Organizational Change and Adaptation
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- 27 Sep 2018
- Research & Ideas
Religion in the Workplace: What Managers Need to Know
Two recent US Supreme Court cases demonstrate that religion in the workplace issues are increasing. How can managers be prepared? It starts with the right attitude, says Derek van Bever. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 10 Sep 2018
- Research & Ideas
Celebrating 'The Men and Women of the Corporation' 40 Years Later
Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s Men and Women of the Corporation inspired and informed a generation of scholars studying gender, status, and power. Robin J. Ely interviews Kanter about her groundbreaking research and why it remains relevant today. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 14 May 2018
- Research & Ideas
Amazon vs. Whole Foods: When Cultures Collide
Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods seemed a Wall Street dream come true. But then Amazon's data-driven efficiency met the customer-driven culture at Whole Foods—and the shelves began to empty. Dennis Campbell and Tatiana Sandino discuss their new case study. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Mar 2018
- What Do You Think?
Two Decades Later, is the 'New Economy' Finally Here?
SUMMING UP Have recent advances in technology such as artificial intelligence ushered in (finally) the "new economy?" Not so fast, answer James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 29 Aug 2017
- Book
Using Language to Build a Global Company
In her new book The Language of Global Success, Tsedal Neeley describes Japanese tech giant Rakuten's five-year effort to adopt English as its lingua franca of business. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 15 May 2017
- Working Paper Summaries
Flexing the Frame: TMT Framing and the Adoption of Non-Incremental Innovations in Incumbent Firms
Organizations continuously face decisions about whether or not to adopt innovations. Often, however, senior teams do not adopt an innovation even when the organization has the resources to do so. Using real examples, this paper theorizes how the processes of cognitive and emotional framing inform managerial choices about whether or not to adopt innovations.
- 27 Feb 2017
- Research & Ideas
Reputation is Vital to Survival in Turbulent Markets
Reputation and resilience are key ingredients that determine whether companies will survive tumultuous markets, according to a new paper by Geoffrey Jones, Tarun Khanna, Cheng Gao, and Tiona Zuzul. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 12 Oct 2016
- Research & Ideas
Break the Rules of How Business is Done
Making just small changes to how you do business inside and outside the company can help you attract bright employees and increase innovation, argues Julia B. Austin. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Jun 2016
- What Do You Think?
When Business Performance Falters, is Culture Change the Fix?
SUMMING UP: Culture change is not a cure-all for corporate management problems, but it is an important element to be considered, say James Heskett's readers. What do YOU think? Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 27 Apr 2016
- Research & Ideas
How the FBI Reinvented Itself After 9/11
In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the FBI was ordered to reorganize itself from a law enforcement agency to a national security organization. The transformation and the lessons it imparts are documented in a study by Ranjay Gulati, Ryan L. Raffaelli, and Jan W. Rivkin. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 19 Feb 2016
- Working Paper Summaries
‘Does 'What We Do' Make Us 'Who We Are'? Organizational Design and Identity Change at the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Both the design and identity of the FBI changed greatly in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This study tracing the co-evolution of the Bureau’s organizational design and identity before the 9/11 attacks and through three subsequent phases finds that successful changes to organizational identity are likely to be delayed after a radical external shock: Management is likely to be constrained, appropriate design is probably unclear, or both.
- 06 Jan 2016
- What Do You Think?
Why Do Leaders Get Their Timing Wrong?
SUMMING UP: Is good management timing primarily a function of strategy or culture? James Heskett's readers add their opinions. What do YOU think? Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 15 Oct 2012
- Research & Ideas
Why Business IT Innovation is so Difficult
If done right, IT has the potential to completely transform business by flattening hierarchies, shrinking supply chains, and speeding communications, says professor Kristina Steffenson McElheran. Why, then, do so many companies get it wrong? Closed for comment; 6 Comment(s) posted.
- 06 Aug 2012
- Research & Ideas
Strategic Intelligence: Adapt or Die
In his new book, Strategic IQ, Professor of Management Practice John R. Wells explains why adapting to changing circumstances isn't only smart, it's also a matter of survival. Closed for comment; 12 Comment(s) posted.
- 05 Mar 2012
- Research & Ideas
Is JC Penney’s Makeover the Future of Retailing?
The stuffy department store chain has become emboldened under new CEO Ron Johnson, with plans for an innovative store upgrade, simplified prices, and a brand polish. Professor Rajiv Lal discusses whether Johnson can repeat his previous magic at Apple and Target. Closed for comment; 45 Comment(s) posted.
- 06 Sep 2011
- Research & Ideas
Cheese Moving: Effecting Change Rather Than Accepting It
In his new business fable, I Moved Your Cheese, Professor Deepak Malhotra challenges the idea that change is simply something we must anticipate, tolerate, and accept. Instead, the book teaches readers that success often lies in first questioning changes in the workplace and, if necessary, in effecting new changes ourselves. Q&A plus book excerpt. Closed for comment; 12 Comment(s) posted.
- 08 Aug 2011
- Research & Ideas
The Death of the Global Manager
The "global manager" was a coveted job description sought by many leaders for many years, but times have changed—now we are all global managers, says Harvard Business School professor emeritus Christopher A. Bartlett, coauthor of the classic business book Transnational Management. He reexamines the ever-changing nature of running multinational corporations while confirming that, six editions and 20 years later, some challenges remain the same. Key concepts include: Multinational corporations must pursue three core strategies to build layers of competitive advantage: exploit worldwide operations to build global scale efficiency; develop sensitivity and responsiveness to national differences; and leverage the world for information, knowledge, and expertise. The organizational capability of a company to rapidly develop and diffuse innovation is incredibly important but difficult to cultivate. The term "global manager" is a misnomer—we all operate in a global environment. Closed for comment; 18 Comment(s) posted.
- 28 Jun 2010
- HBS Case
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
A recent Harvard Business School case by HBS professors Amy C. Edmondson and Anita Tucker explores how one hospital implemented its own version of health-care reform, taking overall performance levels from below average to the top 10 percent in the industry. From the HBS Alumni Bulletin. Key concepts include: The case offers valuable takeaways for future managers of any complex service organization. A key takeaway for students is the power of transparency as a mechanism for change. Benchmarking themselves to an internal standard helped the group get beyond rationalizing poor performance as an unavoidable consequence of the complexity of patient care. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.
- 06 Jul 2009
- What Do You Think?
Are You Ready to Manage in an Irrational World?
It is becoming clear that human behavior is much less rational than we assumed, says HBS professor Jim Heskett. Judging from replies to this month's question, there are many nuances to managing in an irrational world. (Online forum now closed. Next forum begins August 7.) Closed for comment; 97 Comment(s) posted.
How Should Managers Deal with the Challenges of Building an Inclusive Workplace?
Few doubt the benefits of inclusion and diversity in the workplace, but some aspects of driving these changes forward make managers, particularly male managers, unsure of their footing. How do you deal with the challenges? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.