Publications

May 2022
Article

Variance Analysis: New Insights from Health Care Applications

By: Robert S. Kaplan and Susanna Gallani

We use a health care application to illustrate how variance analysis can be used to benchmark costs across similar service delivery sites. Variances for personnel costs, typically the largest cost component in service organizations, are calculated for price, quantity,... View Details

Keywords: Variance Analysis; Benchmarking; Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing; Health Care; Activity Based Costing and Management; Health Care and Treatment; Service Delivery; Service Industry

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April 2020 (Revised October 2020)
Case

Unilever's Response to the Future of Work

By: William R. Kerr, Emilie Billaud and Mette Fuglsang Hjortshoej

In February 2020, Nick Dalton, executive vice president HR business transformation at Unilever, reflected on the changing nature of work marked by rapid advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation. Launched in 2016, Unilever’s Future of Work... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Human Capital; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Structure; Transformation; Human Resources; Consumer Products Industry; Europe

Program

Program for Leadership Development

reflect greater confidence and capabilities Capitalize on the opportunities unleashed by digital transformation Formulate a detailed action plan to address your strategic and leadership challenges Build enduring bonds with accomplished... View Details

22 Apr 2013
News

Earth Day: Recent Research on Sustainability

25 Mar 2021
News

After a year of covid life, we’ve run out of things to talk about. Try these conversation tips.

01 Jul 2016
News

P&G Overhauls Bonus System for Managers

Video

Faculty to Class of 2013

01 Nov 2019
Video

Devi Shetty

Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Health in India, reflects on the remarkable fact that, after 26 years of operation, the cost of heart surgery at Narayana Health has come down dramatically, and shares some of the strategies used by the group to maintain high quality... View Details

June 2006
Case

Riding with the Blackhorse (A)

By: John R. Wells, Sean Hazlett and Niladri Mukhopadhyay

Colonel Moore reflects on his command of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and its preparation of the United States Army for 21st century adversaries. During his command, Colonel Moore had transformed the regiment from a unit focused on providing conventional... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Competency and Skills; Training; Strategic Planning; Adaptation; Alignment; Public Administration Industry; United States

27 Nov 2017
Blog Post

Joining a Start-up: 10 Lessons Along the Way

Apeksha Kothari is a second-year student who spent her summer at www.RareCarat.com, a start-up that guides consumers on where to buy their diamond engagement ring. She will be heading back post-graduation as their Chief Operating Officer. Here, she View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Consumer Products / Retail

June 1995
Case

AT&T's Acquisition of NCR

Dennis R. Beresford, Chairman of the FASB, reflects on the AT&T and NCR merger and AT&T's desire to qualify the transaction for pooling of interest treatment, an accounting method allowing companies to record assets acquired in business combinations at historical cost... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Accounting; Telecommunications Industry

October 2001 (Revised November 2002)
Supplement

Mark Pitts

Describes Peoplestreet, an Internet business being developed at Cambridge Incubator. Peoplestreet is attempting to hire a VP of business development and has identified a candidate, Mark Pitts. Includes an overview of the position, three different interviews with the... View Details

Keywords: Job Interviews

December 2017
Supplement

CEO Succession at Cisco: Video Supplement

By: Boris Groysberg and J. Yo-Jud Cheng

Excerpts of videotaped class visits and an interview with former Cisco CEO John Chambers about Cisco’s CEO succession planning process. Topics include Chambers’ reflections on the process; the roles of the incumbent CEO, board of directors, executive search, and the... View Details

Keywords: CEO Succession; CEO Turnover; Top Management Teams; Board Of Directors; Organizational Change; Strategic Human Resource Management; Strategy; High Technology; Management Succession; Managerial Roles; Corporate Governance; Organizational Culture; Change

Article

Investor Sentiment in the Stock Market

By: Malcolm Baker and Jeffrey Wurgler

We examine how investor sentiment affects the cross-section of stock returns. Theory predicts that a broad wave of sentiment will disproportionately affect stocks whose valuations are highly subjective and are difficult to arbitrage. We test this prediction by... View Details

Keywords: Financial Markets; Stocks; Investment Return; Valuation; Forecasting and Prediction; Volatility; Price; Risk and Uncertainty; Behavioral Finance

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02 Jun 2025
Video

HBS Alumni Career Video | Nicole Ledoux (MBA 2008)

May 2020 (Revised October 2021)
Case

Valuing Peloton

By: E. Scott Mayfield

Peloton Interactive, a well-known venture-capital-backed unicorn in the connected fitness space, recently had gone public with a market capitalization of over $8.0 billion. However, in the weeks following its public debut, Peloton’s stock price had fallen by over 25%.... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Public Equity; Initial Public Offering; Disruptive Innovation; Business Strategy; Valuation; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States

2008
Book

Finding Your True North: A Personal Guide

By: Bill George, Andrew McLean and Nick Craig

Based on Bill George's bestselling book True North, this personal guide offers leaders a comprehensive method for identifying their unique “True North.” The book offers methods for personal reflection and includes targeted exercises that help leaders hone in on the... View Details

Keywords: Values and Beliefs; Leadership; Personal Development and Career; Motivation and Incentives; Personal Characteristics