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New research on ethics and principles from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including white-collar crime, activist CEOs, and group loyalty.
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How Politics Drives Business Decisions in a Polarized Nation

by Jay Fitzgerald

As the US heads toward a presidential election, political polarization is influencing personal relationships, living choices, and even corporate decision-making. Research by Elisabeth Kempf reveals how partisan divides are shaping businesses, with significant implications for investment returns, credit ratings, and economic growth.

If a Car Can Drive Itself, Can It Make Life-or-Death Decisions?

by Tom Quinn

AI is transforming industries from retail to finance, but what about the moral quandaries posed by thinking machines? Buckle your seatbelts: Joseph Badaracco probes the most consequential questions raised by self-driving cars.

McDonald’s and the Post #MeToo Rules of Sex in the Workplace

by Avery Forman

As #MeToo cast a spotlight on harassment in the workplace, former McDonald's CEO Stephen Easterbrook went from savior to pariah. Drawing from a series of case studies, Lynn Paine outlines eight lessons all corporate boards can take away from the scandal to improve culture and prevent abuse of power.

How Natural Winemaker Frank Cornelissen Innovated While Staying True to His Brand

Re: Tiona W. Zuzul

In 2018, artisanal Italian vineyard Frank Cornelissen was one of the world’s leading producers of natural wine. But when weather-related conditions damaged that year’s grapes, founder Frank Cornelissen had to decide between staying true to the tenets of natural wine making or breaking with his public beliefs to save that year’s grapes by adding sulfites. Harvard Business School assistant professor Tiona Zuzul discusses the importance of staying true to your company’s principles while remaining flexible enough to welcome progress in the case, Frank Cornelissen: The Great Sulfite Debate.

When Managers Set Unrealistic Expectations, Employees Cut Ethical Corners

by Dina Gerdeman

Corporate misconduct has grown in the past 30 years, with losses often totaling billions of dollars. What businesses may not realize is that misconduct often results from managers who set unrealistic expectations, leading decent people to take unethical shortcuts, says Lynn S. Paine.

Amazon in Seattle: The Role of Business in Causing and Solving a Housing Crisis

Re: Paul M. Healy

In 2020, Amazon partnered with a nonprofit called Mary’s Place and used some of its own resources to build a shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness on its campus in Seattle. Yet critics argued that Amazon’s apparent charity was misplaced and that the company was actually making the problem worse. Paul Healy and Debora Spar explore the role business plays in addressing unhoused communities in the case “Hitting Home: Amazon and Mary’s Place.”

Struggling With a Big Management Decision? Start by Asking What Really Matters

by Dina Gerdeman

Leaders must face hard choices, from cutting a budget to adopting a strategy to grow. To make the right call, they should start by following their own “true moral compass,” says Joseph Badaracco.

How Do Great Leaders Overcome Adversity?

Re: Anthony Mayo

In the spring of 2021, Raymond Jefferson (MBA 2000) applied for a job in President Joseph Biden’s administration. Ten years earlier, false allegations were used to force him to resign from his prior US government position as assistant secretary of labor for veterans’ employment and training in the Department of Labor. Two employees had accused him of ethical violations in hiring and procurement decisions, including pressuring subordinates into extending contracts to his alleged personal associates. The Deputy Secretary of Labor gave Jefferson four hours to resign or be terminated. Jefferson filed a federal lawsuit against the US government to clear his name, which he pursued for eight years at the expense of his entire life savings. Why, after such a traumatic and debilitating experience, would Jefferson want to pursue a career in government again? Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Anthony Mayo explores Jefferson’s personal and professional journey from upstate New York to West Point to the Obama administration, how he faced adversity at several junctures in his life, and how resilience and vulnerability shaped his leadership style in the case, "Raymond Jefferson: Trial by Fire."

Should Businesses Take a Stand on Societal Issues?

Re: Hubert Joly

Should businesses take a stand for or against particular societal issues? And how should leaders determine when and how to engage on these sensitive matters? Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Hubert Joly, who led the electronics retailer Best Buy for almost a decade, discusses examples of corporate leaders who had to determine whether and how to engage with humanitarian crises, geopolitical conflict, racial justice, climate change, and more in the case, “Deciding When to Engage on Societal Issues.”

