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New research on business or company management from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including the relationship between corporate purpose and financial performance, the downsides of self-interest on businesses, government, and the economy, and advice for new CEOs.
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Corporate Boards Are Failing in Their No. 1 Duty

by Bill George

General Electric, Wells Fargo, and Boeing all chose the wrong CEOs for the job, says Bill George, creating big problems for the companies. George outlines five common mistakes boards of directors make when selecting leaders and provides advice for picking the appropriate person for this all-important role.

Are Management Consulting Firms Failing to Manage Themselves?

by David Fubini

In response to unprecedented client demand a few years ago, consulting firms went on a growth-driven hiring spree, but now many of these firms are cutting back staff. David Fubini questions whether strategy firms, which are considered experts at solving a variety of problems for clients, are struggling to apply their own management principles internally to address their current challenges.

Do Boomerang CEOs Get a Bad Rap?

by James Heskett

Several companies have brought back formerly successful CEOs in hopes of breathing new life into their organizations—with mixed results. But are we even measuring the boomerang CEOs' performance properly? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover: Lessons in Strategic Change

Re: Andy Wu

In late October 2022, Elon Musk officially took Twitter private and became the company’s majority shareholder, finally ending a months-long acquisition saga. He appointed himself CEO and brought in his own team to clean house. Musk needed to take decisive steps to succeed against the major opposition to his leadership from both inside and outside the company. Twitter employees circulated an open letter protesting expected layoffs, advertising agencies advised their clients to pause spending on Twitter, and EU officials considered a broader Twitter ban. What short-term actions should Musk take to stabilize the situation, and how should he approach long-term strategy to turn around Twitter? Harvard Business School assistant professor Andy Wu and co-author Goran Calic, associate professor at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, discuss Twitter as a microcosm for the future of media and information in their case, “Twitter Turnaround and Elon Musk.”

Why Don’t More Organizations Understand the Power of Diversity and Inclusion?

by James Heskett

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; 0 Comments.

Rethinking Business Strategy in the Age of AI

by Dina Gerdeman

For the first time in 100 years, new technologies such as artificial intelligence are causing firms to rethink their competitive strategy and organizational structure, say Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani, authors of the new book Competing in the Age of AI. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Under Pressure, Oxxo Rethinks the Convenience Store

Re: Tatiana Sandino

Mexican convenience store chain Oxxo dominated its market—until its chief rival doubled in size almost overnight. Professor Tatiana Sandino discusses her recent case study CEO Eduardo Padilla's response. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The Effect of Systems of Management Controls on Misreporting

by Aishwarrya Deore, Susanna Gallani, and Ranjani Krishnan

This study provides insights for designing effective management control systems. Managers must select their individual management control practices with care, craft mission statements to convey clear messages that drive organizational alignment with the firm’s overall goals, and consider the effects of interaction between components of their system of controls.

Who Will Measure up to These Two Remarkable Leaders?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP. In the wake of the loss of two great CEOs, James Heskett asks which schools are ready to turn out the next generation of transformative leaders? Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Amazoned: Is Any Industry Safe?

by Sean Silverthorne

Like the Amazon River itself, Jeff Bezos's company cuts a powerful, meandering channel through the business landscape, changing every industry it touches. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Healthy Business? Managerial Education and Management in Healthcare

by Nicholas Bloom, Raffaella Sadun, Renata Lemos, and John Van Reenen

A hospital's proximity to a university supplying both business and clinical education is associated with higher management practice scores and better clinical outcomes.

CEO Behavior and Firm Performance

by Oriana Bandiera, Stephen Hansen, Andrea Pratt, and Raffaella Sadun

This paper combines a new survey methodology with a machine learning algorithm to measure the behavior of CEOs in large samples. Results show that larger and more complex firms require CEOs with a more coordinative—and less micromanaging—behavior. Inefficiencies in the way CEOs match with firms have important consequences for firm productivity.

Corporate Purpose and Financial Performance

by Claudine Gartenberg, Andrea Prat, and George Serafeim

An organization’s purpose is not a formal announcement, but depends on the employees believing in and acting to promote that purpose. This study provides evidence about whether employee beliefs in a strong corporate purpose are associated with superior or inferior financial performance. It shows that organizations where middle managers and salaried professionals feel a strong sense of purpose and have clarity about their job responsibilities and tasks experience superior future financial performance. There was no association for senior executives, sales, or hourly workers.

What's a Boss Worth?

by Michael Blanding

Quite a lot, it turns out. Good bosses can have a multiplier effect that ups everyone’s game, according to new research by Christopher Stanton. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Self-Interest: The Economist's Straitjacket

by Robert Simons

Research explores the downsides of self-interest on businesses, government, and the economy as a whole.

Customer Feedback Not on elBulli’s Menu

by Julia Hanna

The world is beating a path to Chef Ferran Adrià's door at elBulli, but why? In professor Michael Norton's course, students learn about marketing from a business owner who says he doesn't care whether or not customers like his product. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

The Seven Things That Surprise New CEOs

by Michael E. Porter, Jay W. Lorsch & Nitin Nohria

In the newly released book On Competition, Professor Michael E. Porter updates his classic articles on the competitive forces that shape strategy. We excerpt a portion on advice for new CEOs, written with HBS faculty Jay W. Lorsch and Nitin Nohria. Key concepts include: Most new chief executives are taken aback by unfamiliar new roles, time and information limitations, and altered professional relationships. The CEO must learn to manage organizational context rather than focus on daily operations. The CEO must not get totally absorbed in the role. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

4+2 = Sustained Business Success

by Nitin Nohria, William Joyce & Bruce Roberson

HBS professor Nitin Nohria along with William Joyce and Bruce Roberson studied 160 companies to look for common management practices that succeed. A hint: Business basics matter. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

What Makes a Good Leader?

by Deborah Blagg & Susan Young

Leadership comes in many shapes and sizes, and often from entirely unexpected quarters. In this excerpt from the HBS Bulletin, five HBS professors weigh in with their views on leadership in action. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.