Publications

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September 2005 (Revised October 2005)
Module Note

The Marketing of Innovations Module I: The Risk of Innovation

By: John T. Gourville

Aids classroom instructors in teaching the first module of the Marketing of Innovations course. View Details

Keywords: Innovation and Management

21 Jun 2016
Other Presentation

Defining Innovative Approaches to Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth

By: Michael E. Porter

Nestle's CSV global forum entitled 'Investing in Sustainable Development in Africa,' brought together business, civil society and government leaders from Africa and beyond to discuss a range of key topics affecting the African continent. This video clip highlights some... View Details

Keywords: Society; Africa; Shared Value; Côte D'Ivoire; Civil Society or Community; Environmental Sustainability; Economic Growth; Africa

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2022
Chapter

Creating 'Smart' Policy to Promote Entrepreneurship and Innovation

By: Karen G. Mills and Annie Dang

Entrepreneurship is a key to unlocking innovation and fostering regional and national economic productivity. Extensive studies demonstrate that small and young firms contribute to innovation and employment growth. But which of the many types of small firms are... View Details

Keywords: Economic Policy; High-growth; Entrepreneurship; Innovation and Invention; Business Startups; Economic Growth; Policy; United States

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11 Aug 2014
HBS Case

The Business of Behavioral Economics

You've done everything—endured diets, purged your freezer of Ben & Jerry's, and educated yourself on fat, sugar, and calories. Yet, you can't manage to lose weight. What's wrong with you? According to standard View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Food & Beverage; Health

Forthcoming
Article

On the Economic Origins of Concerns Over Women’s Chastity

By: Anke Becker

This paper studies the origins and function of customs and norms that intend to keep women from being promiscuous. Using large-scale survey data from more than 100 countries, I test the anthropological theory that a particular form of preindustrial... View Details

Keywords: Infibulation; Female Sexuality; Paternity Uncertainty; Concern About Women's Chastity; Pastoralism; Economic Anthropology; History; Gender; Social Issues; Culture

December 2016 (Revised December 2018)
Case

From Start-Up to Grown-Up Nation: The Future of the Israeli Innovation Ecosystem

By: Elie Ofek and Margot Eiran

In June 2016, Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, wrestled with how to sustain Israel’s strong innovation track record and the country’s reputation as the “startup nation.” Despite the economic miracle the country had wrought since its founding, he... View Details

Educators

September 2021
Article

Innovation in the 21st Century: Architectural Change, Purpose, and the Challenges of Our Time

By: Rebecca Henderson

Understanding the process of innovation has been a central concern of management researchers, but despite this progress, there remains much that we do not understand. Deepening our knowledge is critically important given the enormous environmental and social challenges... View Details

Keywords: Architectural Innovation; Systemic Innovation; Innovation and Invention; Mission and Purpose; Environmental Sustainability

Research Summary

Biological Basis of Economic Behavior

Terry Burnham's research focuses on understanding human behavior, and economic behavior in particular, in the context of humans as evolved animals. This research aims to reconcile two competing views within economics. The mainstream economic view is that economic... View Details

February 2022
Module Note

Behavioral Economics and Choice Architecture

By: John Beshears

This module note for instructors describes a module on the design of choice architecture solutions to organizational problems. View Details

Keywords: Behavioral Economics; Choice Architecture; Organizations; Problems and Challenges; Decision Choices and Conditions; Economics

December 2020
Article

Taking Innovation to the Streets: Micro-geography, Physical Structure and Innovation

By: Maria P. Roche

In this paper, we analyze how the physical layout of cities affects innovation by influencing the organization of knowledge exchange. We exploit a novel data set covering all Census Block Groups in the contiguous United States with information on innovation outcomes,... View Details

Keywords: Microgeography; Innovation; Street Infrastructure; Knowledge Exchange; Interactions; Geography; City; Innovation and Invention; Knowledge Sharing

2015
Book

Economic Analysis of the Digital Economy

By: Avi Goldfarb, Shane Greenstein and Catherine Tucker

As the cost of storing, sharing, and analyzing data has decreased, economic activity has become increasingly digital. But while the effects of digital technology and improved digital communication have been explored in a variety of contexts, the impact on economic... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Economics

16 May 2000
Research & Ideas

The Simple Economics of Open Source

outwardly the situation smells of economic anarchy. Where are the market forces, when thousands of talented programmers—and even many commercial firms—spend inordinate amounts... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Technology

July 2020
Article

Higher Economic Inequality Intensifies the Financial Hardship of People Living in Poverty by Fraying the Community Buffer

By: Jon M. Jachimowicz, Barnabas Szaszi, Marcel Lukas, David Smerdon, Jaideep Prabhu and Elke U. Weber

The current research investigates whether higher economic inequality disproportionately intensifies the financial hardship of low-income individuals. We propose that higher economic inequality increases financial hardship for low-income individuals by reducing their... View Details

Keywords: Economic Inequalty; Economy; Income; Equality and Inequality; Poverty; Civil Society or Community

09 Apr 2009
Working Paper Summaries

The Economics of Structured Finance

Keywords: by Joshua D. Coval, Jakub Jurek & Erik Stafford

May 2012
Background Note

Innovation Magic

By: Stefan Thomke and Jason Randal

Why do certain product and service experiences seem like magic, making them all but destined for success, while other items languish on store shelves? For a better understanding of that, perhaps there's no better place to turn to than the world of magic. Consider that... View Details

Keywords: Innovation; Product Differentiation; Experimentation; Personal Strategy ＆ Style; Innovation and Invention; Creativity; Service Operations; Product; Customer Satisfaction

Educators

January 2018
Supplement

Transformation at ING (B): Innovation

By: William R. Kerr, Federica Gabrieli and Emer Moloney

Supplement to HBS No. 818-077. Together with the agile methodology, innovation at ING was an enabler for the company’s purpose of empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and business. The case explores ING's innovation priorities and strategy as well as the... View Details

Keywords: Innovation; Agile; Fintech; Innovation and Invention; Strategy; Technological Innovation; Banking Industry