Publications

2010
Book

International Differences in Entrepreneurship

By: Josh Lerner and Antoinette Schoar

Often considered one of the major forces behind economic growth and development, the entrepreneurial firm can accelerate the speed of innovation and dissemination of new technologies, thus increasing a country's competitive edge in the global market. As a result,... View Details

Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies; Economic Growth; Entrepreneurship; Globalized Economies and Regions; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Supply and Industry; Business and Government Relations

March 2020
Article

Gender Differences in Communicative Abstraction

By: Priyanka D. Joshi, Cheryl J. Wakslak, Gil Appel and Laura Huang

Drawing on construal level theory, which suggests that experiencing a communicative audience as proximal rather than distal leads speakers to frame messages more concretely, we examine gender difference in linguistic abstraction. In a meta-analysis of prior studies... View Details

Keywords: Construal Level Theory; Psychological Distance; Gender; Communication; Leadership

December 2022
Article

Different Roots, Different Fruits: Gender-Based Differences in Cultural Narratives about Perceived Discrimination Produce Divergent Psychological Consequences

By: Leigh Plunkett Tost, Ashley E. Hardin and Francesca Gino

We examine whether narratives about, and the psychological consequences of, perceived gender discrimination differ between women and men. We argue that women and men have different dominant narratives about the reasons why people discriminate against people of their... View Details

Keywords: Gender Discrimination; Organizations; Prejudice and Bias; Gender; Perception

Teaching Interest

Leading Difference

By: Frances X. Frei

Leading Difference fundamentally challenges our view of the type of leadership that is needed in a world that is increasingly divided and in organizations that are increasingly diverse. Inclusion, in such a world, is an organizational advantage that is fundamental... View Details

2003
Chapter

Using Difference to Make a Difference

By: D. Meyerson and R. Ely

Keywords: Diversity; Power and Influence

February 2014
Article

Gender Differences in Willingness to Guess

By: Katherine Baldiga Coffman

We present the results of an experiment that explores whether women are less willing than men to guess on multiple-choice tests. Our test consists of practice questions from SAT II subject tests; we vary whether a penalty is imposed for a wrong answer and the salience... View Details

Keywords: Behavioral Decision Making; Microeconomic Behavior; Education Systems; Behavior; Decision Choices and Conditions; Gender; Economics

2022
Working Paper

Beliefs about Gender Differences in Social Preferences

By: Christine L Exley, Oliver P. Hauser, Molly Moore and John-Henry Pezzuto

While there is a vast (and mixed) literature on gender differences in social preferences, little is known about believed gender differences in social preferences. This paper documents robust evidence for believed gender differences in social preferences. Across a wide... View Details

Keywords: Social Preferences; Gender; Behavior; Attitudes; Values and Beliefs

April 2010 (Revised January 2013)
Case

Southwest Airlines: In a Different World

By: James L. Heskett and W. Earl Sasser Jr.

This is the fourth in a 35-year series of HBS cases on an organization that has changed the rules of the game globally for an entire industry by offering both differentiated and low-price service. The focus of the case is on whether Southwest Airlines should buy gates... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Service Delivery; Service Operations; Organizational Culture; Competitive Strategy; Air Transportation Industry; New York (city, NY)

Educators

2023
Working Paper

Trusting Talent: Cross-Country Differences in Hiring

By: Letian Zhang and Shinan Wang

This article argues that a society’s social trust influences employers’ hiring strategies. In selecting workers, employers could either focus on applicants’ potential and select on foundational skills (e.g., social skills, math skills) or focus on their readiness and... View Details

Keywords: Selection and Staffing; Trust; Competency and Skills; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; European Union

March 1995
Background Note

Gender Differences in Managerial Behavior: The Ongoing Debate

Do men and women have distinct leadership styles? Do they approach management differently? This note summarizes the two perspectives that have dominated the ongoing debate on gender differences in organizational leadership and management behavior. Psychological... View Details

Keywords: Leadership Style; Gender

Educators

February 18, 2013
Article

Jefferson and Lincoln: Different Leaders for Different Times

By: Gautam Mukunda

December 2020
Article

Different Founders, Different Firms: A Comparative Analysis of Academic and Non-academic Startups

By: Maria P. Roche, Annamaria Conti and Frank T. Rothaermel

What role do differences in founders' occupational backgrounds play in new venture performance? Analyzing a novel dataset of 2,998 founders creating 1,723 innovative startups in biomedicine, we find that the likelihood and hazard of achieving a liquidity event are... View Details

Keywords: Founders; Innovation; Occupational Imprinting; Academic Startups; Non-academic Startups; Founder Heterogeneity; Business Startups; Innovation and Invention; Performance; Demographics; Analysis

November 2007
Case

Differences at Work: Sam (A)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Rachel Gordon

In Differences at Work: Sam (A) HBS Case No. 9-408-021 Sam is one of the few minorities working at his company at the analyst level. He refuses a request from Human Resources to fill the “Asian spot” in his firm's diversity video. View Details

Keywords: Ethnicity; Employees; Diversity

Educators

November 2007
Supplement

Differences at Work: Ben (C)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Rachel Gordon

In Differences at Work: Ben (C) 9-408-044 Ben shares the remark with his bosses who let Ben decide whether to report the incident to Human Resources. He decides not to, but several years later he still regrets his inaction. View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Employees; Working Conditions

Fall 2012
Article

How 'Big Data' Is Different

Many people today in the information technology world and in corporate boardrooms are talking about "big data." Many believe that, for companies that get it right, big data will be able to unleash new organizational capabilities and value. But what does the term "big... View Details

Keywords: Big Data; Analytics; Mathematical Methods; Information Management; Information Technology Industry

November 2007 (Revised July 2009)
Supplement

Differences at Work: Martin (B)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Rachel Gordon

In Differences at Work: Martin (B) HBS Case No. 408052 Martin leaves the firm partially because of the incident but he does not tell his firm the reason for his departure. View Details

Keywords: Demographics; Attitudes; Motivation and Incentives; Resignation and Termination

November 2007
Supplement

Differences at Work: Sam (B)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Rachel Gordon

In Differences at Work: Sam (B) HBS Case No. 9-408-054 Sam receives an informal apology from Human Resources which leaves Sam feeling unsatisfied as it is not an official company response. Sam leaves the company for unrelated reasons shortly thereafter but still... View Details

Keywords: Working Conditions; Human Resources; Social Psychology; Conflict and Resolution; Resignation and Termination; Employees; Policy

November 2007
Supplement

Differences at Work: Jenny (B)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Rachel Gordon

In Differences at Work: Jenny (B) HBS Case No. 9-408-050, we learn that Jenny's boss is woman who thought the entire incident was funny. Jenny wonders whether to confront her boss about her discomfort with the situation. View Details

Keywords: Behavior; Employees; Gender; Conflict and Resolution

November 2007
Supplement

Differences at Work: Erica (B)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Rachel Gordon

In Differences at Work: Erica (B) HBS Case No. 9-408-048, Erica discovers that both she and the client are African-American. She reflects on why she has been invited to attend the dinner. View Details

Keywords: Race; Employees