About the Institute - Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society

An Introduction to BiGS

19 Oct 2022

Mission

Capitalism is under attack. From across the political spectrum, critics have decried business's role in increasing economic inequality, driving environmental destruction, and sustaining systems of racial injustice.

Even though the traditional model of shareholder capitalism has had a remarkable history of delivering jobs, products, wealth, and innovation to societies across the globe, interest in new models of stakeholder capitalism is surging - yet without a common understanding of what such capitalism might entail, and for whom and what it would be responsible.

The Institute for Study of Business in Global Society (BiGS) is being established to provide a research-based platform to address these issues. By integrating and amplifying work already underway and catalyzing new streams of inquiry, BiGS aims to direct the tools and resources of Harvard Business School directly towards the critical areas where business and society overlap and occasionally collide, and to provide business leaders with new ways of thinking about how they and their organizations can help to address some of society's most urgent challenges.

Vision

BiGS' work is inter-disciplinary and its purview wide. It involves faculty from across Harvard University and deploys a diverse array of methodologies - including historical analyses, behavioral economics, case-based research, and big data - to explore how capitalism is functioning today, and how the power of business can be harnessed to make it work better. Crucially, the goal of BiGS and its faculty is to tie research to practice, developing insights, tools, and metrics that managers can use to guide their decisions and leadership goals.

As BiGS grows, it will inevitably evolve, shifting in response to the ever-changing landscape of issues confronting the intersection of business and society. During its initial phase, the Institute will focus on several key areas in partnership with a related Initiative and others around the School:

Climate change and sustainability
Economic inclusion
Social diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+, and ability

Leadership

Debora L. Spar is the Jaime and Josefina Chua Tiampo Professor Business Administration and Senior Associate Dean for Business and Global Society. She previously served as President of Barnard College (2008-2017) and President and CEO of Lincoln Center for Performing Arts (2017-18). Before joining Barnard, Spar spent 17 years on the HBS faculty, where she taught courses that include Business, Government and International Economy and Managing International Trade and Investment. A prolific writer, Spar's books including Ruling the Waves: Cycles of Discovery, Chaos and Wealth from the Compass the the Internet, The Baby Business, and Wonder Women: Sex, Power and the Quest for Perfection.

Drew Keller is the Director of the Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society (BiGS). Keller's expertise is in building coalitions between business leaders and NGOs to address pressing human rights challenges. A recent graduate of Harvard Business School's MBA program, he previously led Open For Business, a coalition of multinational companies advocating for global LGBT+ equality. More recently, he worked with Shift, a business and human rights NGO, and HBS's Impact Weighted Accounts Initiative on projects related to helping companies account for living wages.

Barbara DeLollis is the Head of Communications for the Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society (BiGS), where she oversees content, communications, and media strategy. Before joining HBS, she helped leadership at three public companies including Marriott articulate and communicate their growth strategy as well as their purpose through global storytelling and integrated communications, delivering memorable messaging to media, customers, investors, influencers, and employees alike. She began her career as a business journalist for USA Today, The Fresno Bee and The Miami Herald. She has also contributed articles to The Wall Street Journal, CIO Dive and U.S. News & World Report. A strong advocate for human rights, she previously served as an advisory board member of ECPAT-USA. For media inquiries, reach out to Barbara at bdelollis@hbs.edu.

Sarah Gazzaniga is the Coordinator of the Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society (BiGS). Prior to joining the BiGS team, she worked at Harvard Business School under the Division of Research and Faculty Development. Her previous experience, including working for the Health & Human Services Department for the City of Hartford and the The Make-A-Wish Foundation, has fueled her interest in addressing social and health inequities. She has a Bachelor’s degree from the Boston College Lynch School of Education and a Master’s degree in Global Development Practice with a focus on Social Justice from Harvard University.

Stay in Touch

Are you interested in the intersection of business and society? Register for updates on new research and new programs as BiGS grows.

Stay in Touch