey of Oprah Winfrey, examining how she built an audience for one of the most successful television shows in history; how she created the company, Harpo Productions, that produces that show as well as other media offerings; how... View Details
Keywords: Business Model; Entrepreneurship; Leadership; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Personal Development and Career; Strategy; Media and Broadcasting Industry; United States
Koehn, Nancy F., Erica Helms, Katherine Miller, and Rachel Wilcox. "Oprah Winfrey." Harvard Business School Case 809-068, April 2009. (Revised May 2009.)
- January 2010 (Revised April 2011)
- Case
Google Inc.
By: Benjamin Edelman and Thomas R. Eisenmann
Describes Google's history, business model, governance structure, corporate culture, and processes for managing innovation. Reviews Google's recent strategic initiatives and the threats they pose to Yahoo, Microsoft, and others. Asks what Google should do next. One... View Details
Keywords: Digital Marketing; Business Model; Growth and Development Strategy; Network Effects; Mission and Purpose; Expansion; Internet and the Web; Information Technology Industry
Edelman, Benjamin, and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Google Inc." Harvard Business School Case 910-036, January 2010. (Revised April 2011.) (Winner of ECCH 2011 Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Case Method - Strategy and General Management.)
- 31 Jan 2023
- Research & Ideas
It’s Not All About Pay: College Grads Want Jobs That ‘Change the World’
make a difference to the business itself. “Investing in prosocial missions actually will help you attract candidates,” Zhang says. “You can get quality candidates even when lowering your wage if you're a prosocial employer." Policymakers... View Details
Keywords: by Rachel Layne
- 12 Sep 2022
- Research & Ideas
When Experts Play It Too Safe: Innovation Lessons from a NASA Experiment
for the US space agency’s Astrobee system in 2018. Entries proposed solutions to technical issues with a robotic arm for Astrobee, a free-flying robot that handles inventory, documents astronauts’ experiments, and moves cargo. Astrobee is key to NASA’s View Details
- October 1991 (Revised December 1993)
- Case
Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, Inc.: Keeping the Mission(s) Alive
Ben & Jerry's is an anti-establishment, values-driven company that has become a successful venture. The dominant founder, Ben Cohen, is not an effective manager, but he brings creative marketing and product skills that have been important to the company's success. He... View Details
Keywords: Mission and Purpose; Organizational Culture; Entrepreneurship; Compensation and Benefits; Manufacturing Industry; Food and Beverage Industry
Theroux, John B. "Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, Inc.: Keeping the Mission(s) Alive." Harvard Business School Case 392-025, October 1991. (Revised December 1993.)
- July 2023 (Revised April 2025)
- Case
'Bugs' Burger Bug Killers
By: Ryan W. Buell and William Fulmer
In the height of its success, Bugs Burger Bug Killers (BBBK; Burger has a soft 'g' - it rhymes with merger) was the largest independent extermination company in America, growing at more than 20% per year. BBBK built its business on the promise of pest eradication,... View Details
Buell, Ryan W., and William Fulmer. "'Bugs' Burger Bug Killers." Harvard Business School Case 624-004, July 2023. (Revised April 2025.)
- 28 Jan 2020
- Book
Advanced Leadership Requires More Than Outside-The-Box Thinking
he was crazy to risk his reputation on something so novel. But he told himself, “It’s not about me.” It’s about the mission and the people and communities to be served. So he took the risk and is now getting ready to scale his model,... View Details
Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne