Entrepreneurship
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- 09 Mar 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Impact Investing: A Theory of Financing Social Entrepreneurship
The author provides a formal definition of organizational sustainability and characterizes the situations in which a social enterprise should be sustainable. The analysis then delineates when an investment in a social enterprise delivers superior impact to a grant.
- 18 Feb 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Global Ocean Trust: Protecting the Blue Planet in New Ways
Following a successful career in finance, Torsten Thiele has devoted himself to the challenging cause of ocean conservation and stewardship. Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Thiele discuss strategy for solving one of the world's biggest problems. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 17 Feb 2020
- Sharpening Your Skills
How Entrepreneurs Can Find the Right Problem to Solve
Identifying a customer's pain points is the first step for entrepreneurs in developing a new product. Julia Austin offers tips for choosing the right "job to be done." Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 04 Feb 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Why Backstage Capital Invests in ‘Underestimated’ Entrepreneurs
Laura Huang discusses VC Arlan Hamilton’s strategy of backing entrepreneurs who have been ignored because of stereotypes, biases, and preconceptions. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 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.
- 05 Nov 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Can the Robin Hood Army Grow with Zero Financial Resources?
Over just a few years, volunteer-based Robin Hood Army had served meals to more than 9 million people around the world. Susanna Gallani discusses with founder Neel Ghose the challenges of growing while being a zero-funds organization. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 30 Oct 2019
- Research & Ideas
How to Recover Gracefully After Shutting Down Your Startup
It’s hard to call it quits on a business venture, but entrepreneurs can wind down a struggling startup while keeping their reputations and sanity intact, says Tom Eisenmann. The first step is knowing when to accept defeat. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 15 Oct 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Goldman Sachs’ $500 Million Bet on Small Businesses
Launched during the financial crisis in 2009, the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program provided free business education, support, and access to capital for small businesses, graduating 7,300 participants. Len Schlesinger discusses the program's impact. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 06 Aug 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Field-Level Paradox and the Co-Evolution of an Entrepreneurial Vision
Swiss watchmaking embodies the classic strategic paradox created by the introduction of new technology: the choice between resisting and defending, or embracing and prospecting. This paper offers a model for how fields and organizational leaders experiencing similar paradoxes can adapt to environmental change while still preserving valuable aspects of their past success.
- 23 May 2019
- Book
These Entrepreneurs Take a Pragmatic Approach to Solving Social Problems
Using business to create social change has been at the center of many entrepreneurial efforts by Harvard Business School alumni. Howard Stevenson discusses their pragmatic approaches to overcoming long odds. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 25 Apr 2019
- Research & Ideas
Incubators Take Notice: Your Entrepreneurs Are Networking with the Wrong People
Startup incubators used by cities and companies to jump-start innovation have a problem to overcome. Attendees tend to network with people they already know, says research by Rembrand M. Koning. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 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.
- 03 Apr 2019
- Book
Fintech's Game-Changing Opportunities for Small Business
In the new book Fintech, Small Business, & the American Dream, Karen Mills describes how technology is opening up new capital for entrepreneurs. Around the corner: The transformative benefits of AI and big data. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 14 Mar 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
How Helena Rubinstein Used Tall Tales to Turn Cosmetics into a Luxury Brand
Professor Geoff Jones examines the career of Helena Rubinstein, one of the trailblazing female entrepreneurs of the 20th century. Using guile, brilliant branding, and more than a few falsehoods, Rubinstein lifted cosmetics from an accessory item for prostitutes to a great luxury product during the Great Depression. 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.
- 07 Feb 2019
- Book
How Big Companies Can Outrun Disruption
Large companies can be easy targets for disruption, but Gary Pisano says there are steps that can keep them ahead of the innovation curve. Rule 1: Don't emulate startup cultures. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 15 Jan 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
The Creation and Evolution of Entrepreneurial Public Markets
Since 1990, new stock exchanges geared toward fast-growing, entrepreneurial companies have proliferated around the world. This analysis shows that exchanges in countries with better shareholder protection allowed younger and less profitable companies to raise more capital. These markets alone cannot boost entrepreneurial activity but need enabling institutions.
- 20 Dec 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
Using Fintech to Disrupt Eastern Bank from Within
When Eastern Bank decided to battle a threat from new competitors, it hired a fintech executive to set up Eastern Labs and start innovating. Karen Mills discusses her case study on what happened next. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 24 Oct 2018
- Sharpening Your Skills
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.
How Small Businesses Can Survive the Coronavirus Outbreak
COVID-19 will put many small businesses on life support. Karen G. Mills, who has been advising policymakers on aid options, offers guidance to owners on the brink of ruin. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.