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New research on success from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including weighing strategy, execution, and culture in an organization's success, as well as the importance of questioning changes in the workplace and how to effect new changes ourselves.
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Personality Traits of Entrepreneurs: A Review of Recent Literature

by Sari Pekkala Kerr, William R. Kerr, and Tina Xu

This paper brings together recent findings in the academic literature on the prevalence of various personality traits among entrepreneurs and their impact on venture performance. It focuses on three themes: (1) personality traits of entrepreneurs and how they compare to other groups; (2) attitudes towards risk that entrepreneurs display; and (3) overall goals and aspirations that entrepreneurs bring to their pursuits.

Class Matters: The Role of Social Class in High-Achieving Women's Career Narratives

by Judith A. Clair, Kathleen L. McGinn, Beth K. Humberd, and Rachel D. Arnett

This analysis of interviews with 40 female executives and entrepreneurs highlights five distinct types of career narratives that high-achieving women employ to explain their own career success. These narratives vary with the women’s family-of-origin social class. Among its contributions to practice, the study sheds light on the diversity of approaches possible in a successful career.

Reputation is Vital to Survival in Turbulent Markets

by Sean Silverthorne

Reputation and resilience are key ingredients that determine whether companies will survive tumultuous markets, according to a new paper by Geoffrey Jones, Tarun Khanna, Cheng Gao, and Tiona Zuzul. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

How to Sink a Startup

by Garry Emmons

Noam Wasserman, author of the recently released book "The Founder's Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup," discusses ill-advised entrepreneurial behavior. From the HBS Alumni Bulletin. Closed for comment; 4 Comment(s) posted.

Cheese Moving: Effecting Change Rather Than Accepting It

by Carmen Nobel

In his new business fable, I Moved Your Cheese, Professor Deepak Malhotra challenges the idea that change is simply something we must anticipate, tolerate, and accept. Instead, the book teaches readers that success often lies in first questioning changes in the workplace and, if necessary, in effecting new changes ourselves. Q&A plus book excerpt. Closed for comment; 12 Comment(s) posted.

How Do You Weigh Strategy, Execution, and Culture in an Organization’s Success?

by Jim Heskett

Summing up: Respondents who ventured to place weights on the determinants of success gave the nod to culture by a wide margin, says HBS professor Jim Heskett. (Online forum now closed. Next forum opens July 2.) Closed for comment; 77 Comment(s) posted.

The Success of Persistent Entrepreneurs

by Sarah Jane Gilbert

Want to be a successful entrepreneur? Your best bet might be to partner with entrepreneurs who have a track record of success, suggests new research by Paul A. Gompers, Josh Lerner, David S. Scharfstein, and Anna Kovner. Key concepts include: Previously successful entrepreneurs are significantly more likely to lead successful new ventures than first-timers or those who previously failed. Successful entrepreneurs are adept at selecting the right industry and time to start new ventures. Suppliers and customers are more likely to back a person with previous successes. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

How Organizations Create Social Value

by Manda Salls

A study of smart practices by social and business organizations in Iberoamerica. Research by HBS professor James Austin, HBS senior researcher Ezequiel A. Reficco, and UNIANDES professor Roberto Gutiérrez. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Secret to Success: Go for “Just Enough”

by Laura Nash & Howard Stevenson

Being the very best in your chosen field is, paradoxically, a matter of accepting your limitations. A book excerpt by Harvard Business School’s Laura Nash and Howard Stevenson. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Four Keys of Enduring Success: How High Achievers Win

by Martha Lagace

What is success to you? HBS professor Howard Stevenson offers insights from research he and HBS senior research fellow Laura Nash are conducting on the meaning of success for high achievers. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.

Not All M&As Are Alike—and That Matters

by Joseph L. Bower

In this Harvard Business Review article, Professor Joseph L. Bower shares some of the results of his year-long study of M&A activity sponsored by HBS. Discover how five distinct merger and acquisition strategies scenarios play out—and his recommendations for success. Closed for comment; 0 Comment(s) posted.