- 17 Jan 2024
- HBS Case
Psychological Pricing Tactics to Fight the Inflation Blues
Inflation has slowed from the epic rates of 2021 and 2022, but many consumers still feel pinched. What will it take to encourage them to spend? Thoughtful pricing strategies that empower customers as they make purchasing decisions, says research by Elie Ofek.
- 16 Jan 2024
- Cold Call Podcast
How SolarWinds Responded to the 2020 SUNBURST Cyberattack
In December of 2020, SolarWinds learned that they had fallen victim to hackers. Unknown actors had inserted malware called SUNBURST into a software update, potentially granting hackers access to thousands of its customers’ data, including government agencies across the globe and the US military. General Counsel Jason Bliss needed to orchestrate the company’s response without knowing how many of its 300,000 customers had been affected, or how severely. What’s more, the existing CEO was scheduled to step down and incoming CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna had yet to come on board. Bliss needed to immediately communicate the company’s action plan with customers and the media. In this episode of Cold Call, Professor Frank Nagle discusses SolarWinds’ response to this supply chain attack in the case, “SolarWinds Confronts SUNBURST.”
- 10 Jan 2024
- Managing the Future of Work
Transplanting college to the corporate campus to develop talent for good jobs
If schools aren't turning out job-ready grads, can employer-led partnerships reengineer the talent pipeline to meet the demand and provide opportunities for a diverse workforce? J.D. Hickey, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, on his firm's collaboration with East Tennessee State University, the BlueSky Tennessee Institute, a work-based accelerated computer science bachelor's program based at the insurer's corporate campus.
- 10 Jan 2024
- Research & Ideas
Technology and COVID Upended Tipping Norms. Will Consumers Keep Paying?
When COVID pushed service-based businesses to the brink, tipping became a way for customers to show their appreciation. Now that the pandemic is over, new technologies have enabled companies to maintain and expand the use of digital payment nudges, says Jill Avery.
- 09 Jan 2024
- Research & Ideas
Could Clean Hydrogen Become Affordable at Scale by 2030?
The cost to produce hydrogen could approach the $1-per-kilogram target set by US regulators by 2030, helping this cleaner energy source compete with fossil fuels, says research by Gunther Glenk and colleagues. But planned global investments in hydrogen production would need to come to fruition to reach full potential.
- 09 Jan 2024
- In Practice
Harnessing AI: What Businesses Need to Know in ChatGPT’s Second Year
Companies across industries rushed to adopt ChatGPT last year, seeing its potential to streamline tasks formerly handled by people and vendors at much higher cost. As generative AI enters its next phase in 2024, what can leaders expect? Harvard Business School faculty members highlight four trends to watch.
- 08 Jan 2024
- The Parlor Room
Forest Reinhardt on Climate Change and the Tragedy of the Commons
In this episode, host Chris Linnane and Harvard Business School Professor Forest Reinhardt discuss the tragedy of the commons and how businesses can navigate the complex challenges of climate change.
- 03 Jan 2024
- Climate Rising
The Health Risks of Natural Gas Stoves
This bonus episode of Climate Rising features an episode from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health's podcast "Better Off" that explores the intersection of decarbonization and public health. While decarbonization requires shifting away from fossil fuels, this episode emphasizes the equally crucial health reasons to do so – especially for natural gas stoves. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation led by Anna Fisher-Pinkert of the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and her guests Brady Seals, Drew Michanowicz, and Jon Kung. Guest/Host: Anna Fisher-Pinkert, Director of Digital Strategy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Brady Seals, Manager of RMI’s Carbon-Free Buildings program Drew Michanowicz, senior scientist, PSE Healthy Energy Jon Kung, Chef For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org
- 02 Jan 2024
- What Do You Think?
Do Boomerang CEOs Get a Bad Rap?
Several companies have brought back formerly successful CEOs in hopes of breathing new life into their organizations—with mixed results. But are we even measuring the boomerang CEOs' performance properly? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 Jan 2024
- Cold Call Podcast
Should Businesses Take a Stand on Societal Issues?
