- 30 Jun 2020
- Book
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.
- 26 Apr 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
Why JPMorgan Chase Is Investing Millions in Detroit
JPMorgan Chase is making extensive investments into the revitalization of Detroit. What does it expect in return? Professor Joseph Bower and JP Morgan executive Peter Scher discuss the challenges and rewards of partnering with cities in this podcast. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 16 May 2017
- First Look
First Look at New Ideas and Research, May 16
Billion-dollar choices at GE Capital ... Mental models and strategy ... Revisiting agency theory.
- 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.
- 18 Nov 2010
- Research & Ideas
GM’s IPO: Back to the Future
General Motors reaches a milestone this week as it presents an initial public offering. HBS faculty discuss issues facing the automaker's revival. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 09 Sep 2009
- Working Paper Summaries
Perspectives from the Boardroom--2009
Chief executives and regulators have been blamed for the current economic crisis, but in some ways what is surprising is that boards have generally escaped notice. Clearly the experience of corporate boards in the downturn has not been explored. To understand what transpired in the boardrooms of complex companies, and to offer a prescription to improve board effectiveness, eight senior faculty members of the HBS Corporate Governance Initiative talked with 45 prominent directors about what has happened to their companies and why. These directors, who serve on the boards of financial institutions and other complex companies, were asked two broad questions: How well did their boards function before the recession? And, what do they believe should be improved as they look to the future? This white paper [PDF] first explains how the interviewees characterize the strengths of their boards, then examines in depth six areas in which they identified shortcomings or needs for improvement: 1) clarifying the board's role; 2) acquiring better information and deeper knowledge of the company; 3) maintaining a sound relationship with management; 4) providing oversight of company strategy; 5) assuring management development and succession; 6) improving risk management. Finally, the paper discusses two issues that appeared not to trouble the interviewees but that the public feels are important: executive compensation and the relationship between the board and shareholders. This paper was written by Jay Lorsch with the assistance of Joseph Bower, Clayton Rose, and Suraj Srinivasan. The interviews were conducted by Joseph Bower, Srikant Datar, Raymond Gilmartin, Stephen Kaufman, Rakesh Khurana, Jay Lorsch, and Clayton Rose. Key concepts include: Regulations and laws offer little guidance about what specifically boards should do, and, given this lack of specificity, most boards have gradually developed an implicit understanding of what their job should be. Directors expressed strong consensus that the key to improving boards' performance is not government action but action on the part of each board. To improve board effectiveness, each board should achieve clarity about its role in relation to that of management: the extent and nature of the board's involvement in strategy, management succession, risk oversight, and compliance. If, as interviewees insisted, each board's effectiveness is directly attributable to its activities, it follows that boards have a responsibility to define their own roles with clarity, and to decide how to perform those roles in light of the nature of the firm, its industry, and its particular challenges. If boards are to decide on their goals and activities, they must expect to invest extended time in hard-headed discussions of both, leading to concrete and actionable conclusions. Boards need to maintain a delicate balance in their relationship with management. They must be challenging and critical on the one hand and supportive on the other. They have to sustain an open and candid flow of communication in both directions. And they must seek sources of understanding their company beyond just management without offending management. Issues of executive compensation and the relationship between boards and shareholders cannot be ignored, if only because they affect public perceptions of business and therefore its social legitimacy. Paper Information Full Working Paper Text Working Paper Publication Date: September 2009 Faculty Unit: Organizational Behavior Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 Jun 2009
- Research Event
Business Summit: The Role of Business Leaders in Sustaining Market Capitalism
Business leaders at the HBS Business Summit agreed on the threats to capitalism, but offered different opinions on the way forward. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Jun 2009
- Research & Ideas
GM: What Went Wrong and What’s Next
For decades, General Motors reigned as the king of automakers. What went wrong? We asked HBS faculty to reflect on the wrong turns and missed opportunities of the former industry leader, and to suggest ideas for recovery. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 May 2009
- Research Event
Business Summit: Introduction to the Future of Market Capitalism
Professor Joseph L. Bower discusses a two-year research project exploring the views of global business leaders and HBS faculty on what might threaten the world's economic progress. 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.
- 14 Nov 2007
- Research & Ideas
Growing CEOs from the Inside
Who is the best CEO candidate? An insider with intimate knowledge of your company, or an outsider who is ready to put sacred cows out to pasture? The answer, says HBS professor Joseph L. Bower, is both. In this Q&A, he discusses his new book, The CEO Within, and why inside-outsiders are the key to succession planning. Key concepts include: Effective succession planning is a hallmark of many top-performing companies, but most firms pay little attention to the process. In many cases an ideal candidate for CEO will come from the inside but carry an outsider's perspective. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 22 Nov 2006
- Research & Ideas
CEO Succession: The Case at Ford
When Ford Motor Company looked to replace Bill Ford as CEO, it turned not to another auto industry insider but instead to Boeing's Alan Mulally. We talk with Harvard Business School professor Joseph L. Bower to better understand Ford's move and the larger issues of CEO succession. Key concepts include: New CEOs are often plucked from outside the company—about a third of the time for S&P 500 companies. Industry knowledge isn't a specific determinant of a new CEO's success, but knowledge of the business is crucial—see Lou Gerstner at IBM. Companies need to plan CEO succession ten years in advance—not react to an immediate situation. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 09 Jan 2006
- Research & Ideas
What Really Drives Your Strategy?
For better or worse, why do so many companies veer off their strategic plan? Look for a disconnect between strategy and how resources are allocated, say Harvard Business School’s Joseph L. Bower and Clark G. Gilbert. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 Jun 2002
- Research & Ideas
Disruption: The Art of Framing
Your chief competitor creates a breakthrough technology. Should you frame that event inside your company as a threat or opportunity? The answer in this Harvard Business Review excerpt by HBS professors Clark Gilbert and Joseph L. Bower just may surprise you. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 Apr 2001
- Research & Ideas
Not All M&As Are Alike—and That Matters
In this Harvard Business Review article, Professor Joseph L. Bower shares some of the results of his year-long study of M&A activity sponsored by HBS. Discover how five distinct merger and acquisition strategies scenarios play out—and his recommendations for success. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
Why JPMorgan Chase Is Committed to Improving Racial Equity in Banking
In 2020, JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced a $30 billion, “Commitment to Advance Racial Equity.” This included investments in housing, small businesses, and financial literacy across the U.S., as well as in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the bank. Harvard Business School Professor Emeritus Joe Bower and case protagonist Alice Rodriguez, head of community impact at JPMorgan Chase, discuss the implementation of that commitment and how it aligns with the bank’s longer-term growth strategy in the case, "JPMorgan Chase’s Path Forward." Open for comment; 0 Comments.