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New research on management from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including management strategy, accountability, design and succession planning.
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Planning the Future for Harlem’s Beloved Sylvia’s Restaurant

Re: Christina R. Wing

Sylvia’s Restaurant, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in August 2022, is a testament to the values instilled by the matriarch Sylvia Woods. She cultivated a strong community around her soul food restaurant in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood that has continued to thrive, even after her passing a decade ago. Amid business expansions and succession planning, the legacy of Sylvia Woods continues to live on. But as Sylvia’s grandson takes over the business, a new challenge faces him and his family: what should the next 60 years of Sylvia’s look like? Senior Lecturer Christina Wing and Kenneth De'Sean Woods, chief executive officer of Sylvia Woods Inc., discuss the case, “Sixty Years of Sylvia’s.”

How Partisan Politics Play Out in American Boardrooms

by Pamela Reynolds

The discord gripping the nation has reached the heights of corporate America, with costly consequences for companies and investors. Research by Elisabeth Kempf shows just how polarized the executive suite has become.

Management Lessons from the Sinking of the SS El Faro

Re: Joseph B. Fuller

Captain Michael Davidson of the container ship SS El Faro was determined to make his planned shipping trip on time—but a hurricane was approaching his intended path. To succeed, Davidson and his fellow officers had to plot a course to avoid the storm in the face of conflicting weather reports from multiple sources and differing opinions among the officers about what to do. Over the 36-hour voyage, tensions rose as the ship got closer and closer to the storm. And there were other factors compounding the challenge. The El Faro was an old ship, about to be scrapped. Its owner, TOTE Maritime, was in the process of selecting officers to crew its new ships. Davidson and some of his officers knew the company measured a ship’s on-time arrival and factored that into performance reviews and hiring decisions. When the ship ultimately sunk on October 1, 2015, it was the deadliest American shipping disaster in decades. But who was to blame for the tragedy and what can we learn from it? Professor Joe Fuller discusses the culpability of the captain, as well as his subordinates, and what it reveals about how leaders and their teams communicate under pressure in his case, "Into the Raging Sea: Final Voyage of the SS El Faro."

Does Religious Belief Affect Organizational Performance?

Re: James L. Heskett

Chinese firms exposed to Confucianism outperformed peers and contributed more to their communities, says a recent study. James Heskett considers whether the role of religion in management merits further research. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Followed Its Conscience on Guns—and It Paid Off

by Jay Fitzgerald

After the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Dick's Sporting Goods' CEO declared: "I don't want to be part of the story anymore." Two new case studies by George Riedel go inside the retailer's decision to remove certain firearms from stores and restrict gun sales. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Rituals at Work: Teams That Play Together Stay Together

by Kristen Senz

Rituals—even seemingly silly ones—help employees bond and add meaning to their work, says research by Michael Norton, Francesca Gino, and colleagues. After two years of pandemic disruption, who wouldn't welcome a workday pick-me-up? Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Lessons from COVID-19: The Business Skills Doctors Need

by Michael Blanding

The pandemic forced many physicians to become supply chain experts and strategic planners. Robert Huckman and colleagues offer a roadmap for teaching doctors the management and leadership skills they need—before the next public health crisis. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

France Telecom: Corporate Restructuring and Employee Well-Being

Re: Cynthia A. Montgomery & Ashley V. Whillans

The France Telecom case series follows the evolution of the organization from a national telephone monopoly to a private company facing severe challenges. These included a lessening competitive advantage, with the advent of mobile carriers and competition from other countries, as well as a workforce that was much larger than needed and included many civil servants, making it difficult to reduce headcount. As increasing pressure mounted internally to make changes and 22,000 jobs were lost between 2006 and 2009, the culture at France Telecom shifted from one where employees were proud to work to one where the physical and mental wellbeing of some employees became increasingly fragile. Did corporate leaders push employees too far, creating unacceptable levels of stress and unhappiness? Professors Cynthia Montgomery and Ashley Whillans discuss some fundamental tensions between the pressures and benefits of capitalism, the responsibilities of management, and the day-to-day and long-term impacts on employee well-being in the case, “France Telecom: A Difficult Restructuring.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Innovation Isn’t Just for Startups: How Big Companies Can Succeed

by Lane Lambert

Innovation doesn't have to be limited to the Teslas and Amazons of the world. In a new book, Michael Tushman and Andrew Binns share how explorers lead change and help incumbent companies strike gold. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Is Concierge Management an Answer to the “Big Quit”?

by James Heskett

Are employees more likely to be forgotten in remote settings, leaving without so much as a goodbye? Should companies do more to give them a voice? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

To Change Your Company's Culture, Don't Start by Trying to Change the Culture

by Michael Beer

Skip the inspirational speeches and culture committees. Meaningful culture change comes about only when companies rethink how they manage, lead, and pursue strategic goals, says Michael Beer. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

What It Takes to Build an Organizational Culture That Wins

by Avery Forman

In a world of short-term thinking, an effective organizational culture provides the ultimate competitive advantage. In Win from Within, James Heskett offers a roadmap for developing one. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Can Our Parenting Struggles Make Us Better Leaders?

by Ranjay Gulati

Like parents, leaders must know when to impose control and when to step back. Ranjay Gulati reflects on the benefits of authoritative leadership, and what it takes to achieve it. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Team Success Starts with the Individual—and with Love

by Ranjay Gulati

Many leaders see teams as collective units, but helping individual members reach their potential—personally and professionally—can open new opportunities. Ranjay Gulati looks at the philosophy of famed football coach Pete Carroll. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

What Companies Want Most in a CEO: A Good Listener

by Jay Fitzgerald

Financial expertise and operational experience will only take executives so far. More than ever, companies want senior leaders with strong social skills and emotional intelligence, says research by Raffaella Sadun and Joseph Fuller. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Want Hybrid Work to Succeed? Trust, Don’t Track, Employees

by Michael Blanding

Many companies want employees back at desks, but workers want more flexibility than ever. Tsedal Neeley offers three rules for senior managers trying to forge a new hybrid path. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Reunited and It Feels (Not) So Good: Tips for Managing a Rocky Return

by Kristen Senz

For many companies, returning to the office has felt like a rollercoaster of worry, excitement, and uncertainty. Members of the Harvard Business School faculty offer advice to help managers restore calm. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Dying to Lead: How Reaching the Top Can Kill You Sooner

by Jay Fitzgerald

A study of General Electric employees by Tom Nicholas shows how the stress of chasing professional success can shorten an executive's life. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Managers, Your Employees Don’t Want to Be Facebook ‘Friends’

by Rachel Kim Raczka

Want your colleagues to see your Vegas vacation photos? Research by Lakshmi Ramarajan and colleagues offers reasons to think twice about connecting with people you manage on social media. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Feeling Powerless at Work? Time to Agitate, Innovate, and Orchestrate

by Jay Fitzgerald

Employees lower down the organizational ladder have far more power than they realize. If they worked together, they could effect significant change within their workplaces, says Julie Battilana. Open for comment; 0 Comments.