Publications

August 2010 (Revised September 2011)
Case

Driving Sustainability at Bloomberg L.P.

By: Christopher Marquis, Daniel Beunza, Fabrizio Ferraro and Bobbi Thomason

Describes the addition of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance indicators to the Bloomberg terminal. The initiative grew out of Bloomberg's broader sustainability initiatives and is an example of how committed employees can create positive social... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Knowledge Dissemination; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Organizational Culture; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Environmental Sustainability; Publishing Industry; New York (city, NY)

November 2004 (Revised September 2007)
Case

The Mitchell Family and Mitchells/Richards

By: Amy C. Edmondson, John A. Davis, Corey B. Hajim and Kelly Mulderry

Describes a small, luxury retail chain's operational sophistication achieved through the use of technology and "high-touch" customer service. A family-run business, Mitchells has built its success with a customer service strategy known internally as "hugging." The term... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Customer Relationship Management; Knowledge Management; Service Delivery; Organizational Culture; Expansion; Information Technology; Retail Industry

01 Sep 2012
News

Curb Your Smartphone Habit

control of people’s schedules could be achieved without negative organizational consequences. So was it relatively easy to get team members on board with this? Not at all! Remember, this was totally counter to the intense work View Details

Keywords: Deborah Blagg; smartphones; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services; Telecommunications; Information

01 Feb 1999
News

New Releases

Managing Across Borders by Christopher A. Bartlett and Sumantra Ghoshal (Harvard Business School Press) A decade ago HBS professor Christopher A. Bartlett and London Business School professor Sumantra Ghoshal proposed a revolutionary new View Details

Keywords: Nancy O. Perry

01 Jul 2013
News

The Nature of Business

will make the biggest impact on our mission." Under Tercek's leadership, TNC embarked on a comprehensive strategic planning effort that culminated in a new conservation framework to guide the organization's work through 2020. He credits the HBS course on View Details

Keywords: Jill Radsken; Social Assistance; Health, Social Assistance

24 Apr 2012
First Look

First Look: April 24

primarily at auditors (both external and internal), risk managers, accountants, CFOs, and consultants, Effective Auditing for Corporates covers the following: 1) compliance and the corporate audit, 2) fraud detection, 3) risk-based auditing, 4) the development of... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

22 Aug 2011
Research & Ideas

Getting to Eureka!: How Companies Can Promote Creativity

faculty across a wide spectrum of disciplines including business history, entrepreneurship, finance, and organizational behavior have made creativity and innovation primary subjects of focus. What is surprising is just how teachable they... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

February 2017
Case

GE Digital

By: Rajiv Lal and Scott Johnson

Known for manufacturing industrial equipment, GE has decided to invest in software and analytics capabilities to become a digital industrial company. They have also created a software platform that they hope will power the Industrial Internet. GE executives forecasted... View Details

Keywords: GE; General Electric; Manufacturing; Industrial Internet; Wind Power; Digital Manufacturing; Renewable Energy; Energy; Innovation and Management; Innovation Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Applications and Software; Growth and Development Strategy; Transformation; Green Technology Industry; Technology Industry; Manufacturing Industry; North America

April 2002 (Revised May 2005)
Case

GE's Digital Revolution: Redefining the E in GE

By: Christopher A. Bartlett and Meg Glinska

This case details the implementation of the e-business initiative--the last of Jack Welch's four company-wide strategic thrusts. First, it summarizes the 20-year change process that Welch led, detailing the initiatives he put in place. It then traces how Gerry Podesta,... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Decision Choices and Conditions; Leadership Style; Business or Company Management; Organizational Culture; Organizational Structure; Performance Effectiveness; Corporate Strategy; Internet and the Web

08 Apr 2021
News

Real Talk

storytelling and narrative to help employees in their organizations work across—and value—their differences to create stronger professional relationships and organizational cultures. The Equitas founders also turned to the findings of... View Details

03 Mar 2010
What Do You Think?

To What Degree Does “Identity” Affect Economic Performance?

Summing Up Is "identity" a victim of competitiveness? A recent study of organizational behavior published by Timothy Kieningham and Lerzan Toksoy shows that employees' perceptions of their employers' levels of commitment to them... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

22 Jan 2013
First Look

First Look: Jan. 22

Publication:Academy of Management Annals Abstract The concept of imprinting has attracted considerable interest in numerous fields-including organizational ecology, institutional theory, network analysis, and career research-and has been... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

16 Nov 2020
Research & Ideas

Transitions of Power Are Difficult. What Joe Biden and Other Incoming Leaders Need to Know.

it imposes limitations and stifles innovation, as I argue in my new book Think Outside the Building. In companies, turf wars between departments and divisions hinder organizational performance. Silo-busting often consists of moving people... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

04 May 2017
News

Going the Distance

leadership practices and organizational culture in the business world.” Beyond his near-weekly speaking engagements, Frey continues to help Utah’s economy as an angel investor who is focused on... View Details

Keywords: Jill Radsken

10 Jan 2005
Research & Ideas

Motivation and the Cross-Sector Alliance

sales force totaling 270,000 saleswomen—that the company called "associates" (colaboradoras). The "power of relationships," grounded on the emotional link with its brand, was the essence of Natura's organizational... View Details

Keywords: by James Austin, Ezequiel Reficco & SEKN research team

October 2009
Case

A Big (Double) Deal: Anadarko's Acquisition of Kerr-McGee and Western Gas Resources

By: Clayton M. Christensen and Curtis Rising

On June 23, 2006, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation announced that it was simultaneously acquiring two public companies, Kerr-McGee and Western Gas Resources, in all-cash deals. The total price was about $24 billion, a figure close to Anadarko's market cap at the time.... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Business Model; Transformation; Negotiation; Organizational Culture; Public Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Alignment; Valuation; Energy Industry; United States

December 2003 (Revised May 2004)
Case

Sears Auto Centers (A) (Abridged)

By: Lynn S. Paine

In the early 1990s Sears faced and allegations by the California Department of Consumer Affairs that the company's auto repair centers had been overbilling customers and making unnecessary repairs. Top management must evaluate the problem and come up with a plan to... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Governance; Corporate Accountability; Ethics; Organizational Culture; Compensation and Benefits; Management Teams; Employees; Behavior; Motivation and Incentives; Performance Improvement; Auto Industry

July 2002 (Revised August 2002)
Case

Washington Hospital Center (C): Progress and Prospects, 1995-2001

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Michelle Heskett

Dr. Craig Feied and Dr. Mark Smith have already transformed a "worst-in-area" emergency medicine department into the best in the area. Industry-wide and hospital system-specific challenges remain, including their newest project of national importance--creating an... View Details

Keywords: History; Higher Education; Organizational Culture; Medical Specialties; Technological Innovation; Change Management; Nonprofit Organizations; Expansion; Crisis Management; Health Care and Treatment; Health Industry; District of Columbia