Can Sustainability Drive Innovation at Ferrari?

Re: Raffaella Sadun

When Ferrari, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer, committed to achieving carbon neutrality and to electrifying a large part of its car fleet, investors and employees applauded the new strategy. But among the company’s suppliers, the reaction was mixed. Many were nervous about how this shift would affect their bottom lines. Professor Raffaella Sadun and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna discuss how Ferrari collaborated with suppliers to work toward achieving the company’s goal. They also explore how sustainability can be a catalyst for innovation in the case, “Ferrari: Shifting to Carbon Neutrality.” This episode was recorded live December 4, 2023 in front of a remote studio audience in the Live Online Classroom at Harvard Business School.

Doing Well by Doing Good? One Industry’s Struggle to Balance Values and Profits

by Scott Van Voorhis

Few companies wrestle with their moral mission and financial goals like those in journalism. Research by Lakshmi Ramarajan explores how a disrupted industry upholds its values even as the bottom line is at stake.

Voting Democrat or Republican? The Critical Childhood Influence That's Tough to Shake

by Ben Rand

Candidates might fixate on red, blue, or swing states, but the neighborhoods where voters spend their teen years play a key role in shaping their political outlook, says research by Vincent Pons. What do the findings mean for the upcoming US elections?

The Beauty Industry: Products for a Healthy Glow or a Compact for Harm?

by Geoffrey Jones

Many cosmetics and skincare companies present an image of social consciousness and transformative potential, while profiting from insecurity and excluding broad swaths of people. Geoffrey Jones examines the unsightly reality of the beauty industry.

What Will It Take to Confront the Invisible Mental Health Crisis in Business?

by Kara Baskin

The pressure to do more, to be more, is fueling its own silent epidemic. Lauren Cohen discusses the common misperceptions that get in the way of supporting employees' well-being, drawing on case studies about people who have been deeply affected by mental illness.

How Should Meta Be Governed for the Good of Society?

Re: Jesse M. Shapiro

Julie Owono is executive director of Internet Sans Frontières and a member of the Oversight Board, an outside entity with the authority to make binding decisions on tricky moderation questions for Meta’s companies, including Facebook and Instagram. Harvard Business School visiting professor Jesse Shapiro and Owono break down how the Board governs Meta’s social and political power to ensure that it’s used responsibly, and discuss the Board’s impact, as an alternative to government regulation, in the case, “Independent Governance of Meta’s Social Spaces: The Oversight Board.”

From P.T. Barnum to Mary Kay: Lessons From 5 Leaders Who Changed the World

by Avery Forman

What do Steve Jobs and Sarah Breedlove have in common? Through a series of case studies, Robert Simons explores the unique qualities of visionary leaders and what today's managers can learn from their journeys.

Build the Life You Want: Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey Share Happiness Tips

by HBS Staff

"Happiness is not a destination. It's a direction." In this video, Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey reflect on mistakes, emotions, and contentment, sharing lessons from their new book.

Successful, But Still Feel Empty? A Happiness Scholar and Oprah Have Advice for You

by Avery Forman

So many executives spend decades reaching the pinnacles of their careers only to find themselves unfulfilled at the top. In the book Build the Life You Want, Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey offer high achievers a guide to becoming better leaders—of their lives.

The Harvard Business School Faculty Summer Reader 2023

by Dina Gerdeman

Need a book recommendation for your summer vacation? HBS faculty members share their reading lists, which include titles that explore spirituality, design, suspense, and more.

A Nike Executive Hid His Criminal Past to Turn His Life Around. What If He Didn't Have To?

by Dina Gerdeman

Larry Miller committed murder as a teenager, but earned a college degree while serving time and set out to start a new life. Still, he had to conceal his record to get a job that would ultimately take him to the heights of sports marketing. A case study by Francesca Gino, Hise Gibson, and Frances Frei shows the barriers that formerly incarcerated Black men are up against and the potential talent they could bring to business.