HBS Working Knowledge – Harvard Business School Faculty Research

The Harvard Business School Faculty Summer Reader 2021The Harvard Business School Faculty Summer Reader 2021   

Looking for your next beach read? HBS faculty members share their summer reading lists, pulling from the worlds of technology, history, and science fiction.

30 Jun 2021 | In Practice

Keep or Cut Workers? How Companies Reacted to the COVID-19 Crisis

by Lane Lambert

28 Jun 2021
|
Research & Ideas

Readers Ask: Which Companies Are Transforming Work?

by Kristen Senz

01 Jul 2021
|
Office Hours

Are Employers Ready for a Flood of 'New' Talent Seeking Work?

by James Heskett

01 Jun 2021
|
What Do You Think?

Leadership

When Your Nerves Get the Best of You, Change the Narrative

by Francesca Gino

14 JUN 2021
|
Op-Ed

Anxiety can hobble even the most confident leaders. Francesca Gino offers three strategies that she uses to turn nerve-wracking situations into meaningful experiences.

The Hard Truth About Being a CEO

by Michael Blanding

12 MAY 2021
|
Book

CEOs rarely get the full story from advisers and don't seem to know when to step down, says David Fubini. His book Hidden Truths offers candid wisdom for leaders.

Who Has Potential? For Many White Men, It’s Often Other White Men

by Dina Gerdeman

10 MAY 2021
|
Research & Ideas

Companies struggling to build diverse, inclusive workplaces need to break the cycle of “sameness” that prevents some employees from getting an equal shot at succeeding, says Robin Ely.

Best Buy: How Human Connection Saved a Failing Retailer

by Michael Blanding

04 MAY 2021
|
Book

In The Heart of Business, former Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly shares how he revived the ailing electronics chain, offering a guide to leaders facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Entrepreneurship

One More Way the Startup World Hampers Women Entrepreneurs

by Michael Blanding

23 JUN 2021
|
Research & Ideas

Early feedback is essential to launching new products, but women entrepreneurs are more likely to receive input from men. Research by Rembrand Koning, Ramana Nanda, and Ruiqing Cao.

IPO or M&A? How Venture Capital Shapes a Startup's Future

by Rachel Layne

27 APR 2021
|
Research & Ideas

To a cash-strapped founder, any funding seems like a win, but research by Rory McDonald and colleagues shows that much more is at stake when it comes to venture capital.

Steer Clear of the Blind Spots That Derail Experiments

by Danielle Kost

25 MAR 2021
|
Research & Ideas

Companies are testing everything from website features to compensation strategies, but five common mistakes can undermine their efforts, says Michael Luca.

Is A/B Testing Effective? Evidence from 35,000 Startups

by Kristen Senz

11 JAN 2021
|
Research & Ideas

A/B tests help startup founders capitalize on good ideas—and move on from duds—faster, says research from Rembrand Koning. How can established companies benefit?

COVID-19

The COVID-19 Mutiny: When Teams Leave and Take Their Clients

by Robin Abrahams, Boris Groysberg, and Steven L. Manchel

22 JUN 2021
|
Research & Ideas

Remote work and pandemic turbulence have made it easier to poach star teams. Boris Groysberg and colleagues offer advice for companies trying to retain or recruit high performers, and for professionals considering a move.

Cruising in Crisis: How Carnival Is Riding Out the COVID-19 Storm

by Michael Blanding

16 JUN 2021
|
HBS Case

COVID-19 has devastated the cruise industry, but one company may emerge stronger: Carnival. A case study by Stuart Gilson reveals how the cruising juggernaut is navigating the pandemic.

Remote Workers Spend More on Housing. Do They Deserve Higher Pay?

by Kristen Senz

28 APR 2021
|
Research & Ideas

A kitchen table is not a home office. Companies competing for talent after the pandemic may need to consider remote workers' added housing costs, says Christopher Stanton.

The Pandemic Conversations That Leaders Need to Have Now

by Boris Groysberg, Robin Abrahams, and Katherine Connolly Baden

21 APR 2021
|
Research & Ideas

It's time for leaders to rebuild the bonds that COVID-19 has shaken. First step: Start talking. Boris Groysberg and colleagues share advice for making these conversations meaningful.

When Kathy Fish became Procter & Gamble’s Chief Research, Development & Innovation Officer in 2014, she was concerned that the world’s leading consumer packaged goods company had lost its capability to produce a steady stream of disruptive innovations. In addition, intensifying competition from direct-to-consumer companies convinced Fish that P&G needed to renew its value proposition to make all aspects of the consumer experience “irresistibly superior.” But making this change would require wholesale transformation from within. Can Fish bring lean innovation to scale at Procter & Gamble? Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Emily Truelove discusses the challenges of bringing this established company back to an innovative mindset in her case, “Kathy Fish at Procter & Gamble: Navigating Industry Disruption by Disrupting from Within.”

When Your Nerves Get the Best of You, Change the Narrative

by Francesca Gino

14 JUN 2021
|
Op-Ed

Anxiety can hobble even the most confident leaders. Francesca Gino offers three strategies that she uses to turn nerve-wracking situations into meaningful experiences.

COVID Killed the Traditional Workplace. What Should Companies Do Now?

by Dina Gerdeman

08 MAR 2021
|
In Practice

When the pandemic recedes, executives can’t expect office life to be as it was. But they can create a new work world that will keep employees happy and productive, say Harvard Business School faculty members.

It’s Not About You: Why Leaders Need to Look Outward

by Kristen Senz

04 JUN 2020
|
Book

By unleashing the full potential of their teams, leaders increase safety and inclusion in the workplace. Co-author Frances Frei discusses her new book, "Unleashed."