Boards - Publications - Faculty & Research

03 Oct 2005
What Do You Think?

What’s the Future of Globally Organized Labor?

is arguably the strongest these days, appears not to be competitive in many global industries in which labor costs are still important. Germany, in particular, where workers and union members routinely occupy seats on boards of the... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

23 Jul 2001
Research & Ideas

How One Center of Innovation Lost its Spark

could also explore how differing trajectories of technological development influence the evolution of industrial clusters. It would also be interesting to chart the attempts by many regional development boards and business associations to... View Details

Keywords: by Donald Sull; Manufacturing; Transportation; Auto

24 Nov 2014
Research & Ideas

Corrupting Silence: Companies Must Speak Up Against Bribes

In a 2012 Harvard Business School case on corruption at German conglomerate Siemens AG, Peter Solmssen —brought in to clean house —reflects on how people approach a business bribe. "The stupid ones say, very simply, what are you going to do for me?" says Solmssen,... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

13 Mar 2005
Research & Ideas

Reinforcing Values: A Public Dressing Down

reduced. Decision making was now crisper and more responsive, even though there was little change in the hospital's senior staff or medical leadership. Morale, not surprisingly, was up as well. To take just one indicator, annual nursing turnover, which was 15 percent... View Details

Keywords: by David A. Garvin & Michael A. Roberto

04 Mar 2002
Research & Ideas

Don’t Lose Money With Customers

rewarded by GE. In contrast, a supplier of circuit boards to Ford Motor Company was never able to overcome a preoccupation with the contract terms. The supplier's failure to manage effectively this aspect of an otherwise promising... View Details

Keywords: by Peter K. Jacobs

19 Nov 2007
Lessons from the Classroom

Teaching The Moral Leader

that some of the hardest leadership decisions are the ones that have moral or ethical stakes. For example, while on the board of a nonprofit, I was approached by an employee—a whistleblower—who accused the program director of manipulating... View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Gilbert; Education

24 Mar 2014
Research & Ideas

The Surprising Link Between Language and Corporate Responsibility

ESG—factors), both because of its importance to socially conscious investors and as an indicator of long-term corporate health. Firms such as Morgan Stanley Capital International crunch hundreds of factors from carbon emissions to the percent of women on corporate... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

29 May 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, May 29, 2018

Disney animation department was not the company’s only problem. Disney was under pressure: the company had recently delivered poor financial results; ratings at the ABC network had fallen below competitors; Walt’s nephew, Roy E. Disney, had stepped down from the View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

25 Jan 2011
First Look

First Look: Jan. 25

than that of other CEOs. CEO turnover sensitivity to firm performance is also significantly higher in founder-director firms compared to non-founder firms. Overall, the evidence suggests that boards with founder-directors provide more... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

28 Sep 2015
Research & Ideas

Six Lessons from Mobile Money Ventures in Developing Countries

money service grew to about 400 million subscribers. Lesson 3: Get agents on board Mobile money operators need to treat their sales agents well, providing financial incentives and making them feel strongly invested in the success of the... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Financial Services; Telecommunications

18 Nov 2010
Research & Ideas

GM’s IPO: Back to the Future

retirees' medical benefits. And the CEO, CFO, and many board members were shown the door. The concessions from all sides were remarkable, given that the powers of the task force were limited. Compared with the rescue of the financial... View Details

Keywords: by Staff; Auto

08 Nov 2024
Op-Ed

How Private Investors Can Help Solve Africa's Climate Crisis

African people, businesses, and nations are becoming increasingly stressed by climate-related perils like droughts, river flooding, extreme heat, and rising sea levels. This is leading not only to the destruction of assets but also challenges to lives and... View Details

Keywords: by John Macomber; Green Technology; Energy

14 Mar 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research, March 14

board had to decide whether to invite the two directors to join the company’s board knowing they came with the special payment scheme from the hedge fund. Purchase this case:... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

04 May 2020
Research & Ideas

Predictions, Prophets, and Restarting Your Business

versus customer B. My experience on boards of directors and in work with leadership teams is that “vision” discussions are fun, and quarterly financial results are tracked closely. But despite much talk about big data, the customer... View Details

Keywords: by Frank V. Cespedes

07 Dec 2016
HBS Case

Why Millennials Flock to Fintech for Personal Investing

S&P 500 by 40 percent on a risk-adjusted basis. (There have been challenges, too. CEO Adam Nash stepped down in October, replaced by founder Andy Rachleff returning as CEO. Nash retained his seat on the board of directors.) But... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Financial Services

12 Feb 2014
Research & Ideas

Private Sector, Public Good

board and do their part. During visits to companies, she said, executives always stress the money-making part of business. But during social get-togethers with these same executives, they admit to also being worried about the world and... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

23 Jun 2014
Research & Ideas

In Venture Capital, Birds of a Feather Lose Money Together

investors seemed to lie in the decisions that followed the investment. In addition to granting cash, venture capitalists are heavily involved in hiring or firing the CEO of the portfolio company, choosing a board of directors, devising an... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Financial Services

04 Dec 2012
Research & Ideas

Book Excerpt: Harder Than I Thought

down this job before they found someone dumb enough take it. The fact that the guy agreed to do it speaks unflattering volumes about his judgment. Yes, I realize Barton is an SMA board member. That he "knows the company"-at least as much... View Details

Keywords: by Robert D. Austin, Richard L. Nolan & Shannon O'Donnell; Aerospace

05 Feb 2009
What Do You Think?

Why Can’t We Figure Out How to Select Leaders?

simply impossible to select people with any degree of confidence? Do behaviors change when one is anointed with the power of a leadership position? Are we condemned to an on-the-job training approach, with the attendant obligation to correct mistakes quickly (which... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

16 Jul 2024
Research & Ideas

Weighing Digital Tradeoffs in Private Equity

likely see the biggest benefit. Investors planned to grow the firm, rather than sell it quickly. Investors may be more willing to wait the time it takes for digital transformation to bear fruit. The PE firm already owned technology companies or had leaders who served... View Details