Professor Nien-hê Hsieh wrote the case “Cedar Environmental: Innovation vs. Corruption” with HBS’s Middle East and North Africa Research Center to explore the “gray area” of leadership—that uncomfortable and all-too-common space where leaders face difficult trade-offs across their responsibilities and commitments. During a class discussion among all 720 first-year MBA students, they considered the protagonist’s challenges as he tried to navigate in an industry in Lebanon rife with corruption.
Nien-he Hsieh
Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration
Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration
Nien-hê Hsieh is the Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration in the General Management Unit at Harvard Business School. His research and teaching aims at helping business leaders and organizations determine and deliver on their responsibilities. He also studies what democratic values require for economic policies and institutions. Professor Hsieh teaches Leadership and Corporate Accountability (LCA) to first-year MBA students and Executive Education participants, and serves as Course Head for LCA. At Harvard University, he serves as Faculty Co-Director for the Justice, Health, and Democracy Impact Initiative at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics, a Director at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, and on the Faculty Committee for the Scholars at Risk Program.
Professor Hsieh’s research centers on the question of whether and how managers, organzations, and economic institutions ought to be guided not only by considerations of efficiency, but also by values such as freedom and fairness and respect for basic rights and democracy. He has pursued this question in a variety of contexts, including the employment relationship, the operation of multinational enterprises in developing economies, and the ownership of productive property. Professor Hsieh also studies foundational aspects of this question, examining principles for rational decision making when choices involve multiple values that appear incomparable.
Professor Hsieh's work has been published in Business Ethics Quarterly, Economics and Philosophy, The Journal of Political Philosophy, Philosophy and Public Affairs, Social Theory and Practice, Utilitas, and various other journals. He is a past president of the Society for Business Ethics.
Professor Hsieh holds a B.A. in Economics from Swarthmore College, an M.Phil. in Politics from Oxford University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University. He joined the faculty from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was an associate professor of legal studies and business ethics and served as co-director of the Wharton Ethics Program. Before joining the faculty at Wharton in 2001, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Business School, and he has held visiting fellowships at Harvard University, Oxford University, and the Research School for Social Sciences at the Australian National University.
- Featured Work
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John Ruskin – the nineteenth-century English writer, artist, philosopher, art critic, and philanthropist – may not be a household name among management theorists, but his work and thought have important implications for contemporary business and political economy. On the bicentenary of Ruskin's birth, the Houghton Library at Harvard University held the exhibit “Victorian Visionary: John Ruskin and the Realization of the Ideal” , which included contributions to the Library’s Ruskin collection by R. Dyke Benjamin (Harvard College ’59, Harvard Business School ’61). Produced for this exhibit, this article explores what Ruskin's views on labor, craftsmanship, and architecture suggest for how we organize the future of work.Advice for Creating a Culture of Dialogue and Equity in Business ClassroomsRecognizing the importance of teaching managers to lead across lines of difference, this article presents a set of interrelated strategies for business educators to navigate topics of diversity and inclusion in the classroom. The authors advocate embedding principles of openness, respect, and intellectual precision in the content students engage with as well as the process of classroom management itself. In the process, several practical strategies are highlighted to help educators facilitate difficult and important conversations across lines of difference.
