
- 03 Mar 2023
- Research & Ideas
When Showing Know-How Backfires for Women Managers
Women managers might think they need to roll up their sleeves and work alongside their teams to show their mettle. But research by Alexandra Feldberg shows how this strategy can work against them. How can employers provide more support?

- 28 Feb 2023
- Research & Ideas
Can Apprenticeships Work in the US? Employers Seeking New Talent Pipelines Take Note
What if the conventional college-and-internship route doesn't give future employees the skills they need to build tomorrow's companies? Research by Joseph Fuller and colleagues illustrates the advantages that apprenticeships can provide to employees and young talent.

- 27 Feb 2023
- Research & Ideas
How One Late Employee Can Hurt Your Business: Data from 25 Million Timecards
Employees who clock in a few minutes late—or not at all—often dampen sales and productivity, says a study of 100,000 workers by Ananth Raman and Caleb Kwon. What can managers do to address chronic tardiness and absenteeism?

- 21 Feb 2023
- Research & Ideas
What's Missing from the Racial Equity Dialogue?
Fellows visiting the Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society (BiGS) at Harvard Business School talk about how racism harms everyone and why it’s important to find new ways to support formerly incarcerated people.

- 16 Feb 2023
- HBS Case
ESG Activists Met the Moment at ExxonMobil, But Did They Succeed?
Engine No. 1, a small hedge fund on a mission to confront climate change, managed to do the impossible: Get dissident members on ExxonMobil's board. But lasting social impact has proved more elusive. Case studies by Mark Kramer, Shawn Cole, and Vikram Gandhi look at the complexities of shareholder activism.

- 14 Feb 2023
- Cold Call Podcast
Does It Pay to Be a Whistleblower?
In 2013, soon after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had started a massive whistleblowing program with the potential for large monetary rewards, two employees of a US bank’s asset management business debated whether to blow the whistle on their employer after completing an internal review that revealed undisclosed conflicts of interest. The bank’s asset management business disproportionately invested clients’ money in its own mutual funds over funds managed by other banks, letting it collect additional fees—and the bank had not disclosed this conflict of interest to clients. Both employees agreed that failing to disclose the conflict was a problem, but beyond that, they saw the situation very differently. One employee, Neel, perceived the internal review as a good-faith effort by senior management to identify and address the problem. The other, Akash, thought that the entire business model was problematic, even with a disclosure, and believed that the bank may have even broken the law. Should they escalate the issue internally or report their findings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission? Harvard Business School associate professor Jonas Heese discusses the potential risks and rewards of whistleblowing in his case, “Conflicts of Interest at Uptown Bank.”

- 14 Feb 2023
- Research & Ideas
When a Vacation Isn’t Enough, a Sabbatical Can Recharge Your Life—and Your Career
Burning out and ready to quit? Consider an extended break instead. Drawing from research inspired by his own 900-mile journey, DJ DiDonna offers practical advice to help people chart a new path through a sabbatical.

- 10 Feb 2023
- Research & Ideas
COVID-19 Lessons: Social Media Can Nudge More People to Get Vaccinated
Social networks have been criticized for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, but the platforms have also helped public health agencies spread the word on vaccines, says research by Michael Luca and colleagues. What does this mean for the next pandemic?

- 07 Feb 2023
- Research & Ideas
Supervisor of Sandwiches? More Companies Inflate Titles to Avoid Extra Pay
What does an assistant manager of bingo actually manage? Increasingly, companies are falsely classifying hourly workers as managers to avoid paying an estimated $4 billion a year in overtime, says research by Lauren Cohen.

- 31 Jan 2023
- Research & Ideas
It’s Not All About Pay: College Grads Want Jobs That ‘Change the World’
Many college graduates will accept lower salaries for roles that have the potential to give back to society, says research by Letian Zhang. Could trading pay for altruism help shrink the income gap?

- 31 Jan 2023
- Op-Ed
Can Insurance Technology Solve the Uninsured Driver Problem?
High fees prevent many drivers from buying auto insurance—often with catastrophic consequences. Raymond Kluender offers a novel way to make coverage affordable and roads safer: Let drivers pay for only the days they drive.

- 23 Jan 2023
- Research & Ideas
After High-Profile Failures, Can Investors Still Trust Credit Ratings?
Rating agencies, such as Standard & Poor’s and Moody's, have been criticized for not warning investors of risks that led to major financial catastrophes. But an analysis of thousands of ratings by Anywhere Sikochi and colleagues suggests that agencies have learned from past mistakes.

- 13 Jan 2023
- Research & Ideas
Are Companies Actually Greener—or Are They All Talk?
More companies than ever use ESG reports to showcase their social consciousness. But are these disclosures meaningful or just marketing? Research by Ethan Rouen delves into the murky world of voluntary reporting and offers advice for investors.

- 03 Jan 2023
- Book
Confront Workplace Inequity in 2023: Dig Deep, Build Bridges, Take Collective Action
Power dynamics tied up with race and gender underlie almost every workplace interaction, says Tina Opie. In her book Shared Sisterhood, she offers three practical steps for dismantling workplace inequities that hold back innovation.

- 20 Dec 2022
- Op-Ed
Employee Feedback: The Key to Retention During the Great Resignation
Employees need to feel that they're on the same team as managers—not adversaries in a zero-sum game. Michael Beer offers six guiding principles for senior leaders who are ready to listen to and act on employee feedback.

- 13 Dec 2022
- Research & Ideas
The Color of Private Equity: Quantifying the Bias Black Investors Face
Prejudice persists in private equity, despite efforts to expand racial diversity in finance. Research by Josh Lerner sizes up the fundraising challenges and performance double standards that Black and Hispanic investors confront while trying to support other ventures—often minority-owned businesses.

- 12 Dec 2022
- Research & Ideas
Buy-In from Black Patients Suffers When Drug Trials Don’t Include Them
Diversifying clinical trials could build trust in new treatments among Black people and their physicians. Research by Joshua Schwartzstein, Marcella Alsan, and colleagues probes the ripple effects of underrepresentation in testing, and offers a call to action for drugmakers.

- 18 Nov 2022
- HBS Case
What Does It Take to Safeguard a Legacy in Asset Management?
Diverse hiring, deep research, and a collaborative culture have defined Brown Capital's successful investment approach. But would those qualities endure after its founder retires? A case study by Luis Viceira and Emily McComb explores how the second-largest Black-founded investment firm is preparing for its next phase.

- 10 Nov 2022
- Research & Ideas
Too Nice to Lead? Unpacking the Gender Stereotype That Holds Women Back
People mistakenly assume that women managers are more generous and fair when it comes to giving money, says research by Christine Exley. Could that misperception prevent companies from shrinking the gender pay gap?
The Power of Personal Connections: How Shared Experiences Boost Performance
Doctors who train together go on to provide better patient care later in their careers. What could teams in other industries learn? Research by Maximilian Pany and J. Michael McWilliams.