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January 2020 (Revised April 2020)
Case

Fossil Fuel Divestment (Abridged)

By: Michael W. Toffel and Sarah Gulick

The president of Harvard University is facing growing pressure from students, alumni, and other climate change activists that are urging the university to divest its multi-billion dollar endowment from fossil fuel companies. The case summarizes the arguments for and... View Details

Keywords: Divestment; Harvard University; Higher Education; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Public Opinion; Ethics; Education Industry

October 2020 (Revised February 2024)
Case

Divesting Harvard's Endowment

By: Daniel Green, Luis M. Viceira and Holly Fetter

By early 2020 Harvard University was facing growing pressure from students, faculty, and alumni to divest its $40 billion endowment of financial stakes in fossil fuel producers. Its previous policy of avoiding the issue was quickly becoming outdated—$21 trillion of... View Details

Keywords: Divestment; Harvard University; ESG; Higher Education; Investment Portfolio; Environmental Sustainability; Strategy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact

September 2007 (Revised May 2009)
Case

Syndexa and Technology Transfer at Harvard University

By: Richard G. Hamermesh and David Kiron

Gokhan Hotamisligil is a star researcher at Harvard School of Public Health who has made groundbreaking discoveries linking fat cells, inflammation, and diabetes. He now wants to form a company to commercialize these discoveries. At the same time, Isaac Kohlberg, the... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Higher Education; Entrepreneurship; Innovation and Invention; Intellectual Property; Rights; Agreements and Arrangements; Science-Based Business; Commercialization; Biotechnology Industry; Health Industry

February 2009
Teaching Note

Syndexa and Technology Transfer at Harvard University (TN)

By: Richard G. Hamermesh

Teaching Note for [808073]. View Details

Keywords: Agreements and Arrangements; Commercialization; Science-Based Business; Research; Rights; Pharmaceutical Industry

May 2023 (Revised June 2023)
Case

Harvard University and Urban Mining Industries: Decarbonizing the Supply Chain

By: Shirley Lu and Robert S. Kaplan

The case describes Harvard University’s consideration to decarbonize its supply chain by replacing cement with a low-carbon substitute called Pozzotive®. Developed and produced by Urban Mining Industries, Pozzotive® is a ground-glass material made with post-consumer... View Details

Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Blockchain; Supply Chain; Green Technology; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability

June 2013 (Revised February 2019)
Case

Harvard University Defined Contribution Pension Plan in 2013: Looking Ahead

By: Luis M. Viceira, Jordan Chapman and John Souther

April 2024
Teaching Note

Harvard University and Urban Mining Industries: Decarbonizing the Supply Chain

By: Shirley Lu and Robert S. Kaplan

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 123-076. View Details

Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Blockchain; Supply Chain; Green Technology; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability

March 1990 (Revised January 1991)
Supplement

Clerical and Technical Workers Organizing Campaign at Harvard University (B)

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February 1990 (Revised February 1990)
Case

Clerical and Technical Workers Organizing Campaign at Harvard University (A)

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September 2014 (Revised June 2016)
Case

edX: Strategies for Higher Education

By: David Collis, Matthew Shaffer and Ashley Hartman

In May 2012, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) founded edX, a new non-profit joint venture that would provide a platform for massive open online courses (MOOCs). edX did not produce original courses or instructional content—it made... View Details

Keywords: MOOCS; edX; Online Platforms; Online Education; Harvard University; MIT; Execution; Monetization; Brand Management; Higher Education; Information Technology; Strategy; Disruptive Innovation; Digital Platforms; Education Industry

May 2024
Supplement

Harvard University and Urban Mining Industries: Decarbonizing the Supply Chain - Student Version

By: Shirley Lu and Robert S. Kaplan

August 1994
Case

Harvard Management Company (1994), The

By: Jay O. Light

Harvard University decides upon the asset allocation for its endowment, and the mode in which it should be managed. View Details

Keywords: Asset Management; Decision Making; Education Industry

May 2024
Supplement

Harvard University and Urban Mining Industries: Decarbonizing the Supply Chain - Instructor Version

By: Shirley Lu and Robert Kaplan

November 2006 (Revised March 2008)
Case

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute

By: William A. Sahlman

Describes a set of issues confronting the leaders of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an innovative cross-university effort to accelerate scientific discovery and translation in the domain of stem cells. Covers a wide range of topics, including understanding how... View Details

Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Higher Education; Entrepreneurship; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Intellectual Property; Research and Development; Genetics; Biotechnology Industry; Health Industry; Massachusetts

27 Feb 2024
Cold Call Podcast

How Could Harvard Decarbonize Its Supply Chain?

Keywords: Re: Robert S. Kaplan & Shirley Lu; Green Technology

18 May 2021
Cold Call Podcast

How Georgia State University Increased Graduation Rates

Keywords: Re: Michael W. Toffel; Education

25 Jul 2011
Research & Ideas

How Disruptive Innovation is Remaking the University

universities. In this excerpt, they discuss the idea of a university's DNA. In the absence of a disruptive new technology, the combination of prestige and loyal support from donors and legislators has allowed traditional universities to... View Details

Keywords: by Clayton M. Christensen & Henry J. Eyring; Education

October 2000 (Revised February 2007)
Case

Harvard Management Company and Inflation-Protected Bonds, The

By: Luis M. Viceira

In March 2000, the board of The Harvard Management Co. (HMC) approved significant changes in the policy portfolio determining the long-run allocation policy of the Harvard University endowment. These changes included a sharp reduction of the allocation to U.S. equities... View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Investment Portfolio; Investment Funds; Asset Management; Corporate Governance; Capital Markets; Financial Services Industry; United States