- 01 Mar 2021
- What Do You Think?
What Does Remote Work Mean for Middle Managers?
Middle management was already the corporate scapegoat of choice before the COVID-19 pandemic. Will work-from-home policies make middle managers unnecessary or more critical than ever? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Feb 2021
- What Do You Think?
Has the New Economy Finally Arrived?
Economists have long tied low unemployment to inflation. James Heskett considers whether the US economic policy of the past four years has shaken those assumptions. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 04 Jan 2021
- What Do You Think?
How Do We Sustain Organization Diversity?
Can workforce diversity take hold without inclusion? James Heskett reflects on one company's high-profile struggle to bring in more Black executives. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Dec 2020
- What Do You Think?
How Can We Get Companies to Invest More in Low-Wage Workers?
Does income inequality hold back economic growth? James Heskett ponders what underlying factors keep low-wage workers down. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Nov 2020
- What Do You Think?
Is Antitrust Just a Quaint Notion in the Digital Age?
SUMMING UP: Given the US Department of Justice's new antitrust complaint against Google, is it time to revisit what defines a market monopoly in the internet era? James Heskett's readers consider the potential ramifications. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Oct 2020
- What Do You Think?
Are CEOs the Wrong Leaders for Stakeholder Capitalism?
SUMMING UP: Who bears responsibility for fostering "stakeholder capitalism" to better serve societal goals? Directors? Shareholders? CEOs? Employees? Readers offer their own views to James Heskett. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 31 Aug 2020
- What Do You Think?
Why Don’t More Organizations Understand the Power of Diversity and Inclusion?
SUMMING UP: Diversity in business leadership is certainly an enviable social goal, but does it improve company performance? James Heskett's readers look for the research evidence. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Aug 2020
- What Do You Think?
Is the 'Experimentation Organization' Becoming the Competitive Gold Standard?
SUMMING UP: Digital experimentation is gaining momentum as an everyday habit in many organizations, especially those in high tech, say James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 30 Jun 2020
- What Do You Think?
Is a Business School-Industry Collaboration Needed to Attract Black Talent to Campus?
SUMMING UP:James Heskett's readers suggest that recruiting minority students to business school must be matched with programs to retain them. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Jun 2020
- What Do You Think?
Will Challenged Amazon Tweak Its Retail Model Post-Pandemic?
James Heskett's readers have little sympathy for Amazon's loss of market share during the pandemic. Has the organization lost its ability to learn? Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 08 May 2020
- Research & Ideas
We’ve Now Been Asking “What Do You Think?” for 20 Years
James Heskett reflects on 20 years of writing his monthly business management column for HBS Working Knowledge. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 May 2020
- What Do You Think?
Does Remote Work Mix with Organizational Culture?
SUMMING UP: Readers who themselves work from home think differently about how organizations should respond to remote work initiatives. James Heskett sums up the dicussion. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Apr 2020
- What Do You Think?
What Are Lessons for Leaders from This Black Swan Crisis?
SUMMING UP: Readers of this month's James Heskett post disagree on whether COVID-19 is a Black Swan event, but most argue that organizations must be better prepared for inevitable downturns. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Mar 2020
- What Do You Think?
Are Candor, Humility, and Trust Making a Comeback?
SUMMING UP: Have core leadership values been declining in recent years? If so, how do we get them back? James Heskett's readers provide answers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 03 Feb 2020
- What Do You Think?
Can an Organization Have Too Much 'Rebel Talent'?
SUMMING UP: Staffing your organization with "rebel talent" can produce energy, loyalty, productivity, and creativity. But is there such a thing as too many rebels? asks James Heskett. Readers respond. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Jan 2020
- What Do You Think?
Why Not Open America's Doors to All the World’s Talent?
SUMMING UP: The H-1B visa program is exploited by some employers to replace high-paid talent, but that doesn't mean foreign workers should be shut out of working in the United States, according to many of James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Dec 2019
- What Do You Think?
How Does a Company like Boeing Respond to Intense Competitive Pressure?
SUMMING UP: Playing out in real time, Boeing's misguided responses to competitive pressure illustrate organizational "gaps" suffered by many organizations. James Heskett's readers discuss solutions. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Nov 2019
- What Do You Think?
Should Non-Compete Clauses Be Abolished?
SUMMING UP: Non-compete clauses need to be rewritten, especially when they are applied to lower-income workers, respond James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Oct 2019
- What Do You Think?
What Grade Would You Give Walmart CEO Doug McMillon?
SUMMING UP: James Heskett's readers gave Walmart high marks for its response to gun violence but suggested the company could have been even more proactive. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
Why Can’t More Leaders Teach?
If the best leaders tend to be great teachers, why do some successful executives struggle to share their knowledge? What does this shortcoming say about their leadership? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.