Publications

Read Now

February 2018
Case

Root Capital and the Efficient Impact Frontier

By: Shawn Cole and Caitlin Reimers Brumme

In 2015 Root Capital, a pioneer in the impact investing space, began to explore how to more systematically integrate impact and financial management. After much deliberation, Root Capital landed on ex-ante rating system for any potential investment that produced a... View Details

Keywords: Measurement and Metrics; Investment; Finance; Performance Efficiency; Boston

November 2014 (Revised May 2017)
Teaching Note

Fresno's Social Impact Bond for Asthma

By: John A. Quelch

The case desccribes a social impact bond (SIB) to fund home-based remediation programs designed to reduce asthma attacks among Fresno residents (especially children) and thereby save on health care costs (ambulance callouts, emergency room visits etc.). The case... View Details

Keywords: Programs; Social Issues; Investment Return; Health Care and Treatment; Health Industry; California

January 2022 (Revised January 2022)
Case

The Impact Developers Fund

By: Malcolm Baker, Samuel Gregory Hanson, Jonathan Wallen and Zach Komes

August 2018
Teaching Note

Acumen—Managing Towards Impact 2018

By: Shawn Cole

Teaching Note for HBS No. 218-086. View Details

November 2011 (Revised January 2014)
Supplement

The Impact of Layoffs

By: Sandra J. Sucher, David Rosales and Elana Green

In video interviews, employees who have been laid off describe their experiences and the effects that the layoff has had on their careers, families, and personal lives. View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing

Clubs

Consulting for Impact Club

Keywords: Consulting

Research Summary

Performance Impact of Continuous Replenishment Systems

By: Janice H. Hammond

Janice H. Hammond has conducted (with Ted Clark of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) a survey of U.S. retailers to determine how the implementation of continuous replenishment programs between manufacturers and retailers affects supply channel... View Details

13 Mar 2013
News

Let's Be Realistic About Measuring Impact

12 Jul 2022
News

International Foundation for Valuing Impacts Holds Inaugural Board Meeting

January 2023
Case

Year Up: Measuring and Scaling Impact

By: Natalia Rigol, Benjamin N. Roth, Brian Trelstad and Sarah Mehta

Year Up, a non-profit that provides training and practical work experience to low-income young people, has for years prioritized impact measurement. By 2022, it had built a robust body of evidence demonstrating that its program yields higher earnings for participants.... View Details

Keywords: Demographics; Education; Jobs and Positions; Measurement and Metrics; Performance; Research; Social Enterprise; Growth Management; Education Industry; United States; Massachusetts; Boston

03 Oct 2019
News

At Harvard B-School, lessons for impact investors

September 2014 (Revised May 2017)
Case

Fresno's Social Impact Bond for Asthma

By: John A. Quelch and Margaret L. Rodriguez

In 2014, Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) were quickly gaining popularity as an investment vehicle which joined together private investors and nonprofits to tackle social issues. Although numerous SIB projects and proposals had cropped up across the U.S. following the launch... View Details

Keywords: Social Enterprise; Health Care; Marketing; Bonds; Financing; Asthma; Air Pollution; Air Quality; Chronic Disease; Public Health; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Finance; Health Industry; Financial Services Industry; United States

Web

Impact Stories - Business History

Impact Stories Angle of Insight Re: Efosa Ojomo (MBA 2015) Discovery Process Re: Caitlin Rosenthal Fair Competition Re: Laura Phillips Sawyer Levels of Meaning Re: Ben Gettinger (MBA 2016) Uncovering the roots of innovation Re: Maki... View Details

Measuring Impact, Report of the Impact Measurement Working Group, Social Impact Investing Task Force established by the G8

View Details

16 Jan 2018
News

Celebrating the Impact of Nonprofits

SPNM scholarship program a primary focus of its fundraising activities because the program’s impact in the region is so far-reaching. “Our members have been most motivated to give back to the community through SPNM,” says Panoff. “This is... View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley

January 2020
Article

The Impact of Mass Shootings on Gun Policy

By: Michael Luca, Deepak Malhotra and Christopher Poliquin

There have been dozens of high-profile mass shootings in recent decades. This paper presents three main findings about the impact of mass shootings on gun policy. First, mass shootings evoke large policy responses. A single mass shooting leads to a 15% increase in the... View Details

Keywords: Gun Violence; Gun Policy; Crime and Corruption; Governance; Policy; United States

Find at Harvard

Read Now

August 2020
Background Note

US Private Equity Firms: ESG and Impact (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Holly Fetter

This Note has two parts. The first part (A) explores how U.S. private equity firms are incorporating ESG (Environmental, Social, & Governance) factors and impact objectives into their investment strategies and firm practices. It is based on publicly available... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Issues; Financial Services Industry; United States