Publications

August 19, 2024
Article

The Business Roundtable’s Stakeholder Pledge, Five Years Later

By: Lynn S. Paine

Five years ago, the Business Roundtable issued a statement pledging to “lead their companies for the benefit of all stakeholders.” In the past five years, stakeholderism has gained wider acceptance and helped many corporate leaders see the value of taking the interests... View Details

Keywords: Business and Stakeholder Relations; Business or Company Management; Mission and Purpose; Corporate Governance

Read Now

Research Summary

Job Market Paper

When to Take the Leap:
The Antecedents and Consequences of Leapfrog CEOs

Much of the prior research on CEO successions focuses on differences between CEOs appointed from within the firm and those appointed from outside;... View Details

28 Nov 2012
What Do You Think?

Should Pay-for-Performance Compensation be Replaced?

possible for them to take the long- and proper-view." Yadeed Lobo articulated the problem faced by corporate boards when he commented that "it is very difficult for board members to judge relative View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

10 Sep 2013
First Look

First Look: September 10

Abstract—This working paper examines the growth of corporate environmentalism in the West German chemical industry between the 1950s and the 1980s. German business has been regarded as pioneering corporate... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

15 Jan 2013
First Look

First Look: January 15

PublicationsThe Future of Organization Design Authors:Baldwin, Carliss Y. Publication:Journal of Organization Design Abstract The modern corporation has long been the central focus of the field of organization design. Such firms can be... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Program

Advanced Management Program

tackle your organization's toughest strategic challenges, lead with greater confidence, inspire performance at all levels—and contribute more value as a member of your company's senior leadership team. Lead a global organization by... View Details

June 2005 (Revised January 2007)
Case

The Board of Directors at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter (A)

By: Jay W. Lorsch and Ashley Robertson

Examines the resignation of Philip Purcell as chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley as a result of poor performance and cultural problems, as well as his relationship to the board of directors. View Details

Keywords: Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Corporate Governance; Resignation and Termination; Performance; Rank and Position

12 Oct 1999
Research & Ideas

What It Takes: Minorities in the Executive Suite

We are on the cusp of a new millennium; yet the face of corporate power in the United States remains overwhelmingly white. People of color hold less than 1 percent of all senior executive posts. But what about leaders such as Kenneth... View Details

Keywords: by Judith A. Ross

14 Jun 2013
Talk

Why Business Can Be Good at Solving Social Problems

By: Michael E. Porter

Why do we turn to nonprofits, NGOs and governments to solve society's biggest problems? Michael Porter admits he's biased, as a business school professor, but he wants you to hear his case for letting business try to solve massive problems like climate change and... View Details

Keywords: Creating Shared Value; Strategy; Value Creation; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Profit; Scotland

March 2008 (Revised January 2010)
Background Note

Note on Accountability in the U.S. Health Care System

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Michael Millenson

This note explains how health care providers, health insurers, and consumers are held accountable for their performance and the entrepreneurial opportunities thus created. View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Ethics; Insurance; Corporate Accountability; Health Care and Treatment; Demand and Consumers; Health Industry; United States

December 1987
Case

John Hancock Financial Services: Sports Sponsorship

By: Stephen A. Greyser

Senior corporate communications executives of a major financial services firm are reviewing the company's sports sponsorship program and are considering expanding it. Hancock already is the corporate sponsor of the Boston Marathon and has the opportunity to sponsor the... View Details

Keywords: Communication Strategy; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Performance Evaluation

11 Oct 2016
First Look

October 11, 2016

lowest quality. Our results underscore the importance of considering dynamic effects in the economic analysis of tort laws. Download working paper: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=50634 Corporate Purpose and Financial View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

2012
Working Paper

When Supply-Chain Disruptions Matter

By: William Schmidt and Ananth Raman

Supply-chain disruptions have a material effect on company value, but this impact can vary considerably. Thus, it is important for managers and investors to recognize the types of disruptions and the organizational factors that lead to the worst outcomes. Prior... View Details

Keywords: Supply Chain; Operations; Performance Efficiency

Read Now

02 Jul 2012
Research & Ideas

Why Good Deeds Invite Bad Publicity

Do companies with reputations for acting in socially responsible ways receive public goodwill when unpleasant news hits? The question of how much (or even if) corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies benefit companies beyond the... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Energy

January 1991 (Revised January 1993)
Case

Xerox Corp.: The Customer Satisfaction Program

In August 1990 the president and executive vice president of Xerox are reviewing the progress made on its customer satisfaction program. The emphasis placed on the program, the success of the program to date, and the drive to achieve the corporate goals of customer... View Details

Keywords: Customer Satisfaction; Consumer Products Industry; Electronics Industry

2008
Working Paper

Structural Closure and Exposure: Formation of Structural Inequality in Managerial Labor Markets

By: Mikolaj Jan Piskorski

Positional advantages arise when actors obtain rewards attached to positions they occupy, but these rewards are not merited by their performance. Existing theory suggests that in competitive markets there should be no positional advantages. This paper proposes a model... View Details

Keywords: Compensation and Benefits; Jobs and Positions; Managerial Roles; Performance Improvement; Alignment; Competitive Advantage; Equality and Inequality