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What Will It Take to Confront the Invisible Mental Health Crisis in Business?

by Kara Baskin

The pressure to do more, to be more, is fueling its own silent epidemic. Lauren Cohen discusses the common misperceptions that get in the way of supporting employees' well-being, drawing on case studies about people who have been deeply affected by mental illness.

Checking Your Ethics: Would You Speak Up in These 3 Sticky Situations?

by Michael Blanding

Would you complain about a client who verbally abuses their staff? Would you admit to cutting corners on your work? The answers aren't always clear, says David Fubini, who tackles tricky scenarios in a series of case studies and offers his advice from the field.

From P.T. Barnum to Mary Kay: Lessons From 5 Leaders Who Changed the World

by Avery Forman

What do Steve Jobs and Sarah Breedlove have in common? Through a series of case studies, Robert Simons explores the unique qualities of visionary leaders and what today's managers can learn from their journeys.

With Subscription Fatigue Setting In, Companies Need to Think Hard About Fees

by Jay Fitzgerald

Subscriptions are available for everything from dental floss to dog toys, but are consumers tiring of monthly fees? Elie Ofek says that subscription revenue can provide stability, but companies need to tread carefully or risk alienating customers.

Advancing Black Talent: From the Flight Ramp to 'Family-Sustaining' Careers at Delta

by Lane Lambert

By emphasizing skills and expanding professional development opportunities, the airline is making strides toward recruiting and advancing Black employees. Case studies by Linda Hill offer an inside look at how Delta CEO Ed Bastian is creating a more equitable company and a stronger talent pipeline.

Layoffs Can Be Bad Business: 5 Strategies to Consider Before Cutting Staff

by Ben Rand

Many companies are quick to reduce headcount when economic headwinds appear, but they risk weakening their businesses. A case study by Sandra Sucher explores the hidden costs of layoffs.

How Will the Tech Titans Behind ChatGPT, Bard, and LLaMA Make Money?

by Ben Rand

It seems like anything is possible with generative AI right now. But how will companies profit from those big ideas? Andy Wu breaks down the potentially painful tradeoffs that tech firms might face as artificial intelligence enters its next phase.

(Virtual) Reality Check: How Long Before We Live in the 'Metaverse'?

by Jay Fitzgerald

Generative AI has captured the collective imagination for the moment, eclipsing the once-hyped metaverse. However, it's not the end of virtual reality. A case study by Andy Wu and David Yoffie lays out the key challenges immersive 3D technology must overcome to be truly transformative.

What Kind of Leader Are You? How Three Action Orientations Can Help You Meet the Moment

by Ben Rand

Executives who confront new challenges with old formulas often fail. The best leaders tailor their approach, recalibrating their "action orientation" to address the problem at hand, says Ryan Raffaelli. He details three action orientations and how leaders can harness them.

This Company Lets Employees Take Charge—Even with Life and Death Decisions

by Annelena Lobb

Dutch home health care organization Buurtzorg avoids middle management positions and instead empowers its nurses to care for patients as they see fit. Tatiana Sandino and Ethan Bernstein explore how removing organizational layers and allowing employees to make decisions can boost performance.

3 Ways to Gain a Competitive Advantage Now: Lessons from Amazon, Chipotle, and Facebook

by Michael Blanding

Remember the Sony Librie? Some people considered it superior to Amazon's Kindle, but it didn't end up the market leader. Rebecca Karp breaks down three methods that companies use to create more value than their rivals—an edge that can make all the difference.

A Nike Executive Hid His Criminal Past to Turn His Life Around. What If He Didn't Have To?

by Dina Gerdeman

Larry Miller committed murder as a teenager, but earned a college degree while serving time and set out to start a new life. Still, he had to conceal his record to get a job that would ultimately take him to the heights of sports marketing. A case study by Francesca Gino, Hise Gibson, and Frances Frei shows the barriers that formerly incarcerated Black men are up against and the potential talent they could bring to business.

Why Business Leaders Need to Hear Larry Miller's Story

by Jamal Meneide

VIDEO: Nike executive Larry Miller concealed his criminal past to get a job. What if more companies were willing to hire people with blemishes on their records? Hise Gibson explores why business leaders should give the formerly incarcerated a second chance.

From Prison Cell to Nike’s C-Suite: The Journey of Larry Miller

by Jamal Meneide

VIDEO: Before leading one of the world’s largest brands, Nike executive Larry Miller served time in prison for murder. In this interview, Miller shares how education helped him escape a life of crime and why employers should give the formerly incarcerated a second chance. Inspired by a Harvard Business School case study.

How KKR Got More by Giving Ownership to the Factory Floor: ‘My Kids Are Going to College!’

by Avery Forman

KKR turned around a struggling door company and sold it for 10 times its investment—giving factory workers a life-changing cut of the returns. A case study by Ethan Rouen and Dennis Campbell offers lessons for companies trying to instill an owner's mindset in employees.

What Does It Take to Build as Much Buzz as Booze? Inside the Epic Challenge of Cannabis-Infused Drinks

by Jay Fitzgerald

The market for cannabis products has exploded as more states legalize marijuana. But the path to success is rife with complexity as a case study about the beverage company Cann by Ayelet Israeli illustrates.

ChatGPT: Did Big Tech Set Up the World for an AI Bias Disaster?

by Scott Van Voorhis

Google tried to silence AI bias warnings from ethicist Timnit Gebru. Will a world enamored with OpenAI's ChatGPT be able to confront them? Tsedal Neeley reflects on Gebru's experience in a case study, and offers advice on managing the ethical risks of AI.

ESG Activists Met the Moment at ExxonMobil, But Did They Succeed?

by Lane Lambert

Engine No. 1, a small hedge fund on a mission to confront climate change, managed to do the impossible: Get dissident members on ExxonMobil's board. But lasting social impact has proved more elusive. Case studies by Mark Kramer, Shawn Cole, and Vikram Gandhi look at the complexities of shareholder activism.

Is Sweden Still 'Sweden'? A Liberal Utopia Grapples with an Identity Crisis

by Lane Lambert

Changing political views and economic forces have threatened Sweden's image of liberal stability. Is it the end of the Scandinavian business-welfare model as we know it? In a case study, Debora Spar examines recent shifts in Sweden and what they mean for the country's future.

The War in Ukraine and Nestlé’s Moral Dilemma: Stay or Leave Russia?

by Michael Blanding

Nestlé had to choose whether to leave Russia in protest and potentially deprive civilians of essential goods, such as baby formula, or stay and face global outrage. A case study by Nien-hê Hsieh explores this complex decision and offers advice for leaders weighing fraught questions.