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New research on organizational design from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including resolving workplace issues, HR, and culture.
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Choosing Passion: A Founder’s Mission to Meet a Need for Obesity Care

Re: Jon M. Jachimowicz

Early in her career Brooke Boyarsky Pratt enjoyed considerable success in roles at McKinsey and Berkadia, a Berkshire Hathaway portfolio company. But a routine visit to the doctor in 2020, where she experienced weight stigma yet again, led her to address the problem of obesity care. Boyarsky Pratt had struggled with her weight since she was young. So when she started Knownwell, an integrated weight and primary care provider that was designed to support people with obesity, it was a huge step for her both personally and professionally. In the spring of 2023, Knownwell opened its first weight-inclusive clinic in the Boston area. But Boyarsky Pratt had to make a fundamental decision on how she wanted to grow the company. Should she grow slowly and build a small footprint of clinics in the Boston area over the next few years? Or should she scale fast to potentially help millions of people across the US? Boyarsky Pratt joins Harvard Business School assistant professor Jon Jachimowicz to discuss what it means to pursue your passion in the case, “Choosing the Course of Passion: Brooke Boyarsky Pratt at Knownwell.”

Advice for the New CEO: Talk to Your Employees Early and Often

by Ami Albernaz

Shortly after a new CEO takes over, uncertainty and fear dampen communication among employees, research by Raffaella Sadun and colleagues shows. Sadun explains the steps organizations can take to get dialogue flowing quickly following a leadership transition.

The Climate Targets Leaders Need to Know as Regulations Loom

by Rachel Layne

Is "net zero" better than "carbon neutral"? New rules related to climate risk disclosure are raising the stakes for executives trying to set meaningful decarbonization goals. Michael Toffel demystifies the terms and nuances of climate impact reporting.

How a Mission to Cut Food Waste Launched a Multimillion-Dollar Venture

by Lane Lambert

Josh Domingues put purpose before profit when he created the Flashfood app to sell less-than-perfect groceries at discounted prices. A case study by Reza Satchu explores Domingues' successes and failures, and what other social entrepreneurs can learn.

Corporate Boards Are Failing in Their No. 1 Duty

by Bill George

General Electric, Wells Fargo, and Boeing all chose the wrong CEOs for the job, says Bill George, creating big problems for the companies. George outlines five common mistakes boards of directors make when selecting leaders and provides advice for picking the appropriate person for this all-important role.

Chance Encounters: What's at Stake in Return-to-Office Decisions

by Jen McFarland Flint, HBS Alumni Bulletin

What's the role of the office in an increasingly virtual world? How can organizations spark collaboration among people who prefer to isolate? Andy Wu and Maria Roche discuss the value of bringing people together—and why that’s still so hard to do.

Five Essential Elements to Build the Capital You Need to Lead

by Dina Gerdeman

The path to leadership can seem unclear in competitive organizations. In the book The Treasure You Seek, Archie L. Jones offers a roadmap to help aspiring leaders discover their strengths, communicate effectively, and build meaningful connections.

Rapport: The Hidden Advantage That Women Managers Bring to Teams

by Kara Baskin

Lack of communication between managers and their employees can hurt productivity and even undermine the customer experience. Female managers are more adept at building rapport among mixed-gender teams, which can improve an organization’s performance, says research by Jorge Tamayo.

How Natural Winemaker Frank Cornelissen Innovated While Staying True to His Brand

Re: Tiona W. Zuzul

In 2018, artisanal Italian vineyard Frank Cornelissen was one of the world’s leading producers of natural wine. But when weather-related conditions damaged that year’s grapes, founder Frank Cornelissen had to decide between staying true to the tenets of natural wine making or breaking with his public beliefs to save that year’s grapes by adding sulfites. Harvard Business School assistant professor Tiona Zuzul discusses the importance of staying true to your company’s principles while remaining flexible enough to welcome progress in the case, Frank Cornelissen: The Great Sulfite Debate.

