Publications

October 2021 (Revised November 2022)
Case

The 2012 Spanish Labor Reform: Lifting All Boats, or Leveling Down?

By: Vincent Pons, Rafael Di Tella, Santiago Botella and Elena Corsi

Since 1978, Spain had struggled to control unemployment. The country’s labor law was protective of employees hired long-term and companies used temporary contracts as buffers. In 2012, amid economic recession and a 23.6% unemployment rate, a center-right government of... View Details

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic; Labor Market; Unemployment; Recession; Globalized Markets and Industries; Government Legislation; International Relations; Working Conditions; Employment; Labor Unions; Contracts; Social Issues; Public Opinion; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Spain; European Union

11 Apr 2024
In Practice

Why Progress on Immigration Might Soften Labor Pains

for skilled and unskilled labor. Either way, immigration will be a critical issue during the US election season. The carefully negotiated bipartisan bill that failed in the House of Representatives earlier this year highlights the thorny... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

May 2006 (Revised November 2006)
Case

IKEA's Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A)

By: Christopher A. Bartlett, Vincent Marie Dessain and Anders Sjoman

Traces the history of IKEA's response to a TV report that its Indian carpet suppliers were using child labor. Describes IKEA's growth, including the importance of a sourcing strategy based on its close relationships with suppliers in developing countries. Details the... View Details

Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies; Moral Sensibility; Policy; Employment; Contracts; Supply Chain Management; Organizational Culture; Natural Environment; Non-Governmental Organizations; Social Issues

Web

Past Issues - Alumni

HBS Magazine Past Issues Select a Year 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 March 2025 Heartland When she came to HBS, Jordan... View Details

02 Sep 2014
News

A Fair Shake

Keywords: employee scheduling; employee management; labor issues

March 2014
Case

LGBT Issues at Exxon Mobil Corporation

By: Joseph L. Badaracco and Matthew Preble

In late September 2013, Exxon Mobil Corporation announced that it would begin offering benefits to the spouses of its employees in same-sex marriages. This short supplement touches upon what led Exxon Mobil to this decision, some insights into its previous relationship... View Details

Keywords: Human Capital; Welfare; Human Resources; Utilities Industry; United States

November 2020
Article

Tackling Youth Unemployment: Evidence from a Labor Market Experiment in Uganda

By: Livia Alfonsi, Oriana Bandiera, Vittorio Bassi, Robin Burgess, Imran Rasul, Munshi Sulaiman and Anna Vitali

We design a labor market experiment to compare demand- and supply-side policies to tackle youth unemployment, a key issue in low-income countries. The experiment tracks 1700 workers and 1500 firms over four years to compare the effect of offering workers either... View Details

Keywords: Employment; Training; Competency and Skills; Developing Countries and Economies

Read Now

09 Feb 2017
News

Corporations Clash With Donald Trump on LGBT, Immigration Issues

28 Jan 2014
News

Income Inequality as a Sustainability Issue

Keywords: income inequality; sustainability

01 Mar 2007
News

HBS Issues Upbeat 2006 Annual Report

As a business, HBS had a banner year in fiscal 2006. Demand for the School’s Executive Education programs was up, sales of cases and other print products grew, the MBA Program attained a 91 percent admissions yield, and total revenue advanced by 11.2 percent, exceeding... View Details

Keywords: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

04 Mar 2015
What Do You Think?

Can a Laissez-Faire Approach Fix Labor Market Inequality?

Summing Up When Is It In An Employer's Self-Interest to Voluntarily Raise All Wages? A laissez-faire approach to fixing labor market inequality has widespread appeal, judging by responses to this month's column. For some it is an ideal,... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Retail

14 Mar 2016
Research & Ideas

The Surprising Connection between 1930s Weather and Today's Labor Unions

There’s something curious about the labor force in the United States. Identical jobs and industries have become unionized in some states while remaining nonunionized in others. Unionization levels vary greatly from state to state. As of... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

November 2006 (Revised December 2012)
Teaching Note

IKEA's Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (TN) (A) and (B)

By: Christopher A. Bartlett

Keywords: Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues

14 Jun 2022
Cold Call Podcast

What Does It Take to Close the Opportunity Gap in America’s Labor Market?

Keywords: Re: V. Kasturi Rangan

Article

Why A Behavioral Theory of Labor Negotiations Remains a Triumph at Fifty but the Labels 'Distributive' and 'Integrative' Should Be Retired

By: James K. Sebenius

Richard Walton and Robert McKersie's closeness to practice, disciplinary rigor, and successful search for powerful generalizations help explain the lasting impact of the Behavioral Theory of Labor Relations. Ironically, the names they chose for the fundamental... View Details

Keywords: Bargaining; Integrative Bargaining; Distributive Bargaining; Negotiation; Labor Unions

July 2018
Article

Marketplaces, Markets, and Market Design

By: Alvin E. Roth

Marketplaces are often small parts of large markets, and both markets and marketplaces come in many varieties. Market design seeks to understand what marketplaces must accomplish to enable different kinds of markets. Marketplaces can have varying degrees of success,... View Details

Keywords: Labor Market; Pricing; Market Design; Markets; Economics

Find at Harvard

April 2021 (Revised April 2022)
Case

OneTen: One Million Opportunities in Ten Years

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Courtney Han

In the wake of George Floyd's killing in May 2020, and widespread protests for social justice in the United States, OneTen was formed by a coalition of 40 large companies to provide one million jobs for African-Americans in 10 years. The case describes the background... View Details

Keywords: Labor Market; COVID-19 Pandemic; Diversity; Race; Jobs and Positions; Opportunities; Social Issues; Employment; Equality and Inequality; Equity; United States

Article

What It Takes to Reshore Manufacturing Successfully

By: Willy C. Shih

The data on comparative labor and energy costs may seem compelling, but the process of bringing assembly work back to domestic factories from abroad is substantially more challenging than the economics alone would predict. This paper looks at some of the issues firms... View Details

Keywords: Manufacturing; Manufacturing Costs; Manufacturing Strategy; U.S. Competitiveness; Competitiveness; Labor Force Participation; Labor Management; Trade; Production; Management Practices and Processes; Manufacturing Industry; United States; China