Publications

January 1994 (Revised March 1995)
Background Note

Power Dynamics in Organizations

By: Linda A. Hill

Designed to introduce the concepts of power and power dynamics to students in the MBA second-year elective course Power and Influence. Defines "power" and "influence," and explores the role of power dynamics in managerial work and in the life of organizations. Combats... View Details

Keywords: Power and Influence; Organizations; Conflict and Resolution

December 2002 (Revised February 2003)
Case

Broken Trust: Role of Professionals in the Enron Debacle

By: Ashish Nanda

Discusses the role of professionals in the Enron debacle. Argues that professionals failed to prevent or predict Enron's collapse because of the conflicts of interest they faced. Concludes with observations on management and regulation of conflicts of interest facing... View Details

Keywords: Conflict of Interests; Trust; Management Teams; Energy Industry

Forthcoming
Chapter

Intermediation and Diffusion of Responsibility in Negotiation: A Case of Bounded Ethicality

By: Neeru Paharia, Lucas Clayton Coffman and Max Bazerman

This article compares direct deception with deception via an intermediary in the bargaining context. It describes a growing experimental literature that suggests how perceived ethics surrounding transactions with multiple partners can encourage misbehavior. It is noted... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Process; Ethics

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September 2010 (Revised October 2010)
Background Note

Note on International Trade Finance

By: C. Fritz Foley, Matthew Johnson and David Lane

This note provides an introduction to the financing terms and payment arrangements that support international trade. It describes the principal instruments of trade finance, the limited evidence on their relative use, and the international trade dispute resolution... View Details

Keywords: Trade; Credit; Financial Instruments; Financing and Loans; International Finance; Conflict and Resolution

Professor Ramarajan is the Diane Doerge Wilson Professor of Business Administration in the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School. Her research examines the management and consequences of identities in organizations.

She teaches the... View Details

Keywords: nonprofit industry

August 1992 (Revised September 2002)
Case

Star Distributors, Inc. (A)

By: David A. Thomas

Depicts the conflict and organizational problems that emerged in a franchise operation owned by Paul Logan, an African American, and John Heyman, a white American. Provides the opportunity to examine the ways in which race influences managerial behavior and... View Details

Keywords: Conflict Management; Performance Effectiveness; Franchise Ownership; Race; Management Style; Conflict and Resolution; Business and Stakeholder Relations

Article

Conversational Receptiveness: Expressing Engagement with Opposing Views

By: M. Yeomans, J. Minson, H. Collins, H. Chen and F. Gino

We examine “conversational receptiveness”—the use of language to communicate one’s willingness to thoughtfully engage with opposing views. We develop an interpretable machine-learning algorithm to identify the linguistic profile of receptiveness (Studies 1A-B). We then... View Details

Keywords: Receptiveness; Natural Language Processing; Disagreement; Interpersonal Communication; Relationships; Conflict Management

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03 Oct 2017
Working Paper Summaries

When Exit is an Option: Effects of Indiscriminate Violence on Attitudes Among Syrian Refugees in Turkey

Keywords: by Kristin Fabbe, Chad Hazlett, and Tolga Sinmazdemir

March 1996 (Revised January 2001)
Case

Incidents in Trade Policy

By: Louis T. Wells Jr. and Courtenay Sprague

Discusses a series of incidents of conflict between the United States and foreign governments on trade. View Details

Keywords: Trade; Policy; Agreements and Arrangements; Conflict and Resolution; Globalization; Government and Politics; United States

May 1992 (Revised January 2000)
Supplement

ABB: Accountability Times Two (B)

By: Robert L. Simons

Describes internal allocation conflicts in a complex global company structured as a matrix organization. ABB Switzerland has secured and will build an important power station project; however, internal market allocation policies dictate that this work be handled by ABB... View Details

Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Conflict Management; Complexity; Sweden; Switzerland

September 2004 (Revised November 2012)
Module Note

Module I: Moral Challenge Class Summaries

By: Sandra J. Sucher

What is a moral challenge? Explores four main types of moral challenge: the challenge of survival, the conflict between "two rights," a moral dilemma—or situation in which it is impossible to satisfy conflicting moral obligations and commitments—and the challenge of... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Moral Sensibility; Values and Beliefs; Leadership; Problems and Challenges; Conflict of Interests

September 1960 (Revised August 1995)
Case

Slade Co., The

Describes a conflict between the values and norms of a segment of an internal social system and those of management and the wider culture. View Details

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Conflict and Resolution

August 2007
Case

The Battle Of Union Square

Union Square Ventures, a Private Equity firm founded in 2003, filed a trademark infringement suit against Union Square Partners, another private equity firm founded in November 2006. Examines the possible impact that public litigation will have on the two firms. The... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Investment; Trademarks; Lawsuits and Litigation; Conflict Management; Reputation; Financial Services Industry

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October 1996
Background Note

Building Effective One-on-One Work Relationships

By: Linda A. Hill

Addresses how to build effective one-on-one work relationships. Spells out the importance of analyzing your network and understanding on whom you are dependent. Also provides some criteria for assessing the quality of your relationships. Finally, it discusses how to... View Details

Keywords: Performance Effectiveness; Quality; Networks; Conflict and Resolution

October 1995
Case

Otis Elevator Company (B): China Strategy

By: Michael Y. Yoshino and Thomas W. Malnight

Examines the conflict Otis faces with its joint venture partner as it seeks to expand into Southern China. View Details

Keywords: Management; Conflict and Resolution; Joint Ventures; Expansion; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Strategy; Globalization; Construction Industry; Manufacturing Industry; China

Research Summary

War & Peace

By: Deepak Malhotra

A second stream of research looks at issues related to conflict resolution in the context of international and ethno-political conflict, and in particular, at the role of negotiation in ending armed conflicts. I launched a new course at HBS entitled "War & Peace:... View Details

November 1999 (Revised November 1999)
Case

Goodyear: The Aquatred Launch (Condensed)

Goodyear is planning to launch an innovative new tire in a price sensitive and highly competitive category. The case deals with channel conflicts and management issues arising in mature product categories. View Details

Keywords: Conflict Management; Product Launch; Auto Industry; Rubber Industry