Publications

October 2000 (Revised January 2002)
Case

Individual and the Corporation, The: Kathy Levinson and E*TRADE (A)

By: Joseph L. Badaracco Jr. and Susan Harmeling

Kathy Levinson, the president and COO of ETRADE and a lesbian mother of two children, must decide whether and how to participate in the "No on Knight" campaign. The campaign opposes California ballot proposition 22, which requires California to recognize only marriages... View Details

Keywords: Conflict of Interests; Leadership; Managerial Roles; Values and Beliefs; Decision Choices and Conditions; Gender; Diversity; Financial Services Industry

08 Mar 2021
In Practice

COVID Killed the Traditional Workplace. What Should Companies Do Now?

A year ago, COVID-19 forced many companies to send employees home—often with a laptop and a prayer. Now, with COVID cases subsiding and vaccinations rising, the prospect of returning to old office routines appears more possible. But will employees want to flock back to... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

06 May 2016
Blog Post

Make Social Media Work For You Abroad

Looking to move to a new country? An international job search can be difficult after years of working in a different country. Your contacts can be your biggest asset when you’re looking to make a move, and you should use your network,... View Details

19 Apr 2010
Research & Ideas

The History of Beauty

you have a major industry that still has lots to reveal. We asked Jones to discuss his research and his new book. Sean Silverthorne: What inspired your interest in the beauty business and its history?... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Beauty & Cosmetics

July 15, 2022
Article

Does Elon Musk Have a Strategy?

By: Andy Wu and Goran Calic

Does Elon Musk have a strategy? Or is he just out there winging it? Looking at Musk’s many companies, common themes stand out across three areas: what fits into his vision for problems to solve, how he designs an organization as a solution to those problems, and why he... View Details

Keywords: Technology; Strategy; Vision; Resources; Organization; Platform; Closed Systems; Leadership; Complexity; Organizational Design; Vertical Integration; Problems and Challenges; Success; Auto Industry; Aerospace Industry; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Energy Industry

Register to Read

09 May 2023
Blog Post

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at HBS (part 1)

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The Asian Affinity Business Association (AABA), in collaboration with students and organizations across campus, is proud to share and honor... View Details

12 Jul 2011
First Look

First Look: July 12

Business School Case 111-082 The case describes the challenges that UBS faced as a result of the U.S. Department of Justice investigation for tax fraud, which claimed that UBS had helped some 52,000 U.S. residents hide billions of dollars... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

06 Sep 2016
First Look

September 6, 2016

September 2016 Harvard Business Review How to Tackle Your Toughest Decisions By: Badaracco, Joseph L. Abstract—The toughest calls managers have to make come in situations when they have worked hard to gather... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

June 2025
Case

The Value of Art on Campus as a Vision for Educating Leaders Who Make a Difference

By: James Riley, Alexis Lefort and Helen Yap

This case explores the debate surrounding the installation of a large contemporary sculpture, Inés by Jaume Plensa, at Harvard Business School under the leadership of Dean Nitin Nohria. Set in 2016, the case examines the role of physical campus design and public art in... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Culture; United States

February 2020 (Revised January 2024)
Case

Wellthy: The Economics of Caring

By: Brian L. Trelstad and Joseph B. Fuller

In 2014, Lindsay Jurist-Rosner (MBA ’09) founded Wellthy, a B2C business that coordinates care for working professionals seeking help to support loved ones with chronic diseases or aging parents. With personal experience as a young professional providing care for her... View Details

Keywords: B2B Vs. B2C; Future Of Work; Health; Social Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Health Industry; United States

February 2018
Case

Aetna and the Transformation of Health Care

By: Rebecca M. Henderson, Russell Eisenstat and Matthew Preble

Mark Bertolini, chairman and CEO of the health insurer Aetna, faces a number of questions as he seeks to transform Aetna from a classic insurance company into a business that will engage much more deeply with its members around their personal health goals. His strategy... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Transformation; Behavior; Leading Change; Strategy; Insurance Industry; Health Industry; United States; Connecticut

15 Jul 2022
News

Does Elon Musk Have a Strategy?

30 Oct 2014
Working Paper Summaries

Housing Collateral, Credit Constraints, and Entrepreneurship-Evidence from a Mortgage Reform

Keywords: by Thais Laerkholm Jensen, Søren Leth-Petersen & Ramana Nanda; Construction; Real Estate; Financial Services

20 Dec 2010
Research & Ideas

Panama Canal: Troubled History, Astounding Turnaround

A favorite topic of historians and palindrome fans alike, the Panama Canal has perpetually changed the international trade business. In their new book, The Big Ditch: How America Took, Built, Ran, and Ultimately Gave Away the Panama Canal... View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Gilbert; Transportation

22 Apr 2014
First Look

First Look: April 22

decision-making is successful. Using plausibly exogenous variation in exposure to state-mandated personal finance and mathematics high school courses, affecting millions of students, this paper answers the... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

29 Jul 2013
Research & Ideas

A Manager’s Moral Obligation to Preserve Capitalism

for instance, might argue that capitalism ignores issues of fairness in outcomes—but they can't say that it doesn't exist. “Our task is not to take immoral people and make them moral. Our task is to add texture to the dominant View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

2010
Book

Unilever'i Yenilemek: Dönüşüm ve Gelenek [Renewing Unilever: Transformation and Tradition]

By: Geoffrey Jones

Unilever's brands can now be found in one out of every two households in the world. This arresting and impressive fact shows the scope and scale of this unique global corporation. Geoffrey Jones, a leading business historian from the Harvard Business School, takes us... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Business Growth and Maturation; Multinational Firms and Management; Corporate Strategy; Organizational Culture; Globalization; Brands and Branding; Consumer Products Industry

September 1992 (Revised July 1994)
Case

MEM Company, Inc.: English Leather

By: Frank V. Cespedes and Laura Goode

In 1992, the president of MEM (a producer of personal care products, including men's fragrances) considered a redeployment of field sales efforts and changes in sales compensation policies. Any changes, moreover, must consider the context of strategic decisions... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Decision Choices and Conditions; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Consumer Behavior; Distribution Channels; Business Strategy; Consumer Products Industry