Faculty & Research

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

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About the Unit

Through its research, teaching, and course development, the Organizational Behavior Unit creates and disseminates knowledge that advances the understanding of how to lead and manage with the aim of increasing personal and organizational effectiveness. Although specific research interests span a wide range of subjects, the faculty share a problem driven, interdisciplinary, multi method approach that has led to significant impact on theory and practice.

Our current intellectual agenda builds on the rich history of OB at HBS and focuses squarely on the organizational changes and challenges arising from today's increasingly global and more competitive economy. In the last decade, the faculty have been recognized for their work on leadership in an increasingly diverse and dynamic environment, the evolution of managerial careers in our society, managing diversity, and organizational design and change to meet evolving needs and expectations in a changing world.

Recent Publications

The Mahindra Group: Leading with Purpose

By: Ranjay Gulati and Rachna Tahilyani
  • April 2021 |
  • Case |
  • Faculty Research
India headquartered Mahindra Group is a multibillion-dollar federation of companies operating across the globe. It is ahead of its time in articulating its purpose and mapping its values something it had first done at inception and then refreshed yet again as ‘Rise’ in 2011. Over the past decade, it has cascaded the essence of ‘Rise’ as a purpose through the organization. The idea was to “challenge conventional thinking and innovatively use all their resources to drive positive change in the lives of stakeholders and communities across the world to enable them to Rise.” As its senior leadership team contemplate Mahindra’s future, they wonder how they should balance the ‘Rise’ philosophy with a focus on financial returns that is critical for the group, especially in the aftermath of the health and economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and a leadership transition at the group.
Keywords: Mission and Purpose; Organizational Culture; Change Management; Communication Strategy; Family Ownership; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Auto Industry; Financial Services Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Technology Industry; Asia; India; Mumbai; South Korea; Italy; United States
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Glass Half-Broken: Shattering the Barriers That Still Hold Women Back at Work

By: Colleen Ammerman and Boris Groysberg
  • 2021 |
  • Book |
  • Faculty Research
Why does the gender gap persist and how can we close it? For years women have made up the majority of college-educated workers in the United States. In 2019, the gap between the percentage of women and the percentage of men in the workforce was the smallest on record. But despite these statistics, women remain underrepresented in positions of power and status, with the highest-paying jobs the most gender-imbalanced. Even in fields where the numbers of men and women are roughly equal, or where women actually make up the majority, leadership ranks remain male-dominated. The persistence of these inequalities begs the question: Why haven't we made more progress? In Glass Half-Broken, HBS Gender Initiative director Colleen Ammerman and Boris Groysberg reveal the pervasive organizational obstacles and managerial actions—limited opportunities for development, lack of role models and sponsors, and bias in hiring, compensation, and promotion—that create gender imbalances. Bringing to light the key findings from the latest research in psychology, sociology, organizational behavior, and economics, Ammerman and Groysberg show that throughout their careers—from entry-level to mid-level to senior-level positions—women get pushed out of the leadership pipeline, each time for different reasons. Presenting organizational and managerial strategies designed to weaken and ultimately break down these barriers, Glass Half-Broken is the authoritative resource that managers and leaders at all levels can use to finally shatter the glass ceiling.
Keywords: Women; Career; Gender Gap; Glass Ceiling; Gender; Employment; Personal Development and Career; Equality and Inequality; Organizational Culture; Diversity; Management; Strategy
Related

Wendell Weeks at Corning Inc. (B): Valor Glass and the COVID-19 Pandemic

By: Ryan Raffaelli and Aldo Sesia
  • March 2021 |
  • Supplement |
  • Faculty Research
The (B) case offers a detailed account of Wendell Weeks’s innovation strategy at Corning, and how his approach played a critical role in the COVID-19 pandemic. It illustrates the company’s philosophy of making long-term investments in promising new technologies and products well before others believed their time was ripe.
Keywords: Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Technological Innovation; Disruptive Innovation; Technology; Leadership; Health Pandemics; Technology Industry; United States; New York (city, NY)
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modum.io (B): Bidding Farewell to Crypto

By: Laura Huang, Maximilian Enthoven, Alex Murray and Erik Hofmann
  • March 2021 |
  • Teaching Note |
  • Faculty Research
Related

modum.io (B): Bidding Farewell to Crypto

By: Laura Huang, Maximilian Enthoven, Alex Murray and Erik Hofmann
  • March 2021 |
  • Supplement |
  • Faculty Research
Related

Barry's

By: Stig Leschly, David G. Fubini and Kelleigh Whelan
  • March 2021 |
  • Case |
  • Faculty Research
Related

Nayana Mawilmada: Transforming Urban Development in Sri Lanka

By: Joshua D. Margolis and Mahima Rao-Kachroo
  • March 2021 |
  • Case |
  • Faculty Research
In February 2018, Nayana Mawilmada (Nayana), investment head for the Sri Lankan government’s ambitious $40 billion Megapolis project, must weigh an attractive job offer to move from the public sector to the private sector. A massive government project aimed at improving the lives of 5.8 million people living in and around Colombo, the Megapolis was stalled for many years until Nayana took on a leadership role. The case documents what he has learned to do to move things forward across a complex web of stakeholders (vying government agencies, politicians, funding institutions, academic experts, the press, users, and the general public).  Just as the project gains official approval and is set to move to actual implementation, Nayana faces a career choice. Alongside that choice, students must determine whether Nayana has been successful or not.
Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Decision Making; Public Sector; Experience and Expertise; Strategic Planning; Work-Life Balance; Transportation; Risk and Uncertainty; Power and Influence; Personal Development and Career; Real Estate Industry; Rail Industry; Transportation Industry; South Asia; Sri Lanka; Boston; Virginia; United States
Related

Board Director Dilemmas—New Year, New Timing

By: Suraj Srinivasan, David G. Fubini and Amram Migdal
  • February 2021 |
  • Case |
  • Faculty Research
This case focuses on a junior partner at a private equity (PE) firm who sits on the board of one of the firm’s portfolio companies. In the case, the board member asks the CEO to accelerate a cost-cutting initiative and looks to a seasoned industry veteran who is also a PE-appointed director for reinforcement. When the second board member sides with the CEO instead, the young director must consider how to respond.
Keywords: Board Directors; Governing and Advisory Boards; Strategy; Decision Making
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Contact Information

Organizational Behavior Unit
Harvard Business School
Morgan Hall
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
OB@hbs.edu