Publications

April 1996 (Revised May 1996)
Background Note

The Social Enterprise Spectrum: Structuring Social-Purpose Ventures: From Philanthropy to Commerce

With the boundaries between philanthropy and commerce blurring, this note briefly gives nonprofit managers and social entrepreneurs a framework (the Social Enterprise Spectrum) for thinking creatively about structural options in the social sector. View Details

Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship

May 2001 (Revised June 2010)
Case

Jumpstart

By: Allen S. Grossman

Many in the nonprofit sector doubt whether organizational performance can be measured. Jumpstart, a 10-year-old nonprofit, developed performance measurement and management systems from its inception. The organization has experienced explosive growth and attributes a... View Details

Keywords: Management Systems; Measurement and Metrics; Organizational Culture; Performance Improvement; Nonprofit Organizations

01 Apr 2002
News

Professorship Brings Brierley's HBS Connection Full Circle

believer in the importance of giving back to the community. "It's a source of deep satisfaction that the database management tools and techniques first developed at Epsilon have allowed hundreds of nonprofit... View Details

Keywords: Charles M. Williams; Epsilon Data Management; Computer Systems Design and Related Services; Professional Services

2008
Book

Social Entrepreneurship: A Modern Approach to Social Value Creation

By: Arthur C. Brooks

This text brings together the established pedagogy of entrepreneurship with cutting edge nonprofit and public management tools.
Measuring social value, earned income, donations and government income, entrepreneurial fundraising and marketing, and social... View Details

Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship; Nonprofit Organizations; Management

Research Summary

Professor Wei-Skillern's research is focused in the field of Social Enterprise. Her research examines the creation of social value in both commercial and nonprofit organizations. In the former stream of research on corporate social responsibility, she has studied... View Details

Fall 2012
Article

Enacting Our Field

By: Alnoor Ebrahim

This keynote address, delivered to the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council at its 25-year "benchmark" conference, examines the pedagogical challenges facing the field of nonprofit management in American higher education. It interrogates four binary distinctions commonly... View Details

Keywords: Conferences; Higher Education; Teaching; Social Issues; Innovation and Invention; Programs; Management; Nonprofit Organizations

Find at Harvard

01 Dec 2015
Research & Ideas

What to Do When Your Organization Has Dueling Missions

commercial revenue to fund its social mission. As such, hybrids combine typical aspects of both corporations and social organizations. “Hybrids have to simultaneously pursue commercial and social objectives” Managing a hybrid is no easy... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

June 2003 (Revised October 2003)
Case

Habitat for Humanity International: Brand Valuation

By: John A. Quelch

Habitat for Humanity underwent a brand valuation study and found that its brand was worth $1.8 billion, equivalent to Starbucks. Senior management reviews the issues facing the organization; students are afforded insights into what drives brand value for a major... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit Organizations; Valuation; Brands and Branding

December 1996
Case

Common Fund Hedge Fund Portfolio, The

By: Andre F. Perold and William T. Spitz

The Common Fund, a nonprofit consortium of educational institutions, is deciding whether to create a fund of hedge funds for its members, and if it does, which hedge fund managers to select. View Details

Keywords: Measurement and Metrics; Investment Funds

01 Jan 2002
News

01 Dec 2015
News

What to Do When Your Organization Has Dueling Missions

August 2014 (Revised February 2021)
Case

Hospital for Special Surgery (A)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Stacy Schwartz

Hospital for Special Surgery, a focused factory for orthopedics and joint disease, is contemplating various growth options: further growth in the United Kingdom's National Health Services, management of hospitals in the United States, and/or hospital consulting.... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Nonprofit Organizations; Growth and Development Strategy; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Expansion; Health Industry; United Kingdom; United States

Elisabeth Paulson is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration in the Technology and Operations Management Unit at Harvard Business School. She teaches the first year course on Technology and Operations Management in the required curriculum.
View Details

Keywords: nonprofit industry; nonprofit industry; nonprofit industry; nonprofit industry; nonprofit industry

06 Nov 2019
News

Boeing mess is 'a template for how not to be trustworthy.'

July 2019 (Revised November 2022)
Case

Backstage at Boston Ballet

By: David G. Fubini, Ryan Raffaelli, Begum Agca Okutgen and Julia Kelley

This case asks students to consider how to prioritize goals when placed in a new leadership role. In August 2014, Meredith “Max” Hodges became the youngest Executive Director (ED) in the Boston Ballet’s 51-year history. In her first year, she was able to claim several... View Details

01 Jan 2003
News

March 2003 (Revised August 2005)
Case

National Parks Conservation Association

By: Forest L. Reinhardt and Briana Huntsberger

The National Parks Conservation Association seeks to help the U.S. National Park Service increase its efficiency by incorporating principles of business management so that American national parks will be better managed. Its efforts raise fundamental questions about the... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit Organizations; Business or Company Management; Corporate Governance; Government and Politics; Natural Environment; Cooperation; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Tourism Industry; Public Administration Industry; United States