- 20 May 2019
- Research & Ideas
Activist CEOs Are Rising Up—and Their Customers Are Listening
Are product sales affected by the CEO's stance on political and social issues? Michael Toffel and Aaron Chatterji study how consumers react to vocal chief executives. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 May 2019
- Research Event
The Unconventional Capitalism That Shapes Business History
Geoffrey G. Jones reports on a business history conference studying the many shades of capitalism around the world and through time. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 14 May 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Do Experts Listen to Other Experts? Field Experimental Evidence from Scientific Peer Review
Influence is a fundamental aspect of collective decisions. It is thus crucial to consider not only the composition of evaluation panels but also their deliberation process. This study illuminates drivers of influence among an elite population of experts and contributes to our understanding of resource allocation in science and other expert domains.
- 14 May 2019
- Research & Ideas
Ethics Bots and Other Ways to Move Your Code of Business Conduct Beyond Puffery
Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics allow companies to create more effective codes of business conduct, says Eugene Soltes. But technology isn't the only solution. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 13 May 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
The Changing Landscape of Auditor Litigation and Its Implications for Audit Quality
Data from 1996 to 2016 shows that shareholder litigation against auditors has declined in recent years. Empirical evidence shows that Rule 10b-5, the Securities Act statute used for class action lawsuits, has lost its bite for use against auditors. This decline is driven, at least in part, by the US Supreme Court’s narrowing of liability standards. These findings suggest weakened shareholder protection with profound implications for investors.
- 13 May 2019
- Research & Ideas
The Unexpected Way Whistleblowers Reduce Government Fraud
Even unfounded allegations by whistleblowers can force government contractors to renegotiate their terms, say Jonas Heese and Gerardo Perez Cavazos. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 May 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Consumer Inertia and Market Power
Consumers are often more likely to buy a product if they have purchased it previously. This paper provides a means to estimate the magnitude of this phenomenon (i.e., consumer inertia) and shows how it affects the prices of firms in competitive settings. Perhaps surprisingly, greater consumer inertia can result in smaller price increases after a merger.
- 08 May 2019
- Managing the Future of Work
Prediction: How AI will affect business, work, and life
How should we think about improvements in artificial intelligence? Bill speaks with Joshua Gans, co-author of "Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence," which argues that AI advances can be boiled down to making better predictions. As a component of a vast array of activities, enhanced prediction will have ripple effects throughout the economy. What new functions and business models will it create? What difficult questions will it force society to answer?
- 08 May 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Bank Boards: What Has Changed Since the Financial Crisis?
Since the 2008 financial crisis, bank boards have not improved their cultural or gender diversity compared to other companies, nor are they better qualified than before the crisis. Outside directorships of bank directors and the extent of CEOs also being Chairman also remains the same. However, there is some evidence of better risk oversight both from managers and the board.
- 07 May 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Managers, Are You Prepared to Handle Religion in the Workplace?
Managers face growing challenges related to religion in the workplace as religious discrimination claims and monetary settlements increase. Derek van Bever discusses two examples that made their way to the US Supreme Court. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 06 May 2019
- Research & Ideas
Consumers Blame Business for Global Health Problems. Can Business Become the Solution?
Millions of people have been harmed by cigarettes, defective merchandise, pollution, addiction and other business by-products. now, pioneering companies are exploring healthier ways to operate, say Amy C. Edmondson and Dr. Howard K. Koh. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 May 2019
- Sharpening Your Skills
How To Ask Better Questions
To make the best decisions, managers must ask the right questions. This collection of past studies by Harvard Business School researchers will help you gather the critical information needed to prepare for action. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 May 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Rehabilitating Corporate Purpose
Shareholder value maximization has become the de facto expression of the institutional purpose guiding many managers’ decision making. The author proposes an alternative, justice-based guideline for corporate purpose based on established moral and organizational principles.
- 01 May 2019
- What Do You Think?
What Should the Leadership of YouTube Do?
SUMMING UP Readers comment on how YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki should solve its “sustainability” versus "respectability" problem. What should YouTube do? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 Apr 2019
- First Look
New Research and Ideas, April 30, 2019
We’re often wrong guessing about other people’s choices ... A peek at Nike's digital strategy ... How the financial crisis caught us by surprise.
- 29 Apr 2019
- Research & Ideas
Is the Digital Age Making Us Petty?
Mobile payment apps help us keep track of shared costs but may also frustrate personal relationships. Research into perceived pettiness by Tami Kim, Ting Zhang, and Michael I. Norton. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Apr 2019
- Research & Ideas
Incubators Take Notice: Your Entrepreneurs Are Networking with the Wrong People
Startup incubators used by cities and companies to jump-start innovation have a problem to overcome. Attendees tend to network with people they already know, says research by Rembrand M. Koning. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 24 Apr 2019
- Managing the Future of Work
How edX is redesigning learning for the future
In a world where jobs are constantly changing, the workforce must be able to continually add skills, and receive credit for them, to remain relevant. In this episode, Joe speaks with Anant Agarwal, MIT professor and CEO of education platform edX, who says “the future of work is the same as the future of learning.” Launched in 2012 as a joint venture of Harvard and MIT, edX has brought to market innovative solutions for today’s learners. But will their approach address the needs of tomorrow's workforce?
- 24 Apr 2019
- Research & Ideas
The 'Amazon Effect' Is Changing Online Price Competition—and the Fed Needs to Pay Attention
Amazon's power in the retail sector puts price pressure on what competitors charge, with implications for how federal regulators govern inflation, says Alberto F. Cavallo. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
If the Key to Business Success Is Focus, Why Does Amazon Work?
Sunil Gupta explores the infiltration of Amazon into dozens of industries including web services, grocery, and movie production. What’s the big plan? Is the company spread too thin? Open for comment; 0 Comments.