Business ethics

When Ben Franklin wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac and the words, “A little neglect may breed great mischief,” he did not have price fixing in mind. To the 47 executives in companies in the folding-box industry convicted of price fixing, however, the words seem tailored to fit. In those companies convicted under antitrust laws in 1976, […]

The business world is abuzz today about Greg Smith's parting shot at his long-time employer, Goldman Sachs. Is it accurate? Hard to say, but it has the...

In 2005, Harry C. Stonecipher, CEO of Boeing and one of America’s most highly respected corporate leaders, was asked by the company’s Board of Directors to resign his post. The reason was Stonecipher’s affair with Debra Peabody, a Boeing vice president. There was no charge of sexual harassment and no indication that Stonecipher had given […]

Leaders need to do more to encourage candor.

Leaders are feeling disoriented and concerned about the new technology. Here are four key risks to understand — and advice on how to address them.

In 2014, we still don't know how much an MRI should cost.

Five Questions with Bill George Retired CEO of Medtronic

For the first 40-plus years of their existence, the federal securities laws did not require or prohibit specific managerial practices in the operation of business, other than a business in one of a handful of closely regulated industries. But with the passage of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the SEC is equipped to […]

Taking responsibility for something one is incapable of doing has never been a particularly good idea. Politicians get in trouble for promising their...

A fictional bank CEO must make a fast decision in the face of an unthinkable crisis. What would you do in his place? Editors’ Note: This fictional case study will appear in a forthcoming issue of Harvard Business Review, and your comments will be considered for publication in the magazine. We’ll email you if your […]

Don't confuse competence with integrity.

People respect selflessness in a leader, and perceive it when they see safety, service, and sacrifice.

The genetics boom is upon us, promising everything from cures for inherited diseases to smarter children. But companies must tread carefully as the ethical debate plays out.

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The secret backdating of stock option grants is not just corporate hanky-panky, it is criminally fraudulent. Yet starting in 2006, well over 100 US public...

Five principles to consider.

They’ve set up teams of psychologists, anthropologists, forensics experts, and others.

Mum’s the word.

Trust is essential for businesses. But many have abused stakeholders' faith in them. Facebook failed to safeguard users' data. Volkswagen cheated on emissions...

It’s not just a few bad apples; some entire bushels are tainted.

Supplement to case UV7926 This case is part of the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) curriculum. To see other material in the GVV curriculum, please visit...

The Esquel, one of the world's largest cotton-based textile and apparel manufacturing companies, produces shirts for from scratch through a vertically...

L'Oréal, the world leader in beauty products, began to rethink its vision for the industry. The world was on the cusp of a digital future full of possibilities....

Less than a year after joining the board of African Bank Investments Limited (ABIL), the newest director finds himself in difficult discussions with other...

This case looks at the challenge the Maltese Ministry for Health faced. The public healthcare system of Malta was modeled after the British NHS and provided...

Alexandra Camacho, Vice President of Credit Risk at the Multilateral Development Agency (MDA), faces the challenge of preparing in a short time a report...

Filip Kowalski, a senior manager at the pharmaceutical company Healthgen, leads sales for the firm's Polish division. While pitching Healthgen's products,...

Supplement to case W97A17. In this set of six cases, students are placed into the role of the fictional Andrea Johnson, a recent graduate who has just...

In May 2021, Perch CEO Chris Bell needed to decide whether his e-commerce aggregator company, which bought and scaled Amazon Marketplace brands, should...

The case is set in 2023. The protagonist is Laxman Narasimhan, Starbucks' CEO since April 1st, 2023. Starbucks is a multinational coffee company and restaurant...

This case study examines the founding of Vitana, a dentistry-focused search fund founded by Ashish Bagai, Monika Srivastava, and Amir Fardshi. In this...

In November 1998, Jan Kasl, a successful architect and erstwhile city councilor, was his party's surprise choice for mayor of Prague, the capital city...

This optional C case follows UV7854 and UV7856, and describes the results of decisions on whether to allow a merger of two health care entities in rural...

In 2018, a Google employee leaked that the world's largest search engine was attempting to provide its service to China censored by the Communist Party....

To protect patient confidentiality, Abiomed, makers of the AbioCor artificial heart, adopt a 30-day "quiet period" surrounding implantations, which is...

Food Angel is a Hong Kong based social venture that recycles food into cooked meals for Hong Kong's poor. Founded by Gigi Tung, Food Angel has growth...

This case set is part of the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) curriculum. To see other material in the GVV curriculum, please visit http://store.darden.virginia.edu/giving-voice-to-values....

This case focuses on a key business decision taken by The Boeing Company to counter competition from its rival Airbus - in a duopoly market. The pressure...

When Ben Franklin wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac and the words, “A little neglect may breed great mischief,” he did not have price fixing in mind. To the 47 executives in companies in the folding-box industry convicted of price fixing, however, the words seem tailored to fit. In those companies convicted under antitrust laws in 1976, […]

Many companies were unprepared for the supply chain disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the threat of a global pandemic had been...

The business world is abuzz today about Greg Smith's parting shot at his long-time employer, Goldman Sachs. Is it accurate? Hard to say, but it has the...

In 2005, Harry C. Stonecipher, CEO of Boeing and one of America’s most highly respected corporate leaders, was asked by the company’s Board of Directors to resign his post. The reason was Stonecipher’s affair with Debra Peabody, a Boeing vice president. There was no charge of sexual harassment and no indication that Stonecipher had given […]

Leaders need to do more to encourage candor.

Leaders are feeling disoriented and concerned about the new technology. Here are four key risks to understand — and advice on how to address them.

In 2014, we still don't know how much an MRI should cost.

Five Questions with Bill George Retired CEO of Medtronic

For the first 40-plus years of their existence, the federal securities laws did not require or prohibit specific managerial practices in the operation of business, other than a business in one of a handful of closely regulated industries. But with the passage of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the SEC is equipped to […]

Taking responsibility for something one is incapable of doing has never been a particularly good idea. Politicians get in trouble for promising their...