Business Ventures
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- 05 Jun 2019
- Research & Ideas
If Your Customers Don't Care What You Charge, What Should You Charge?
Consumer inertia is the tendency of some customers to buy a product, even when superior options exist. Alexander J. MacKay discusses how that habit affects competitive strategy and even regulatory oversight. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 04 Jun 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Political Influence and Merger Antitrust Reviews
This paper uses a large sample of United States mergers between 1998 and 2010 to study how political connections help firms obtain favorable antitrust regulatory outcomes for mergers. Given that antitrust regulators are subject to congressional oversight, the authors predict and find evidence that outcomes systematically favor firms that are constituents of politicians serving on judiciary committees.
- 30 May 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
US Antitrust Law and Policy in Historical Perspective
Since the late 19th century, American antitrust law and policy has responded to multiple changes: technological advances that have transformed business structures, political imperatives that have reformed regulations and informed prosecutorial discretion, and economic theories that have reshaped the boundaries of government interventions into the economy. Today, antitrust remains a contested field.
- 01 May 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Rehabilitating Corporate Purpose
Shareholder value maximization has become the de facto expression of the institutional purpose guiding many managers’ decision making. The author proposes an alternative, justice-based guideline for corporate purpose based on established moral and organizational principles.
- 10 Apr 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Trade Secrets Protection and Antitakeover Provisions
The study examines managers’ responses when facing an increased threat of their firm being acquired. Results add to our knowledge of the use of antitakeover provisions, showing that managers, particularly in high-innovation firms, increase certain provisions to protect long-term innovation output in the presence of elevated acquisition risk.
- 10 Apr 2019
- HBS Case
How Entrepreneurs Can Turn Lead Into Gold
Innovative about creating new products, entrepreneurs often lose imagination when it comes to funding their dreams. Andy Wu reveals alternatives beyond friends and family. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 21 Mar 2019
- HBS Case
The Ferrari Way
Secretive sports car maker Ferrari opens up to Stefan Thomke about how it has bucked industry trends to achieve success. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 20 Mar 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
In the Shadows? Informal Enterprise in Non-Democracies
With the informal economy representing a third of the GDP in an average Middle East and North African country, why do chronically indebted regimes tolerate such a large and untaxed shadow economy? Among this study’s findings, higher rates of public sector employment correlate with greater permissibility of firm informality.
- 08 Mar 2019
- Research & Ideas
Seven Negotiation Lessons from Amazon's HQ Disaster in Queens
After a lengthy courting process, Amazon thought its plan for a New York HQ campus was in the bag. But the company failed a primary goal of negotiations, says James Sebenius. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 28 Feb 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Pursuing Precision Medicine at Intermountain Healthcare
What happens when Intermountain Healthcare invests resources in an innovative precision medicine unit to provide life-extending, genetically targeted therapies to late-stage cancer patients? Professors Richard Hamermesh and Kathy Giusti discuss the case and its connections to their work with the Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 20 Feb 2019
- Research & Ideas
Rocket-tunity: Can Private Firms Turn a Profit in Space?
Private rocket companies are competing to be the first to send paying tourists into space, perhaps even this year. Matthew Weinzierl lays out the strategic roadmap to the stars. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 10 Jan 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Can Miguel McKelvey Build the ‘Culture Operating System’ at WeWork?
How deeply does the culture of a startup matter? Can it be shaped? Professor Jeffrey Rayport discusses WeWork cofounder Miguel McKelvey’s innovative role in building a company culture to support rapid growth. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 24 Oct 2018
- Op-Ed
Startup or Established Company? Which Is Best for You?
What are the tradeoffs between going to a startup versus joining a mature company? Julia Austin, who has worked on both sides of the house, has some advice. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 20 Sep 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
Did Entrepreneur Ernesto Tornquist Help or Hurt Argentina?
Geoffrey Jones examines the career of Ernesto Tornquist, a cosmopolitan financier considered to be the most significant entrepreneur in Argentina at the end of the 19th century. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 27 Aug 2018
- Sharpening Your Skills
Guts, Gall, and Good Luck: What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur
What are the ingredients that make an entrepreneur successful? Here is a collection of stories and research that shows the way to making a difference in industries as diverse as green technologies, beauty products, and outer space. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 23 Jul 2018
- Research & Ideas
The Open Office Revolution Has Gone Too Far
When Ethan Bernstein used wearable technology to track workers around their open office, he discovered many who were trying to avoid collaboration rather than engage in it. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 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; Comment(s) posted.
- 14 May 2018
- Research & Ideas
Amazon vs. Whole Foods: When Cultures Collide
Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods seemed a Wall Street dream come true. But then Amazon's data-driven efficiency met the customer-driven culture at Whole Foods—and the shelves began to empty. Dennis Campbell and Tatiana Sandino discuss their new case study. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 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.
Investors Have More Than Money to Offer Entrepreneurs
Running a startup means solving an endless list of problems, and entrepreneurs can be quickly overwhelmed. Where to turn for advice? Julia Austin says look to your investors. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.