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February 2023 (Revised February 2024)
Case

Doing Business in Helsinki, Finland

By: Martin A. Sinozich, Lena Duchene, Tonia Labruyere and Daniela Beyersdorfer

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Finland. It highlights Finland's economic transformation in the decades leading up to 2024 in the context of its history, culture, and politics. The case gives an overview of some of the main... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Business and Government Relations; Corporate Strategy; Research and Development; Foreign Direct Investment; Crisis Management; Culture; Environmental Sustainability; International Relations; Food and Beverage Industry; Finland; Europe

March 2001 (Revised April 2001)
Case

Sustainable Development & Socially Responsible Investing: ABB in 2000

By: Forest L. Reinhardt

Several investment firms and mutual funds position themselves as providers or facilitators of opportunities for socially responsible investment. This case addresses the impact of these firms on publicly traded companies. Focuses on managers at ABB, a large... View Details

Keywords: Investment; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Social Enterprise; Corporate Governance; Business Strategy; Capital Markets; Management Teams; Business and Community Relations; Trade; Electronics Industry; Switzerland

19 Jun 2007
First Look

First Look: June 19, 2007

demand for auditing by the licensor. We characterize the optimal royalty contract, accounting system choice by the licensee, and audit strategy choice by the licensor. We show when the owner prefers to license the property in exchange for... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

February 1992 (Revised April 1993)
Case

Acid Rain: The Southern Co. (A)

By: Forest L. Reinhardt

The Southern Co., an electric utility, is planning its compliance with the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. The Act established a system of tradeable permits for sulfur dioxide emissions. The company must decide whether to install pollution control equipment and... View Details

Keywords: Energy Generation; Business Strategy; Environmental Sustainability; Cost vs Benefits; Financial Management; Strategic Planning; Investment Return; Government Legislation; Wastes and Waste Processing; Utilities Industry; Energy Industry; United States

30 Oct 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, October 30, 2018

2018 Northamption, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing Varieties of Green Business: Industries, Nations and Time By: Jones, G. Abstract—Published at a time of ever-increasing warnings that the pace of climate change and other environmental... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

August 2024
Background Note

Mitigating Climate Change with Machine Learning

By: Michael W. Toffel, Kelsey Carter, Amy Chambers, Avery Park and Susan Pinckney

This note highlights how machine learning is being used to decarbonize (reduce GHG emissions) several key sectors including electricity, transportation, building, industrial processes, and agriculture -- and how machine learning is being used to accelerate efforts to... View Details

Keywords: Climate; Artificial Intelligence; Adaptation; Climate Change; AI and Machine Learning; Innovation and Invention

04 Sep 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, September 4, 2018

leaders might say they value inquisitive minds, in reality most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. Harvard Business School’s Francesca Gino elaborates on the benefits of and common barriers to curiosity in the workplace and offers five... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

Profile

Paul Luning

cut energy costs by twenty to forty percent, while we also had a huge environmental impact." In less than two years, Current Energy grew from ten people to 160. Aspirations beyond profits After concentrating on day-to-day tactics and... View Details

February 2010
Case

Amyris Biotechnologies: Commercializing Biofuel

By: Gary P. Pisano and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld

In 2009, Amyris Biotechnologies was building a plant in Brazil that used synthetic biology to convert sugarcane into both renewable fuels and renewable chemicals. The Amyris' marketing team was investigating the commercial interest for both types of products, while the... View Details

Keywords: Renewable Energy; Chemicals; Risk Management; Product Marketing; Product Development; Production; Environmental Sustainability; Commercialization; Biotechnology Industry; Brazil

February 2025
Tutorial

Preparing Business Leaders for an Era of Climate Instability: Understanding and Managing Physical Climate Risk

By: Michael W. Toffel and Spencer Glendon

In this compelling video, Spencer Glendon, founder of Probable Futures and Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, describes the profound implications of climate change for businesses, the economy, and societies around the world. Drawing from his background in... View Details

Keywords: Modeling; Climate Change; Adaptation; Risk and Uncertainty; Risk Management; Forecasting and Prediction

26 Nov 2018
News

New York Alumni Explore Risks and Opportunities in Climate Change

strategies prompted by a changing climate with the help of a panel of four HBS alumni with expertise in finance and energy, including Hui Wen Chan (MBA 2010), Vice President, Corporate Sustainability, Citigroup; Michael Ellis (MBA 2008),... View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley; clubs; alumni clubs

November 2024
Case

Fyffes International SA

By: David E. Bell, Damien McLoughlin and Tonia Labruyère

Helge Sparsoe, CEO of Fyffes since 2020, had taken the tropical produce importer and distributor back to a path of stable level of profitability since he joined in 2020. He was now thinking about next steps for the business, which mainly traded in bananas. He was... View Details

Keywords: Plant-Based Agribusiness; Change Management; Environmental Sustainability; Brands and Branding; Demand and Consumers; Supply Chain; Competition; Price; Value Creation; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Switzerland; United Kingdom; Republic of Ireland; Colombia; Guatemala; Costa Rica; Ecuador

07 Jul 2009
First Look

First Look: July 7

Entrepreneurship: Insights for an Approach to Strategic Management That Combines Agency and Institution Authors:Julie Battilana and B. Leca Publication:In Handbook of Research on Strategy and Foresight, edited by L.A. Costanzo and R.B.... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

01 Jun 2019
News

City on a Hill

and with Marietta’s support, recently completed her undergrad degree. Pine Mountain’s approach is holistic: In addition to offering more than a dozen environmental education courses for schoolchildren that integrate science, ecology, and... View Details

Keywords: Alexander Gelfand; photographed by Clay Cook

December 2016 (Revised April 2017)
Case

BASF: Co-Creating Innovation (A)

By: V. Kasturi Rangan, Emilie Billaud and Vincent Dessain

In 2016, BASF's chief executive officer and chief technology officer reflected on the co-creation innovation program started almost 18 months ago as part of BASF's 150th anniversary celebration. Five hundred project ideas had been created, of which 100 had already... View Details

Keywords: Sustainability; Knowledge Sharing; Innovation Strategy; Innovation and Management; Chemicals; Environmental Sustainability; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Consumer Products Industry; Europe