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- All HBS Web (302)
- Faculty Publications (125)
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- October 2023
- Article
Improving Regulatory Effectiveness Through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA
By: Matthew S. Johnson, David I. Levine and Michael W. Toffel
We study how a regulator can best target inspections. Our case study is a U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) program that randomly allocated some inspections. On average, each inspection averted 2.4 serious injuries (9%) over the next five years.... View Details
Keywords: Safety Regulations; Regulations; Regulatory Enforcement; Machine Learning Models; Safety; Operations; Service Operations; Production; Forecasting and Prediction; Decisions; United States
Johnson, Matthew S., David I. Levine, and Michael W. Toffel. "Improving Regulatory Effectiveness Through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 15, no. 4 (October 2023): 30–67. (Profiled in the Regulatory Review.)
- 2020
- Working Paper
Improving Regulatory Effectiveness Through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA
By: Matthew S. Johnson, David I. Levine and Michael W. Toffel
We study how a regulator can best target inspections. Our case study is a US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) program that randomly allocated some inspections. On average, each inspection averted 2.4 serious injuries (9%) over the next five years.... View Details
Keywords: Government Administration; Working Conditions; Safety; Quality; Production; Analysis; Resource Allocation; Manufacturing Industry; United States
Johnson, Matthew S., David I. Levine, and Michael W. Toffel. "Improving Regulatory Effectiveness Through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-019, August 2019. (Revised February 2020.)
- September 2016
- Article
Enhancing the Practical Relevance of Research
This article seeks to encourage scholars to conduct research that is more relevant to the decisions faced by managers and policymakers and addresses why research relevance matters, what relevance means in terms of a journal article, and how scholars can increase the... View Details
Keywords: Research Questions; Relevance; Rigor; Practice-based Research; Research; Communication; Media; Education Industry
Toffel, Michael W. "Enhancing the Practical Relevance of Research." Production and Operations Management 25, no. 9 (September 2016): 1493–1505. (Sparked a Working Knowledge article about research relevance.)
- September 2015
- Teaching Note
Sustainability at IKEA Group
Can IKEA Group double its global sales within a decade by expending in emerging markets while implementing on its ambitious sustainability strategy that included focusing on raw material sourcing and suppliers’ production processes? The case focuses on IKEA Group’s... View Details
- September 2016
- Article
Monitoring Global Supply Chains
By: Jodi L. Short, Michael W. Toffel and Andrea R. Hugill
Firms seeking to avoid reputational spillovers that can arise from dangerous, illegal, and unethical behavior at supply chain factories are increasingly relying on private social auditors to provide strategic information about suppliers' conduct. But little is known... View Details
Keywords: Monitoring; Transaction Cost Economics; Industry Self-regulation; Auditing; Codes Of Conduct; Supply Chains; Corporate Social Responsibility; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Supply Chain; Globalization
Short, Jodi L., Michael W. Toffel, and Andrea R. Hugill. "Monitoring Global Supply Chains." Strategic Management Journal 37, no. 9 (September 2016): 1878–1897. (Video abstract (4 minutes). Working Knowledge article for practitioners.)
- 23 Nov 2010
- First Look
First Look: November 23
Effective Self-Policing Authors: Michael W. Toffel and Jodi L. Short Publication: Journal of Law and Economics... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- November 2016
- Supplement
Irregular Operations
This video shows a dispatcher responding to an irregular operations situation caused by weather at an East Coast airport. View Details
Keywords: Service; Service Excellence; Service Quality; Operating Systems; Operational Complexity; Operational Disruptions; Operational Efficiency; Operational Focus; Air Transportation; Service Operations; Service Delivery; Air Transportation Industry
Buell, Ryan W., Willy C. Shih, and Michael W. Toffel. "Irregular Operations." Harvard Business School Multimedia/Video Supplement 617-705, November 2016.
- May 16, 2019
- Article
To Improve Food Inspections, Change the Way They're Scheduled
By: Maria Ibanez and Michael W. Toffel
Health inspections are an important tool to increase food safety, but there are still 48 million cases of food-borne illnesses and 128,000 hospitalizations every year in the United States. Our research finds that inspectors reported fewer health code violations as they... View Details
Keywords: Inspection; Scheduling; Food; Safety; Health; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Performance Improvement
Ibanez, Maria, and Michael W. Toffel. "To Improve Food Inspections, Change the Way They're Scheduled." Harvard Business Review (website) (May 16, 2019).
- March 2012 (Revised August 2014)
- Case
Fiji versus FIJI: Negotiating Over Water
By: Francesca Gino, Michael W. Toffel and Stephanie van Sice
This case examines negotiations between a company and government over natural resources. The Fijian government proposed a substantial increase in its water extraction tax that would only apply to large extractors, and thus to FIJI Water and not to its competitors. FIJI... View Details
Keywords: Negotiation; Business and Government Relations; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Distribution Industry; Fiji
Gino, Francesca, Michael W. Toffel, and Stephanie van Sice. "Fiji versus FIJI: Negotiating Over Water." Harvard Business School Case 912-030, March 2012. (Revised August 2014.)
- 10 Aug 2010
- First Look
First Look: August 10
https://www.competitionpolicyinternational.com/when-should-a-platform-give-people-fewer-choices-and-charge-more-for-them.htm Institutionalizing Self-Regulation: The Effect of Commitment, Threat and Surveillance Authors:Jodi L. Short View Details
Keywords: Martha Lagace
- January 2016 (Revised February 2016)
- Course Overview Note
The Sustainable Core: Operations Management
By: Michael W. Toffel and L. Beril Toktay
This note is designed to help faculty embed environmental sustainability content into their core Operations Management course at the MBA or undergraduate level. It can also be used to identify cases with environmental content that can be used in operations electives... View Details
Keywords: Environmental Management; Operations Management; Sustainable Operations; Environmental Regulation; Operations; Supply Chain; Supply Chain Management; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry
Toffel, Michael W., and L. Beril Toktay. "The Sustainable Core: Operations Management." Harvard Business School Course Overview Note 616-022, January 2016. (Revised February 2016.)
