- 08 May 2023
- Research & Ideas
How Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Crushed Crowdfunding for Minority Entrepreneurs
When public anxiety about immigration surges, Black, Asian, and Hispanic inventors have a harder time raising funds for new ideas on Kickstarter, says research by William Kerr. What can platforms do to confront bias in entrepreneurial finance?
- 10 May 2022
- Research & Ideas
Being Your Own Boss Can Pay Off, but Not Always with Big Pay
Working for yourself might bring freedom and autonomy, but it increasingly comes with a major risk: low pay. Research by William Kerr explores the shifting sands of self-employment.
- 04 Apr 2022
- Research & Ideas
Tech Hubs: How Software Brought Talent and Prosperity to New Cities
Software invention spurred the rapid ascent of six American tech hubs, helping them draw talent from even larger cities. Will the rise of remote work shake the status quo? Research by William Kerr. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 Mar 2021
- Working Paper Summaries
Whose Job Is It Anyway? Co-Ethnic Hiring in New US Ventures
The impact of immigration has been particularly sharp in entrepreneurship, yet there is remarkably little evidence about how immigration in the workplace connects to the creation and scaling of new firms. The economic consequences of greater workplace and entrepreneurial diversity deserve closer attention.
- 12 May 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Autonomous Vehicles Are Ready to Disrupt Society, Business—and You
The rise of autonomous vehicles has enormous implications for business and society. Professors William R. Kerr and Elie Ofek explore the factors influencing their development and commercialization. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 11 May 2020
- Op-Ed
Immigration Policies Threaten American Competitiveness
At this time of crisis, America risks signaling to global innovators and entrepreneurs that they have no future here, says William R. Kerr. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 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; 0 Comments.
- 28 Dec 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Tech Clusters
We are witnessing a major transformation of business to achieve strategic positions in powerful tech hubs, but most workers and consumers will always be far away. The authors describe the spatial concentration of tech activity in the United States and explore the economics of tech clusters with an eye to the future of innovation and economic geography.
- 07 Aug 2019
- Research & Ideas
Big Infrastructure May Not Always Produce Big Benefits
Government spending on bridges, roads, and other infrastructure pieces does not always ignite economic good times, say William Kerr and Ramana Nanda. The key question: Are financiers nearby? Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 07 Jul 2019
- HBS Case
Walmart's Workforce of the Future
A case study by William Kerr explores Walmart's plans for future workforce makeup and training, and its search for opportunities from digital infrastructure and automation. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 Jun 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Infrastructure and Finance: Evidence from India's GQ Highway Network
In India, the Golden Quadrilateral highway network connects four major cities. This study of the relationship between the infrastructure project and development of the local financial sector finds that, in districts along and near the GQ, initial levels of financial development shaped how, and where, infrastructure investment could jumpstart real economic activity.
- 11 Jun 2019
- Book
These Aren't Beach Books, but Managers Should Read Them Anyway
As you contemplate your summer reading, consider these recent books from Harvard Business School management scholars that can boost your career and improve on-the-ground management skills. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 08 Jun 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
The Gift of Global Talent: Innovation Policy and the Economy
High-skilled workers in today’s knowledge-based economy are arguably the most important resource to the success of businesses, regions, and industries. This chapter pulls from Kerr’s book The Gift of Global Talent to examine the migration dynamics of high-skilled individuals. He argues that improving our knowledge of high-skilled migration can lead to better policy decisions.
- 07 Feb 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Immigrant Networking and Collaboration: Survey Evidence from CIC
This study compares United States-born and immigrant entrepreneurs’ use of networking opportunities provided by CIC, the former Cambridge Innovation Center. Immigrants clearly take more advantage of networking opportunities at CIC, especially around the exchange of advice. It remains to be seen whether this generates long-term performance advantages for immigrants.
- 01 Oct 2018
- Book
Is the US Losing its Ability to Attract Highly Skilled Migrant Workers?
As debates sharpen on the benefits and drawbacks of migrant labor, William R. Kerr's new book explores why global talent flows matter to national economic development and security. Book excerpt and author interview. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Jun 2018
- Research & Ideas
In America, Immigrants Really Do Get the Job Done
Far from being a drain on the US economy, William Kerr’s research finds immigrants are a driver of innovation and entrepreneurship. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 22 Apr 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Immigrant Entrepreneurship in America: Evidence from the Survey of Business Owners 2007 & 2012
How do businesses created by immigrants differ from those of natives? This study using the 2007 and 2012 Survey of Business Owners records finds that while immigrant-owned businesses have a modestly different industry composition than native-owned businesses, there are ten-fold differences across states in terms of the share of businesses owned by immigrants.
- 14 Dec 2017
- Working Paper Summaries
Personality Traits of Entrepreneurs: A Review of Recent Literature
This paper brings together recent findings in the academic literature on the prevalence of various personality traits among entrepreneurs and their impact on venture performance. It focuses on three themes: (1) personality traits of entrepreneurs and how they compare to other groups; (2) attitudes towards risk that entrepreneurs display; and (3) overall goals and aspirations that entrepreneurs bring to their pursuits.
- 24 May 2017
- Working Paper Summaries
Digital Labor Markets and Global Talent Flows
Digital labor markets aiInternet-based platforms connecting workers worldwide with companies seeking to have tasks completed. This paper describes the markets, evaluates their rise and global span, and reviews academic studies of how they function. It includes cases to suggest the range of ways in which digital capabilities extend access to talent over long distances.
How Unilever Is Preparing for the Future of Work
Launched in 2016, Unilever’s Future of Work initiative aimed to accelerate the speed of change throughout the organization and prepare its workforce for a digitalized and highly automated era. But despite its success over the last three years, the program still faces significant challenges in its implementation. How should Unilever, one of the world's largest consumer goods companies, best prepare and upscale its workforce for the future? How should Unilever adapt and accelerate the speed of change throughout the organization? Is it even possible to lead a systematic, agile workforce transformation across several geographies while accounting for local context? Harvard Business School professor and faculty co-chair of the Managing the Future of Work Project William Kerr and Patrick Hull, Unilever’s vice president of global learning and future of work, discuss how rapid advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation are changing the nature of work in the case, “Unilever's Response to the Future of Work.”