Publications

18 Mar 2020
News

Leading Change

by Margie Kelley Alumni Tackle Climate Change Policy in Washington In a joint effort to foster a meaningful conversation on the role of business in shaping climate policy, the HBS Business & Environment... View Details

June 2018
Article

The Fed, the Bond Market, and Gradualism in Monetary Policy

By: Jeremy C. Stein and Adi Sunderam

We develop a model of monetary policy with two key features: (i) the central bank has some private information about its long-run target for the policy rate, and (ii) the central bank is averse to bond-market volatility. In this setting, discretionary monetary policy... View Details

Keywords: Central Banking; Interest Rates; Policy; Bonds; Financial Markets

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Web

Policy - Business & Environment

Confronting Climate Change Policy From obstruction to leadership For much of the last 50 years, powerful segments of the business community have opposed government action on climate change. The fossil fuel... View Details

12 Apr 2023
News

Step Change

startup scene. In addition to moving home, she'd had open heart surgery and changed jobs several times. Meanwhile, Egypt had become a hotbed of startup activity. Last fall, Enan stepped into the role of partner at San Francisco-based VC... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; entrepreneurship; women; venture capital; Egypt; developing economies; Finance

21 Mar 2016
Blog Post

MBA/MPA-ID: The Intersection of Policy and Business

honing different and yet comparably important skills for business and policy global leaders. Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, I was probably predisposed to develop passions contiguous to the phenomenon of development, which arguably... View Details

23 Jul 2020
Research & Ideas

How Countries Use Financial Policy to Fight COVID-19

changes during the pandemic. With the tracker, he says, “We were able to confirm and quantify this idea that was already floating around—that it was much harder for developing countries to make these announcements and eventually implement... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

December 2023
Case

Three Decades of Cluster Policy in Catalonia: What's Next?

By: Christian H.M. Ketels

The case profiles the development of cluster-based economic development activities in Catalonia, one of Spain's most prosperous regions, over the last thirty years. It describes the evolution of these activities between 1990 and 2022 and puts these changes into the... View Details

Keywords: Economic Sectors; Economy; Geographic Location; Policy; Development Economics; Spain

01 Mar 2013
News

Making Change

Foundation Clinton Fellows. Part-time, we also have an urban planner working on policy and an architect. Our annual budget of about $200,000 is part grant-funded and part fees-generated from consulting assignments. What makes you most... View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley; housing; gay rights; diabesity; disability; Construction of Buildings; Construction; Educational Services; Social Assistance; Health, Social Assistance; News, Library, Internet, and Other Services; Information; Real Estate

2025
Working Paper

Navigating Choppy Waters: How U.S. Trade Policy Uncertainty Affects Small Businesses

By: David Atkin, Zoë Cullen and Ebehi Iyoha

This paper explores the impact of recent changes in the US trade policy environment on small businesses. Drawing on a survey of more than 4,000 small businesses conducted between March 22 and 31, 2025, we examine firms’ knowledge, expectations, and decisions during... View Details

Keywords: Trade; Risk and Uncertainty; Government Legislation; Globalization; International Relations; Small Business

Web

Program Policies - HBS Online

Have questions about our policies on learning requirements, accommodations, changing your program status (selecting a later course, withdrawals, refunds, deferrals), exceptions standards, or discounts? Start... View Details

February 2004 (Revised January 2005)
Case

Hewlett-Packard: Culture in Changing Times

By: Michael Beer, Rakesh Khurana and James Weber

HP had been a highly successful and respected company for decades. It was well known for its company culture and management practices--the HP way--which emphasized both profits and people. Changing markets, strong competitors, and the growth of its computer business,... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Decision Choices and Conditions; Human Resources; Leading Change; Managerial Roles; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Performance Effectiveness; Adoption; Competition

11 May 2020
Op-Ed

Immigration Policies Threaten American Competitiveness

It is no secret that immigration has reshaped American innovation. Immigrants are the backbone of America’s most innovative industries, provide a quarter of our patent applications, and are numerous among our science and engineering superstars. Taken from World... View Details

Keywords: by William R. Kerr

July 2001 (Revised October 2001)
Case

Policy Management Systems Corp.: The Financial Reporting Crisis

Tim Williams, the new CFO of a publicly-traded enterprise software company, attempts to rebuild his company's reputation for reliable financial reporting following a highly visible financial reporting crisis. The crisis begins with an earnings shortfall warning, which... View Details

Keywords: Accrual Accounting; Revenue Recognition; Capital Markets; Policy; Corporate Governance; Accounting Audits; Technology Industry

June 2003 (Revised August 2003)
Case

Pension Policy at The Boots Company PLC

By: Luis M. Viceira and Akiko M. Mitsui

In early 2000, the trustees of the pension scheme at Boots considered a proposal to move 100% of the pension assets into a bond portfolio, which would be passively managed. The Boots Co. PLC was a leading retailer of cosmetics and toiletries in the United Kingdom, and... View Details

Keywords: Performance Productivity; Employees; Asset Management; Capital Structure; Investment Portfolio; Consumer Products Industry; United Kingdom

August 2012
Article

Organ Allocation Policy and the Decision to Donate

By: Judd B. Kessler and Alvin E. Roth

Organ donations from deceased donors (cadavers) provide the majority of transplanted organs in the United States, and one deceased donor can save numerous lives by providing multiple organs. Nevertheless, most Americans are not registered organ donors despite the... View Details

Keywords: Organ Donation; Health; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Decision Making; Resource Allocation; Mathematical Methods; United States

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2007
Working Paper

Testing Limits to Policy Reversal: Evidence from Indian Privatizations

By: Siddhartha G. Dastidar, Raymond Fisman and Tarun Khanna

We examine the effect of regime change on privatization using the 2004 election surprise in India. The pro-reform BJP was unexpectedly defeated by a less reformist coalition. Stock prices of government-controlled companies that had been slated for definite... View Details

Keywords: Political Elections; Privatization; State Ownership; Policy; India

April 2009 (Revised June 2010)
Case

U.S. Subprime Mortgage Crisis: Policy Reactions (B)

By: Laura Alfaro and Renee Kim

In March 2009, the U.S. economy was in a severe recession not seen since the Great Depression after the subprime mortgage crisis had spiraled out of control. The situation had dramatically changed in one year since the Federal Reserve Board had helped to bailout... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Central Banking; Mortgages; Globalized Economies and Regions; Policy; United States