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New research on measurements and metrics from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including online metrics, auditing firms, and measuring social impact.
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The Value of Descriptive Analytics: Evidence from Online Retailers

by Ron Berman and Ayelet Israeli

Analytics are descriptive when they describe what happened. Descriptive-analytics solutions are popular among marketers and retailers. This paper provides a benchmark for the benefits of using a descriptive dashboard and illustrates how to potentially extract these benefits.

Biased Sampling of Early Users and the Direction of Startup Innovation

by Ruiqing Cao, Rembrand Koning, and Ramana Nanda

New ventures catering to female customers should be aware that the underrepresentation of women among early users on digital platforms can reduce the venture’s growth and chances of survival. As a result of gaining fewer early users, these ventures reduce future product development and are less likely to raise VC funding.

'Repayment-by-Purchase' Helps Consumers to Reduce Credit Card Debt

by Grant E. Donnelly, Cait Lamberton, Stephen Bush, Zoe Chance, and Michael I. Norton

Many consumers fail to pay off credit card debt each month and suffer financial consequences. Repayment-by-purchase, allocating payment toward specific purchases on a credit card bill, helps consumers gain a sense of progress and control over credit card debt.

Accounting for Product Impact in the Consumer Finance Industry

by George Serafeim and Katie Trinh

A framework and method for measuring and monetizing product impact across industries, applying it to two competitors in the consumer finance space.

How Retailers Can Thrive in a Shopping Season Like No Other

by Danielle Kost

Is it the end of Black Friday as we know it? Harvard Business School faculty members share what retailers can expect from a holiday shopping season without precedent. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Long-Run Returns to Impact Investing in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies

by Shawn Cole, Martin Melecky, Florian Mölders, and Tristan Reed

Examination of every equity investment made by the International Finance Corporation, one of the largest and longest-operating impact investors, shows this portfolio has outperformed the S&P 500 by 15 percent.

How Hackathons Help Decide Platform Winners and Losers

by Michael Blanding

Hackathons are an overlooked venue for developers to learn about new technologies—and a lucrative place for tech companies to show off their platforms, says Andy Wu.

Is Antitrust Just a Quaint Notion in the Digital Age?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP: Given the US Department of Justice's new antitrust complaint against Google, is it time to revisit what defines a market monopoly in the internet era? James Heskett's readers consider the potential ramifications. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

What Can Economics Say About Alzheimer's Disease?

by Amitabh Chandra, Courtney Coile, and Corina Mommaerts

This essay discusses the role of market frictions and "missing medicines" in drug innovation and highlights how frameworks and toolkits of economists can help our understanding of the determinants and effects of Alzheimer's disease on health.

Consumers Punish Firms that Cut Employee Pay in Response to COVID-19

by Bhavya Mohan, Serena Hagerty, and Michael Norton

In the wake of COVID-19, firms announced both employee furloughs and (typically small) CEO wage cuts. This research shows that firms’ treatment of employees matters far more to consumers than executive pay cuts.

Is the 'Experimentation Organization' Becoming the Competitive Gold Standard?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP: Digital experimentation is gaining momentum as an everyday habit in many organizations, especially those in high tech, say James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Business Reopening Decisions and Demand Forecasts During the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Dylan Balla-Elliott, Zoë B. Cullen, Edward L. Glaeser, Michael Luca, and Christopher Stanton

Findings from a nationwide survey underscore the importance of demand projections and interdependencies among businesses for owners’ reopening decisions. Businesses expect the demand for their services will be greatly depressed for many months to come.

What Is an "Essential" Purchase for a Low-Income Family?

by Rachel Layne

Phone or flour? People with lower incomes are judged more harshly for what they choose to buy, say Serena F. Hagerty and Kate Barasz. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Your Customers Have Changed. Here's How to Engage Them Again.

by Rohit Deshpandé, Ofer Mintz, and Imran S. Currim

The coronavirus makes your customers less able and less willing to spend than before. How should you re-engage with them? Advice from Rohit Deshpandé and colleagues. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Coronavirus Careers: Cloud Kitchens Are Now Serving

by Lena Ye and Geoffrey Jones

Cloud kitchens are restaurants built around food delivery rather than sit-down service, and they are increasing in popularity as COVID-19 disrupts the industry, write Lena Ye and Geoffrey Jones. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Has Occupational Licensing Outlived Its Usefulness?

by Martha Lagace

A recent study shows that consumers do not value occupational licensing of their contractors or the higher prices they charge. Research by Chiara Farronato. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Why Privacy Protection Notices Turn Off Shoppers

by Michael Blanding

It seems counterintuitive, but website privacy protection notices appear to discourage shoppers from buying, according to Leslie John. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

'Fortnite' Was a Blockbuster for Epic Games. What’s the Encore?

Epic Games, maker of the incredibly popular "Fortnite" multiplayer game, considers whether to become a PC-games distribution platform. Andy Wu discusses his case study, “Epic Games.” Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

From Sweetheart to Scapegoat: Brand Selfie-Taking Shapes Consumer Behavior

by Reto Hofstetter, Gabriela Kunath, and Leslie K. John

Using a dataset of more than 280,000 user reviews on Yelp, this paper describes a series of eight studies exploring how brand selfie-taking affects consumers’ behavior and sense of connection toward a brand.

Consumer Protection in an Online World: An Analysis of Occupational Licensing

by Chiara Farronato, Andrey Fradkin, Bradley Larsen, and Erik Brynjolfsson

This paper uses new data collected by a digital platform to study the role of occupational licensing laws on individual choices and market outcomes. Results suggest that more stringent licensing laws restrict competition but do not lead to improvements in customer satisfaction.