Working Knowledge

Business Research for Business Leaders

Peloton Changed the Exercise Game. Can the Company Push Through the Pain?Peloton Changed the Exercise Game. Can the Company Push Through the Pain?   

When COVID-19 lockdowns closed gyms, seemingly everyone rushed to order a Peloton bike and claim a spot on the company's signature leader board. And then things quickly went downhill. A case study by Robert Dolan looks at the tough road the exercise equipment maker faces. 
30 Jun 2022  |  HBS Case

Leadership 

Blissful Thinking: When It Comes to Finding Happiness, 'Your Dreams Are Liars'

by Dan Morrell
  • 02 JUN 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Happiness research is all the rage. Arthur Brooks shares how understanding the origins of joy can improve the way we lead organizations—and our personal lives.

A World of Difference: What Keeps Companies from Becoming More Inclusive

by Jen McFarland Flint
  • 11 APR 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Inclusion can unlock excellence and innovation, but instincts and good intentions will never get you there. In this interview, Frances Frei and Francesca Gino explore the underlying factors that keep organizations from becoming more inclusive.

Representation Matters: Building Case Studies That Empower Women Leaders

by Colleen Ammerman and Boris Groysberg
  • 08 MAR 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
The lessons of case studies shape future business leaders, but only a fraction of these teaching tools feature women executives. Research by Colleen Ammerman and Boris Groysberg examines the gender gap in cases and its implications.

Effective Leaders Share the Spotlight with Their Teams

by Pamela Reynolds
  • 07 MAR 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Many executives make decisions alone and take credit for every win. Research by Yuan Zou and Ethan Rouen shows how leaders—and their companies—directly benefit when they engage and elevate colleagues.

Entrepreneurship 

Being Your Own Boss Can Pay Off, but Not Always with Big Pay

by Jay Fitzgerald
  • 10 MAY 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Working for yourself might bring freedom and autonomy, but it increasingly comes with a major risk: low pay. Research by William Kerr explores the shifting sands of self-employment.

Can You Buy Creativity in the Gig Economy?

by Pamela Reynolds
  • 28 APR 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
It's possible, but creators need more of a stake. A study by Feng Zhu of 10,000 novels in the Chinese e-book market reveals how tying pay to performance can lead to new ideas.

How to Get Companies to Make Investments That Benefit Everyone

by Lane Lambert
  • 10 JAN 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Want more organizations to give back to their communities? Frank Nagle says the success of open source software offers an innovative—and unexpected—roadmap for social good.

Innovation Isn’t Just for Startups: How Big Companies Can Succeed

by Lane Lambert
  • 01 FEB 2022
  • | 
  • Book
Innovation doesn't have to be limited to the Teslas and Amazons of the world. In a new book, Michael Tushman and Andrew Binns share how explorers lead change and help incumbent companies strike gold.

Popular 

Navigating Tradeoffs: How Purpose Becomes a Company's ‘Lighthouse in the Storm’

by Ranjay Gulati
  • 17 MAR 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Leaders wrestle with tough decisions every day. Focusing on a company's higher purpose can help them make better choices, says Ranjay Gulati in this excerpt from his book Deep Purpose.

Extroverts, Your Colleagues Wish You Would Just Shut Up and Listen

by Pamela Reynolds
  • 13 JUN 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Extroverts may be the life of the party, but at work, they're often viewed as phony and self-centered, says research by Julian Zlatev and colleagues. Here's how extroverts can show others that they're listening, without muting themselves.

More Proof That Money Can Buy Happiness (or a Life with Less Stress)

by Michael Blanding
  • 25 JAN 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
It's not about the bigger home or the better vacation. Financial stability helps people escape the everyday hassles of life, says research by Jon Jachimowicz.

How Gender Stereotypes Kill a Woman’s Self-Confidence

by Dina Gerdeman
  • 25 FEB 2019
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Researchers believe gender stereotypes hold women back in the workplace. Katherine Coffman's research adds a new twist: They can even cause women to question their own abilities.

Books 

Why Digital Is a State of Mind, Not Just a Skill Set

by Sean Silverthorne
  • 12 MAY 2022
  • | 
  • Book
You don't have to be a machine learning expert to manage a successful digital transformation. In fact, you only need 30 percent fluency in a handful of technical topics, say Tsedal Neeley and Paul Leonardi in their book, The Digital Mindset.

Empower Your Employees to Make Better Decisions

by Pamela Reynolds
  • 27 APR 2022
  • | 
  • Book
The impact of wise decisions can ripple out in an organization. In the book Decision Leadership, Max Bazerman and Don Moore explore how the choices of influential leaders, such as athlete Colin Kaepernick and Humu's Jessica Wisdom, motivate others to do better.

Navigating Tradeoffs: How Purpose Becomes a Company's ‘Lighthouse in the Storm’

by Ranjay Gulati
  • 17 MAR 2022
  • | 
  • Research & Ideas
Leaders wrestle with tough decisions every day. Focusing on a company's higher purpose can help them make better choices, says Ranjay Gulati in this excerpt from his book Deep Purpose.

When Employees Feel a Sense of Purpose, Companies Succeed

by Ranjay Gulati
  • 17 FEB 2022
  • | 
  • Book
Corporate cultures tend to encourage conformity. At a time when employees expect more from their jobs, companies should make space for individuality, Ranjay Gulati argues in this excerpt from his book, Deep Purpose.

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