- Journal Articles
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- Monge, Rosemarie, and Nien-hê Hsieh. "Recovering the Logic of Double Effect for Business: Intentions, Proportionality, and Impermissible Harms." Business Ethics Quarterly 30, no. 3 (July 2020): 361–387. (doi: 10.1017/beq.2019.39.) View Details
- Ammerman, Colleen, Zoe Kinias, and Nien-hê Hsieh. "Tackling Diversity in Case Discussions: Advice for Creating a Culture of Dialogue and Equity in Business Classrooms." Harvard Business Review (website) (November 26, 2019). View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Benjamin Lange, David Rodin, and Mira L. A. Wolf-Bauwens. "Getting Clear on Corporate Culture: Conceptualisation, Measurement and Operationalisation." Journal of the British Academy 6, no. s1 (2018): 155–184. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/006s1.155.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Marco Meyer, David Rodin, and Jens van ‘t Klooster. "The Social Purpose of Corporations." Journal of the British Academy 6, no. s1 (2018): 49–73. ( DOI: https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/006s1.049.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Business Responsibilities for Human Rights: A Commentary on Arnold." Business and Human Rights Journal 2, no. 2 (July 2017): 297–309. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Responsibilities and Role of Business in Relation to Society: Back to Basics?" Business Ethics Quarterly 27, no. 2 (April 2017): 293–314. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Social Contract Model of Corporate Purpose and Responsibility." Business Ethics Quarterly 25, no. 4 (October 2015): 433–460. (DOI: 10.1017/beq.2016.1.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Should Business Have Human Rights Obligations?" Special Issue on Business and Human Rights. Journal of Human Rights 14, no. 2 (April–June 2015): 218–236. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Multinational Corporations, Global Justice and Corporate Responsibility: A Question of Purpose." Notizie di Politeia 29, no. 111 (2013). View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Corporate Social Responsibility and the Priority of Shareholders." Journal of Business Ethics 88, no. 4 (2009): 553–560. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Justice at Work: Arguing for Property-Owning Democracy." Journal of Social Philosophy 40, no. 3 (2009): 397–411. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Does Global Business Have a Responsibility to Promote Just Institutions?" Business Ethics Quarterly 19, no. 2 (April 2009): 251–273. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Justice in Production." Journal of Political Philosophy 16, no. 1 (March 2008): 72–100. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Workplace Democracy, Workplace Republicanism, and Economic Democracy." Revue de philosophie économique 9, no. 1 (2008): 57–78. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Alan Strudler, and David H. Wasserman. "Pairwise Comparison and Numbers Skepticism." Utilitas 19, no. 4 (2007). View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Maximization, Incomparability, and Managerial Choice." Business Ethics Quarterly 17, no. 3 (July 2007): 497–513. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Is Incomparability a Problem for Anyone?" Economics and Philosophy 23, no. 1 (2007): 65–80. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Managers, Workers, and Authority." Journal of Business Ethics 71, no. 4 (2007): 347–357. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Numbers Problem." Philosophy & Public Affairs 34, no. 4 (2006): 352–372. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Justice, Management, and Governance." Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society 6, no. 3 (2006): 261–267. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Voluntary Codes of Conduct for Multinational Corporations: Coordinating Duties of Rescue and Justice." Business Ethics Quarterly 16, no. 2 (April 2006): 119–135. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Equality, Clumpiness, and Incomparability." Utilitas 17, no. 2 (2005): 180–204. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Rawlsian Justice and Workplace Republicanism." Social Theory and Practice 31, no. 1 (2005): 115–142. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Obligations of Transnational Corporations: Rawlsian Justice and the Duty of Assistance." Business Ethics Quarterly 14, no. 4 (October 2004): 643–661. View Details
- Laufer, William S., and Nien-he Hsieh. "Choosing Equal Injustice." American Journal of Criminal Law 30, no. 3 (2003): 343–361. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Moral Desert, Fairness and Legitimate Expectations in the Market." Journal of Political Philosophy 8, no. 1 (2000): 91–114. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Conspicuous Absence of Examination Questions Concerning the Great Irish Famine: Political Economy as Science and Ideology." European Journal of the History of Economic Thought 6, no. 2 (1999): 169–199. View Details
- Book Chapters
