Problem Solving - Publications - Faculty & Research

02 Jun 2014
Research & Ideas

Secrets to a Successful Social Media Strategy

different from what companies have done on other media," he says. "They simply took this approach and put it on social media platforms. The problem is that this approach does not work well. Most firms can't generate the requisite... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

22 Aug 2007
Research & Ideas

The Hedge Fund as Activist

perspective of the activist, termination via merger or acquisition additionally helps solve the problem of how to exit the sizable position in the target. In a merger or acquisition, the activist exits in... View Details

Keywords: by Robin Greenwood; Financial Services

11 Jan 2016
Research & Ideas

Is Group Loyalty a Force for Good or Evil?

than just argue, you can look at the data.” Putting loyalty to the test The researchers arranged a simple experiment, in which participants were asked to solve a series of number puzzles. Rather than handing in their results, however,... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

21 May 2014
Lessons from the Classroom

CORe: HBS Powers Up Online Program on Business Fundamentals

course, however, Narayanan realized that the younger generation approaches problems very differently. Instead of listening to a lecture, reading a chapter, or even watching a half-hour lesson on fractions or View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Education

14 Jan 2015
Research & Ideas

Thriving in the Turbulence of Emerging Markets

passionate belief that their firms needed to be major contributors to solving the problems which had kept their countries and people poor compared to the West. "There are those with whom I don't agree," said... View Details

Keywords: by Geoffrey Jones; Manufacturing; Auto

05 Mar 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, March 5, 2019

Edmondson, and Michael A. West Abstract— Many teams face the problem of process loss, or suboptimal functioning, with sometimes serious consequences, such as medical errors. Team reflexivity—a deliberate process of discussing team goals,... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

26 Apr 2011
Op-Ed

HBS Faculty Comment on Environmental Issues for Earth Day

Earth Day focuses the world's attention on the both the dangers and opportunities facing the planet. But sustainability and the intersection between business and the environment are issues that need to be addressed all the time, as cities grow, resources diminish, and... View Details

Keywords: by Staff; Energy; Utilities

16 May 2012
Research & Ideas

Can Decades of Military Overspending be Fixed?

process including military services, industry, and Congress, hardening them against change, Fox says. The book excerpt below looks at how previous reform studies have fallen significantly short of correcting significant problems in... View Details

Keywords: by J. Ronald Fox; Service

20 Dec 2004
Research & Ideas

The U.S. Patent Game: How to Change It

led us to decide to write this book. We sought to write a volume that would be readily accessible for business and government practitioners, and which conveyed clearly the system's problems and some steps to View Details

Keywords: by Ann Cullen

19 Jun 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, June 19, 2018

organizations as well as customer pressure from individual investors are critical in mitigating free-rider problems among asset managers and sustaining engagement practices. Finally, I explore the limits and anticompetitive concerns to... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

13 Dec 2006
Research & Ideas

Improving Public Health for the Poor

government as their partner because government has the potential to provide scale and permanence. But the problem is that you also need efficacy and efficiency, and the constancy of both. And for many reasons the public sector is not very... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Health

10 Apr 2012
First Look

First Look: April 10

teaming: gathering experts in temporary groups to solve problems they may be encountering for the first and only time. This flexible approach was essential to the completion of the Water Cube, the building... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

29 Sep 2003
Research & Ideas

Why Managing Innovation is Like Theater

applied everywhere, nor should industrial making. They complement each other and often can be used in combination. Complementary doesn't mean interchangeable, though. As opportunities for artful making multiply with the expansion of the knowledge work sector of... View Details

Keywords: by Rob Austin & Lee Devin

16 Apr 2007
Research & Ideas

Delivering the Digital Goods: iTunes vs. Peer-to-Peer

the upper hand in this area. The following table compares the strengths and weaknesses of each model: P2p Strengths Weaknesses It's free Under constant attack by industry players Variety of content Downloading time varies No restrictions on content (no DRM) Congestion... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Music

19 Dec 2005
Research & Ideas

Public Education Goes to School

years, we've produced sixteen teaching cases, two conceptual notes, and a working paper. Q: The performance problems of U.S. public education are receiving growing attention. How are urban schools performing in terms of student... View Details

Keywords: by Mallory Stark; Education

06 Nov 2012
Op-Ed

Stop Talking About the Weather and Do Something: Three Ways to Finance Sustainable Cities

The wrath of Hurricane Sandy has illuminated a fundamental question: How do we ensure that our cities are resilient in the face of inevitable future disasters? A destroyed city is not a sustainable city. I'm making the case that it's time to stop complaining about... View Details

Keywords: by John Macomber; Construction; Real Estate; Energy; Utilities

23 Jan 2020
Research & Ideas

Businesses Need a 'Catalyst' to Make CSR Practices Stick

Many companies follow a tried-and-true approach to pursuing corporate social responsibility practices. They set aside a certain amount per year to fund a CSR office, which then tries to help clean up the environment or improve the quality of life of people in the areas... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

12 Oct 1999
Research & Ideas

Building Bridges: New Dimensions in Negotiation

promise, the third dimension is most frequently neglected. Sebenius emphasizes the "importance of analyzing how each party's interests and BATNA interact to set up a joint problem. A 3-D negotiator solves that View Details

Keywords: by Anita M. Harris

22 May 2007
First Look

First Look: May 22, 2007

Working PapersGlobal Currency Hedging Authors:John Y. Campbell, Karine Serfaty-de Medeiros, and Luis M. Viceira Abstract This paper considers the risk management problem of an investor who holds a diversified portfolio of global... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

10 Jun 2013
Research & Ideas

How Numbers Talk to People

STORY Some quantitative analyses are like police procedural television programs; they attempt to solve a business problem with quantitative analysis. Some operational problem... View Details

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