Research & Ideas: Overview

Image of Jay Light

Jay Light, Dean of the Faculty

The recent events in the financial markets provide troubling food for thought about the turbulence ahead we're likely to witness. These are historic times that we will be teaching about in our classrooms for years to come. Harvard Business School was founded in 1908 in the depths of very similar economic chaos. Throughout our history, HBS faculty have seen such crises not just as learning moments but also as opportunities to put our scholarship to work on developing solutions. That remains true today as you can see from this portal, which provides a glimpse into the depth and breadth of our collective thought leadership on this critically important issue. We will continue to expand on this content in the weeks and months ahead.

Featured Headline

  • Keeping a Keen Eye on Consumer Behavior

    Katherine Jocz and John Quelch

    "What promises to be the longest and deepest global recession since the 1930s took many marketers by surprise. What appeared first as a crisis affecting the US home mortgage market soon morphed into a global financial meltdown and the evaporation of consumer credit. Given an average household debt in the US of 130 per cent of annual household income, it was inevitable that a downturn in consumer confidence would follow, along with a substantial reduction in consumer spending, which accounts for 72 per cent of US gross domestic product. How should marketers, few of whom are experts in macroeconomics, respond to these conditions?"

Faculty Interests

Resources