Excuses - Publications - Faculty & Research

11 Apr 2018
Research & Ideas

Sexual Harassment: What Employers Should Do Now

someone who will close a deal at all costs, even by treating people on the team poorly, you as a leader need to look at whether you’re excusing that behavior and sending a message that certain people are valued more than others,” she... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

02 Jul 2014
What Do You Think?

Are Today’s Business Heroes Challenging Our Ideas About Leadership?

formal leadership training nor thought of cashing out. Are founders and entrepreneurs a separate breed? Should they be excused from a discussion of great leadership? Or are the most successful among their ranks a harbinger of the future... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

11 Aug 2014
HBS Case

The Business of Behavioral Economics

employees were sent, the less they used the treadmill over time. Norton hypothesizes that in this case, social norming moves in the opposite direction, giving employees an excuse not to exercise if their colleagues avoid it as well.... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Food & Beverage; Health

17 May 2004
Research & Ideas

Why We Don’t Study Corporate Responsibility

providing managers with a convenient excuse when they fail to achieve economic objectives. Mismanagement can be attributed to efforts to be "socially responsible." We elaborate these criticisms and respond to them in another... View Details

Keywords: by Manda Salls

26 Feb 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, February 26, 2019

provides information for detecting root causes. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=55759 forthcoming Management Science Using Charity Performance Metrics as an Excuse Not to Give By: Exley, Christine L.... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

13 Dec 2004
Research & Ideas

How Leaders Create Winning Streaks

performance levels. Tough is OK. Fear is not a great way to build confidence, but being tough, setting high standards, and not accepting excuses is effective at driving people and organizations to higher performance. Biographies Rosabeth... View Details

Keywords: by Rosabeth Moss Kanter & Walter Kiechel

16 Dec 2015
Research & Ideas

Why ‘Sleep on It’ No Longer Sounds Like Great Advice

chosen bag, to give them some skin in the game and make them more serious about their choice. Then, the students were excused for 12 hours. Some did the initial selection of a bag at night and were told to come back in the morning, after... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Retail

02 Apr 2012
Research & Ideas

Do Online Dating Platforms Help Those Who Need Them Most?

man once they saw him through Quiver. This finding suggested that the Quiver functionality helped women to overcome the normative restriction of making the first move. Quiver essentially made the first move for them, providing more of an View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Technology

24 May 2004
Research & Ideas

Becoming an Ethical Negotiator

anticipate hard questions. You may be asked for your bottom line, for example. You should have an answer that doesn't compromise your values but also doesn't expose you to exploitation. Planning ahead is a lot easier than constructing convoluted View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

07 Apr 2003
Research & Ideas

Three Steps for Crisis Prevention

of foresight. Nor should they be blamed if they've taken all reasonable preventive measures against a looming crisis. But if a damaging event happens that was foreseeable and preventable, no excuses should be brooked. The leaders' feet... View Details

Keywords: by Michael D. Watkins & Max H. Bazerman

14 Jan 2015
Research & Ideas

Thriving in the Turbulence of Emerging Markets

through turbulence. In particular, she and her family emphasized maintaining strong capital equity structures to deal with currency volatility, seeking reliable local partners, and never forgetting long-term opportunities. "For managers and for the leadership,... View Details

Keywords: by Geoffrey Jones; Manufacturing; Auto

14 Dec 2015
Research & Ideas

Deflategate and the Sustained Success of the New England Patriots

all sorts of models and approaches to understanding the answer to that problem,” Iansiti says. “In this day and age, as an organization, you have to possess the capabilities to build those systems. There’s no excuse for not doing it.”... View Details

Keywords: by Roberta Holland; Sports

05 Jul 2016
First Look

July 5, 2016

measure of carbon embedded within their institutional clients’ assets under custody to help clients understand the climate risk in their portfolios. Download working paper: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=51261 Finding View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

15 May 2012
First Look

First Look: May 15

reaffirmed his commitment to these targets, sending a clear signal to Henkel employees and external stakeholders that excuses were no longer acceptable. Rorsted next introduced a new set of five company values-replacing the previous list... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

04 Jan 2010
Research & Ideas

Best of HBS Working Knowledge 2009

actions and concurrent strategies for reframing uncomfortable situations, forgoing decisions, and forgetting those decisions altogether. Key concepts include: Because people do not want to be perceived as (or feel) unethical or immoral, they make View Details

Keywords: by Staff

10 Aug 2010
First Look

First Look: August 10

culture of making excuses for performance shortfalls. These issues not only plagued Mekong, but also the portfolio companies that they took positions in. The case recounts how the founder and managing partner of Mekong undertook a process... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

12 Apr 2010
Research & Ideas

One Report: Better Strategy through Integrated Reporting

very hard to develop. This can be an excuse for not doing the hard analytical work necessary to specify and validate the relationships that are believed to exist. The better response is to improve poor measurement methodologies and invent... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

06 Sep 2011
Research & Ideas

How Small Wins Unleash Creativity

finally, affiliation—any action that serves to develop mutual trust, appreciation, and even affection among coworkers. Amabile acknowledges that financial constraints can impede some of the catalysts, especially when it comes to sufficient material resources. But... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

17 Dec 2013
First Look

First Look: December 17

executive branch a credible political excuse not to act. Maurer cautions that these institutions are now under strain and that a collapse might open the empire trap once more. With shrewd and timely analysis, this book considers American... View Details