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- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Victorian Contributions to Political Economy and Business Ethics." In Victorian Visionary: John Ruskin and the Realization of the Ideal, edited by Peter X. Accardo, 28–36. Cambridge, MA: Houghton Library, 2019. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "A Claim to Own Productive Property." Chap. 10 in Economic Liberties and Human Rights. 1st ed., edited by Jahel Queralt and Bas van der Vossen, 200–218. Political Philosophy for the Real World. New York: Routledge, 2019. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Corporate Moral Agency, Positive Duties, and Purpose." In The Moral Responsibility of Firms, edited by Eric Orts and N. Craig Smith. Oxford University Press, 2017. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Incommensurable Values." In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta. Stanford University, 1997. Electronic. (First published Mon Jul 23, 2007; substantive revision Wed Jul 14, 2021.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Managerial Responsibility and the Purpose of Business: Doing One's Job Well." Chap. 5 in Ethical Innovation in Business and the Economy, edited by Georges Enderle and Patrick E. Murphy, 95–118. Studies in Transatlantic Business Ethics. Northhampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2015. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, and Florian Wettstein. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Multinational Corporations." Chap. 19 in The Routledge Handbook of Global Ethics, edited by Darrel Moellendorf and Heather Widdows, 251–266. London: Routledge, 2014. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Can For-Profit Corporations Be Good Citizens? Perspectives from Four Business Leaders." Chap. 16 in Corporations and Citizenship, edited by Greg Urban. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Multinational Enterprises and Incomplete Institutions: The Demandingness of Minimum Moral Standards." In Business Ethics. 2nd ed. Edited by Michael Boylan, 409–422. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Work." Contribution to Routledge Companion to Social and Political Philosophy, edited by Gerald F. Gaus and Fred D'Agostino. London: Routledge, 2012. (Part VIII, Chap. 65.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Work, Ownership, and Productive Enfranchisement." In Property-Owning Democracy: Rawls and Beyond, edited by Martin O'Neill and Thad Williamson. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Multinational Enterprises and Corporate Responsibility: A Matter of Justice?" In Morality and Global Justice: The Reader. 1st ed. Edited by Michael Boylan. Boulder: Westview Press, 2011. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Efficiency and Rationality." In Finance Ethics: Critical Issues in Theory and Practice , edited by John Boatwright. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Freedom in the Workplace." Contribution to Building a Citizen Society: The Emerging Politics of Republican Democracy, edited by Daniel Leighton and Stuart White, 57–66. London: Lawrence & Wishart, 2008. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Normative Study of Business Organizations: A Rawlsian Approach." In Normative Theory and Business Ethics, edited by Jeffery Smith, 93–117. Lanham, 2008. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Incommensurable Values." Contribution to Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (Fall 2008 archived edition) edited by Edward N. Zalta. Stanford University, 2007. Electronic. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Property Rights in Crisis: Managers and Rescue." Contribution to Ethics and the Pharmaceutical Industry, edited by Michael Santoro and Thomas Gorrie, 379–385. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2005. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Property Rights in Crisis: Managers and Rescue." In Ethics and the Pharmaceutical Industry in the 21st Century, edited by Michael Santoro and Thomas Gorrie, 379–385. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. View Details
- Cases
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- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Matthew Souba. "Making Target the Target: Boycotts and Corporate Political Activity (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 324-118, March 2024. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Victor Wu. "Making Target the Target: Boycotts and Corporate Political Activity." Harvard Business School Case 317-113, April 2017. (Revised March 2024.) View Details
- Trelstad, Brian, Nien-hê Hsieh, Michael Norris, and Susan Pinckney. "Patagonia: 'Earth Is Now Our Only Shareholder'." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 324-003, September 2023. View Details
- McGee, Henry, Nien-hê Hsieh, and Kerry Herman. "Apple: Privacy vs. Safety (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 324-033, August 2023. View Details
- Trelstad, Brian, Nien-hê Hsieh, Michael Norris, and Susan Pinckney. "Patagonia: 'Earth Is Now Our Only Shareholder'." Harvard Business School Case 323-057, March 2023. (Revised September 2023.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Meg Rithmire, and Shu Lin. "OneSmart." Harvard Business School Case 723-017, November 2022. (Revised March 2023.) View Details
- McGee, Henry, Nien-hê Hsieh, and Christian Godwin. "Apple: Privacy vs. Safety (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 323-066, January 2023. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, and Christopher Diak. "Corporate Responses to the War in Ukraine: Nestlé." Harvard Business School Case 322-121, April 2022. View Details
