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Have Managers Underestimated the Need for Face-to-Face Contact?

by James Heskett

COVID-19 made remote work and instant delivery mainstays of life for many people, but will the need for community erode these concepts after the pandemic ends? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Cold Call: Corporate Governance and Growth Strategy at Capital SAFI

Re: V.G. Narayanan

Jorge Quintanilla Nielsen started the independent asset management firm Capital SAFI in 2007. Now a leader in Bolivia’s closed-end funds industry with a total of $430 million in assets under management, Quintanilla planned to expand into other countries, like Peru and Colombia. He knew that governance would be one of the main aspects potential partners would evaluate. Capital SAFI’s board had evolved over time with the establishment of a governance committee, an assessment process for the board, professional development offerings for board members, tools to manage governance risk, and succession plans for board members and company executives. Would local and foreign investors be impressed by those measures or were additional improvements needed? Professor V. G. Narayanan discusses the importance of corporate governance in his case, “Building the Governance to Take Capital SAFI to the Next Level.”

Why a Failed Startup Might Be Good for Your Career After All

by Sean Silverthorne

Go ahead and launch that venture. Even if it fails, the experience you gain will likely earn you a job that's more senior than those of your peers, says research by Paul Gompers.

Inclusive Leadership Advice: Get Comfortable With the Uncomfortable

by Francesca Gino

People tend to seek sameness, but they can teach themselves to relish in the differences of the human experience. Francesca Gino offers these three principles from improv to anyone who's trying to lead more inclusively.

SAP's Sabine Bendiek on workforce strategy

Bill Kerr

As businesses struggle with post-Covid workplace models, supply chain snags, and the increasing demand for digital skills, workforce strategy is more crucial than ever. SAP Chief People and Operating Officer and Labor Relations Director, Sabine Bendiek, on talent acquisition, reskilling, hybrid and flexible work models, diversity and inclusion, ESG goals, and training the next wave of leadership.

8 Strategies to Sustain Business Innovation

by Lane Lambert

It's a harsh reality: The majority of new business ventures fail. In the book Productive Tensions, Rory McDonald and his coauthor say the key to survival is figuring out how to pivot during the innovation process.

You Don’t Have to Quit Your Job to Find More Meaning in Life

by Shalene Gupta

Before you give notice and go on a vision quest, consider this: Fulfillment doesn't require big change, says research by Julian De Freitas and colleagues. In fact, you can find more meaning even in a job you don't love.

Larry Fink at BlackRock: Linking Purpose to Profit

Re: George Serafeim

In 2014, Larry Fink started writing letters to the leaders of some of the largest publicly listed companies, urging them to consider the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Fink is the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, one of the largest asset management houses in the world. The firm’s success was rooted in its cost-effective, passive investment products that rely more on tracking indices and funds. But Fink wanted his firm to engage with the companies in which they invest and hold them accountable for their social and environmental impacts. What role should investors play in urging business leaders to take environmental, social, and governance issues more seriously and enforcing compliance? Harvard Business School professor George Serafeim discusses the merits of Fink’s approach, the importance of corporate investments in ESG themes, and how to lead a company driven by purpose and profit in his case, “BlackRock: Linking Purpose to Profit,” and his new book Purpose and Profit: How Business Can Lift Up The World.

How Partisan Politics Play Out in American Boardrooms

by Pamela Reynolds

The discord gripping the nation has reached the heights of corporate America, with costly consequences for companies and investors. Research by Elisabeth Kempf shows just how polarized the executive suite has become.

Looking For a Job? Some LinkedIn Connections Matter More Than Others

by Michael Blanding

Debating whether to connect on LinkedIn with that more senior executive you met at that conference? You should, says new research about professional networks by Iavor Bojinov and colleagues. That person just might help you land your next job.

Packaging skills: FedEx Services’ flexible work strategy

The pandemic and supply chain crisis are reshaping the package delivery business. What are the staffing implications and what does it mean for the logistics of work? Mike Lauderdale, VP of Human Resources at FedEx Services, on hybrid work, emerging skills, and ESG commitments.

When Experts Play It Too Safe: Innovation Lessons from a NASA Experiment

by Rachel Layne

A study of an international robotics competition reveals how experts prioritize easy-to-execute inventions over moonshot ideas. Are companies missing out on potential breakthroughs? Research by Jacqueline Lane and Karim Lakhani.

Gen Xers and Millennials, It’s Time To Lead. Are You Ready?

by Lane Lambert

Generation X and Millennials—eagerly waiting to succeed Baby Boom leaders—have the opportunity to bring more collaboration and purpose to business. In the book True North: Emerging Leader Edition, Bill George offers advice for the next wave of CEOs.

Curbing an Unlikely Culprit of Rising Drug Prices: Pharmaceutical Donations

by Ben Rand

Policymakers of every leaning have vowed to rein in prescription drug costs, with little success. But research by Leemore Dafny shows how closing a loophole on drugmaker donations could eliminate one driver of rising expenses.

Reinventing an Iconic Independent Bookstore

Re: Ryan L. Raffaelli

In 2020, Kwame Spearman (MBA 2011) made the career-shifting decision to leave a New York City-based consulting job to return to his hometown of Denver, Colorado, and take over an iconic independent bookstore, The Tattered Cover. Spearman saw an opportunity to reinvent the local business to build a sense of community after the pandemic. But he also had to find a way to meet the big challenges facing independent booksellers amid technological change and shifting business models. Professor Ryan Raffaelli and Spearman discuss Spearman’s vision for reinventing The Tattered Cover, as well as larger insights around how local businesses can successfully compete with online and big box retailers in the case, “Kwame Spearman at Tattered Cover: Reinventing Brick-and-Mortar Retail.”

Does Hybrid Work Actually Work? Insights from 30,000 Emails

by Ben Rand

It's a pandemic debate raging at companies everywhere: How often should employees come to the office? In the first large-scale study of its kind, Prithwiraj Choudhury finds that hybrid schedules might offer the best answer for everyone.

Is It Time to Consider Lifting Tariffs on Chinese Imports?

Re: James L. Heskett

Many of the tariffs levied by the Trump administration on Chinese goods remain in place. James Heskett weighs whether the US should prioritize renegotiating trade agreements with China, and what it would take to move on from the trade war. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Credly's Jonathan Finkelstein on the evolving language of skills

Joe Fuller

As work is recast in terms of skills and credentials, is the labor market awash in too much information? Credly's founder and CEO argues that more detail--verified and expressed in a standard taxonomy--can benefit both workers and employers.

Income Inequality Is Rising. Are We Even Measuring It Correctly?

by Jon M. Jachimowicz, Kristin Blesch, and Oliver P. Hauser

Policymakers trying to shrink the income gap have long relied on a statistical benchmark to guide decisions. But taking a broader view of inequality might lead to better solutions, say Jon Jachimowicz and colleagues.

It’s All in a Name: Reputable Investors Help Startups Shine

by Rachel Layne

Attracting high-quality talent is a challenge for any young firm. Shai Bernstein says startups get a reputation boost and draw more job applicants when they're backed by well-known venture capital investors.