Social Enterprise
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- 04 Apr 2023
- Book
Two Centuries of Business Leaders Who Took a Stand on Social Issues
Executives going back to George Cadbury and J. N. Tata have been trying to improve life for their workers and communities, according to the book Deeply Responsible Business: A Global History of Values-Driven Leadership by Geoffrey Jones. He highlights three practices that deeply responsible companies share.

- 03 Jan 2023
- What Do You Think?
How Would the Leadership Style of Girl Scouts' Frances Hesselbein Fare Today?
Frances Hesselbein's mission-driven leadership helped shift the nonprofit's image, and expand and diversify its membership. James Heskett reflects on the late executive director's reputation for storytelling and change management. Would her tactics work today? Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 15 Aug 2022
- Book
University of the Future: Finding the Next World Leaders in Higher Ed
Which universities will step into the void as American colleges decline? In the book Empires of Ideas, William Kirby explores how the history of higher education in the US, China, and Germany might shape its future.

- 26 Jul 2022
- Cold Call Podcast
Can Bombas Reach New Customers while Maintaining Its Social Mission?
Bombas was started in 2013 with a dual mission: to deliver quality socks and donate much-needed footwear to people living in shelters. By 2021, it had become one of America’s most visible buy-one-give-one companies, with over $250 million in annual revenue and 50 million pairs of socks donated. Later, as Bombas expanded into underwear, t-shirts, and slippers, the company struggled to determine what pace of growth would best allow it to reach new customers while maintaining its social mission. Harvard Business School assistant professor Elizabeth Keenan discusses the case, "Bee-ing Better at Bombas."

- 03 May 2022
- Cold Call Podcast
Can a Social Entrepreneur End Homelessness in the US?
Community Solutions is a nonprofit founded in 2011 by Rosanne Haggerty, with the ambitious goal of ending chronic homelessness in America. Its “Built for Zero” methodology takes a public health approach, helping communities across the US use better data collection and outreach to improve government processes and piecemeal solutions. In 2021, Community Solutions was awarded a $100 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation, and Haggerty and her team had to decide how to prioritize projects and spending to maximize the grant’s impact. Should they continue to focus on unhoused veterans or expand their work to include families and youth in need of housing? Senior Lecturer Brian Trelstad discusses Haggerty’s approach in his case, "Community Solutions."

- 10 Jan 2022
- Research & Ideas
How to Get Companies to Make Investments That Benefit Everyone
Want more organizations to give back to their communities? Frank Nagle says the success of open source software offers an innovative—and unexpected—roadmap for social good. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 07 Jun 2021
- Book
9 Tips from an Expert Fundraiser: Help Donors 'Invest in Their Passion'
Seeking donations can feel like begging. In this excerpt from Effective Fundraising, F. Warren McFarlan offers advice to help trustees approach prospective donors with confidence. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 02 Feb 2021
- Working Paper Summaries
Nonprofits in Good Times and Bad Times
Tax returns from millions of US nonprofits reveal that charities do not expand during bad times, when need is the greatest. Although they are able to smooth the swings of their activities more than for-profit organizations, nonprofits exhibit substantial sensitivity to economic cycles.

- 11 Jan 2021
- Working Paper Summaries
Accounting for Product Impact in the Airlines Industry
A systematic methodology for measuring product impact can be applied across a range of industries. Examining two competitor companies in the airlines industry, this study finds that analyzing each dimension of product impact allows for deeper understanding of each company’s business strategies.

- 05 Jan 2021
- Cold Call Podcast
Using Behavioral Science to Improve Well-Being for Social Workers
For child and family social workers, coping with the hardships of children and parents is part of the job. But that can cause a lot of stress. Is it possible for financially constrained organizations to improve social workers’ well-being using non-cash rewards, recognition, and other strategies from behavioral science? Assistant Professor Ashley Whillans describes the experience of Chief Executive Michael Sanders’ at the UK’s What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care, as he led a research program aimed at improving the morale of social workers in her case, “The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 14 Dec 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Nonprofit Boards: It is Time to Lift Your Gaze and See the System
Not every organization should attempt to solve problems at a system level, but can become more aware of systemic issues, ensuring that solutions dovetail into the macrosystem for best collective impact.

- 26 May 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Can the ‘Cummings Way’ Live On after the Founder Retires?
After 50 years at the helm of Cummings Properties, billionaire and philanthropist Bill Cummings is contemplating retirement. Christina R. Wing and Cummings discuss what's next for both the family business and foundation that he built. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 08 May 2020
- In Practice
Nonprofits Hurt by COVID-19 Must Hoard Cash to Hold On
Experts from Harvard Business School's Social Enterprise Initiative offer advice to nonprofits struggling to survive the coronavirus pandemic. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 26 Sep 2019
- Research & Ideas
What Can the World’s Largest Refugee Camp Teach Us About the Meaning of Work?
Almost 1 million Rohingya refugees are sinking deeper into despair while sitting idle in a camp they can’t easily leave. But the opportunity to work might provide a resource more scarce than cash: hope. Research by Reshmaan N. Hussam.

- 18 Sep 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
After the Carnival: Key Factors to Enhance Olympic Legacy and Prevent Olympic Sites from Becoming White Elephants
After the Games end, Olympic venues must be used effectively and earn enough revenue to cover large ongoing costs or their owners—local governments and taxpayers—will face deficits. This fieldwork-based research and analysis of stadium use at 10 of the last 12 Summer Olympics sites highlights eight factors for better sustainability.

- 28 Jun 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
L.A. Philharmonic Shows the American Symphony Orchestra Isn’t Dead Yet
Like many American symphony orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic seemed dying on the vine, unable to attract younger audiences or new sponsors. Then new CEO Deborah Borda came aboard with a plan to revive the brand. Rohit Deshpande discusses his case study on the turnaround. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 25 Jan 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
One Love: Managing a Movement Against Relationship Violence
One Love Foundation is dedicated to the prevention of relationship violence through education. Professor Tom DeLong talks about the challenges CEO Katie Hood faces as the organization works to create a movement and then maintain momentum around community engagement, fundraising, and growth. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 15 Nov 2017
- Research & Ideas
How Does a Social Startup Decide to Commercialize? It May Depend on the Founder's Gender
How does the founder of a social venture decide to create a "hybrid" business rather than a traditional nonprofit organization? The decision has a lot to do with the founder’s gender, according to new research by Stefan Dimitriadis, Matthew Lee, Lakshmi Ramarajan, and Julie Battilana. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 19 Oct 2017
- Research & Ideas
How Charitable Organizations Can Thwart Excuses for Not Giving
Charitable organizations provide all kinds of reasons for donors to give money—but sometimes their messaging does just the opposite, shows research by Christine Exley. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
Using Design Thinking to Invent a Low-Cost Prosthesis for Land Mine Victims
Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) is an Indian nonprofit famous for creating low-cost prosthetics, like the Jaipur Foot and the Stanford-Jaipur Knee. Known for its patient-centric culture and its focus on innovation, BMVSS has assisted more than one million people, including many land mine survivors. How can founder D.R. Mehta devise a strategy that will ensure the financial sustainability of BMVSS while sustaining its human impact well into the future? Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar discusses the importance of design thinking in ensuring a culture of innovation in his case, “BMVSS: Changing Lives, One Jaipur Limb at a Time.”