Faculty & Research

Facilitating faculty research and case development on an international scale

Our unprecedented network of research centers and regional offices in key areas of the world enable faculty to work with leaders, industry, government, and academia worldwide, and to learn from business challenges and innovations wherever they occur. Through sustained work in the field, faculty are provided the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and values – as well as intricacies and nuances – that lead to truly meaningful and insightful global research.

Research Centers & Offices

More than half the faculty are actively involved in international research, developing high-impact cases and course materials on relevant global issues and innovations.

New Research

August 2025
Case

Layoff Letters: The Art of Delivering Bad News

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Edward A. Meyer

When companies downsize, they often issue press releases announcing the layoffs. Increasingly often, senior leaders also communicate the “bad news” internally using videos or text (letters, emails, or memos). This case analyzes the practice of writing “layoff letters” and provides five sample letters for analysis and critique. It also provides both statistical data (e.g., word counts) and content analysis (e.g., word frequency) of the layoff letters.

September 2025
Case

Navigating Hyper Luxury: Chartering the Future of Ferretti Group

By: Juan Alcacer and Lorenzo Lucidi

In April 2025, Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, reflects on the company’s journey from its 2012 bankruptcy to a dual public listing on the Hong Kong and Milan Stock Exchanges and its current position as a global leader in luxury yachting. Ferretti had transformed itself through product innovation, modernized its operations, made strategic acquisitions, and implemented targeted branding. Yet, despite strong financial performance, the company faced strategic choices in a maturing, cyclical, and increasingly competitive industry. With seven distinctive brands, a global manufacturing footprint, and a portfolio of over 50 yacht models, Ferretti had three key strategic options: continue growth via horizontal and vertical M&A; deepen organic growth through innovation and capacity expansion; or expand high-margin ancillary services. Each option presented opportunities and trade-offs for Ferretti’s leadership, who had to consider brand coherence, operational complexity, customer behavior, capital allocation, and economic uncertainty. Set against the backdrop of a dynamic global yacht market shaped by evolving consumer preferences and structural constraints, this case invites students to analyze growth strategies, luxury branding, manufacturing strategy, and the organizational implications of multi-brand portfolio management in a high-end, low-volume industry.

September 2025
Case

Chainsaw Economics: Javier Milei’s Libertarian Gamble in Argentina

By: Rafael Di Tella and Pablo Ottonello

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Global Colloquium for participant-centered learning

For senior faculty at top business schools in emerging economies who want to be trained in interactive methods of teaching and learning. GloColl comprises a seven-day session held on the HBS campus, followed by a three-day session held in two cities in Asia, Europe, or Latin America each year.

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