Harvard Business School

09/10/2026

How do emergency loans help businesses after natural disasters?

In this week's Research Spotlight, Professor Sabrina T. Howell and coauthors found that government recovery loans significantly improve business survival after natural disasters.

Businesses receiving loans were more likely to survive, had lower bankruptcy rates, and gained easier access to private credit. Employment also recovered, rising 18% overall among disaster-affected firms.

Read more about their research here: https://hbs.me/yc3nyrcd

09/09/2026

Prenuptial agreements are becoming more common among younger couples, who increasingly see them as a way to talk openly about finances before marriage.

Libby Leffler (MBA 2017), founder and CEO of First, launched the online platform in 2024 to make the prenup process simpler and more accessible. Today, its customers are protecting everything from stock options and bitcoin wallets to intellectual property and pets.

Read more: https://hbs.me/4293xxns

09/09/2026

Businesses eyeing expansion into another country often weigh a number of economic factors before making a decision: a nation’s labor market, regulatory climate, per capita income, tax system, and GDP growth trends.

A working paper coauthored by HBS Professor Vincent Pons suggests that businesses should also pay attention to a political metric that may offer insights into a country’s democratic institutions and long-term economic prospects: the electoral advantage enjoyed by incumbents.

That’s because incumbents seeking reelection often enjoy several advantages over their challengers, including greater name recognition, fundraising ability, and access to office resources when fending off opponents.

Vincent Pons explains how the electoral edge enjoyed by incumbents can offer clues about the nation's democratic health, corruption, and long-term economic outlook.

09/08/2026

Ana Elena Azpúrua’s background in investigative journalism led to a fascination with the data behind the story—and the people behind the numbers. After stints at the Associated Press, Univision, and the LA Times, she moved to Massachusetts to become the new data visualization and graphics editor for Working Knowledge, Baker Library’s research publication.

We talked with Ana about her role at HBS, her home country of Venezuela, a hobby that feels like meditation, and more.

Read more: https://hbs.me/4sjt4n49

09/07/2026

Many managers dream of reaching the C-suite, but most people’s careers plateau at mid-level regardless of how long they work or how much they earn.

This uncomfortable reality is among the findings of an analysis of 150 million resumes by HBS Professor Paul Gompers that shows the limits of using wages and titles to gauge career attainment. Ultimately, he offers a complementary measure: the time it takes to reach a particular title after college graduation.

Pay and years on the job don’t tell the full story of career attainment. Research by Paul A. Gompers propose an alternative: the typical time it takes to reach a given job title after entering the labor force.

09/05/2026

How well do you know the history of the HBS campus?

A few places and stories to look out for:

1. Harvard Fatigue Laboratory
📍Morgan Hall basement
From 1927 to 1947, the laboratory studied the physiological, sociological, and psychological impacts of fatigue and helped establish exercise physiology as an academic discipline.

2. Kresge Doors
📍Chao Center basement
For more than 60 years, the familiar green doors were part of Kresge Hall, a central gathering place for the HBS community. The doors were moved to the Chao Center after Kresge Hall closed in 2014.

3. Baker Library | Bloomberg Center Bell
📍Baker Library bell tower and lawn
The original bell installed at HBS came from Moscow’s Danilov Monastery. It was returned in 2007, and a replica now hangs in the Baker Library tower.

4. Written Analysis of Cases Slot
📍West end of Baker Library | Bloomberg Center
MBA students once submitted their Written Analysis of Cases, or WACs, through this slot. A bronze plaque marks the location today.

5. Baker Library Stacks and Grille
📍Baker Library | Bloomberg Center basement
The grille was once a prominent feature of the Baker Library lobby, allowing visitors to see the library’s collections in its closed stacks.

6. Post 15, Old New York Stock Exchange
📍Baker Library | Bloomberg Center basement
Post 15 was once used on the New York Stock Exchange trading floor. HBS acquired it after the horseshoe-shaped trading posts were replaced in 1981.

7. MBA Class of 1959 Chapel
📍Batten Way near the Rock Center and Shad Hall
Designed by Moshe Safdie and Associates and completed in 1992, the chapel provides a place for quiet contemplation and is used for non-denominational services, ceremonies, and concerts.

Explore the stories behind some of the historical places and unique spaces at HBS. https://hbs.me/rew6a2mm

09/04/2026

The HBS Class of 2028 arrived on campus to begin their two-year MBA experience.

Dean Srikant Datar; Jana Kierstead, executive director of the MBA and Doctoral programs and Alumni Engagement and Development; Professor Tsedal Neeley, senior associate dean and chair of the MBA Program; Professor Robert Huckman, senior associate dean for Alumni Engagement and Development; and Student Association co-presidents Akaash Preetham and Dimitri Henry welcomed students with an invitation to engage in the discussion, deliberation, and debate central to the case method and in the development of good judgment more critical than ever in the age of AI.

09/03/2026

What interventions actually reduce bias in performance evaluations?

In this week's Research Spotlight, Professor Edward H. Chang and colleagues tested whether accountability reduces racial gaps in employee performance evaluations through a field experiment.

The study found little evidence that accountability interventions reduced gaps, even when paired with diversity statements. Though similar language worked in hypothetical experiments, testing with real outcomes matters.

Read more about their research here: https://hbs.me/2p8ek5kn

08/31/2026

New sculptures by Woody De Othello and Erika Verzutti have been added to the C. Ludens Ringnes Sculpture Collection for a two-year exhibition on the HBS campus!

The installation is part of HBS's ongoing contemporary sculpture program, which began in April 2016, and joins pieces in its permanent collection by Mary Frank, Jaume Plensa, John Safer, Joel Shapiro, and Yinka Shonibare.

"It's a real gift to have work of this caliber on our campus, where students, faculty, alumni, and staff will encounter it every day," said Kenneth Peterson, executive director of Baker Library. "Woody De Othello's work asks us to think about connection and communication beyond ordinary speech, and Erika Verzutti's transforms ordinary fruit into something ancient and monumental. Having sculptures this thoughtful on the HBS campus is exactly the kind of experience we want for our community."

Harvard Business School has added sculptures by Woody De Othello and Erika Verzutti to the C. Ludens Ringnes Sculpture Collection for a two-year exhibition on its Boston campus. The installation is part of the School's ongoing contemporary sculpture program, which began in April 2016, and joins piec...

08/30/2026

In this special series of the Cold Call podcast focusing on artificial intelligence, Professors Caroline Elkins, Julian De Freitas, Zoe Cullen, and Susanna Gallani join host Brian Kenny to discuss their cases on emerging issues in AI:

✅ Professor Caroline Elkins joins host Brian Kenny to explore the question, “Is AI creative?” The answer affects not only journalism as we know it, but considerations for whether we can harness AI to enter an age of increased creativity for humankind.

✅ Associate Professor Julian De Freitas and Harvard Art Museums director of marketing John Connolly discuss the tensions between innovation and brand stewardship in cultural marketing, organizational barriers to new technology adoption, and the strategic use of emerging technologies in brand management.

✅ Associate Professor Zoe Cullen explores the tensions between individual rights and commercial applications of AI and the central question of what protections must be forged today to ensure professionals in the future continue to contribute and be compensated.

✅ Associate Professor Susanna Gallani and host Brian Kenny discuss the challenges leadership at the health care organization anticipated as they considered scaling the AI technology responsibly in the case, "The AI Scribe: Enhancing Physician Presence and Curbing Burnout at Mass General Brigham."

Combining bold ideas, powerful pedagogy, and collaborative cohort-based learning to deliver unparalleled management education and foster lifelong learning networks.