- Sucher, Sandra J., Nien-he Hsieh, Susan J. Winterberg, Nancy Hua Dai, and Shalene Gupta. "Suzhou Good-Ark Electronics: Creating and Implementing a Sage Culture." Harvard Business School Case 321-085, June 2021. (Revised December 2021.) View Details
- McGee, Henry, Nien-hê Hsieh, Sarah McAra, and Christian Godwin. "Apple: Privacy vs. Safety (A)." Harvard Business School Case 321-004, February 2021. View Details
- Bower, Joseph L., Nien-hê Hsieh, and Michael Norris. "JPMorgan Chase's Path Forward." Harvard Business School Case 921-301, April 2021. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Dilyana Karadzhova Botha, and F. Christopher Eaglin. "SA Taxi: A Vehicle for Empowerment? (A)." Harvard Business School Case 321-138, April 2021. (Revised January 2022.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Dilyana Karadzhova Botha, and F. Christopher Eaglin. "SA Taxi: A Vehicle for Empowerment? (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 321-141, April 2021. (Revised January 2022.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Elena Corsi, and Daniela Beyersdorfer. "Brigad: The Future of Work." Harvard Business School Case 321-104, January 2021. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Youssef Abdel Aal. "Cedar Environmental: Innovation vs. Corruption in Lebanon?" Harvard Business School Case 321-114, March 2021. (Revised December 2021.) View Details
- Henderson, Rebecca, and Nien-he Hsieh. "Putting the Guiding Principles into Action: Human Rights at Barrick Gold (A)." Harvard Business School Case 315-108, March 2015. (Revised August 2020.) View Details
- Henderson, Rebecca, and Nien-hê Hsieh. "Putting the Guiding Principles into Action: Human Rights at Barrick Gold (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 316-139, March 2016. (Revised December 2017.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Putting the Guiding Principles into Action: Human Rights at Barrick Gold (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 321-033, August 2020. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Putting the Guiding Principles into Action: Human Rights at Barrick Gold (A), (B), and (C)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 317-015, October 2016. (Revised August 2020.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, Amy Klopfenstein, and Sarah Mehta. "Culture at Google." Harvard Business School Case 320-050, March 2020. (Revised August 2020.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, Martha J. Crawford, and Sarah Mehta. "Gender and Free Speech at Google (A)." Harvard Business School Case 318-085, March 2018. (Revised March 2019.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Sarah Mehta. "Gender and Free Speech at Google (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 319-085, March 2019. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Sarah Mehta. "Gender and Free Speech at Google (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 319-097, March 2019. (Revised June 2019.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Sarah Mehta. "Gender and Free Speech at Google (A), (B), & (C)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 319-038, May 2019. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, Christina R. Wing, Emilie Fournier, and Anna Resman. "Theranos: Who Has Blood on Their Hands? (A)." Harvard Business School Case 619-039, February 2019. (Revised November 2024.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Christina R. Wing, and John Masko. "Theranos: Who Has Blood on Their Hands? (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 320-091, February 2020. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, and Christina R. Wing. "Theranos: Who Has Blood on Their Hands? (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 620-102, February 2020. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Kieron Stopforth. "Handy: The Future of Work? (A)." Harvard Business School Case 319-103, April 2019. (Revised March 2020.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Kieron Stopforth. "Handy: The Future of Work? (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 320-010, March 2020. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Michael W. Toffel, and Olivia Hull. "Global Sourcing at Nike." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 619-061, June 2019. (Revised January 2023.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, Michael W. Toffel, and Olivia Hull. "Global Sourcing at Nike." Harvard Business School Case 619-008, March 2019. (Revised June 2019.) View Details
- Paine, Lynn S., Nien-hê Hsieh, and Lara Adamsons. "Governance and Sustainability at Nike (A)." Harvard Business School Case 313-146, June 2013. (Revised January 2024.) View Details
