Systems Change - Publications - Faculty & Research

2018
Report

The Water of Systems Change

By: Mark R. Kramer, John Kania and Peter Senge

Foundations involved in systems change can increase their odds for success by focusing on the least explicit but most powerful conditions for change, while also turning the lens on themselves. The Water of Systems Change aims to clarify what it means to shift... View Details

Keywords: Foundations; Systems Thinking; Systems Change; System; Change; Organizations; Strategy

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July 2021 (Revised July 2024)
Course Overview Note

Social Entrepreneurship and Systems Change

By: Brian Trelstad and Preeti Varma

Systems thinking is a discipline that emerged in the 20th century as a way to understand the complex interrelationships among various players and dynamics within an industry or field that resist simple, reductionist thinking. The big challenges we face play out in... View Details

Keywords: Systems Thinking; Social Entrepreneurship; System; Change

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May 2017 (Revised January 2020)
Case

Webasto Roof Systems Americas: Leadership Through Change (A)

By: Francesca Gino and Paul Green

Webasto Roof Systems, Americas, the North American subsidiary of Germany-based Webasto Group, limped into 2014 in poor financial and operational shape. The company's early optimism emerging from the financial downturn had proven naive, and now, five years later, the... View Details

Keywords: Culture Change; Change Management; Leading Change; Crisis Management; Organizational Culture; Manufacturing Industry; Auto Industry; North and Central America

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13 Jun 2021
News

Leading Systemic Change

April 11, 2017
Article

Systems Change in a Polarized Country

By: Mark R. Kramer

A growing number of U.S. foundations are adopting practices based on systems change to achieve their goals in the current political environment. View Details

Keywords: Political Polarization; Foundations; Organizational Change and Adaptation; United States

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May 2020
Teaching Note

Danone: Changing the Food System

By: David E. Bell, Federica Gabrieli, Daniela Beyersdorfer, Amy Klopfenstein and Aldo Sesia

Teaching Note for HBS No. 520-053.
This is a teaching note for the case “Danone: Changing the Food System?” The case examines the efforts of one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies to resolve the social, environmental, and economic issues within... View Details

Keywords: Food; Goods and Commodities; Agribusiness; Animal-Based Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Europe; France; Paris

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November 2019 (Revised April 2020)
Case

Danone: Changing the Food System

By: David E. Bell, Federica Gabrieli and Daniela Beyersdorfer

Emmanuel Faber, Chairman and CEO of the food and beverage company Danone, believed that humankind had only ten years to bend the curve on climate change and restore the biodiversity that the global food and agricultural ecosystem was critically dependent on. Upon... View Details

Keywords: Animal-Based Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Food; Nutrition; Quality; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Business Model; Food and Beverage Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; France

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24 Apr 2025
HBS Conference

Systems Change Research Symposium

July 2005 (Revised February 2007)
Background Note

Principles of Family Business System Change

By: John A. Davis

Identifies several practical principles to keep in mind when changing a family business system. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Change Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation

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24 Apr 2014
News

Systemic change makes organizations stronger

Joanna M. Jacobson (MBA 1987), founder/managing partner of Strategic Grant Partners, discusses leading organizations through systemic change. (Published April 2014) View Details

Fast Answer

Social Entrepreneurship & Systems Change

255, 255);">Our Portfolio" tab outlines funding areas. New Profit - venture philanthropy organization that invests in breakthrough leaders and systems change initiatives View Details

28 Jan 2025
Video

‘Everything is connected': Systems change at work

27 Sep 2021
Blog Post

Working to Change the Food System

Using microbes to produce foods is nothing new. However, using microbes to replace commodity crops and serve as a pillar in our food production system is fairly uncharted waters. My partner Max is a Technology Development Fellow and... View Details