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Scaling a Fintech Startup for the Greater Good

Re: Emily Williams

Esusu launched in 2018 with a rotational savings product and continued growing their fintech startup in late 2019 with Esusu Rent, a rent reporting tool that enables renters to improve their credit scores. In March 2020, co-founders Abbey Wemimo and Samir Goel were working to determine how best to scale Esusu to advance their mission of promoting financial inclusion in the US. Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Emily Williams discusses how the two co-founders decided how to allocate resources and scale their business in the case, “Esusu: Solving Homelessness Backwards.”

The Moral Enterprise: How Two Companies Profit with Purpose

by Avery Forman

Despite polarized attitudes, Rebecca Henderson argues that it's the perfect time for companies to reset their moral compass. In an essay from the book A Political Economy of Justice, she explores the social efforts of Cadbury and Unilever.

All Those Zoom Meetings May Boost Connection and Curb Loneliness

by Michael Blanding

Zoom fatigue became a thing during the height of the pandemic, but research by Amit Goldenberg shows how virtual interactions can provide a salve for isolation. What does this mean for remote and hybrid workplaces?

Reshma Saujani on recoding work for gender equity

If it’s cool for girls to code, why aren’t more women working in technology? And why are working mothers in all sectors finding it difficult to establish and maintain careers? Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and Marshall Plan for Moms, shares her formula for structural change.

Four Elements for Finding the Right Career Path

by Dina Gerdeman

Facing a major decision? Before you start ruminating about facts and figures, consider tapping into your "full self." In his book The Four Elements: Finding Right Livelihood in the 21st Century, Timothy Butler offers a framework for navigating life transitions.

Free Isn’t Always Better: How Slack Holds Its Own Against Microsoft Teams

by Lane Lambert

What will it take to win the collaboration app wars: massive scale or a loyal following? A case study by David Yoffie digs into the intense competition between Microsoft Teams and Salesforce's Slack.

What Does It Take to Close the Opportunity Gap in America’s Labor Market?

Re: V. Kasturi Rangan

In the wake of George Floyd’s killing and widespread protests for social justice in the United States, OneTen was formed by a coalition of 40 large companies to address the disparity in job opportunities for African Americans without four-year college degrees. Their goal was to provide one million jobs in 10 years. But in order to do that, OneTen had to analyze the underlying problems and formulate recommendations for both system-level problems and those that manifest themselves at an organizational level. Professor Kash Rangan and OneTen CEO Maurice Jones discuss OneTen’s approach in the case, “OneTen: One Million Opportunities in Ten Years.”

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

by Pamela Reynolds

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.

From Truck Driver to Manager: US Foods’ Novel Approach to Staff Shortages

by Pamela Reynolds

Restaurant closures, supply disruptions, and now, worker shortages. The pandemic has been hard on food suppliers. A case study by David Bell looks at the innovative thinking that helped one of the industry's biggest companies stabilize staffing—and grow.

Dropbox founder Drew Houston on streamlining the digital workspace

Is work-life balance possible when you’re always connected? The pandemic has forced advances in the digital underpinnings of remote and hybrid work. Dropbox has added apps and organizational advice to its ubiquitous cloud storage. Founder and CEO Drew Houston on the firm’s virtual-first strategy and his vision for an AI-powered, uncluttered digital workplace.

In a Work-from-Anywhere World, How Remote Will Workers Go?

by Kara Baskin

Will professionals still choose cities if they have the option to work from the beach? Research by Prithwiraj Choudhury considers the radical ripple effects of remote work.

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

by Dan Morrell

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.

Is Stakeholder Management Facing New Headwinds?

by James Heskett

Shareholders aren't the only constituents for many companies today. But what happens when lightning-rod social issues and employee power come into play? James Heskett considers the future of stakeholder management. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Corruption: New Insights for Fighting an Age-Old Business Problem

Re: Tarun KhannaRe: Geoffrey G. Jones

Corruption is as old as humanity, with cases documented as far back as the Egyptian dynasties. While the World Bank estimates that international bribery exceeds $1.5 trillion annually, the larger and more subtle effects of corruption on economies and populations is incalculable. Harvard Business School professors Geoff Jones and Tarun Khanna explore how corruption uniquely affects business in emerging markets, and why it should be addressed by the public and private sectors in their case, “Corruption and Business in Emerging Markets,” and companion video interviews with more than 100 iconic entrepreneurs in emerging markets.

Wholesale upskilling: Walmart’s workforce value proposition

Businesses are getting strategic about skills building, focusing on what they and their employees need to reach their respective goals. As the largest private employer in the U.S., Walmart is looking to influence the direction of education and training, from basic skills through post-secondary credentials. Joe Fuller welcomes Lorraine Stomski, Walmart's Senior Vice President of Enterprise Leadership and Learning.

Apple vs. Feds: Is iPhone Privacy a Basic Human Right?

by Avery Forman

Leaders today must be ready to take a stand on thorny social and political issues. A case study by Nien-hê Hsieh and Henry McGee examines how Apple CEO Tim Cook turned calls for data access into a rallying cry for privacy, and the complexities that followed.

Career Advice for Minorities and Women: Sharing Your Identity Can Open Doors

by Pamela Reynolds

Women and people of color tend to minimize their identities in professional situations, but highlighting who they are often forces others to check their own biases. Research by Edward Chang and colleagues.

Are Banks the ‘Bad Guys’? Overdraft Fees Are Crushing Low-Income Customers

by Rachel Layne

Payday lenders have been accused of exploiting poor consumers, but traditional banks exact a similar toll through overdraft fees. Research by Marco Di Maggio and Emily Williams shows how seemingly innocuous checking accounts can become vehicles for financial distress.

Delivering a Personalized Shopping Experience with AI

Re: Jill J. Avery

THE YES, a shopping app for fashion brands, uses a sophisticated algorithm to create and deliver a personalized store for every shopper, based on her style preferences, size, and budget. After launching the app in 2020, the founders had to decide whether to continue developing the algorithm to deliver on the company’s customer value proposition or to focus their resources on new customer acquisition, with the idea that more users on the app would improve the algorithm's performance. Senior Lecturer Jill Avery and The YES co-founder and CEO Julie Bornstein discuss this make-or-break dilemma in the case, The YES: Reimagining the Future of e-Commerce with Artificial Intelligence (AI). This episode was recorded live at Harvard Business School on March 30, 2022 as part of our Case Method 100 celebration.

Company Reviews on Glassdoor: Petty Complaints or Signs of Potential Misconduct?

by Michael Blanding

Online reviews by employees can signal internal factors that raise the risk of scandal. Research by Dennis Campbell, who analyzed reviews of 4,000 companies, offers insights for managers trying to prevent misdeeds long before they happen.