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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(976)
- News (199)
- Research (651)
- Events (7)
- Multimedia (5)
- Faculty Publications (309)
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- June 2017
- Article
Conspicuous Consumption of Time: When Busyness and Lack of Leisure Time Become a Status Symbol
By: Silvia Bellezza, Neeru Paharia and Anat Keinan
While research on conspicuous consumption has typically analyzed how people spend money on products that signal status, we investigate conspicuous consumption in relation to time. We argue that a busy and overworked lifestyle, rather than a leisurely lifestyle, has... View Details
Bellezza, Silvia, Neeru Paharia, and Anat Keinan. "Conspicuous Consumption of Time: When Busyness and Lack of Leisure Time Become a Status Symbol." Journal of Consumer Research 44, no. 1 (June 2017): 118–138.
- 2025
- Working Paper
Incentive-Compatible Recovery from Manipulated Signals, with Applications to Decentralized Physical Infrastructure
By: Jason Milionis, Jens Ernstberger, Joseph Bonneau, Scott Duke Kominers and Tim Roughgarden
We introduce the first formal model capturing the elicitation of unverifiable information from a party (the "source") with implicit signals derived by other players (the "observers"). Our model is motivated in part by applications in decentralized physical... View Details
Milionis, Jason, Jens Ernstberger, Joseph Bonneau, Scott Duke Kominers, and Tim Roughgarden. "Incentive-Compatible Recovery from Manipulated Signals, with Applications to Decentralized Physical Infrastructure." Working Paper, March 2025.
- November 1989 (Revised August 1994)
- Supplement
Du Pont's Titanium Dioxide Business (E)
Provides students the opportunity to track industry evolution over time, to explore the role that signaling may play in such evolution, and to construct and validate industry scenarios. View Details
Ghemawat, Pankaj. "Du Pont's Titanium Dioxide Business (E)." Harvard Business School Supplement 390-117, November 1989. (Revised August 1994.)
- March 1997
- Background Note
Asymmetric Information: Market Failures, Market Distortions, and Market Solutions
Presents a conceptual framework for thinking about markets characterized by asymmetric information. Presents the standard economic analysis of "the lemons problem," and demonstrates how asymmetric information may lead to market inefficiencies and alter the distribution... View Details
Keywords: Competitive Strategy
Corts, Kenneth S. "Asymmetric Information: Market Failures, Market Distortions, and Market Solutions." Harvard Business School Background Note 797-100, March 1997.
- November 1989 (Revised August 1994)
- Supplement
Du Pont's Titanium Dioxide Business (B)
Provides students with the opportunity to track industry evolution over time, to explore the role that signaling may play in such evolution, and to construct and validate industry scenarios. View Details
Ghemawat, Pankaj. "Du Pont's Titanium Dioxide Business (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 390-114, November 1989. (Revised August 1994.)
- 22 Aug 2024
- Research & Ideas
Reading the Financial Crisis Warning Signs: Credit Markets and the 'Red-Zone'
worried about those credits failing. Layne: What can people look for in terms of signals right now, with the Fed trying to keep inflation under control and things not progressing quite as quickly as they probably would have liked?... View Details
- June 1990
- Supplement
Komatsu in 1986
Describes the impact of a rising Yen on Komatsu's pricing strategy. Komatsu management seems to be signalling the need for price increases. Asks what Cat's new CEO, George Schaefer, should do in response. View Details
Bartlett, Christopher A. "Komatsu in 1986." Harvard Business School Supplement 390-179, June 1990.
- Forthcoming
- Article
FinTech Lending and Cashless Payments
By: Pulak Ghosh, Boris Vallée and Yao Zeng
Borrower's use of cashless payments both improves their access to capital from FinTech lenders and predicts a lower probability of default. These relationships are stronger for cashless technologies providing more precise information, and for outflows. Cashless payment... View Details
- January 2012
- Article
Paying to Be Nice: Consistency and Costly Prosocial Behavior
By: Ayelet Gneezy, Alex Imas, Amber Brown, Leif D. Nelson and Michael I. Norton
Building on previous research in economics and psychology, we propose that the costliness of initial prosocial behavior positively influences whether that behavior leads to consistent future behaviors. We suggest that costly prosocial behaviors serve as a signal of... View Details
Gneezy, Ayelet, Alex Imas, Amber Brown, Leif D. Nelson, and Michael I. Norton. "Paying to Be Nice: Consistency and Costly Prosocial Behavior." Management Science 58, no. 1 (January 2012): 179–187.
- Article
Whites See Racism as a Zero-Sum Game That They Are Now Losing
By: Michael I. Norton and Samuel R. Sommers
Although some have heralded recent political and cultural developments as signaling the arrival of a post-racial era in America, several legal and social controversies regarding "reverse racism" highlight Whites' increasing concern about anti-White bias. We show that... View Details
Keywords: Racism; Zero-sum Game; Bias; Affirmative Action; Prejudice and Bias; Race; Social Issues; United States
Norton, Michael I., and Samuel R. Sommers. "Whites See Racism as a Zero-Sum Game That They Are Now Losing." Perspectives on Psychological Science 6, no. 3 (May 2011): 215–218.