The Importance of Trust for Managing through a Crisis

Re: Sandra J. Sucher

In March 2020, Twiddy & Company, a family-owned vacation rental company known for hospitality rooted in personal interactions, needed to adjust to contactless, remote customer service. With the upcoming vacation season thrown into chaos, President Clark Twiddy had a responsibility to the company’s network of homeowners who rented their homes through the company, to guests who had booked vacations, and to employees who had been recruited by Twiddy’s reputation for treating staff well. Who, if anyone, could he afford to make whole and keep happy? Harvard Business School professor Sandra Sucher, author of the book The Power of Trust: How Companies Build It, Lose It, Regain It, discusses how Twiddy leaned into trust to weather the COVID-19 pandemic in her case, “Twiddy & Company: Trust in a Chaotic Environment.”

When Managers Set Unrealistic Expectations, Employees Cut Ethical Corners

by Dina Gerdeman

Corporate misconduct has grown in the past 30 years, with losses often totaling billions of dollars. What businesses may not realize is that misconduct often results from managers who set unrealistic expectations, leading decent people to take unethical shortcuts, says Lynn S. Paine.

Amazon in Seattle: The Role of Business in Causing and Solving a Housing Crisis

Re: Paul M. Healy

In 2020, Amazon partnered with a nonprofit called Mary’s Place and used some of its own resources to build a shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness on its campus in Seattle. Yet critics argued that Amazon’s apparent charity was misplaced and that the company was actually making the problem worse. Paul Healy and Debora Spar explore the role business plays in addressing unhoused communities in the case “Hitting Home: Amazon and Mary’s Place.”

Getting to Net Zero: The Climate Standards and Ecosystem the World Needs Now

by Rachel Layne

What can companies and regulators do as climate predictions grow grimmer? They should measure impact, strengthen environmental institutions, and look to cities to lead, say Robert Kaplan, Shirley Lu, and Rosabeth Moss Kanter.

When Does Impact Investing Make the Biggest Impact?

by Rachel Layne

More investors want to back businesses that contribute to social change, but are impact funds the only approach? Research by Shawn Cole, Leslie Jeng, Josh Lerner, Natalia Rigol, and Benjamin Roth challenges long-held assumptions about impact investing and reveals where such funds make the biggest difference.

Why Work Rituals Bring Teams Together and Create More Meaning

by Michael Blanding

From weekly lunch dates with colleagues to bedtime stories with children, we often rely on rituals to relax and bond with others. While it may feel awkward to introduce teambuilding rituals in the workplace, the truth is, the practices improve performance, says Michael Norton in his book The Ritual Effect.

When It Comes to Climate Regulation, Energy Companies Take a More Nuanced View

by Desmond Dodd

Many assume that major oil and gas companies adamantly oppose climate-friendly regulation, but that's not true. A study of 30 years of corporate advocacy by Jonas Meckling finds that energy companies have backed clean-energy efforts when it aligns with their business interests.

How Used Products Can Unlock New Markets: Lessons from Apple's Refurbished iPhones

by Rachel Layne

The idea of reselling old smartphones might have seemed risky for a company known for high-end devices, but refurbished products have become a major profit stream for Apple and an environmental victory. George Serafeim examines Apple's circular model in a case study, and offers insights for other industries.

Is Your Workplace Biased Against Introverts?

by Ben Rand

Extroverts are more likely to express their passion outwardly, giving them a leg up when it comes to raises and promotions, according to research by Jon Jachimowicz. Introverts are just as motivated and excited about their work, but show it differently. How can managers challenge their assumptions?

The Middle Manager of the Future: More Coaching, Less Commanding

by Ben Rand

Skilled middle managers foster collaboration, inspire employees, and link important functions at companies. An analysis of more than 35 million job postings by Letian Zhang paints a counterintuitive picture of today's midlevel manager. Could these roles provide an innovation edge?

Are Companies Getting Away with 'Cheap Talk' on Climate Goals?

by Tim Gray

Many companies set emissions targets with great fanfare—and never meet them, says research by Shirley Lu and colleagues. But what if investors held businesses accountable for achieving their climate plans?