Publications

02 Sep 2002
Research & Ideas

The Role of Government When All Else Fails

century, the main objective of most risk management policies—from limited liability to bankruptcy law to a fixed exchange rate—was to encourage trade and investment and thus to facilitate economic growth by making investors and traders... View Details

Keywords: by Laura Linard

26 Sep 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, September 26, 2017

the United States, the time, cost, and complications of patent suits provide openings for opportunistic assertions of infringement. This article proposes a way to address information problems that facilitate opportunistic assertion: an... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

January 2009 (Revised January 2011)
Background Note

The Great Moderation, Dead or Alive?

By: Diego A. Comin

The Great Moderation is a significant decline in the volatility of fluctuations in most macroeconomic variables that the United States and other developed and developing economies have experienced at least since the mid-1980s. This case describes the basic facts,... View Details

Keywords: Volatility; Business Cycles; Macroeconomics; United States

January 1999
Case

Prague Post, The

By: Paul A. Gompers

Lisa Frankenberg, co-founder of the Prague Post, is faced with several business and professional decisions. The English-language paper she founded is under pressure from competition and a Czech Republic recession. She must decide how to return the paper to... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Decisions; Decision Choices and Conditions; Profit; Competition; Financial Crisis; Personal Development and Career; Publishing Industry; Czech Republic

August 2009 (Revised September 2011)
Case

Whole Foods: Balancing Social Mission and Growth

By: Christopher Marquis, Marya Besharov and Bobbi Thomason

In 2009, Whole Foods stands at a crossroads. Their incredible growth over the past 25 years has vaulted them into the ranks of the largest US supermarkets and they have arguably led to the widespread acceptance of natural and organic foods in the United States. Yet... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Leadership; Growth and Development Strategy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Food and Beverage Industry; Retail Industry; United States

September 2002 (Revised December 2005)
Case

DaimlerChrysler Post-Merger Integration (A)

By: Richard F. Meyer, Michael G. Rukstad, Peter J. Coughlan and Stephan A. Jansen

Describes the background, process, and aftermath of the merger between Daimler-Benz of Germany and Chrysler Corp. of America. Describes the economic structure and trends of the world automobile industry at the turn of the century as well as the individual histories and... View Details

Keywords: Integration; Negotiation Process; Corporate Strategy; Mergers and Acquisitions; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Auto Industry; Germany; United States

March 2014 (Revised January 2025)
Case

Ukraine: On the Border of Europe and Eurasia

By: Rawi Abdelal, Rafael M. Di Tella, Sogomon Tarontsi and Lavinia Teodorescu

In the fall of 2013, the people of Ukraine disagreed passionately whether their country should intensify ties with the European Union or Russia. After President Yanukovych rejected the free trade agreement with the EU in November, thousands of Ukrainians peacefully... View Details

October 2003 (Revised January 2004)
Case

BSE in Canada

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Kevin Allison

A cow was determined to have Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in Canada, which closed its beef exports to the United States and 39 other countries. What future action should be taken, and how will country of origin specification and traceability take place in the... View Details

Keywords: Animal-Based Agribusiness; Trade; Food; Globalized Markets and Industries; Health; Food and Beverage Industry; Health Industry; Canada

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August 2015 (Revised January 2022)
Case

George Washington and the Foundations of American Democracy

By: Tom Nicholas and Matthew G. Preble

George Washington is perhaps the most well-known of the U.S.'s founding fathers because of his political and military achievements. However, Washington also operated a number of successful business ventures out of his Mount Vernon estate, and he became a landowner on... View Details

Keywords: Government; History; George Washington; Democracy; Decision Making; Entrepreneurship; Government and Politics; Business History; Leadership; United States

30 Sep 2009
Working Paper Summaries

Breakthrough Inventions and Migrating Clusters of Innovation

Keywords: by William R. Kerr; Technology

01 Nov 2024
In Practice

Layoffs Surging in a Strong Economy? Advice for Navigating Uncertain Times

Management Practice in the General Management Unit at HBS. Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss: Managers, it’s story time The tech sector continues to shed workers after hiring prodigiously during the demand peaks of pandemic living, a shift... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Technology; Information Technology

January 1982 (Revised February 1984)
Case

Tax Cut of 1964, The

Examines the intellectual, political and economic underpinnings of the landmark tax legislation begun by John F. Kennedy and carried through Congress by his successor Lyndon B. Johnson. View Details

Keywords: Government Legislation; Taxation; Public Administration Industry; United States

14 Dec 2011
Research & Ideas

The New Measures for Improving Nonprofit Performance

multiple stakeholders, including funders, boards, and clients—all while staying true to a core mission and values. In today's climate of scarce economic resources, the pressure for nonprofits to show quantifiable results is greater than... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna

May 2004 (Revised June 2005)
Background Note

Exchange Rate Regimes

By: Rafael M. Di Tella and Ingrid Vogel

There are many options for a country in the management of monetary policy. At the most basic level is the decision of whether to adopt a fixed or a floating exchange rate. Introduces the economics behind exchange rates and the debate between fixed vs. floating regimes. View Details

Keywords: Currency Exchange Rate; Policy; Macroeconomics; Country

November–December 2024
Article

Loss of Peers and Individual Worker Performance: Evidence From H-1B Visa Denials

By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, Kirk Doran, Astrid Marinoni and Chungeun Yoon

We study how restrictive immigration policies that result in the unexpected loss of co-workers affect the performance of skilled migrants employed in organizations. Specifically, we examine the impact of the loss of team members on their co-workers’ performance in... View Details

Keywords: Immigration; Performance Productivity; Employees; Human Capital; Ethnicity; Groups and Teams

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27 Jan 2003
Research & Ideas

New Cluster Mapping Project Helps Companies Locate Facilities

Silicon Valley or the Napa wine country) that can lead to competitive advantage. Porter's Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness has just introduced a new database tool to help corporations and policy makers pinpoint these clusters, which number forty-one in the... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

December 1982 (Revised April 1998)
Case

U.K. and the Gold Standard in 1925, The

Describes the issues and priorities involved in countries' use of the gold standard as the basis for managing their money supply. The setting of the United Kingdom in 1925 permits a real-world exploration of the important tradeoffs in "going back on gold" versus moving... View Details

Keywords: Money; Currency Exchange Rate; Standards; Cost vs Benefits; United Kingdom

02 Nov 2015
Book

Dear Internet: You Are Extraordinary, But Not Exceptional

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Computer; Telecommunications

2024
Dictionary Entry

Jerry R. Green (1946-)

By: Eddie Dekel, John Geanakoplos and Scott Duke Kominers

Jerry Green has a deep and long-standing connection to Harvard University, and in particular with its Economics Department. This paper begins by reviewing his intellectual background, and then turns to exploring how he has influenced scholars through his wide-ranging... View Details

Keywords: Economics; Microeconomics; Theory; History; Game Theory; Decision Choices and Conditions; Education Industry; North America; United States; Cambridge; Massachusetts; Boston