Mission And Purpose - Publications - Faculty & Research

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HBS - The year in Review

Business in Global Society (BiGS). The course, which took place over two days and was taught by 12 senior faculty members from across the School, was designed to encourage students to examine the foundations View Details

July 2023 (Revised April 2025)
Case

'Bugs' Burger Bug Killers

By: Ryan W. Buell and William Fulmer

In the height of its success, Bugs Burger Bug Killers (BBBK; Burger has a soft 'g' - it rhymes with merger) was the largest independent extermination company in America, growing at more than 20% per year. BBBK built its business on the promise of pest eradication,... View Details

Keywords: Mission and Purpose; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Service Industry

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Educators

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25 Apr 2023
Blog Post

How Short Intensive Programs (SIPs) Transform Your MBA Learning Journey

higher education about how they struggle with maintaining spirituality in the real world, and how they continue to persevere was eye-opening. There aren’t many times in our lives when we can have these important conversations or where... View Details

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Executive Education - Global

Executive Education For nearly 75 years, Harvard Business School Executive Education has been fulfilling its mission of educating leaders who shape the practice of business and innovation around the world.... View Details

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Human Behavior & Decision-Making - Faculty & Research

Institutional Investing ; Corporate Accountability ; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact ; Mission and Purpose ; Private Ownership ;... View Details

09 Mar 2023
Blog Post

African American Student Union Spotlight on Joint Degrees

scaling its impact. This led me to seek out opportunities that would allow me to integrate my knowledge of technology, life sciences, and business. When I learned about the MS/MBA joint degree programs in Engineering Science View Details

07 May 2014
What Do You Think?

How Should Wealth Be Redistributed?

Summing Up Is Wealth Distribution a Problem Cause or Symptom? The passion and thought that went into this month's questions about wealth redistribution suggest that the topic is of more than passing interest. Some cautioned against hasty... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

15 Sep 2021
Research & Ideas

Don't Bring Me Down: Probing Why People Tune Out Bad News

out negative information so they can plead ignorance and continue harmful behavior. Indeed, it may seem like people are purposely avoiding information to create an “excuse” that frees them from the... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

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About - Race, Gender & Equity

Initiative whose mission is to accelerate the advancement of women leaders and promote gender and other forms of equity in business and society... View Details

21 Dec 2011
Research & Ideas

The Most Common Strategy Mistakes

"Michael Porter didn't get to be a giant in the field of competition and strategy by hunting small game." Joan Magretta begins her new book on Harvard Business School's Michael Porter's work by noting that, from the start of his... View Details

Keywords: by Joan Magretta

31 Oct 2018
What Do You Think?

What is the Function of Fear in Leadership?

high standards, commanded great respect, and the fear he created was entirely purposeful and positive.” John Hudson stated, “(It is) hard to find a business without fear of... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

02 Jun 2022
Research & Ideas

Blissful Thinking: When It Comes to Finding Happiness, 'Your Dreams Are Liars'

webinars and virtual reunion sessions on the topic, and recently released From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose... View Details

Keywords: by Dan Morrell

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Social Enterprise - Faculty & Research

graduates, aiming to continually improve programs that supported the career success and well-being of its students. How would the foundation sustain momentum with donors and make the most meaningful... View Details

25 May 2011
HBS Case

QuikTrip’s Investment in Retail Employees Pays Off

year visiting stores and employees and personally responds to any e-mail they send him." All of these factors have made QuikTrip a regular on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. Yet the company's... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Retail

April 2021 (Revised July 2021)
Case

Public Equities Impact Investing at BlackRock

By: Shawn A. Cole, Vikram S. Gandhi, Michael Norris and John Masko

In early 2021, BlackRock—the world’s largest asset manager with $9 trillion in assets under management (AUM)—sought to become a leader in promoting environmental and social sustainability. Over the previous ten years, CEO Larry Fink had written an annual open letter to... View Details

Keywords: Impact Investing; Renewable Energy; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Equity; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Financial Management; Investment Funds; Investment Return; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Financial Services Industry; United States

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Educators

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17 Jun 2010
Working Paper Summaries

When Do Analysts Add Value? Evidence from Corporate Spinoffs

Keywords: by Emilie Rose Feldman, Stuart C. Gilson & Belén Villalonga

12 Sep 2022
Research & Ideas

When Experts Play It Too Safe: Innovation Lessons from a NASA Experiment

for the US space agency’s Astrobee system in 2018. Entries proposed solutions to technical issues with a robotic arm for Astrobee, a free-flying robot that handles inventory, documents astronauts’ experiments, and moves cargo. Astrobee is... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Aerospace

09 Nov 2023
Blog Post

The No. 1 Character Trait You Will Need to Succeed in Business

purpose is just an act of futility,” as Joe Almeida, CEO of Baxter International, explained when I asked him what advice he would give to young people who wanted to cultivate a sense of courage. “When you are inexperienced, View Details

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Social Impact Collaboratory

Mission Statement Led by Harvard Business School Professor Shawn Cole (Finance), the HBS Social Impact Collaboratory is a research-led effort to advance the understanding and practice of impact investing by... View Details

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Executive Education | Social Enterprise | Harvard Business School

nonprofit CEOs and executive directors to lead their organizations effectively, this program provides a conceptual approach to shape the direction, mission, policies, and major programs of nonprofit... View Details

Publications