- 09 May 2014
- Working Paper Summaries
‘My Bad!’ How Internal Attribution and Ambiguity of Responsibility Affect Learning from Failure
As scholars and practitioners have observed, failure clearly presents a valuable opportunity for learning in organizations. All too often, however, the opportunity is lost. Indeed, prior studies on the topic suggest that, perhaps ironically, such learning often fails to occur. In this paper the authors begin to uncover when and why individuals are more likely to learn from failed experiences. Specifically, they present evidence from three studies that support a conceptual model of learning from failure as operating through individuals' internal attributions of failure, driven in part by low ambiguity of responsibility, that lead to increased learning effort and subsequent improvement. The paper thus makes theoretical advances and carries implications for managers. Theoretically, the authors focus attention on the role of attribution in learning from failure, showing that attribution style is an important moderator of the relationship between failure and learning. Next, they identify a key situational determinant of individuals' responses to failure: ambiguity of responsibility. Third, they highlight the key role of effort as a mechanism for the effects of learning from failure. For managers, these results emphasize a specific measure that organizational leaders might take before an experience to enhance learning: actively managing perceptions of ambiguity of responsibility. Key concepts include: This paper offers a more nuanced view of learning that provides an integrated conceptual model for understanding individual learning from failure. Managers in organizations should think carefully about how ambiguity of responsibility is likely to play out in their context, utilizing strategies such as job design to help to limit this effect. Upfront planning might remove possible barriers that would increase ambiguity of responsibility. Feedback could influence these ambiguity perceptions as well. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 28 Oct 2013
- Research & Ideas
Book Excerpt: The Good Struggle: Responsible Leadership in an Unforgiving World
In a turbulent, sometimes dangerous world, responsible leaders need a broader view of critical decisions. An excerpt from Joseph L. Badaracco's new book. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 28 Oct 2013
- Research & Ideas
Responsible Leadership in an Unforgiving World
In a provocative new book, Joseph Badaracco argues that our world is increasingly characterized by struggle—for labor, technology, funds, and partners. Leaders who embrace that struggle can also reap its rewards. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 Oct 2013
- What Do You Think?
Is Leadership an Increasingly Difficult Balancing Act?
Summing Up: Do we long for the days of the conventional authority figure? Jim Heskett sums up this month's column. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 07 Aug 2013
- What Do You Think?
Is There Still a Role for Judgment in Decision-Making?
Summing Up: Human judgment should be a part of all decisions, but play a dominant role in significantly fewer of them, according to many of Jim Heskett's readers. Is good old-fashioned intuition out of date? What do YOU think? Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 24 Jun 2013
- Research & Ideas
Is Your iPhone Turning You Into a Wimp?
The body posture inherent in operating everyday gadgets affects not only your back, but your behavior. According to a new study by Maarten Bos and Amy Cuddy, operating a relatively large device inspires more assertive behavior than working on a small one. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 22 Mar 2013
- Research & Ideas
Pulling Campbell’s Out of the Soup
Campbell Soup had lost its way when Douglas Conant took charge in 2001. His first task: get out of his quiet zone and apply bold measures. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Feb 2013
- Research & Ideas
Sidetracked: Why Can’t We Stick to the Plan?
In her new book, Sidetracked, behavioral scientist and professor Francesca Gino explores the unexpected forces that often keep people from following through with their plans, both professional and personal. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Jan 2013
- Research & Ideas
Why a Harvard Finance Instructor Went to the Kumbh Mela
Every 12 years, millions of Hindu pilgrims travel to the Indian city of Allahabad for the Kumbh Mela, the largest public gathering in the world. In this first-person account, Senior Lecturer John Macomber shares his first impressions and explains what he's doing there. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 05 Dec 2012
- What Do You Think?
Should Managers Bother Listening to Predictions?
