Publications

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January 2018 (Revised January 2020)
Case

People Analytics at McKinsey

By: Jeffrey T. Polzer and Olivia Hull

A private equity–backed fast food chain has hired McKinsey’s new People Analytics group to help it improve performance. As the final client workshop approaches, Associate Partner Alex DiLeonardo ponders the best way to present the team’s findings, especially those that... View Details

Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Customer Relationship Management; Forecasting and Prediction; Cost Management; Human Resources; Employees; Recruitment; Retention; Selection and Staffing; Measurement and Metrics; Performance; Performance Capacity; Performance Efficiency; Performance Evaluation; Performance Improvement; Consulting Industry; Service Industry

2023
Working Paper

PRIMO: Private Regression in Multiple Outcomes

By: Seth Neel

We introduce a new differentially private regression setting we call Private Regression in Multiple Outcomes (PRIMO), inspired the common situation where a data analyst wants to perform a set of l regressions while preserving privacy, where the covariates... View Details

Keywords: Analytics and Data Science; Mathematical Methods

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December 2017 (Revised December 2018)
Case

OCP Group

By: Kristin Fabbe, Forest Reinhardt, Natalie Kindred and Alpana Thapar

This case explores the strategy of OCP Group, the 95% state-owned Moroccan firm charged with managing the North African country’s vast reserves of phosphate. Phosphate was one of the most vital macronutrients for plant health, along with nitrogen and potassium, and... View Details

Keywords: OCP; OCP Group; Casablanca; Chemicals; Operations; Transformation; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Chemical Industry; Morocco

11 Apr 2007
Research & Ideas

Adding Time to Activity-Based Costing

To improve any business, managers need to understand how much it costs to produce a profitable product. It seems a simple task, but the process of securing and analyzing the data can be incredibly complex... View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Gilbert

22 Mar 2022
Cold Call Podcast

How Etsy Found Its Purpose and Crafted a Turnaround

Keywords: Re: Ranjay Gulati; Technology; Retail

09 Apr 2007
Research & Ideas

Industry Self-Regulation: What’s Working (and What’s Not)?

terms of environmental performance than companies that haven't adopted this standard. And I find some evidence that they subsequently improve faster as well. It's not... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

07 Jul 2008
Research & Ideas

Innovation Corrupted: How Managers Can Avoid Another Enron

including the effective use of stock-based compensation and comparative performance measures, and the need to balance turbocharged incentives with turbocharged controls. “Enron's leaders perpetuated a kind... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Energy; Utilities

Teaching Interest

AMP 170 - General Management: Processes and Action

The Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program (AMP) helps drive corporate performance by honing individual capabilities to the highest level of performance. The result is a... View Details

February 2002
Supplement

Interview with Vittorio Merloni

By: Joseph L. Bower and Sonja Ellingson Hout

Vittorio Merloni describes the evolution of leadership in his company, and the consequent improvement in its performance, as well as his thoughts on building a successful company in a very competitive industry. View Details

Keywords: Information; Leadership Development; Outcome or Result; Performance Improvement; Competitive Strategy

27 Nov 2006
Research & Ideas

Manly Men, Oil Platforms, and Breaking Stereotypes

interview, Ely discusses the origins of the research, her experiences aboard an oil platform, and how this research can improve safety at other job sites. Sarah Jane Gilbert: How do you define masculine... View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Gilbert; Energy; Utilities

October 2001
Background Note

A Note on Team Process

By: Linda A. Hill and Maria Farkas

When tasks are highly complex, demand a diversity of skills, or require a commitment from the involved parties, teams are usually the most effective way to approach them. But a group of people working together does not automatically equally a team, and groups are often... View Details

Keywords: Competency and Skills; Decision Making; Management; Business Processes; Performance Effectiveness; Performance Efficiency; Groups and Teams; Conflict and Resolution

November 2009 (Revised June 2012)
Case

Jody Leleck at Broad Acres (A)

By: Paul W. Marshall and Andrew Goldin

Jody Leleck has been appointed the principal of Broad Acres Middle School in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is underperforming all other schools in the district, and she has been asked to improve the performance. View Details

Keywords: Education; Middle School Education; Performance Evaluation; Performance Improvement; Performance Productivity; Education Industry; Maryland

July 2005 (Revised February 2009)
Case

Eureka Forbes Ltd.: Managing the Selling Effort (A)

By: Das Narayandas and Kerry Herman

The CEO of EFL (India), a direct sales organization, must decide which changes to the sales compensation systems would better motivate his sales reps and improve their sales performance. View Details

Keywords: Compensation and Benefits; Management; Performance Improvement; Sales; Motivation and Incentives; India

April 2001 (Revised February 2003)
Case

Moore Medical Corporation

Moore Medical is a medium-sized distributor of medical supplies to practitioners, such as podiatrists and emergency medical technicians. At the time of the case, it has relied on traditional customer channels such as catalogs, phones, and faxes to communicate product... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Internet and the Web; Marketing Communications; Information Technology; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Distribution Industry