Publications

October 2024
Technical Note

Prompt Engineering

By: Michael Parzen and Jo Ellery

This note covers the basics of prompt engineering, a key tool for making use of modern generative AI. We discuss the principles of prompt engineering and illustrate these principles with techniques for asking questions. We further list the types of prompts that can be... View Details

Keywords: Large Language Model; AI and Machine Learning

November 2010
Article

People Often Trust Eloquence More Than Honesty

By: Todd Rogers and Michael I. Norton

This article presents a dual interview based on a research study we conducted. Our study found that an artful dodger of questions was generally considered more likable than a person who answered the same questions directly but with less eloquence. We comment on the... View Details

Keywords: Research; Social Psychology; Communication; Perception; Business or Company Management; Government and Politics

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November 1999
Case

SUPERVALU, Inc.: Professional Development Program

By: Francis Aguilar

SUPERVALU examines the creation and implementation of a training program for attracting and retaining college graduates for the nation's largest wholesale food distribution company. It addresses: 1) program design and 2) the management of the design effort and program... View Details

Keywords: Selection and Staffing; Recruitment; Retention; Training; Organizational Culture; Design; Business or Company Management; Higher Education; Programs; Food and Beverage Industry; Distribution Industry

February 1996 (Revised April 1997)
Case

Partners HealthCare System, Inc. (A)

By: Gary P. Pisano and Maryam Golnaraghi

Focuses on the decision confronting senior administrators at the Brigham and Women's Hospital: whether to enter into an affiliation with the Massachusetts General Hospital. Requires students to analyze the complex institutional changes in the health environment and to... View Details

Keywords: Consolidation; Health Care and Treatment; Mergers and Acquisitions; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Change Management; Management Teams; Health Industry; Massachusetts

22 Aug 2014
News

The fumbles in Ferguson

07 Jan 2019
News

Top Ten Technology Books Of 2018

23 Nov 2022
Video

Introduction to the HBS Live Online Classroom

16 Jan 2024
Video

Hypothesis Testing in Business: Null vs. Alternative

Web

Value-Based Health Care - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

generous gift from Joseph H. Flom and the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation. The Center’s founding mission was to promote interdisciplinary analysis and legal scholarship in these fields. Today, the Center has grown into a leading... View Details

Sep 2015
Survey

The Challenge of Shared Prosperity

In the 2015 survey on U.S. competitiveness, HBS alumni weigh in on the current state and future trajectory of U.S. competitiveness as well as the structural strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. business environment. In addition, alumni delve deeper into two aspects of... View Details

November 2018 (Revised June 2019)
Case

JANA Partners: Impact through Activism?

By: Vikram S. Gandhi and Caitlin Reimers Brumme

Jana Partners, a well-known “activist” hedge fund has announced the launch of a new fund Jana Impact. The basic premise is that the fund will be able to generate superior returns by using Jana’s activist approach with companies that are underperforming on ESG metrics.... View Details

Keywords: Hedge Fund; Hedge Funds; ETF; Activist Investing; Activism; Investment Activism; Investment Funds; Asset Management

November 2006
Case

Selling Biovail Short

By: Malcolm P. Baker, Chris Lombardi and Aldo Sesia

Hedge fund SAC Capital and analysts from Gradient Analytics and Banc of America face charges of stock price manipulation from Biovail, a Canadian pharmaceutical company. Gradient and BofA produced negative reports on Biovail's earnings quality. At the same time, SAC... View Details

Keywords: Stock Shares; Investment Banking; Asset Pricing; Financial Strategy; Crime and Corruption; Pharmaceutical Industry; Financial Services Industry; Canada

December 2005 (Revised October 2006)
Case

Pharmacy Service Improvement at CVS (A)

CVS's retail pharmacy operations are functioning poorly and dissatisfying customers. Many customers are defecting as a result. A pharmacy service improvement team has documented the current prescription fulfillment process, its exception rates, and the problems... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Performance Improvement; Business Processes; Retail Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

January 1999 (Revised August 1999)
Background Note

Doing Business in Russia: Note on Negotiating in the "Wild East"

By: James K. Sebenius and Randall A Fine

Based on an MBA's experience, this anecdotal note explores cross-border negotiations between U.S. executives and Russian counterparts. The first section guides the reader through general aspects of the Russian market. Next follows a characterization of the Russian... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Deal; Problems and Challenges; Negotiation Style; Decisions; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Negotiation Participants; Russia; United States

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March 1993
Case

Clarion Optical Co.

By: Michael J. Roberts and Howard H. Stevenson

Focuses on two individuals' attempts to purchase Clarion Optical Co. Forces students to consider alternative proposals for financing the purchase; generate pro forma cash flows to assess the feasibility of these proposals; estimate the sources and magnitude of... View Details

Keywords: Leveraged Buyouts; Financing and Loans; Investment Return; Cash Flow; Forecasting and Prediction