James Heskett Articles — HBS Working Knowledge

Is Support for Small Business Misplaced?

Published:	February 1, 2012
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	open for comment; 24 Comments posted

Forum Open Is support for small business overhyped as a panacea for our economic troubles? Recent research suggests the advantages of bigness when it comes to employment and economic development. If so, asks Professor Jim Heskett, what does this mean for government policy?

Income Inequality: What's the Right Amount?

Published:	January 4, 2012
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 67 Comments posted

Summing Up Comments were large in number and broad of opinion reflecting on Professor Jim Heskett's question, Does income inequality promote or stunt economic growth? Is there a "right" right amount of income disparity?

Thinking Slow: An Argument for Bureaucracy?

Published:	December 1, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	open for comment; 25 Comments posted

Summing Up Readers of Jim Heskett's column this month offer guidelines for when to think fast and when to think slow, from author Daniel Kahneman's book, Thinking, Fast and Slow.

The Ultimate Question in Management

Published:	November 3, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 57 Comments posted

Summing Up: Many of Jim Heskett's readers this month offered suggestions for the ultimate question in management. What's yours?

How Will the 'Moneyball Generation' Influence Management?

Published:	October 6, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 10 Comments posted

Sum-up Nontraditional performance measures, as highlighted in the movie 'Moneyball', will become an increasingly important part of the young manager's toolkit, Jim Heskett's readers say.

The Profit Power of Corporate Culture

Q&A with:	James Heskett
Published:	September 28, 2011
Feature:	Research & Ideas
Forum:	open for comment; 7 Comments posted

In the new book The Culture Cycle, Professor Emeritus James L. Heskett demonstrates that developing the right corporate culture helps companies be more profitable and provides sustainable competitive advantage.

What's Apple's Biggest Challenge: Replacing Steve or Wall Street?

Published:	September 8, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 17 Comments posted

Summing Up: Steve Jobs' influence on Apple is pervasive--maybe too much so. Jim Heskett's readers think Apple faces an almost impossible task in replacing the visionary founder.

How Dangerous Is Common Sense to Managers?

Published:	August 4, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 65 Comments posted

Forum Closed Summing Up: Is experience really the best teacher? Sure—when not much is on the line, according to readers commenting on Professor Jim Heskett's column on common sense.

So We Adapt. What's the Downside?

Published:	July 7, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 28 Comments posted

Summing Up Jim Heskett's readers ponder the question of whether the virtues of adaptability in a chaotic world undermine an organization's ability to commit.

Is it Time for a National Bankruptcy?

Published:	June 2, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 47 Comments posted

Summing Up Is a national bankruptcy a tragedy or a needed lesson in fiscal reform? Jim Heskett's readers ponder the implications of a country going insolvent.

How Ethical Can We Be?

Published:	May 5, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 38 Comments posted

Summing Up Managers like to think they act ethically, but at the end of the day ethical action is subjective, readers tell Jim Heskett. Reaction to the new book Blind Spots.

When Should the Public Sector Take Over in a Meltdown?

Published:	April 7, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 39 Comments posted

Summing Up Jim Heskett's readers have wildly differing opinions as to what extent governments should step in to remedy public sector "meltdowns."

To What Degree Does the Job Make the Person?

Published:	March 10, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 41 Comments posted

Summing Up: Jobs shape us as much as we shape our jobs, Jim Heskett's readers suggest.

Are We Going "Back to the Future" In Researching Management?

Published:	February 3, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 104 Comments posted

Summing Up Jim Heskett's readers wonder whether the best business management ideas over the next decade will be for cleaning up the messes from the previous one. (Online forum has closed; next forum opens March 10)

How Should Management Deal With "Anonymous"?

Published:	January 6, 2011
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 33 Comments posted

Summing Up When it comes to the leaky Web, Jim Heskett's readers say assume the worst and act accordingly. (New forum on February 3.)

Making Right Choices: Art or Science?

Published:	December 2, 2010
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 46 Comments posted

Summing Up Is choice an art or science? Jim Heskett's readers wonder whether the question is the right one to ask. (Online forum has closed; next forum opens January 6.)

Why Do We Chase Stars?

Published:	November 4, 2010
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 46 Comments posted

Summing Up: Is it wise for companies to recruit "star" performers? Discussing the book "Chasing Stars", Jim Heskett's readers support the idea that talent is portable between employers and that women are better at it than men. (Next Forum opens December 2)

Will Transparency in CEO Compensation Have Unintended Consequences?

Published:	October 8, 2010
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 55 Comments posted

Summing Up: The Dodd-Frank legislation requiring companies to compare CEO compensation with rank-and-file pay will have little or no impact on executive compensation levels, say Jim Heskett's readers. (Online forum has closed; next forum opens November 4.)

How Transparent Should Boards Be?

Published:	September 2, 2010
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 50 Comments posted

Summing Up: When should boards fire CEOs? How transparent should boards be? Jim Heskett's readers are divided as they look at the HP/Mark Hurd case. What do you think? (Online forum has closed; next forum opens October 8.)

What Is Customer Opinion Good For?

Published:	August 5, 2010
Feature:	What Do YOU Think?
Forum:	closed \| 73 Comments posted

Summing Up: Are customer wishes irrelevant when creating a new product? Jim Heskett's readers say it depends on the product, on market goals, and where you are in the development cycle. (Online forum has closed; next forum opens September 2.)