- Paine, Lynn S., Nien-he Hsieh, and Lara Adamsons. "Governance and Sustainability at Nike (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 313-147, June 2013. (Revised September 2016.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Governance and Sustainability at Nike (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 318-126, March 2018. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Saloni Chaturvedi. "The Ready-Made Garment Industry: A Bangladeshi Perspective (A)." Harvard Business School Case 317-052, March 2017. (Revised December 2017.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Saloni Chaturvedi. "The Ready-Made Garment Industry: A Bangladeshi Perspective (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 317-053, March 2017. (Revised December 2017.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Saloni Chaturvedi. "The Ready-Made Garment Industry: A Bangladeshi Perspective (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 317-054, March 2017. (Revised December 2017.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Saloni Chaturvedi. "The Ready-Made Garment Industry: A Bangladeshi Perspective (D)." Harvard Business School Supplement 318-028, September 2017. (Revised August 2018.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "The Ready-Made Garment Industry: A Bangladeshi Perspective (A), (B), (C), and (D)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 318-124, March 2018. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Ready-Made Garment Industry: A Bangladeshi Perspective." Harvard Business School PowerPoint Supplement 318-706, March 2018. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Making Target the Target: Boycotts and Corporate Political Activity." Harvard Business School PowerPoint Supplement 318-703, March 2018. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Victor Wu. "Making Target the Target: Boycotts and Corporate Political Activity (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 317-131, June 2017. (Revised August 2018.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Victor Wu. "Making Target the Target: Boycotts and Corporate Political Activity (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 318-123, March 2018. View Details
- Teaching Notes
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- Hsieh, Nien-he, and Matthew Souba. "Ethical Analysis: Conflicts of Interest." Harvard Business School Technical Note 325-075, December 2024. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Brian Trelstad, and Matthew Souba. "Economic Analysis: Foundations." Harvard Business School Technical Note 324-060, December 2023. (Revised December 2024.) View Details
- Caldera, Louis, Matthew Souba, and Nien-hê Hsieh. "Legal Analysis: Foundations." Harvard Business School Technical Note 324-058, December 2023. (Revised November 2024.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Ethical Analysis: Foundations." Harvard Business School Background Note 324-059, December 2023. (Revised November 2024.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "LCA Module Overview: Society." Harvard Business School Module Note 323-096, March 2023. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "LCA Module Overview: Employees." Harvard Business School Module Note 323-072, February 2023. (Revised February 2024.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Christopher Diak. "Ethical Analysis: Honesty and Self-Interest." Harvard Business School Technical Note 323-067, January 2023. (Revised November 2023.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "LCA Module Overview: Customers." Harvard Business School Module Note 323-068, January 2023. (Revised November 2023.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "LCA Module Overview: Investors." Harvard Business School Module Note 323-052, December 2022. (Revised November 2024.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Ethical Analysis: Society." Harvard Business School Technical Note 322-119, March 2022. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, Louis Caldera, Christopher Diak, and Matthew Souba. "Legal Analysis: Bribery and Corruption." Harvard Business School Background Note 322-105, March 2022. (Revised November 2024.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Ethical Analysis: Fairness." Harvard Business School Technical Note 322-097, February 2022. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Legal Analysis: Employees." Harvard Business School Background Note 322-096, February 2022. (Revised December 2022.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê, and Christopher Diak. "Ethical Analysis: Well-Being and Rights." Harvard Business School Technical Note 322-065, January 2022. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Leadership and Corporate Accountability (LCA)." Harvard Business School Course Overview Note 322-074, December 2021. (Revised November 2024.) View Details
- Sucher, Sandra J., and Nien-he Hsieh. "A Framework for Ethical Reasoning." Harvard Business School Background Note 610-050, January 2010. (Revised December 2011.) View Details
- Henderson, Rebecca, Nien-hê Hsieh, and Erik Snowberg. "What is the Purpose of the Corporation?" Harvard Business School Technical Note 320-070, January 2020. (Revised December 2020.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "A Note on Ethical Analysis." Harvard Business School Background Note 321-038, August 2020. (Revised December 2020.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Responsibilities in the Supply Chain." Harvard Business School Background Note 319-114, May 2019. (Revised June 2019.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Responsibilities to Society." Harvard Business School Module Note 317-065, March 2017. (Revised April 2021.) View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-hê. "Module Note for Instructors: Responsibilities to Society." Harvard Business School Module Note 318-125, March 2018. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Responsibilities to Employees." Harvard Business School Module Note 315-067, December 2014. (Revised April 2016.) View Details