Should businesses take a stand for or against particular societal issues? And how should leaders determine when and how to engage on these sensitive matters? Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Hubert Joly, who led the electronics retailer Best Buy for almost a decade, discusses examples of corporate leaders who had to determine whether and how to engage with humanitarian crises, geopolitical conflict, racial justice, climate change, and more in the case, “Deciding When to Engage on Societal Issues.”
- 02 Jan 2024
- Research & Ideas
10 Trends to Watch in 2024
Employees may seek new approaches to balance, even as leaders consider whether to bring more teams back to offices or make hybrid work even more flexible. These are just a few trends that Harvard Business School faculty members will be following during a year when staffing, climate, and inclusion will likely remain top of mind.
- 27 Dec 2023
- Managing the Future of Work
Revisiting Upward Mobility: The 2023 American Opportunity Index
In its second iteration, the corporate scorecard draws on a wider range of worker outcomes to rank Fortune 500 employers on how well they boost career prospects. The index is a collaboration of the HBS Managing the Future of Work Project, the Burning Glass Institute, and the Schultz Family Foundation. Matt Sigelman, president of the Burning Glass Institute, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, managing director of the Schultz Family Foundation, join host Bill Kerr.
- 20 Dec 2023
- Climate Rising
Sweden’s Northvolt Quest to Build the World’s Greenest EV Batteries
This bonus episode of Climate Rising features an episode of Harvard Business Review’s Cold Cast podcast with Brian Kenny interviewing HBS professor George Serafeim about his case on Northvolt, a Sweden-based start-up company producing batteries for Europe’s EV auto manufacturers. They'll discuss Northvolt’s efforts to build government partnerships, hire the right people, and attract financing in order to scale rapidly. Guest/Host: Brian Kenny, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Harvard Business School and host of Cold Call George Serafeim, Charles M. Williams Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org.
- 19 Dec 2023
- Research & Ideas
The 10 Most Popular Articles of 2023
The most-read stories about Harvard Business School faculty research reflect a year filled with both excitement and concern about the influence of generative artificial intelligence on the workplace, as well as a determination to find happiness—both on the job and at home.
- 19 Dec 2023
- Research & Ideas
15 Podcast Episodes That Grabbed Listeners in 2023
Harvard Business School podcasts gave listeners an inside view of Twitter, Google, and Apple, and featured executives from BlackBerry, LinkedIn, and Volvo, to name a few. Here are some of the year's most downloaded episodes.
- 19 Dec 2023
- Research & Ideas
$15 Billion in Five Years: What Data Tells Us About MacKenzie Scott’s Philanthropy
Scott's hands-off approach and unparalleled pace—helping almost 2,000 organizations and counting—has upended the status quo in philanthropy. While her donations might seem scattershot, an analysis of five years of data by Matthew Lee, Brian Trelstad, and Ethan Tran highlights clear trends and an emerging strategy.
- 18 Dec 2023
- Deep Purpose
Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach on Driving the Future of the Digital Economy
What’s really in a payment? During his career at Mastercard, Michael Miebach has strived to understand how payment solutions make a difference in people’s lives, even before his appointment as CEO. In this episode, Miebach explains how he thinks through powering the economy in an increasingly digital (if uncertain) world and the leadership required to do so.
- 18 Dec 2023
- The Parlor Room
Joshua Margolis on Elevating Your Leadership Style
Host Chris Linnane welcomes Harvard Business School Professor Joshua Margolis to The Parlor Room to discuss how to develop yourself as a leader and dive into the story of how the CEO of the world's largest denim jeans company inspired and engaged employees to implement change and drive performance.
- 13 Dec 2023
- Managing the Future of Work
Revelio Labs’ Ben Zweig on creating a universal HR database
Do we need new terms and frameworks to capture important data about fast-changing labor markets? As the volume of workforce data increases, so does the strategic value of market and firm-level analysis.
Are Companies Getting Away with 'Cheap Talk' on Climate Goals?
Many companies set emissions targets with great fanfare—and never meet them, says research by Shirley Lu and colleagues. But what if investors held businesses accountable for achieving their climate plans?