- November 2023 (Revised February 2025)
- Background Note
Corporate Climate Targets
By: Willy C. Shih, Michael W. Toffel and Kelsey Carter
Companies that are addressing climate change by mitigating their greenhouse gas emissions often set reduction targets. This note describes several types of widely used carbon reduction targets, including carbon neutral, science based, net zero, real zero, and carbon... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Sustainability; Environmental Strategy; Climate Risk; Target-setting; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Accountability; Policy; Measurement and Metrics; Strategic Planning; Social Issues; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact
Shih, Willy C., Michael W. Toffel, and Kelsey Carter. "Corporate Climate Targets." Harvard Business School Background Note 624-041, November 2023. (Revised February 2025.)
- 2025
- Working Paper
Managing Remote Work Quality: Evidence from Auditing Management Systems Standards
By: Ashley Palmarozzo, Michael W. Toffel and Melissa Ouellet
Remote work has become more common, providing operational flexibility and productivity benefits, but questions remain about whether and how it affects work quality. We investigate the quality effects of remote work in a context in which remote work separates workers... View Details
Keywords: Audit; Auditing; Remote Work; Compliance; Assessment; Environment; Management Systems; Quality Management; Quality Management System; Quality; Operations; Supply Chain Management; Environmental Management; Safety
Palmarozzo, Ashley, Michael W. Toffel, and Melissa Ouellet. "Managing Remote Work Quality: Evidence from Auditing Management Systems Standards." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 24-002, July 2023. (Revised February 2025.)
- September 2014
- Article
OSHA Inspections Should Be Welcome: Results from a Natural Field Experiment in California
By: David I. Levine and Michael W. Toffel
For companies with strong internal occupational safety and health auditing programs, OSHA inspections might seem a formality that risk uncovering, at most, nitpicky deviations from the thousands of pages of safety regulations. For those with poor safety practices, OSHA... View Details
Keywords: Business and Government Relations; Operations; Safety; Governance Compliance; United States; California
Levine, David I., and Michael W. Toffel. "OSHA Inspections Should Be Welcome: Results from a Natural Field Experiment in California." The Compass (Newsletter of the American Society of Safety Engineers) 14, no. 1 (September 2014): 4.
- Article
Strategic Management of Product Recovery
Manufacturers of an expanding range of durable products are facing regulatory and market pressures to manage the products they manufactured upon their end of life (EOL). In part, this attention is motivated by a growing number of countries—especially across Europe and... View Details
Keywords: Product; Environmental Sustainability; Cost Management; Government Legislation; Logistics; Risk and Uncertainty; Strategy; Europe; Asia; United States
Toffel, Michael W. "Strategic Management of Product Recovery." California Management Review 46, no. 2 (Winter 2004): 120–141.
- 13 Oct 2010
- First Look
First Look: October 13, 2010
fishing, paddling, rock climbing, surfing, kayaking, and mountain biking. There was a tradeoff between alienating its core customers and achieving growth via entry into new product markets. Purchase this... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- Article
Divided We Lead: CEO Activism Has Entered the Mainstream
By: Aaron K. Chatterji and Michael W. Toffel
Leaders in all sectors, from business to sports to education, are increasingly wading into controversial political and social issues. Based on interviews with leaders who have made activism part of their core activities, we found that they feel compelled to address... View Details
Chatterji, Aaron K., and Michael W. Toffel. "Divided We Lead: CEO Activism Has Entered the Mainstream." Special Issue on HBR Big Idea: Leadership in a Hot-Button World. Harvard Business Review (website) (March–April 2018).
- 2009
- Chapter
Evaluating the Impact of SA8000 Certification
By: Michael J. Hiscox, Claire Schwartz and Michael W. Toffel
SA 8000, along with other types of certification standards and corporate codes of conduct, represents a new form of private governance of working conditions, initiated and implemented by companies, labor unions, and non-governmental activist groups. Whether these codes... View Details
Hiscox, Michael J., Claire Schwartz, and Michael W. Toffel. "Evaluating the Impact of SA8000 Certification." In Social Accountability 8000: The First Decade -- Implementation, Influence, and Impact, edited by Deborah Leipziger. Greenleaf Publishing, 2009.
- 2015
- Working Paper
The Integrity of Private Third-party Compliance Monitoring
By: Jodi L. Short and Michael W. Toffel
Government agencies are increasingly turning to private, third-party monitors to inspect and assess regulated entities’ compliance with law. The integrity of these regulatory regimes rests on the validity of the information third-party monitors provide to regulators.... View Details
Keywords: Regulation; Compliance; Compliance Policies; Conflict Of Interest; Independent Third Party; Inspection; Audit Quality; Auditor; Audit; Environment; Production; Supply Chain; Quality; Government Administration; Working Conditions; Safety; Labor; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Governance Compliance; Manufacturing Industry; Public Administration Industry; Accounting Industry; Service Industry; United States
Short, Jodi L., and Michael W. Toffel. "The Integrity of Private Third-party Compliance Monitoring." Harvard Kennedy School Regulatory Policy Program Working Paper, No. RPP-2015-20, November 2015. (Revised December 2015.)
- September 2013 (Revised August 2024)
- Exercise
Process Analytics Simulation: Solutions
A set of exercises and instructions to be used with the Process Simulator software made by Pro Model. These exercises allow students to investigate the impact of variable processing times on the performance of simple in-line processes. Includes color exhibits. View Details