- Other Publications and Materials
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- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Book Review of 'Rawls' by Samuel Freeman." Business Ethics Quarterly 18, no. 1 (January 2008): 137. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Book Review of 'Economic Analysis, Moral Philosophy, and Public Policy' by Daniel Hausman and Michael McPherson." Business Ethics Quarterly 17, no. 2 (April 2007): 366. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "Book Review of 'What Price the Moral High Ground? Ethical Dilemmas in Competitive Environments' by Robert Frank." Business Ethics Quarterly 16, no. 2 (April 2006): 306. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he. "The Values of the Pluralist Commonwealth." Good Society 15, no. 3 (2006): 45–50. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, and Sadaf Kazmi. "MBA on Board." BizEd 5, no. 6 (September/October 2006): 36–40. View Details
- Hsieh, Nien-he, William Laufer, and Mark Schwartz. "Business Students Debate Ethical Principles and Social Impact." Development Outreach 4, no. 1 (Spring 2002): 24–27. View Details
- Research Summary
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Professor Hsieh’s research concerns ethical issues in business and the responsibilities of global business leaders. His work centers on the question of whether and how managers ought to be guided not only by considerations of economic efficiency, but also by values such as fairness and freedom and respect for basic rights. He has pursued this question in a variety of contexts, including the employment relationship and the operation of multinational enterprises in developing economies. He also studies foundational aspects of this question, examining principles for rational decision making when choices involve multiple values that appear incomparable.
Multinational enterprises, especially those operating in developing economies, face wide-ranging demands to help persons whose basic needs are unmet. Pharmaceutical companies, for example, are asked to provide access to life-saving therapies to patients in countries whose health-care systems do not provide for them, and apparel companies are pressured to require their suppliers to pay above-market wages to their workers.
In much of the debate, the answer to the question of whether managers have a responsibility to help meet these needs has turned on views about the nature and purpose of the for-profit corporation. To advance the conversation, Professor Hsieh addresses the question of responsibility in a manner consistent with a range of views about the corporation and without having to settle longstanding debates about such matters as shareholder primacy. The approach he takes is to start with widely accepted standards of minimally required conduct, such as a duty not to harm, and to examine what such standards require for the decisions of managers.
The employment relationship represents another significant area for managerial decision making. While much of what managers and employees owe one another depends upon mutual agreement, not all of the terms can be specified in advance. Given these conditions, what are the responsibilities of managers? Professor Hsieh pursues this question by extending the influential work of Harvard political philosopher John Rawls. Professor Hsieh concludes that on the issue of managerial discretion, Rawls’s theory of justice is far more demanding than previously recognized. In his research, Professor Hsieh explores the implications for managerial responsibility as well as for the organization of work and economic institutions.
Rational decision making is widely thought to require comparing alternatives with respect to a single measure of value. Accordingly, asking managers to consider values in addition to economic efficiency has been criticized on the grounds that doing so violates the requirements of rationality. In this more foundational area of his research, Professor Hsieh examines possible responses to this criticism. One response is to recognize that seemingly incomparable alternatives are in fact comparable. Another response is to reconsider the role that comparisons play in rational decision making. A third response is to acknowledge that what appear to be considerations of economic efficiency may in fact reflect other values instead, such as equality or fairness. - Awards & Honors
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Winner of the 2023 Case Centre Award in the Ethics and Social Responsibility category for “Global Sourcing at Nike” (HBS Case 619-008) with Michael Toffel and Olivia Hull.
- Additional Information
- Areas of Interest
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- corporate accountability
- corporate governance
- corporate values/value systems
- ethics
- moral leadership
- corporate social responsibility
- cross-cultural/cross-border
- decision-making
- developing countries
- economic institutions
- general management
- globalization
- nonprofit
- political economy
- professionalism
- social enterprise
- values
Additional Topics - In The News