Publications

December 2004 (Revised August 2005)
Exercise

Orientation to the Public Image Assessment Exercise

By: Robin J. Ely

The Public Image Assessment exercise acquaints students with the ideal images they hold of themselves, the actions they engage in to convey these images, and the benefits and costs of these behaviors to themselves and to others. Social psychologists call this process... View Details

Keywords: Reputation; Perception

October 2024
Article

Racial Inequality in Organizations: A Systems Psychodynamic Perspective

By: Sanaz Mobasseri, William A. Kahn and Robin J. Ely

This paper uses systems psychodynamic concepts to develop theory about the persistence of racial inequality in U.S. organizations and to inform an approach for disrupting it. We treat White men as the dominant group and Black people as the archetypal subordinate group... View Details

Keywords: Equality and Inequality; Race; Prejudice and Bias; Organizational Culture; Gender; Power and Influence; Employees; Attitudes

Find at Harvard

25 Feb 2020
News

What’s Really Holding Women Back?

10 Nov 2009
First Look

First Look: Nov. 10

http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/110024-PDF-ENG Zappos.com 2009: Clothing, Customer Service and Company Culture Frances X. Frei, Robin J. Ely, and Laura WinigHarvard Business School Case 610-015 On July... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

May–June 2018
Article

What Most People Get Wrong about Men and Women: Research Shows the Sexes Aren't So Different

By: Catherine H. Tinsley and Robin J. Ely

Why have women failed to achieve parity with men in the workplace? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not because women prioritize their families over their careers, negotiate poorly, lack confidence, or are too risk averse. Meta-analyses of published studies show that... View Details

Keywords: Working Conditions; Gender; Equality and Inequality; Organizational Culture; Change Management

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Register to Read

12 Jul 2015
News

Working moms may be good for kids: Multitasking Moms and Dads

December 2004 (Revised April 2006)
Case

Managing Diversity at Spencer Owens & Co.

By: Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas

Spencer Owens & Co, a disguised consulting firm, focuses on domestic and international economic development. As an extension of the firm's commitment to social justice, 20 years ago, Spencer Owens management introduced an affirmative action hiring and promotion... View Details

Keywords: Working Conditions; Selection and Staffing; Development Economics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Employees; Diversity; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Consulting Industry

Web

Finance Awards & Honors - Faculty & Research

one of the top 20 bestselling case authors for the past seven academic years (was #19 in 2021–2022) by The Case Centre out of more than 8,000 authors. Robin Greenwood : Winner of the 2022 Roger F. Murray... View Details

Web

Curriculum - Business & Environment

opportunities. Harvard University and Urban Mining Industries: Decarbonizing the Supply Chain The case describes Harvard University's consideration to decarbonize its supply chain by replacing cement with a low-carbon substitute called... View Details

December 2004 (Revised August 2005)
Case

Managing a Public Image: Sophie Chen

By: Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas

Sophie Chen, an Asian-American MBA student at Harvard Business School, describes a professional situation in which she was unable to mentor a junior person effectively because she disapproved of the way her Asian-American mentee conformed to an ethnic stereotype.... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Perception; Relationships; Diversity

24 Apr 2014
News

Leading change in issues around gender and equality

Harvard Business School Professor Robin Ely discusses the School's leadership role in changing issues and business practices around gender and equality. (Published April 2014) View Details

04 May 2010
First Look

First Look: May 4

organs faces widespread disapproval. We survey a representative sample of Americans to assess disapproval for several forms of kidney markets and to understand why individuals disapprove by identifying factors that predict disapproval,... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

18 Apr 2018
News

What Most People Get Wrong About Men and Women

December 2004 (Revised April 2006)
Case

Managing a Public Image: Rob Thomas

By: Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas

Rob Thomas describes some of the challenges he has faced as a white, middle-aged man who is managing director of a mid-size consulting firm where he is committed to increasing staff gender and racial diversity. Unwilling to risk the disapproval of any constituency,... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Age; Race; Identity; Failure; Gender; Consulting Industry

September 2012 (Revised September 2015)
Case

Doing Business in Turkey

By: Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Robin J. Ely, Daniela Beyersdorfer, Emilie Billaud and Cigdem Çelik

In a rather flat international business environment characterized by shrinking markets and economic turmoil, Turkey promoted itself as one of the safe havens for investments. Led by the strong domestic demand of a young population, the country had tripled its GDP... View Details

Keywords: Emerging Market Finance; Emergent Countries; Business History; Economic History; Fieldwork; Emerging Markets; Business Ventures; Strategy; Turkey

March 2020
Article

Explaining the Persistence of Gender Inequality: The Work-family Narrative as a Social Defense Against 24/7 Work Culture

By: Irene Padavic, Robin J. Ely and Erin M. Reid

It is widely accepted that the conflict between women’s family obligations and professional jobs’ long hours lies at the heart of their stalled advancement. Yet research suggests that this “work-family narrative” is incomplete: men also experience it and nevertheless... View Details

Keywords: 24/7 Work Culture; Hegemonic Narrative; Social Defense; Work-family Conflict; Systems-psychodynamic Theory; Work-Life Balance; Personal Development and Career; Gender; Equality and Inequality; Organizational Culture