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New research on social enterprise and other nonprofit organizations from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including management strategies, demonstrating effectiveness, and employee motivation.
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The Widening Rift Between Corporations and Society

by Martha Lagace

Managerial capitalism is hanging on by its fingertips, say James Maxmin and HBS professor Shoshana Zuboff. In this e-mail interview with HBS Working Knowledge and in an excerpt from their new book, The Support Economy, the authors lay out the problem and offer savvy solutions for business and consumers. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Using Big Business to Fight Poverty

by George C. Lodge

Can an international alliance of global corporations win a war on poverty? Yes, if such an alliance is well planned and formed soon, according to HBS professor emeritus George C. Lodge. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Profits for Nonprofits: Earning Your Own Way

by Martha Lagace

"Profit" need not be a dirty word at a nonprofit organization. In a discussion led by HBS professor James E. Austin, three experienced managers discuss the advantages and pitfalls of building a for-profit unit within a nonprofit. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

The Trick of Balancing Business and Government

by Martha Lagace

Institutions, such as a competent judiciary, an efficient civil service, and a good highway system, are all important for African countries. But who creates them? And what should be the role of business in the mix? At an Africa Business Conference panel session called "Institutional Foundations," five experts weighed in. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Are Assets Only for America’s Wealthy?

by Carla Tishler

It's a crucial question: How can this country's poor build up their assets and jump out of the spiral of poverty? The challenge is to create asset-building programs that go beyond savings, expanding into other financial services with higher return rates and greater opportunities, with a big assist from technology, argues Harvard Business School professor Peter Tufano. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Connecting With Nonprofits

by James Austin

Nonprofits and business have a long history of collaboration, and the benefits run both ways. In this excerpt from HBS professor James Austin's latest working paper, three levels of collaboration are detailed. Plus: Austin Q&A. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Parents’ Guide to Harvard Business School

by Sean Silverthorne

Video Presentation: Want a glimpse into the HBS classroom experience? Das Narayandas, associate professor of marketing, introduces the school's teaching methods to students' parents—and provides his own thoughts on business education. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Does Misery Love Companies? How Social Performance Pays Off

by Joshua D. Margolis & James P. Walsh

Is there a relationship between a company's social performance and its financial performance? HBS associate professor Joshua D. Margolis and University of Michigan colleague James P. Walsh make the connection in their latest working paper. PLUS: Margolis Q&A. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Entering the Age of Alliances

by James Austin

Collaborative relationships between nonprofits and corporations working together to contribute to society is the wave of the future—and makes excellent strategic sense. HBS Professor James E. Austin explains why in The Collaboration Challenge. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Cross-Sector Collaboration: Lessons from the International Trachoma Initiative

by Diana Barrett, James Austin & Sheila McCarthy

Alliances between for-profit and nonprofit organizations are evolving from arms-length relationships into strategic partnerships. A study of the collaboration between the Clark Foundation and Pfizer, Inc. reveals what it takes to make them work. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Getting It Done: Improving Nonprofit Performance

by James E. Aisner

The disorderliness and complexity of the existing philanthropic environment distract nonprofit management, says HBS Professor Allen Grossman, shifting focus away from organizational performance and putting nonprofits at a competitive disadvantage. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

No Place Like Home: America’s Housing Crisis and Its Impact on Business

by Garry Emmons

Affordable housing is a bottom-line issue, one that American business ignores at its own peril. New research and initiatives of HBS Professors William J. Poorvu and Michael A. Wheeler and others show why business needs to take a more provocative stance to assure that moderate- and low- income workers can afford to live near where they work. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Social Capital Markets: Creating Value in the Nonprofit World

by Anne Kavanagh

Money given away to nonprofit organizations used to be considered "charity." No longer. Donations to nonprofits are increasingly viewed as capital investments of precious resources. HBS faculty members Jed Emerson and Allen Grossman have launched an interdisciplinary effort to study and understand these "Social Capital Markets." Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Strategic Alliances

by Nancy O. Perry

Businesses and nonprofit organizations are joining together in alliances to create value for themselves and society that far surpass the sum of their parts. HBS Professor James Austin studies these new alliances and sees mutual benefits and a new business-nonprofit relationship emerging. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

From Spare Change to Real Change: The Social Sector as a Beta Site for Business Innovation

by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

U.S. companies have too often viewed the social sector as a dumping ground for their spare cash, obsolete equipment, and tired executives, but that mind-set, says HBS Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, has hardly created lasting change. In this excerpt from an article in the Harvard Business Review, she issues a call for corporate social innovation, an approach, says Kanter, that's more R&D than it is charity. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Bringing the Environment Down to Earth

by Forest Reinhardt

Does it pay to be green? When it comes to questions about business and the environment, says HBS Professor Forest L. Reinhardt, there are no simple yes-or-no answers. In this excerpt from his article in the Harvard Business Review, Reinhardt stresses the importance of applying traditional business principles to environmental issues. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.