Publications

March 2021 (Revised June 2022)
Case

Bill Wilson: Changing the World

By: Robert Simons and Max Saffer

This case describes the life choices of Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. A young man with tremendous potential, Wilson hit rock bottom as a drunk. An epiphany, coupled with his personal drive, led him to build a worldwide organization that has helped... View Details

Keywords: Leadership Development; Nonprofit Organizations; Mission and Purpose; Values and Beliefs; Personal Characteristics; Leadership Style; Work-Life Balance; Personal Development and Career

27 Sep 2021
Blog Post

Working to Change the Food System

dedicate my time and energies toward. This year you’ll be co-president of the Food, Agriculture, and Water Club. What motivated you to pursue this role? What goals do you have as co-president? I think to the broader HBS population, View Details

2021
Book

The Four Elements: Finding Right Livelihood in the 21st Century

By: Timothy Butler

This is a book for all who are facing career and life transitions. At such junctures, our decisions require the full self, and astute thinking alone will not carry us into the new place that our lives demand. The Four Elements shares the recent research of Dr.... View Details

Keywords: Meaningfulness; Career Satisfaction; Personal Development and Career; Transition; Decision Making

February 2021 (Revised June 2023)
Case

Henry Ford: Changing the World

By: Robert Simons and Max Saffer

This case traces the rise of Henry Ford from a small farm in Michigan to the controlling shareholder of the Ford Motor Company. The case describes how Ford, as young man, acquired engineering skills and the risks he took as he built and marketed one of the first... View Details

Keywords: Technology; Entrepreneurship; Personal Characteristics; Business Startups; Management; Success; Values and Beliefs; Technological Innovation; Personal Development and Career; Auto Industry; United States; Michigan

18 Oct 2021
Blog Post

Embracing Activism for Social Change

that’s working well,” Mendu says. “I was able to lead the training session for the Detroit effort, which was an honor for me.” Enabling Career Exploration Each year, the HBS Leadership Fellows Program gives a select group of graduating... View Details

07 Sep 2021
News

Embracing Activism for Social Change

for the Detroit effort, which was an honor for me.” Enabling Career Exploration Each year, the HBS Leadership Fellows Program gives a select group of graduating MBAs the financial flexibility to explore View Details

Keywords: Deborah Blagg

19 May 2021
Op-Ed

Why America Needs a Better Bridge Between School and Career

change among training organizations, our research team at Harvard’s interdisciplinary Project on Workforce analyzed 316 applications to the Postsecondary Innovation for Equity initiative. The grant competition, launched by venture... View Details

Keywords: by Joseph B. Fuller and Rachel Lipson

Research Summary

Changing the World: Life Choices of Influential Leaders

By: Robert Simons

This project studies the life choices made by a variety of people who have left a lasting legacy. Using biographical data, we are examining the choices that high-impact individuals faced in their lives and the paths they chose to follow. The leaders we study come... View Details

Keywords: Leadership Style; Personal Characteristics; Work-life Balance; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Success

January 2025 (Revised March 2025)
Case

Thomas Müller: Mr. Bayern Munich

By: Boris Groysberg, Sascha L. Schmidt, Alexander Liebhart and Sarah Abbott

In 2024, FC Bayern Munich superstar Thomas Müller announced his retirement from German national football. His contract with Bayern Munich runs through the end of the 2024-25 season. In 2025, Müller reflects on his long career in football, on the skills that have driven... View Details

Keywords: Soccer; Football; Data Science And Analytics Management; Bundesliga; Sports Data; ＂Sports Organizations,; Career Changes And Transitions; Career Management; Retirement Transition; Skills Development; Analysis; Competency and Skills; Decision Making; Performance; Personal Development and Career; Retirement; Transition; Sports Industry; Germany

07 Sep 2022
News

How to Build a Career in a New Industry

01 Dec 2019
News

Regional Alumni Events Address Climate Change

and energy sector lead for The Rise Fund at TPG Global, saw interest from both younger alumni working in the field and senior alumni who have had successful careers and are looking for new opportunities to make a difference. “Climate... View Details

Keywords: Jen Myers

Web

Supporting Careers | Social Enterprise | Harvard Business School

understanding of the complexities of leading in the social sector. Who Gets that Opportunity Right Out of Business School Clive Chang Making an Impact Multiple Students Summer Fellows The Summer Fellows Program enables students to apply... View Details

19 Jun 2023
News

How Do I Move Forward from a Career Setback?

August 2021
Article

The Undervalued Power of Self-relevant Research: The Case of Researching Retirement While Retiring

By: Teresa M. Amabile and Douglas T. (Tim) Hall

For decades, training in management research has emphasized objectivity, typically viewed as an arm’s length distance between the topic of the research and the interests of the researcher. This emphasis has led most scholars to avoid research topics of deep personal... View Details

Keywords: Qualitative Research Methods; Case Research Methods; Organizational Behavior; Careers; Career Changes And Transitions; Self-relevant Research; Research; Personal Development and Career; Transition; Identity; Retirement

Read Now

March 2018
Case

Sandra Brown Goes Digital (A): The Promise and Perils of Social Movements in a Healthcare Company

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Jonathan Cohen

As a middle manager at a biotechnology company, Sandra Brown harnessed digital tools and social media to engage others and build campaigns for change in the company. This case follows her career at the company and describes the challenges she faced as a change agent,... View Details

Keywords: Digital; Engagement; Stakeholder Engagement; Grassroots Movement; Organization Change And Adaptation; Quality; Health Care; Health Care Industry; Career Path; Leading Change; Management; Innovation and Management; Personal Development and Career; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Biotechnology Industry; Health Industry