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- 17 Jan 2023
- Cold Call Podcast
Nestlé’s KitKat Diplomacy: Neutrality vs. Shared Value
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, and multinational companies began pulling out of Russia, in response. At Switzerland-based Nestlé, chief executive Mark Schneider had a difficult decision to make. Nestlé had a long tradition of neutrality that enabled it to operate in countries regardless of their political systems and human rights policies. But more recently the company had embraced Michael Porter’s “shared value” paradigm, which argues that companies have a responsibility to improve the business community and the health of their communities. What should Schneider do? Professor Geoffrey Jones discusses the viability of the shared value concept and the social responsibility of transnational corporations today in the case, “Nestlé, Shared Value and Kit Kat Diplomacy.”

- 13 Jan 2023
- Research & Ideas
Are Companies Actually Greener—or Are They All Talk?
More companies than ever use ESG reports to showcase their social consciousness. But are these disclosures meaningful or just marketing? Research by Ethan Rouen delves into the murky world of voluntary reporting and offers advice for investors.

- 20 Dec 2022
- Op-Ed
Employee Feedback: The Key to Retention During the Great Resignation
Employees need to feel that they're on the same team as managers—not adversaries in a zero-sum game. Michael Beer offers six guiding principles for senior leaders who are ready to listen to and act on employee feedback.

- 08 Dec 2022
- HBS Case
The War in Ukraine and Nestlé’s Moral Dilemma: Stay or Leave Russia?
Nestlé had to choose whether to leave Russia in protest and potentially deprive civilians of essential goods, such as baby formula, or stay and face global outrage. A case study by Nien-hê Hsieh explores this complex decision and offers advice for leaders weighing fraught questions.

- 29 Nov 2022
- Cold Call Podcast
How Will Gamers and Investors Respond to Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard?
In January 2022, Microsoft announced its acquisition of the video game company Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. The deal would make Microsoft the world’s third largest video game company, but it also exposes the company to several risks. First, the all-cash deal would require Microsoft to use a large portion of its cash reserves. Second, the acquisition was announced as Activision Blizzard faced gender pay disparity and sexual harassment allegations. That opened Microsoft up to potential reputational damage, employee turnover, and lost sales. Do the potential benefits of the acquisition outweigh the risks for Microsoft and its shareholders? Harvard Business School associate professor Joseph Pacelli discusses the ongoing controversies around the merger and how gamers and investors have responded in the case, “Call of Fiduciary Duty: Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard.”

- 22 Nov 2022
- Research & Ideas
When Agreeing to Disagree Is a Good Beginning
When conflict stems from honest and open listening, disagreement can be a good thing, say Francesca Gino and Julia Minson. But developing those skills requires patience and discipline.

- 18 Nov 2022
- HBS Case
What Does It Take to Safeguard a Legacy in Asset Management?
Diverse hiring, deep research, and a collaborative culture have defined Brown Capital's successful investment approach. But would those qualities endure after its founder retires? A case study by Luis Viceira and Emily McComb explores how the second-largest Black-founded investment firm is preparing for its next phase.

- 09 Nov 2022
- In Practice
COP27: What Can Business Leaders Do to Fight Climate Change Now?
The US government plans to spend $370 billion to cut greenhouse gases and expand renewable energy—its biggest investment yet. In the wake of COP27, we asked Harvard Business School faculty members how executives could seize this moment.

- 21 Oct 2022
- Research & Ideas
People Trust Business, But Expect CEOs to Drive Social Change
Companies should do more to confront climate change, labor market shifts, and racism, according to a survey of 14,000 people in 14 countries by the Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society and the Edelman Trust Institute. Is it time for more business leaders to step up?