- Research Summary
I give therefore I have: Philanthropy and Prosperity
We suggest and document a surprising means by which people can feel wealthier: giving their money away. We suggest that just as acts of conspicuous generosity signal wealth and power to others, they trigger feelings of subjective wealth and power in the giver--despite... View Details
- 17 Dec 2015
- Working Paper Summaries
Observability Increases the Demand for Commitment Devices
Keywords: by Christine Exley & Jeffrey Naecker
- Research Summary
Overview
Annie is interested in the effects of digitization and increased material abundance on consumption behaviors and the signals consumption decisions send to others. Annie studies topics including minimalism, digital payments in social relationships, scarcity, and... View Details
- December 2023
- Article
Save More Today or Tomorrow: The Role of Urgency in Precommitment Design
By: Joseph Reiff, Hengchen Dai, John Beshears, Katherine L. Milkman and Shlomo Benartzi
To encourage farsighted behaviors, past research suggests that marketers may be wise to invite consumers to pre-commit to adopt them “later.” However, the authors propose that people will draw different inferences from different types of pre-commitment offers, and that... View Details
Reiff, Joseph, Hengchen Dai, John Beshears, Katherine L. Milkman, and Shlomo Benartzi. "Save More Today or Tomorrow: The Role of Urgency in Precommitment Design." Journal of Marketing Research (JMR) 60, no. 6 (December 2023): 1095–1113.
- October 2008 (Revised January 2010)
- Case
Airbus A380—Turbulence Ahead
By: Ananth Raman, William Schmidt and Vishal Gaur
Multiple delays of the Airbus A380 have shocked analysts and investors alike. What are the causes of these delays and how should investors respond to the signals they may be sending about the company's outlook? View Details
Keywords: Investment; Product Development; Outcome or Result; Performance Expectations; Air Transportation Industry
Raman, Ananth, William Schmidt, and Vishal Gaur. "Airbus A380—Turbulence Ahead." Harvard Business School Case 609-041, October 2008. (Revised January 2010.)
- 2008
- Article
Governance and Merger Accounting: Evidence from Stock Price Reactions to Purchase versus Pooling
By: Francisco de Asis Martinez-Jerez
This paper examines the effect of corporate governance on investor reactions to accounting choice in the context of accounting for business combinations. Using a sample of 324 recent stock swap acquisitions I find that, contrary to practitioners' belief that capital... View Details
Keywords: Financial Reporting; Financial Statements; Mergers and Acquisitions; Capital Markets; Stocks; Price; Corporate Governance
Martinez-Jerez, Francisco de Asis. "Governance and Merger Accounting: Evidence from Stock Price Reactions to Purchase versus Pooling." Art. 1. European Accounting Review 17, no. 1 (2008): 5–35. (Lead Article.)
- May 2012
- Case
Columbia's Final Mission (Abridged) (A)
By: Amy C. Edmondson and Kerry Herman
This case documents decision-making processes, organizational culture, and other contributors to NASA's failed Columbia mission in 2003. Addresses the question of how organizations should deal with "ambiguous threats" - weak signals of potential crisis - and explores... View Details
Keywords: Cognitive Biases; Teams; Organizational Learning; Ambiguous Threat; Leadership; Organizational Culture; Decision Making; Failure; Crisis Management; Aerospace Industry
Edmondson, Amy C., and Kerry Herman. "Columbia's Final Mission (Abridged) (A)." Harvard Business School Case 612-095, May 2012.
- 2008
- Book
Predictable Surprises
By: Max Bazerman and Michael D. Watkins
Most events that catch us by surprise are both predictable and preventable, but we consistently miss (or ignore) the warning signs. This book shows why such "predictable surprises" put us all at risk, and shows how we can understand, anticipate, and prevent them before... View Details
Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Forecasting and Prediction; Leadership; Risk and Uncertainty; Behavior
Bazerman, Max, and Michael D. Watkins. Predictable Surprises. Paperback ed. Harvard Business School Press, 2008.
- 07 Aug 2018
- First Look
New Research and Ideas, August 8, 2018
improvements in delivering specific healthcare services and justify further investigation of process improvements. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=54827 in press Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Handshaking Promotes... View Details
Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne
- January 1983 (Revised February 1988)
- Case
Hospital Corp. of America (B)
By: W. Carl Kester
Focuses on HCAs financing options for reaching its target capital structure. The options include new equity conversion of convertible debentures, a debt-for-equity swap, the sale of assets, and fixed-rate debt. Students must address the problem of market timing and... View Details
Keywords: Assets; Capital Structure; Cash Flow; Equity; Debt Securities; Credit Derivatives and Swaps; Health Industry; United States
Kester, W. Carl. "Hospital Corp. of America (B)." Harvard Business School Case 283-054, January 1983. (Revised February 1988.)