dsIn late October 2022, Elon Musk officially took Twitter private and became the company’s majority

shareholder, finally ending a months-long acquisition saga. He appointed himself CEO and brought in his
own team to clean house. Musk needed to take decisive steps to succeed against the major opposition
to his leadership from both inside and outside the company. Twitter employees circulated an open letter
protesting expected layoffs, advertising agencies advised their clients to pause spending on Twitter, and
EU officials considered a broader Twitter ban. What short-term actions should Musk take to stabilize the
situation, and how should he approach long-term strategy to turn around Twitter? Harvard Business
School assistant professor Andy Wu and co-author Goran Calic, associate professor at McMaster
University’s DeGroote School of Business, discuss Twitter as a microcosm for the future of media and
information in their case, “Twitter Turnaround and Elon Musk.”

31 AUG 2020 WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Why Don’t More Organizations Understand the Power of Diversity and Inclusion?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP: Diversity in business leadership is certainly an enviable social goal, but does it improve
company performance? James Heskett's readers look for the research evidence. Open for comment; 36
Comments posted.

09 JAN 2020 BOOK

Rethinking Business Strategy in the Age of AI

by Dina Gerdeman

For the first time in 100 years, new technologies such as artificial intelligence are causing firms to rethink
their competitive strategy and organizational structure, say Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani, authors
of the new book Competing in the Age of AI. Open for comment; 3 Comments posted.

17 DEC 2019 COLD CALL PODCAST

Under Pressure, Oxxo Rethinks the Convenience Store

Re: Tatiana Sandino

Mexican convenience store chain Oxxo dominated its market—until its chief rival doubled in size almost
overnight. Professor Tatiana Sandino discusses her recent case study CEO Eduardo Padilla's response.
Open for comment; 0 Comments posted.

25 NOV 2019 WORKING PAPER SUMMARIES

The Effect of Systems of Management Controls on Misreporting

by Aishwarrya Deore, Susanna Gallani, and Ranjani Krishnan

This study provides insights for designing effective management control systems. Managers must select
their individual management control practices with care, craft mission statements to convey clear
messages that drive organizational alignment with the firm’s overall goals, and consider the effects of
interaction between components of their system of controls.

30 JAN 2019 WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Who Will Measure up to These Two Remarkable Leaders?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP. In the wake of the loss of two great CEOs, James Heskett asks which schools are ready to
turn out the next generation of transformative leaders? Open for comment; 9 Comments posted.

19 FEB 2018 SHARPENING YOUR SKILLS

Amazoned: Is Any Industry Safe?

by Sean Silverthorne

Like the Amazon River itself, Jeff Bezos's company cuts a powerful, meandering channel through the
business landscape, changing every industry it touches. Open for comment; 8 Comments posted.

16 OCT 2017 WORKING PAPER SUMMARIES

Healthy Business? Managerial Education and Management in Healthcare

by Nicholas Bloom, Raffaella Sadun, Renata Lemos, and John Van Reenen

A hospital's proximity to a university supplying both business and clinical education is associated with
higher management practice scores and better clinical outcomes.

28 MAR 2017 WORKING PAPER SUMMARIES

CEO Behavior and Firm Performance

by Oriana Bandiera, Stephen Hansen, Andrea Pratt, and Raffaella Sadun

This paper combines a new survey methodology with a machine learning algorithm to measure the
behavior of CEOs in large samples. Results show that larger and more complex firms require CEOs with a
more coordinative—and less micromanaging—behavior. Inefficiencies in the way CEOs match with firms
have important consequences for firm productivity.

11 OCT 2016 WORKING PAPER SUMMARIES

Corporate Purpose and Financial Performance

by Claudine Gartenberg, Andrea Prat, and George Serafeim

An organization’s purpose is not a formal announcement, but depends on the employees believing in
and acting to promote that purpose. This study provides evidence about whether employee beliefs in a
strong corporate purpose are associated with superior or inferior financial performance. It shows that
organizations where middle managers and salaried professionals feel a strong sense of purpose and have
clarity about their job responsibilities and tasks experience superior future financial performance. There
was no association for senior executives, sales, or hourly workers.

28 MAR 2016 RESEARCH & IDEAS

What's a Boss Worth?

by Michael Blanding

Quite a lot, it turns out. Good bosses can have a multiplier effect that ups everyone’s game, according to
new research by Christopher Stanton. Open for comment; 32 Comments posted.
17 NOV 2015 WORKING PAPER SUMMARIES

Self-Interest: The Economist's Straitjacket

by Robert Simons

Research explores the downsides of self-interest on businesses, government, and the economy as a
whole.

18 NOV 2009 HBS CASE

Customer Feedback Not on elBulli’s Menu

by Julia Hanna

The world is beating a path to Chef Ferran Adrià's door at elBulli, but why? In professor Michael Norton's
course, students learn about marketing from a business owner who says he doesn't care whether or not
customers like his product. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

20 OCT 2008 RESEARCH & IDEAS

The Seven Things That Surprise New CEOs

by Michael E. Porter, Jay W. Lorsch & Nitin Nohria

In the newly released book On Competition, Professor Michael E. Porter updates his classic articles on
the competitive forces that shape strategy. We excerpt a portion on advice for new CEOs, written with
HBS faculty Jay W. Lorsch and Nitin Nohria. Key concepts include: Most new chief executives are taken
aback by unfamiliar new roles, time and information limitations, and altered professional relationships.
The CEO must learn to manage organizational context rather than focus on daily operations. The CEO
must not get totally absorbed in the role. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

07 JUL 2003 RESEARCH & IDEAS

4+2 = Sustained Business Success

by Nitin Nohria, William Joyce & Bruce Roberson

HBS professor Nitin Nohria along with William Joyce and Bruce Roberson studied 160 companies to look
for common management practices that succeed. A hint: Business basics matter. Closed for comment; 0
Comments.

02 APR 2001 RESEARCH & IDEAS

What Makes a Good Leader?

by Deborah Blagg & Susan Young

Leadership comes in many shapes and sizes, and often from entirely unexpected quarters. In this excerpt
from the HBS Bulletin, five HBS professors weigh in with their views on leadership in action. Closed for
comment; 0 Comments.