Summing Up Should we use predictions at all when planning for the future? Jim Heskett's readers offer a variety of opinions. What do YOU think? Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 04 Dec 2012
- Research & Ideas
Book Excerpt: Harder Than I Thought
Harder Than I Thought: Adventures of a Twenty-First Century Leader invites readers to critique the fictional journey of Jim Barton, the new CEO of a west coast aerospace firm. The book was written by business scholars Robert Austin, Richard Nolan, and Shannon O'Donnell. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Dec 2012
- HBS Case
HBS Cases: Against the Grain
Dealing with pervasive, institutionalized corruption is tough but not impossible. A new case study on Tanzania joins a series of cases in professor Karthik Ramanna's research that explore the deep-seated problems of corruption as well as multiple entrepreneurial paths to combat it. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Nov 2012
- Research & Ideas
Book Excerpt: Judgment Calls
In their book Judgment Calls, Visiting Professor Thomas H. Davenport and independent consultant Brook Manville share the tales of several organizations that made successful choices through collective judgment. Read our excerpt on growing pains at Tweezerman. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 Oct 2012
- Research & Ideas
Are You Paying a Tip--or a Bribe?
Both are rewards for service, so why is one considered outside the boundaries of ethical behavior? Harvard Business School professor Magnus Thor Torfason on the thin line. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 16 Jul 2012
- Research & Ideas
Are You a Strategist?
Corporate strategy has become the bailiwick of consultants and business analysts, so much so that it is no longer a top-of-mind responsibility for many senior executives. Professor Cynthia A. Montgomery says it's time for CEOs to again become strategists. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 09 Jul 2012
- Research & Ideas
The Unconscious Executive
Postdoctoral fellow Maarten Bos investigates how unconscious processes improve decision-making. Conscious deliberation, it turns out, does not always lead to the best outcomes. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 04 Jun 2012
- Research & Ideas
The Business of Life
Scholarly economic theory applies to more than just business. The same causal mechanisms that drive big corporations to success can be just as effective in driving our personal lives, says Professor Clayton M. Christensen. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 May 2012
- Working Paper Summaries
The Flattened Firm—Not as Advertised
For decades, management consultants and the popular business press have urged large firms to flatten their hierarchies. Flattening (or delayering, as it is also known) typically refers to the elimination of layers in a firm's organizational hierarchy, and the broadening of managers' spans of control. While flattening is said to reduce costs, its alleged benefits flow primarily from changes in internal governance: by pushing decisions downward, firms not only enhance customer and market responsiveness, but also improve accountability and morale. But has flattening actually delivered on its promise and pushed decisions down to lower-level managers? In this paper, Julie Wulf shows that flattening actually can lead to exactly the opposite effects from what it promises to do. Wulf used a large-scale panel data set of reporting relationships, job descriptions, and compensation structures in a sample of over 300 large U.S. firms over roughly a 15-year period. This historical data analysis was complemented with exploratory interviews with executives (what CEOs say) and analysis of data on executive time use (what CEOs do). Results suggest that flattening transferred some decision rights from lower-level division managers to functional managers at the top. Flattening is also associated with increased CEO involvement with direct reports—the second level of top management—suggesting a more hands-on CEO at the pinnacle of the hierarchy. In sum, flattening at the top is a complex phenomenon that in the end looks more like centralization. Yet it is crucial to consider different types of decisions and activities and how they vary by level in the hierarchy. Key concepts include: Firms may flatten structure to delegate decisions, but doing so can lead to unintended consequences for other aspects of internal governance. For instance, a manager may flatten structure to push decisions down and then hire and develop division managers suited to "being the boss." If flattening actually pushes decisions up, division managers are now out of sync with the organization: They don't have autonomy to make decisions and there is a mismatch between managerial talent and decision rights. A change in structure has implications not only for who makes decisions, but also for how decisions are made. Flatter structures involve different roles for the CEO and the senior team. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 09 May 2012
- Research & Ideas
Clayton Christensen’s “How Will You Measure Your Life?”
World-renowned innovation expert Clayton M. Christensen explores the personal benefits of business research in the forthcoming book How Will You Measure Your Life? Coauthored with James Allworth and Karen Dillon, the book explains how well-tested academic theories can help us find meaning and happiness not just at work, but in life. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
Teaching The Deal
In his Negotiation and Deals courses, Kevin Mohan uses his VC experience to teach students that showing emotion, asking questions, and understanding your own strengths and weaknesses can be key to a successful agreement. Open for comment; 0 Comments.