Publications

May 2025 (Revised June 2025)
Background Note

Social Enterprise in Latin America

By: Brian L. Trelstad and Karina Souza

This research note provides an overview of the social enterprise ecosystem in Latin America, exploring current dynamics across key markets, including country-specific insights on Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Central America. In a region characterized... View Details

25 Oct 2004
Research & Ideas

Planning for Surprises

do to make prevention of a potential disaster a priority in the face of competing priorities, and to mobilize a response in the face of concerted opposition for special... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

21 Apr 2009
First Look

First Look: April 21, 2009

rated. We hypothesize that ratings are particularly likely to spur responses from firms that receive poor ratings, and especially those that face lower-cost opportunities to... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

02 Sep 2013
Research & Ideas

The Curse of Double-Digit Growth

advisable? Would it bring more responsive government, passable roads, fair courts, and a quality education for citizens that the country's leaders desire? The answers to those questions could help not only... View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard

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

10 Aug 2015
Research & Ideas

Why a Federal Rule on CEO Pay Disclosure May Get You In Trouble With Customers

remember thinking, oh, that must just be my dad; he must be the only person who cares about that." The Dodd-frank Requirement Fast-forward to 2010, when the US Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Retail

November 2006 (Revised December 2012)
Background Note

Strategies Beyond the Market

By: Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Dennis Yao

Strategists are not alone in finding failing markets irresistible. Governments and social groups ranging from unions to the World Wildlife Fund also respond to market failures. Governments typically seek to fix failing markets, often with prescriptions of what... View Details

Keywords: Markets; Failure; Strategy; Situation or Environment; Social Issues; Government and Politics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact

May 13, 2021
Article

The Big Benefits of Employee Ownership

By: Thomas Dudley and Ethan Rouen

Wealth inequality in the U.S. has been increasing for decades: The richest 1% own a majority of all business wealth, and the top 10% own more than 90%. Companies, which have played a vital role in the growth in inequality can also play one in reducing it. One place to... View Details

Keywords: Wealth; Equality and Inequality; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Employee Ownership; United States

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10 Apr 2014
Blog Post

HBS FIELD 2 - A good sneak-peek into consulting

it seems that you won’t get to anything valuable But the responses appear in the end if the work has been done properly”. Before leaving Malaysia we made our final presentation View Details

Keywords: Consulting

November 2010
Technical Note

Technical Note: An Abridged History of the American Corporation

By: Rakesh Khurana, Andrew David Klaber and Eric Baldwin

This note examines the development of the corporate form in the United States from the eighteenth century to the present, focusing primarily on legal issues. It identifies several major trends in the history of the American corporation: the transition of corporations... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Corporate Accountability; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; History; Code Law; Managerial Roles; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Private Ownership; United States

Find at Harvard

January 2014
Case

Anglo American: Implementing a 'Social Way' for Global Mining

By: Christopher Marquis, David Plumb, Tom Blathwayt and Zoe Yang

The mining giant Anglo American attempts to differentiate itself through its social performance, yet public expectations are still growing. Maintaining a "social license" to operate was increasingly challenging and critical to business success.

The case... View Details

Keywords: Global Mining; Localization; Socioeconomic Issues; Procurement; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Supply Chain Management; Globalization; Reputation; Emerging Markets; Mining Industry; South Africa

January 2023
Teaching Note

The Opioid Settlement and Executive Pay at AmerisourceBergen

By: Suraj Srinivasan and Li-Kuan Ni

Teaching Note for HBS Case No 122-014. In 2020, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, a Fortune 50 company in the drug distribution industry, agreed to settle thousands of lawsuits filed nationwide against the company for its opioid distribution practices that critics alleged... View Details

30 Sep 2008
First Look

First Look: September 30, 2008

maximization by local entrepreneurs. The model demonstrates that weak investor protections limit the scale of multinational firm activity, increase the reliance on FDI flows, and alter the decision to deploy... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

May 2015
Teaching Note

Walmart: Segmenting Social Impact

By: Michael E. Porter, Mark R. Kramer and Pamela Sud

This case provides a sample of Walmart's social engagement activities and asks students to categorize each as philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, or creating shared value. View Details

Keywords: Creating Shared Value; Society; Value Creation; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving

18 Feb 2009
First Look

First Look: February 18, 2009

possible responses to this shortage: Sharing addresses impedes new Internet applications and does not seem to be scalable. A new numbering system ("IPv6") offers... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

11 Jun 2014
Blog Post

Alumni: Where are they now? Featuring Joe…

promising breakthrough technologies that could have a real impact on energy-intensive industries like electric utilities, oil and gas, chemicals, and mining, and then provide financing to help build fast-growing start-up companies. As an... View Details

Keywords: Technology

07 Apr 2011
What Do You Think?

When Should the Public Sector Take Over in a Meltdown?

Summing Up The variety of responses stimulated by this month's column may help explain why our public institutions are so often perceived as responding slowly to natural or man-made "meltdowns."... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett; Energy; Utilities

August 2016
Supplement

HEINEKEN—Brewing a Better World (B)

By: Forest L. Reinhardt, José Alvarez and Tonia Junker

This is a follow-up to the “HEINEKEN—Brewing a Better World (A)” case, with updated information on sustainability at HEINEKEN and some new initiatives. View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Corporate Strategy; Supply Chain Management; Food and Beverage Industry