- 27 Mar 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Novel Risks
Companies can manage known risks by reducing their likelihood and impact. But such routine risk management often prevents them from recognizing and responding rapidly to novel risks, those not envisioned or seen before. Setting up teams, processes, and capabilities in advance for dealing with unexpected circumstances can protect against their severe consequences.
- 15 Feb 2012
- Op-Ed
Occupy Wall Street Protestors Have a Point
The concerns of the Occupy Wall Street movement are not far different from what business leaders have told professors Joseph L. Bower, Herman B. Leonard, and Lynn S. Paine. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 Nov 2011
- Research & Ideas
Only Capitalists Can Save Capitalism
Capitalism appears to be going through a crisis of confidence, evident in everything from Occupy Wall Street to middle-class riots across the globe. The fix? Capitalists themselves. An interview with the authors of Capitalism at Risk, Joseph L. Bower, Herman B. "Dutch" Leonard, and Lynn S. Paine. Key concepts include: Executives cited 10 major systemic problems that have created a break in trust between business and society, including a breakdown in the rule of law, environmental degradation, and weakened oversight of the financial system. With government regulators and politicians unable to address these problems effectively, it's up to business leaders to step up. Even as the market system has created threats to its own sustainability, it can also reward enterprising companies of any size that can turn these problems into opportunities. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 21 Apr 2011
- Research & Ideas
Searching for Better Practices in Social Investing
Social change requires innovation, not just in organizational practices but in funding practices, as well. This was a key message at "Social Investing: Emerging Trends in a Changing Landscape," a recent panel discussion at Harvard Business School in which several professional philanthropists explored how best to support social change. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Dec 2008
- Research & Ideas
The Surprisingly Successful Marriages of Multinationals and Social Brands
What happens when small iconic brands associated with social values—think Ben & Jerry's—are acquired by large concerns—think Unilever? Can the marriage of a virtuous mouse and a wealthy elephant work to the benefit of both? Professors James E. Austin and Herman B. "Dutch" Leonard discuss their research. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Oct 2008
- Lessons from the Classroom
Achieving Excellence in Nonprofits
Nonprofit boards and executives are confronted by a confusing landscape of conflicting demands, rapidly evolving rules, and changing opportunities for finding resources. How can organizations stay focused? Harvard Business School professor Herman B. "Dutch" Leonard discusses today's challenges and his Executive Education program on Governing for Nonprofit Excellence. Key concepts include: The biggest challenge facing nonprofit boards is staying focused on key goals; developing a strategy for accomplishing them; and generating a set of tactics, operations, and actions that are aligned with producing them. In high-performing social-mission-driven organizations, the board and executive management team are in clear agreement on goals, strategy, and actions. Always involved in rapidly changing environments, nonprofits need to maintain "situational awareness," rethink their approaches, and implement change constantly. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Aug 2008
- Research & Ideas
Does Market Capitalism Have a Future?
Does capitalism have a future? That intriguing topic was the subject of an HBS faculty colloquium led by professor Joe Bower, with fellow faculty members Dutch Leonard, David Moss, and Lynn Pain. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 08 Jul 2008
- Research & Ideas
Colloquium: The Future of Social Enterprise
The field of social enterprise is undergoing a "confluence of forces" that is reshaping the way nonprofits and other organizations fund and measure their work. A new working paper born of a recent Harvard Business School colloquium on the future of social enterprise explores possible scenarios. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Jul 2008
- Working Paper Summaries
The Future of Social Enterprise
This paper considers the confluence of forces that is shaping the field of social enterprise, changing the way that funders, practitioners, scholars, and organizations measure performance. The authors trace a growing pool of potential funding sources to solve social problems, much of it stemming from an intergenerational transfer of wealth and new wealth from financial and high-tech entrepreneurs. They further examine how these organizations can best access the untapped resources by demonstrating mission performance, and then propose three potential scenarios, outlined below, for how this sector might evolve. Key concepts include: Consolidation: In this scenario of sector evolution, funding will keep growing in a gradual, linear fashion, and organizations will compete for resources by demonstrating performance, with a focus on efficiency. The sector will consolidate. Entrepreneurial: In a more optimistic future, existing and new enterprises will apply strategies to achieve and demonstrate performance, improving efficiency and effectiveness and attracting new funding sources. Expressive: Rather than focusing exclusively on performance, funders and organizations may view their investment as an expressive civic activity. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
Capitalism Is More at Risk Than Ever
Almost a decade after writing Capitalism at Risk, Joseph Bower, Herman Leonard, and Lynn Paine argue that not enough companies are stepping up to fix big global problems. Open for comment; 0 Comments.