- 13 Jun 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Learning to Become a Taste Expert
How should we learn to discriminate a fine wine or chocolate? Tradition says use a flavor wheel and map the taste into vocabulary. We find that works for novices, but, beyond a point, it is counterproductive. Enthusiasts perform more like experts when they abandon language and just “draw the shape” of the taste.
- 13 Jun 2018
- Sharpening Your Skills
That Costs HOW Much?
Beyond the attributes of the product itself, price is probably the leading determinant of success in the marketplace. What does it takes to get the price right? Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Jun 2018
- Research & Ideas
In a Landscape of 'Me Too' Drug Development, What Spurs Radical Innovation?
Pharmaceutical companies are criticized for not producing more breakthrough drugs. But new research by Joshua Krieger and colleagues shows that, given a financial windfall, drug giants turn on the innovation. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Jun 2018
- First Look
New Research and Ideas, June 12, 2018
Are borrowers doomed to fall into debt traps? ... The selfish reason some people make mistakes ... How Target became a data science organization.
- 11 Jun 2018
- Research & Ideas
Why South Korea's Samsung Built the Only Outdoor Skating Rink in Texas
New research by Lauren Cohen and Umit Gurun finds that when some companies are sued, they put their advertising dollars to work in unusual ways to influence local juries. Meet 'TiVo,' the championship steer. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 06 Jun 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Complex Disclosure
This study shows that companies looking to hide unfavorable information might strategically be making contract terms unnecessarily complex, harming consumers and undermining the effectiveness of disclosure. These results highlight a role for regulation that would encourage simpler forms of disclosure.
- 06 Jun 2018
- Research & Ideas
Cut Salaries or Cut People? The Best Way to Survive a Downturn
When times are tight, companies usually respond with employee layoffs. But what if they held on to workers and cut their salaries instead? New research by Christopher Stanton and colleagues has the answer. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 05 Jun 2018
- First Look
New Research and Ideas, June 5, 2018
How immigrants affect the workforce ... The value of creativity ... Ready for a snack?
- 04 Jun 2018
- What Do You Think?
Are There Conditions Under Which Directors Should Consider Hiring a CEO Fired Elsewhere for Inappropriate Behavior?
SUMMING UP: Executives fired fairly or unfairly over worker violence and harassment charges are about to seek new jobs. James Heskett's readers have widely divergent beliefs about whether they should ever be considered for new posts. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 04 Jun 2018
- Research & Ideas
Think of it as Professors in Cars Having Coffee
Has the art of civil debate returned? In the new Harvard Business School podcast series After Hours, professors Youngme Moon, Felix Oberholzer-Gee, and Mihir Desai discuss issues ranging from gun control to voice-activated digital assistants. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Jun 2018
- Managing the Future of Work
Ep 4: Jobs lost, jobs gained: Focus less on predictions, more on potential
Michael Chui, Senior Partner at McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), and an expert in artificial intelligence, believes that many jobs are going to disappear – including those done by MBAs and doctors – just not as quickly as people think. As he says to Bill Kerr, there is a lag between the rate at which technology advances and the rate at which it is adopted. Just think Star Trek.
- 03 Jun 2018
- Managing the Future of Work
Ep 3: What really worries the AFL-CIO about the future of work?
Damon Silvers, the Policy Director and Special Counsel at the AFL-CIO believes that with the Supreme Court slated to rule on Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees in June-July 2018, financial stability—not technology—is the biggest threat to America’s labor movement. Silvers tells Bill Kerr that he’s a technology optimist: technology can actually help strengthen the role of labor if it boosts productivity.
- 03 Jun 2018
- Managing the Future of Work
Ep 2: What smart employers are doing to prevent degree inflation
HBS professor Joe Fuller’s latest research Dismissed by Degrees shows that when companies start asking for a four-year college degree for jobs that previously did not require one, they not only reduce opportunities for workers but also restrict their ability to attract talent. Which is why companies like CVS, Hasbro, Lifepoint Health and State Street are taking active steps to combat degree inflation—and in the process opening up many thousands of jobs to middle class Americans.
- 03 Jun 2018
- Managing the Future of Work
Ep 1: How Vodafone’s CEO is using AI to transform the way the company works
Vittorio Colao, CEO Vodafone, is bringing about sweeping change at one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies. In a conversation with Bill Kerr, Colao shares the management challenge of using bots and advanced technology to transform activities like marketing and hiring. Digital ninjas, he says, help a lot.
- 31 May 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
Careem: Riding the First Unicorn in the Middle East
Doubling in size every two-and-a-half months, ride-hailing service Careem was experiencing growing pains operationally and culturally. Shikhar Ghosh discusses how the founders struggled to keep its 4 million customers satisfied. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 May 2018
- Research & Ideas
Should Retailers Match Their Own Prices Online and in Stores?
For multichannel retailers, pricing strategy can be difficult to execute and confusing to shoppers. Research by Elie Ofek and colleagues offers alternative approaches to getting the price right. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 May 2018
- What Do You Think?
Should Intellectual Property be Protected in International Trade?
SUMMING UP To do business in China, American firms often lose some of their intellectual property. James Heskett's readers think that price is too high. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 May 2018
- First Look
New Research and Ideas, May 29, 2018
Banks with materialistic CEOs face risk problems ... Poor economic growth makes people miserable ... The business lessons learned from Disney’s comeback.
- 25 May 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Trust and Disintermediation: Evidence from an Online Freelance Marketplace
Intermediaries such as brokers, distributors, and agents all face a risk of disintermediation, when two sides circumvent the intermediary and thus avoid the intermediary’s fees. This study of a large online freelance marketplace finds that enhanced user trust increases this risk, alongside other contributing factors like being geographically near one another, having easily divisible jobs, and clients themselves having high ratings.
How Chase Sapphire Made Credit Cool for Millennials
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card was one of the hottest product launches in 2016. But what would be its next act, now that the introductory offer of 100,000 points was reduced? Shelle Santana discusses JP Morgan's strategy. Open for comment; 0 Comments.