Systems Thinking - Publications - Faculty & Research

03 Dec 2020
Research & Ideas

Cut Payroll Costs with Transparency, Fairness, and Compassion

Benioff has long espoused the need for a more equitable economic system and has stated that the current pandemic “is a tremendous opportunity for all CEOs and all businesses to really put their resources right out there and say, 'We're... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg and Sarah Abbott

30 Apr 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, April 30, 2019

credit and leverage, and expose the economy to major risks. Nicola Gennaioli and Andrei Shleifer carefully walk readers through the unraveling of Lehman Brothers and the ensuing meltdown of the U.S. financial system and then present new... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

16 Dec 2020
Blog Post

My HBS Student Loan Story: Ina Foalea (MBA 2018)

MBA, you are likely thinking about what repayment might look like post-graduation. HBS graduates pursue careers in a variety of industries and positions around the world. With a median starting salary of $148,750, and median signing bonus... View Details

03 Dec 2014
What Do You Think?

Can the Brilliant Jerk Be Managed Effectively?

for the phenomenon. Munyaradzi Mushato suggested that, "my experience in industry tells me that most jerks are created by the very systems that are designed to improve performance that is, about 70% of the jerks are bred! Most... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

15 Jul 2019
Book

Many Executives Are Afraid of Finance. Here's How They Can Gain Confidence

know that anyone can access these ideas.” Dina Gerdeman: Finance intimidates people largely because the system is so complex, but you say there’s an easier way to understand it. Can you explain how? Mihir Desai: Finance is often talked... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

11 Apr 2023
Blog Post

BTG Bioliquids: Creating Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil from Biomass Residue Streams

new type of oil into their system. System thinking and collaborations: Lastly, we saw how systems-level thinking can make these business models more feasible. For example,... View Details

15 Dec 2003
Research & Ideas

Women Leaders and Organizational Change

work gets done—as having anything do to with race or gender. They may notice that it's mostly men who run things, and when a woman is in charge, they may notice this as an anomaly. But few people think about the fact that Western models... View Details

Keywords: by Mallory Stark

Web

Sustainable Business Strategy Course | HBS Online

how we get there. Professor Henderson pushed hard for us to think deeply about systemic change when it's easy to be satisfied with small wins. Though the course is focused on the private sector, in my public... View Details

20 Apr 2010
First Look

First Look: April 20

thinking and feeling to physiology and subsequent behavioral choices. That a person can, via a simple two-minute pose, embody power and instantly become more powerful has real-world, actionable implications. Download the paper: View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

01 Feb 2021
What Do You Think?

Has the New Economy Finally Arrived?

example: “When we think of diversity, we bring in people to improve diversity and then expect them to fit into existing systems and structures For instance, if I were to take the example of India, often... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

14 Mar 2024
Blog Post

IFC India: SELCO - Last Mile Solar Powered Energy for Rural India

Through their robust systems thinking methods, SELCO has been able to develop innovative solar powered technologies tailored to the unique needs of various customer segments including micro-business owners.... View Details

12 Jul 2004
Research & Ideas

Enron’s Lessons for Managers

tragedy and a point of departure for thinking more carefully about the institutions humans have created to organize our economic lives, according to Salter. In a wide-ranging talk with Harvard Business School alumni on June 4, weeks... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

02 Jun 2021
Research & Ideas

A Rare Find in Health Care: A Simple Solution to Racial Inequity

George Floyd’s murder last year forced many people to recognize the systemic racism that pervades American institutions, from law enforcement to health care. Even so, identifying those inequities is different than fixing them. “I don’t... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Health

26 Mar 2018
Research & Ideas

To Motivate Employees, Give an Unexpected Bonus (or Penalty)

Gallani, an assistant professor in the Accounting and Management Unit at Harvard Business School. How much those systems spur employees, however, may depend on how fair employees perceive them to be. “We have a tendency to attribute... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Manufacturing

05 Nov 2021
Op-Ed

Is the Business World Finally Ready for the Wisdom of Shibusawa?

Eiichi Shibusawa continues to gain influence in Japan—even though he died almost a century ago. Japan’s government announced earlier this year that the 19th century business leader would be the face on 10,000 yen ($90) bank notes—the highest value denomination in... View Details

Keywords: by Geoffrey Jones and Rei Morimoto; Financial Services; Retail

06 May 2021
HBS Case

How Four Women Made Miami More Equitable for Startups

Kanter says. Instead, it requires systemic change, including new institutions and new ways of doing things, as Kanter argues in her recent book Think Outside the Building. That might include, for starters,... View Details

Keywords: by Carolyn DiPaolo

31 Oct 2011
Research & Ideas

The Most Powerful Workplace Motivator

financial incentives causes people to work harder," he says. "But my research suggests that in deciding how hard we work and how well we think we're performing, social comparisons matter just as much." The $30,000 Gold Star The power of... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

10 Sep 2020
Research & Ideas

The COVID Two-Step for Leaders: Protect and Pivot

opportunity to pivot and make changes that will allow our organizations to survive beyond the crisis?” Others are wondering if the crisis might contain opportunities: “How can we take advantage of COVID ... and think about emerging... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg and Katherine Connolly Baden

27 Oct 2020
Research & Ideas

Can Being the ‘Token’ Give Women and Minorities a Competitive Edge?

candidates at the same time, rather than hiring a single person in isolation. Think big and commit resources. When it comes to diversity, companies sometimes do just enough to avoid media scrutiny or reputational damage. It’s time for... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost

30 Jul 2013
First Look

First Look: July 30

significant complementarity between the two. Publisher's link: http://www.people.hbs.edu/nashraf/InformationSubsidies.pdf 2013 pub Thought Calibration: How Thinking Just the Right Amount Increases One's Influence and Appeal By: Kupor,... View Details

Keywords: Anna Secino

Publications