Publications

Read Now

2017
Working Paper

Business and Sustainability: New Business History Perspectives

By: Ann-Kristin Bergquist

This working paper provides a long-term business history perspective on environmental sustainability. For a long time, the central issues addressed in the discipline of business history concerned how business enterprises innovated and created wealth, as well as... View Details

Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; Business History; Perspective

SSRN

Read Now

04 Sep 2001
Research & Ideas

Governing the Family-Run Business

The topic of governance is hot. Shareholders, managers, and business advisors are demanding improved governance of (typically public) companies by strengthening their boards of directors and developing more responsive shareholder... View Details

May 2014 (Revised August 2014)
Teaching Note

Women MBAs at Harvard Business School: 1962–2012

By: Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams

Research Summary

Business Ethics

By: Joshua D. Margolis

Joshua Margolis is interested in how individuals can exercise leadership in the face of competing ethical and economic responsibilities, and how organizations can enable them to do that. In particular, how can managers and companies simultaneously advance... View Details

Research Summary

Revitalizing Businesses

By: William E. Fruhan

William E. Fruhan, Jr. is exploring how firms act to enhance shareholder value when competitive pressures or takeovers threaten their operations. The approach most frequently taken involves fixing businesses that can be fixed and advantageously divesting those that... View Details

May 2017 (Revised September 2018)
Case

Hilti Fleet Management (A): Turning a Successful Business Model on Its Head

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Oliver Gassmann and Roman Sauer

This case explores the introduction of fleet management in the construction industry by the premium power tools manufacturer Hilti in 2000. Following its customers’ needs, Hilti moved from selling power tools to leasing them as a service. The introduction of the new... View Details

Educators

24 Jul 2009
Research & Ideas

Business Summit: Business Education in the 21st Century

Editor's Note: This is a summary of an HBS Business Summit presentation. View a full summary and video of the event on the HBS Centennial Web site linked below. Date of Event: October 14, 2008 Speakers: David A. Garvin, HBS facultySrikant... View Details

Keywords: Re: Srikant M. Datar; Education

Fall 2017
Article

The Alternative Business History: Business in Emerging Markets

By: Gareth Austin, Carlos Davila and Geoffrey Jones

This article suggests that the business history of emerging markets should be seen as an alternative business history rather than merely adding new settings to explore established core debates. The discipline of business history evolved around the corporate strategies... View Details

Keywords: Globalization; History; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Developing Countries and Economies; Business History; Asia; Latin America; Africa

19 Sep 2016
Research & Ideas

Why Isn't Business Research More Relevant to Business Practitioners?

Like many business leaders, Donovan Neale-May routinely seeks out information on business innovation and management trends. He reads reports from market analysis firms, white papers from companies in his... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Education

17 Oct 2011
Conference Presentation

The Business of Business Schools

By: Robert L. Simons

Keywords: Higher Education

Research Summary

Science-Based Business and the Business of Science

By: H. Kent Bowen

Science and technology can provide strategic advantage to companies' through differentiated products and processes. The focus of our research is on unusually productive and creative labs that are the sources of breakthroughs that create platforms for sustained... View Details

Article

Schumpeter's Business Cycles as Business History

Keywords: Business Cycles

Teaching Interest

Families in Business

By: Christina R. Wing

Like every company, family businesses must strive for growth amidst fierce competition, an evolving marketplace, and demanding customers. But family businesses also face a unique set of challenges and opportunities. In this Executive Education program, participants... View Details

2021
Article

Internment as a Business Challenge: Political Risk Management and German Multinationals in Colonial India (1914–1947)

By: Christina Lubinski, Valeria Giacomin and Klara Schnitzer

Internment in so-called “enemy countries” was a frequent occurrence in the 20th century and created significant obstacles for multinational enterprises (MNEs). This article focuses on German MNEs in India and shows how they addressed the formidable challenge of the... View Details

Keywords: Internment; Political Risk; International Business; Multinational Firms and Management; Employees; War; History; Outcome or Result; India; Germany

February 2008 (Revised March 2008)
Case

Harvard Business School

By: Srikant M. Datar, David A. Garvin and Carin-Isabel Knoop

In 2008 the Boston-based Harvard Business School would turn 100. As the centennial year began, the HBS community and leadership were reflecting on how the School might fulfill its mission to "develop business leaders who make a difference in the world" in the next... View Details

Keywords: Business Education; Cases; Leadership Development; Management; Management Skills; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Planning; Problems and Challenges; Segmentation; Education Industry

September 2000
Case

TruckitNow.com Business Plan

By: Myra M. Hart and Judith Marie Dror

Presents an original business plan. Students are challenged to develop assumptions and create financial projections and statements based on business plan text. View Details

Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Business Plan; Finance; Framework; Value Creation; Transportation Industry

Educators

2025
Working Paper

Data-driven Technologies and Local Information Advantages in Small Business Lending

By: Wilbur Chen, Jung Koo Kang and Aditya Mohan

We investigate whether banks' adoption of data-driven technologies influences competitive dynamics in local small business lending by diminishing the information advantages traditionally held by local banks. Using local newspaper closures as an adverse shock to the... View Details

Keywords: Data-driven Technologies; Local Information Advantages; Local Banks; Relationship Lending; Small Business Loans; Small Business; Local Range; Financing and Loans; Banks and Banking; Analytics and Data Science; Banking Industry