Publications

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01 Jun 1997
News

HBS Alumni Association Board of Directors: President's Report

the connectedness of alumni to the School and to each other. While the HBS alumni network is very good when utilized, our Board of Directors has... View Details

22 Dec 2003
Research & Ideas

How to Build a Better Board

that corporate governance activists focus on things that can be seen from the outside. The reality is that what makes boards effective—and this is the point we make in the book over and over again—is the behavior View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

01 Feb 1998
News

HBS Alumni Association Board of Directors: President's Report

The HBS Alumni Association Board of Directors has just completed its winter meeting on campus, the second of three such gatherings we have each... View Details

01 Aug 2001
News

HBS Alumni Association Board of Directors: President's Report

direction the School is taking. There is also a wealth of resources online to bring you closer to the School's resources, such as Working Knowledge (www.hbsworkingknowledge.hbs.edu) and eBaker, a video library View Details

Keywords: John Hoffman

11 Mar 2016
News

Bob Evans’ Activist Shareholder Battles with Board He Helped Pick

Blog

Eight Steps to Board Success for Female Executives

current with industry trends and connected with other executives and directors who are wrestling with similar problems. That's why your professional network is so important to your role as a board... View Details

16 Jul 2024
Op-Ed

Corporate Boards Are Failing in Their No. 1 Duty

appointments go wrong Let’s begin by taking a look at three examples of poor leadership at public companies and addressing what went wrong. Then, I will recommend five ways boards can ensure they appoint the... View Details

Keywords: by Bill George

November 2016 (Revised February 2017)
Case

BrightStar Care: The Evolution of a Leadership Team

By: Boris Groysberg, Colleen Ammerman and John D. Vaughan

BrightStar Care was a rapidly growing franchise of home health care agencies. Founded by husband and wife team JD and Shelly Sun as a single agency near Chicago in 2002, BrightStar had opened nearly 300 franchises across the United States by 2016, generating over $300... View Details

Keywords: Health Care Services; Entrepreneurs; Board Of Directors; Boards Of Directors; Health Care Industry; Growth Strategy; Organizational Change; Brand Positioning; Entrepreneurial Organizations; Entrepreneurial Management; Franchising; Family-owned Business; Home Health Care; Managing Growth; Management Styles; Organizational Development; Talent Management; Women Executives; Women And Leadership; Business Startups; Family Business; Small Business; Talent and Talent Management; Governing and Advisory Boards; Health Care and Treatment; Human Capital; Leadership Development; Leadership Style; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Management Skills; Management Style; Management Succession; Management Systems; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Strategy

September 2021
Case

Vignettes on Professional Service Firm Governance

By: David G. Fubini, Suraj Srinivasan and Li-Kuan Ni

The two vignettes within “Vignettes on Professional Service Firm Governance” (HBS No. 122-024) present various issues relating to governance in professional service firms (“PSFs”). In the first, the Managing Director of a U.S. consulting firm contemplates whether to... View Details

20 Aug 2014
News

Hertz Investor Fir Tree Urging Board to Replace CEO

23 Aug 2016
News

7 Charts Show How Political Affiliation Shapes U.S. Boards

June 2009 (Revised January 2011)
Case

Target Corporation: Ackman versus the Board

By: Krishna G. Palepu, Suraj Srinivasan and James Weber

After 15 years of great performance, Target's faltering performance during an economic downturn led an activist shareholder to initiate a proxy fight. Target Corporation, the second largest discount store retailer in the U.S., had competed successfully against industry... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Investment Activism; Governing and Advisory Boards; Business and Shareholder Relations; Business Strategy; Value; Retail Industry

February 2021 (Revised September 2022)
Case

Shareholder Activists and Corporate Strategy

By: David J. Collis and Caeden Brynie

This library case examines the rise of shareholder activism in recent years, particularly in the public eye, and analyzes its effects on corporate strategy, growth, and shareholder value. It looks at three contemporary targets of shareholder activism in particular—Bed... View Details

Keywords: Shareholder; Shareholder Activism; Board; Board Of Directors; Hedge Fund; Hedge Fund Activism; Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Investment Activism; Governing and Advisory Boards; Business and Shareholder Relations

April 2015 (Revised July 2015)
Case

Proxy Access at Whole Foods

By: Jay Lorsch and Emily McTague

Proxy access grants shareholders meeting certain ownership requirements the right to nominate directors for election to the board without going through a typical proxy contest. In August 2010 the SEC approved a rule granting proxy access for shareholders meeting... View Details

Keywords: Board Of Directors; Proxy Advisor; Shareholder Activism; Shareholder Voting; Shareholder Votes; Proxy Battle; Institutional Change; Institutional Investing; Business and Shareholder Relations; Food and Beverage Industry; North America