- 11 Mar 2008
- First Look
- 11 Mar 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
Finding Missing Markets (and a disturbing epilogue): Evidence from an Export Crop Adoption and Marketing Intervention in Kenya
marketing costs. While there was no statistically significant impact on income for the full sample of farmers, first-time growers of export-oriented crops experienced a statistically and economically significant increase in income. The epilogue to this project is more dismal. Due to DrumNet's lack of Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Mar 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
Testing a Purportedly More Learnable Auction Mechanism
literature to the question of how to design auctions with efficient allocation and revenue-maximizing properties. However, in part because auction rules are typically published and standard theory assumes economic agents are capable of computing optimal strategies from published rules, little attention Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 21 Feb 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
Do Legal Origins Have Persistent Effects Over Time? A Look at Law and Finance around the World c. 1900
institutions and economic and financial outcomes hold in the past. For this reason, we cannot be certain that the alleged persistence of the effects of these institutions passes the scrutiny of history. This paper examines specifically the relationship between legal origins and financial development Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 08 Feb 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
Psychological Influence in Negotiation: An Introduction Long Overdue
identify those elements of psychological influence that do not require the influencer to change the economic or structural aspects of the bargaining situation in order to persuade the target. Second, they review prior research on behavioral decision-making in negotiation to identify those ideas that Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 04 Feb 2008
- Research & Ideas
Podcast: The Potential Partnership of India and China
Even without cooperation between them, China and India appear headed toward economic superpower status in the coming decades. But what if they worked together? In this podcast, Harvard Business School professor Tarun Khanna discusses the possibility of Sino-Indian cooperation and its impact on global business. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Feb 2008
- What Do You Think?
How Sustainable Is Sustainability in a For-Profit Organization?
Online forum now closed. For managers, sustainability can mean the integration and intersection of social, environmental, and economic responsibilities. The concept is admirable, says Jim Heskett, but does it also confuse managers entrusted with the bottom line? How should they make trade-offs? Jim sums up reader responses. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 23 Jan 2008
- First Look
- 09 Jan 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
A Resource Belief-Curse: Oil and Individualism
on natural resource companies, in several cases even renegotiating their contracts. A connection between dependence on oil and receptivity to populist rhetoric is both natural in economic models and has some support in the data. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 11 Dec 2007
- First Look
- 28 Nov 2007
- Research & Ideas
B2B Branding: Does it Work?
Does it make sense for B2B companies to take a cue from consumer companies and invest in brand awareness? Many B2B CEOs say no, but HBS marketing professor John Quelch disagrees in his latest blog entry. Key concepts include: Most B2B marketers cannot economically address thousands of small Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Nov 2007
- Working Paper Summaries
The Dynamic Interplay of Inequality and Trust: An Experimental Study
Trust makes economic agents more willing to engage in interactions involving the risk of being deceived. Like a lubricant, trust may positively influence efficiency and economic growth, and at the same time affect the distribution of wealth within an economy. However, trust is difficult to measure Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 14 Nov 2007
- First Look
- 13 Nov 2007
- Research & Ideas
Six Steps for Reinvigorating America
In the early stages of the 21st century, America has lost its way both at home and in the world, argues Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter. In her new book, America the Principled, she details 6 opportunities for America to boost its economic vitality and democratic ideals. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Oct 2007
- Working Paper Summaries
Mental Accounting and Small Windfalls: Evidence from an Online Grocer
In the course of daily life, people occasionally receive small windfalls. Every so often we are handed a gift certificate for $5 off a meal, find a $10 bill on the street, or win $20 in an impromptu game of poker. According to standard economic theory, these types of small windfalls should have no Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Oct 2007
- Working Paper Summaries
The Causes and Consequences of Industry Self-Policing
The corporate confession is a paradox, as described in this paper aimed at managers, policymakers, and citizens. Why would a firm that identifies regulatory compliance violations within its own operations turn itself in to regulators, rather than quietly fix the problem? Economic intuition suggests Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 18 Sep 2007
- First Look
- 11 Sep 2007
- Working Paper Summaries
Bond Risk, Bond Return Volatility, and the Term Structure of Interest Rates
paper finds that time variation in bond risk is systematic and positively related to the level and the slope of the yield curve. These are factors that proxy for inflation and general economic uncertainty, inflation risk, and the risk premium on bonds. Key concepts include: The movement of bond Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 07 Sep 2007
- Working Paper Summaries
Diversification of Chinese Companies: An International Comparison
Many observers have argued that Chinese managers are particularly quick to diversify their enterprises. Fueled by robust economic growth and the scant enforcement of intellectual property rights that could serve as barriers to entry, Chinese companies appear to be aggressively expanding into new Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
The Lessons of Business History: A Handbook
business, but the growing ahistorical nature of much management and economics literature has seriously compromised its legitimacy. The business history literature is extremely weak in Africa, and not much better in Latin America, many Asian countries, and the Middle East. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.