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New research on organizational change and adaptation from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including how companies can react to market disruptions, maximizing economic value while developing organizational capabilities, and how the FBI reinvented itself after 9/11.
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France Telecom: Corporate Restructuring and Employee Well-Being

Re: Cynthia A. MontgomeryRe: 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.

Curiosity, Not Coding: 6 Skills Leaders Need in the Digital Age

by Linda A. Hill, Ann Le Cam, Sunand Menon, and Emily Tedards

Transforming an organization starts with transforming its leaders. Data from 1,700 executives by Linda Hill and colleagues reveals the most important skills and traits leaders need now. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The Unlikely Upside of Mergers: More Diverse Management Teams

by Lane Lambert

Mergers shake up the status quo at companies and help women and people of color move up the ladder. Research by Letian Zhang mines data from 37,000 deals. 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.

Steer Clear of the Blind Spots That Derail Experiments

by Danielle Kost

Companies are testing everything from website features to compensation strategies, but five common mistakes can undermine their efforts, says Michael Luca. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How 'Small C' Change Can Beat Large-Scale Rebuilding

by Boris Groysberg, Sascha L. Schmidt, and Sebastian Flegr

Many business leaders are convinced that large-scale change is necessary to bounce back from difficult times. But a professional soccer team's surprise success shows that smaller measures can work better, write Boris Groysberg and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

What Jobs Are Being Done at Home During the COVID-19 Crisis? Evidence from Firm-Level Surveys

by Alexander Bartik, Zoë Cullen, Edward L. Glaeser, Michael Luca, and Christopher Stanton

At least 16 percent of American workers will switch from office-based settings to working at home at least two days per week after COVID-19 subsides. This has significant implications for companies, employees, and policymakers alike.

Does Remote Work Mix with Organizational Culture?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP: Readers who themselves work from home think differently about how organizations should respond to remote work initiatives. James Heskett sums up the dicussion. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How Remote Work Changes What We Think About Onboarding

by Boris Groysberg

COVID-19 has turned many companies into federations of remote workplaces, but without guidance on how their onboarding of new employees must change, says Boris Groysberg. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Readers Ask: I Need Tips for Working at Home

by Kristen Senz

Working at home brings with it confusing new rules of conduct. Remote work expert Prithwiraj Choudhury answers questions from our readers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The New Rules for Remote Work: Pandemic Edition

by Dina Gerdeman

Welcome to the new world of remote work, where employees struggle to learn the rules, managers are unsure how to help them, and organizations get a glimpse into the future. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How the Coronavirus Is Already Rewriting the Future of Business

by Dina Gerdeman

We asked Harvard Business School experts how the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to change business practice. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

For Migrant Workers, Homesickness Can Reduce Productivity

by Kristen Senz

Workers in the global economy increasingly perform their jobs far away from home. It turns out, says Prithwiraj Choudhury, that homesickness is a significant barrier to their productivity. Here's what employers can do. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Walmart's Workforce of the Future

by Julia Hanna

A case study by William Kerr explores Walmart's plans for future workforce makeup and training, and its search for opportunities from digital infrastructure and automation. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How Big Companies Can Outrun Disruption

by Martha Lagace

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; 0 Comments.

Design Rules, Volume 2: How Technology Shapes Organizations: Chapter 6 The Value Structure of Technologies, Part 1: Mapping Functional Relationships

by Carliss Y. Baldwin

Technology shapes organizations by influencing the search for value—something that someone perceives as a good—in an economy made up of free agents. To understand the organizations that will develop and implement particular technologies we must first understand the technologies’ value structure, including three main issues that make it difficult to value technologies.

How Should Managers Deal with the Challenges of Building an Inclusive Workplace?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP Few doubt the benefits of a diverse workplace. James Heskett's readers offer insights on the most effective management approaches to inclusion. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Religion in the Workplace: What Managers Need to Know

by Dina Gerdeman

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; 0 Comments.

Celebrating 'The Men and Women of the Corporation' 40 Years Later

by Robin J. Ely

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; 0 Comments.

Amazon vs. Whole Foods: When Cultures Collide

by Michael Blanding

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; 0 Comments.