Publications

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02 Mar 2015
News

To Market, To Market

recalls. “We have a thousand employees, dispersed around the world. It’s a very different set of challenges. But because of my HBS experience, and the belief that with analytical skill and commitment you can actually get stuff done, I... View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley; Agriculture; Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations; Personal Services

01 Jan 2008
News

John Doerr, MBA 1976

Microsystems, Intuit, and Netscape. His belief in Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, led to a $7 million investment that launched the largest online retailer in the world. And then there’s Kleiner’s investment in Google, a firm whose... View Details

01 Jul 2010
News

How Will You Measure Your Life?

Keywords: Professor Clay Christensen; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

21 Jul 2009
First Look

First Look: July 21

the paper: http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/10-002.pdf Culture Clash: The Costs and Benefits of Homogeneity Author:Eric Van den Steen Abstract This paper develops an economic theory of the costs and benefits of corporate culture—in the sense of shared View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

October 2010 (Revised August 2016)
Case

On Weldon's Watch: Recalls at Johnson & Johnson from 2009 to 2010

By: Clayton S. Rose, Sandra J. Sucher, Rachel Gordon and Matthew Preble

In October of 2010, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) was unable to extricate itself from a year long recall crisis that had subjected the firm to criticism from Congress and regulators, resulted in the resignation of one of the firm's most senior officers, and cost hundreds of... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Values and Beliefs; Leadership; Crisis Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Quality; Pharmaceutical Industry

Web

Harvard Business School

recruitment of Black students possible, "not something that most deans would have done in that environment in 1968," Lillian Lincoln Lambert (MBA '69), remembered. 20 He also established a fellowship program providing financial support for African Americans while they... View Details

01 Dec 2020
News

Steady as She Goes

foods, and, of course, for toilet paper. As for Weckert, she’s back to building things from scratch. This time, it’s cupcakes with her daughter. How to: Diversify your leadership team Believe. “You have to have a resolute belief that... View Details

Keywords: April White; COVID-19; change management; leadership; women; grocery stores; Food and Beverage Stores; Retail Trade

01 Jun 2002
News

Faculty Debates Lessons from Enron's Collapse

and an espoused belief system that stressed respect, integrity, and communication end up in such a situation? How could an innovative business model that showed so much promise have gone wrong so suddenly? Why did Wall Street and... View Details

Keywords: Deborah Blagg; Enron; faculty; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

March 2021 (Revised June 2022)
Case

James Bryant Conant: Changing the World

By: Robert Simons and Shirley Sun

This case traces the rise of James Conant from a working-class neighborhood in Boston to president of Harvard University. The case describes how Conant, as a young man interested in chemistry and physics, embarks on studies to build his academic credentials and the... View Details

Keywords: Education; Science; Higher Education; Mission and Purpose; Research; Values and Beliefs; Personal Characteristics; Work-Life Balance; Personal Development and Career; Education Industry; Boston

September 2015 (Revised January 2023)
Background Note

Ethical Analysis: Situation versus Character

By: Nitin Nohria, Sandra J. Sucher, Joseph Badaracco and Bridget Gurtler

When we think of human behavior, especially from a moral perspective, we often rely on explanations based on character. We think that good decisions and responsible behavior require people with integrity and strong character and that immoral behavior originates within... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Ethics; Behavior; Personal Characteristics; Power and Influence; Situation or Environment; Values and Beliefs; Social Psychology

March 2021 (Revised October 2023)
Case

Mary Kay Ash: Changing the World

By: Robert Simons and Shirley Sun

This case describes the rise of Mary Kay, the founder of the worldwide cosmetics company. As a young single mother, Mary Kay had to overcome many obstacles to start her business and guide it to success. Today, there are more than 3.5 million Mary Kay beauty consultants... View Details

Keywords: Business Start-ups; Entrepreneurship; Values and Beliefs; Business Startups; Work-Life Balance; Success; Religion; Family Business; Personal Development and Career; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry

28 May 2019
News

A More Perfect Union

As wide and fractured as the partisan divide feels right now, the challenges to America’s underlying democratic systems cut deeper still: The productivity of Congress has declined steeply in the past 20 years. The country’s voting rate in the 2016 election, at 56... View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint; illustration by Dan Bejar

November 2008 (Revised October 2009)
Case

American Cancer Society: Access to Care

By: Robert L. Simons and Kathryn Rosenberg

CEO John Seffrin decides to radically change the strategy of the American Cancer Society. The new Access to Care strategy relies on advocacy to change public policy and increase the number of Americans eligible for cancer prevention and treatment. The new strategy... View Details

Keywords: Values and Beliefs; Governance Controls; Leading Change; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Structure; Nonprofit Organizations; Business Strategy; Health Industry; United States

26 Apr 2011
News

Do You See What I See?

In the second-year elective The Moral Leader, students read and discuss a wide selection of literary sources, confronting complex moral challenges and developing the analytical skills and judgment that will be required of them as business leaders. In the course of... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

01 Jun 2008
News

Letters to the Editor

executive, I had no reason to change my mind. His respect for people was at the core of his being, as was his belief that executives had a responsibility to bring out the best in people. William Geisler (MBA ’60) San Anselmo, CA Error of... View Details

Keywords: Roland Christensen; Roberta Moniz Lasley; Diana Greer; Edna Homa; Anne Jardim; Eunice Jensen; Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Educational Services; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

October 2008 (Revised September 2009)
Case

Procter & Gamble in the 21st Century (A): Becoming Truly Global

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Matthew Bird

Since the 1980s, Procter & Gamble had leveraged its purpose, values, and principles (PVP) to create a global company. When P&G faced difficult times in 2000, the new CEO, A.G. Lafley, leveraged the PVP to drive P&G's turnaround, integrate global operations, and guide... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Values and Beliefs; Globalized Firms and Management; Leading Change; Growth Management; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Change and Adaptation

01 Jul 2002
Research & Ideas

What it Takes to Lead Through Turmoil

curiosity. The emphasis is on learning and discussion, less on making decisions. They set up executive programs, task teams, and scenario rehearsals, all with an eye toward evaluating the new environment. In phase two, leaders question their own View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

July 2006
Case

Citigroup: Euro Zone Bond Trading (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine, Christopher Bruner and Aldo Sesia

Describes the development and execution of a bond trading strategy by a London-based team of Citigroup eurozone bond traders. The trades, which involved two of Europe's leading electronic trading platforms, gave rise to a European-wide controversy over the traders'... View Details

Keywords: Debt Securities; Financial Markets; Bonds; Ethics; Values and Beliefs; Decision Making; Lawfulness; Business Strategy; Banking Industry; Financial Services Industry; Europe