- 04 Oct 2022
- What Do You Think?
Have Managers Underestimated the Need for Face-to-Face Contact?
COVID-19 made remote work and instant delivery mainstays of life for many people, but will the need for community erode these concepts after the pandemic ends? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 20 Sep 2022
- Cold Call Podcast
Larry Fink at BlackRock: Linking Purpose to Profit
In 2014, Larry Fink started writing letters to the leaders of some of the largest publicly listed companies, urging them to consider the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Fink is the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, one of the largest asset management houses in the world. The firm’s success was rooted in its cost-effective, passive investment products that rely more on tracking indices and funds. But Fink wanted his firm to engage with the companies in which they invest and hold them accountable for their social and environmental impacts. What role should investors play in urging business leaders to take environmental, social, and governance issues more seriously and enforcing compliance? Harvard Business School professor George Serafeim discusses the merits of Fink’s approach, the importance of corporate investments in ESG themes, and how to lead a company driven by purpose and profit in his case, “BlackRock: Linking Purpose to Profit,” and his new book Purpose and Profit: How Business Can Lift Up The World.

- 08 Sep 2022
- Book
Gen Xers and Millennials, It’s Time To Lead. Are You Ready?
Generation X and Millennials—eagerly waiting to succeed Baby Boom leaders—have the opportunity to bring more collaboration and purpose to business. In the book True North: Emerging Leader Edition, Bill George offers advice for the next wave of CEOs.

- 02 Aug 2022
- Research & Ideas
6 Strategies for Building Socially Responsible—and Profitable—Companies
A new generation of business leaders is finding innovative and profitable ways to bring about positive change in the world. In the book Purpose and Profit, George Serafeim offers a roadmap for people at every career stage who seek to align their professional aspirations with their personal values.

- 28 Jun 2022
- Cold Call Podcast
Scaling a Fintech Startup for the Greater Good
Esusu launched in 2018 with a rotational savings product and continued growing their fintech startup in late 2019 with Esusu Rent, a rent reporting tool that enables renters to improve their credit scores. In March 2020, co-founders Abbey Wemimo and Samir Goel were working to determine how best to scale Esusu to advance their mission of promoting financial inclusion in the US. Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Emily Williams discusses how the two co-founders decided how to allocate resources and scale their business in the case, “Esusu: Solving Homelessness Backwards.”

- 28 Jun 2022
- Book
The Moral Enterprise: How Two Companies Profit with Purpose
Despite polarized attitudes, Rebecca Henderson argues that it's the perfect time for companies to reset their moral compass. In an essay from the book A Political Economy of Justice, she explores the social efforts of Cadbury and Unilever.

- 26 May 2022
- HBS Case
Apple vs. Feds: Is iPhone Privacy a Basic Human Right?
Leaders today must be ready to take a stand on thorny social and political issues. A case study by Nien-hê Hsieh and Henry McGee examines how Apple CEO Tim Cook turned calls for data access into a rallying cry for privacy, and the complexities that followed.

- 18 May 2022
- Research & Ideas
Are Banks the ‘Bad Guys’? Overdraft Fees Are Crushing Low-Income Customers
Payday lenders have been accused of exploiting poor consumers, but traditional banks exact a similar toll through overdraft fees. Research by Marco Di Maggio and Emily Williams shows how seemingly innocuous checking accounts can become vehicles for financial distress.

- 17 Apr 2022
- Book
How to Avoid the 'Ethical Slide' That Leads Companies Astray
Building strong ethics requires continuous effort from everyone in an organization. In the book Business Ethics: What Everyone Needs to Know, J.S. Nelson offers practical advice for cultivating a "speak-up" culture. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 14 Apr 2022
- Op-Ed
Let’s Move Forward from COVID—Without Forgetting What We’ve Learned
As the post-pandemic world starts to take shape, many leaders will long to return to life before COVID-19. Instead, they should let go of the past and forge a new, better workplace, say Hise Gibson and MaShon Wilson. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
Passion at Work Is a Good Thing—But Only If Bosses Know How to Manage It
Does showing passion mean doing whatever it takes to get the job done? Employees and managers often disagree, says research by Jon Jachimowicz. He offers four pieces of advice for leaders who yearn for more spirit and intensity at their companies.