Draft as of February 9, 2015 Syllabus - MLD110B Strategic Management
Prof. Steven Strauss
Phone: 617-500-8295
E-mail: [email protected]
Office hours signup:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/tgRBewwrW_XRXLWK3_axhLQ/htmlview
“The closest philosopher, the refined and cultured individual who from his library tells how men
ought to be governed under ideal conditions, is of no use in actual governmental work; and the
one-sided fanatic, and still more the mob-leader, and the insincere man who to achieve power
promises what by no possibility can be performed, are not merely useless but noxious. The
citizen must have high ideals, and yet he must be able to achieve them.”
President T. Roosevelt, Excerpt from the speech "Citizenship In A Republic"
delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910
(Emphasis added)
Learning Goals for this Course
By the end of this course, the student should have the tools and experience to lead the
development of the vision, mission, strategy and action plans that will deliver significant positive
transformational change in the public and/or not-for-profit sectors.
Course Description
A brilliant policy that suffers from poor leadership and/or bad management is likely to be, at
best, sub-optimal and at worst, a failure. This course is about best practices in leading and
managing governmental and not-for-profit organizations in developed democratic societies.
Unlike many of your other courses, we will assume that the policy problem has been solved (or,
if you prefer, the major policy decisions have been made); we will instead focus on the nonpolicy aspects of being a leader and/or manager.
This is a case study course. Our goal is to place you in the position of a senior leader (e.g.,
perhaps an executive director or mayor, but always a decision maker) so that you can experience
these challenges, as much as possible, in the way actual leaders experienced them.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for public policy students who expect to lead/manage significant public
sector and/or not-for-profit organizations. This course will also be helpful to students who
expect to advise leaders about leadership and management issues in the governmental and/or notfor-profit sectors.
Overview of Topics Covered
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 1 Draft as of February 9, 2015 1. Introduction to Leadership and Management: We will discuss the importance of
management and leadership in the public sector, and will compare/contrast the roles of
leadership vs. management. We will also introduce some key functions of leadership (e.g.,
shaping the vision, mission and strategy of the enterprise).
2. Tools and Techniques for Leading in the Public and Not-for-Profit Sectors: In this portion of
the course, we will discuss some of the available tools and techniques for achieving
transformational change and/or leading high performance organizations (e.g., change
management programs, performance management (and its variants), managing regulatory
agencies, transformation via learning, talent management, and diversity in organizations).
3. Managing the External Environment: In democratic societies, leaders will often succeed or
fail based on their management of the external environment. In this section of the course, we
will discuss the challenges of leadership in public-private partnerships, networks, coalitions,
and the use of outsourcing.
4. Current Topics in Public Sector Leadership and Management: In this last part of the course,
we will discuss additional recent techniques (e.g., social entrepreneurship, social impact
bonds, and impact investing), as well as some challenges presented by corruption and social
media.
Class Participation
For productive case discussions, students must: (1) not only read - but also analyze - cases and
materials, and (2) come to class ready to discuss a diagnosis of the problems presented by the
case, together with a plausible solution. Class participation will be evaluated based on the
quality and quantity of contributions. Students should be prepared to be “cold called”,
particularly regarding case readings.
If you will not be in class (or expect to be late), please e-mail: the professor, the teaching
assistant and your study group members (see below), at least 24 hours in advance.
Grading
Grades will be determined approximately as follows (more details will be provided in class):
• 25% - Class participation – An important part of class participation is paying respectful
attention to what other students are saying (including arriving for class on time),
participating in your group during class time, and crafting responses to what other
students have said that move the class conversation forward. Another important aspect of
class participation is being in the moment - so use of electronic devices (computers,
tablets, smartphones, etc.) for note taking, texting, researching, reading your papers, etc.
is not permitted. This article sets out the reasons: Shirky, Clay. "Why I Just Asked My
Students To Put Their Laptops Away..." Medium. 9 Sept. 2014.
• 25% - [Four] formal memo-format written answers to Discussion Questions: each answer
at most 750 words (should be submitted as a word document, and include a word count),
and structured as a memo that answers the main question(s) for that week’s case. When
preparing your written response, you can assume general familiarity with case facts, and
you should provide a succinct recommendation. In general, students who submit written
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 2 Draft as of February 9, 2015 •
•
answers to Discussion Questions should expect to be called on to start/lead the class
discussions. It is your responsibility to signup, in advance, for the classes where you
intend to submit written Discussion Question answers (you can find the signup sheet
here). In general, Discussion Question memos are due 24 hours before the relevant
class. Please make sure to signup and submit at least 1 Discussion Question memo
before the spring break.
10% - Scheduling at least one meeting to discuss the feedback you will receive on your
Problem Definition Memos
40% - Final paper and Problem Definition Memos – described in more detail below.
The Problem Definition Statement must be submitted prior to the spring break by Friday
March 13th at 9am. Final papers are due [May _, 2015 at 9am]. The Problem Definition
Memo is due the Friday afternoon before spring break (a template will be posted on the
course pager, and more instructions will be given in class)
Final Paper
The final paper is your opportunity to apply what you have learned in this course to a
governmental or non-governmental challenge of your choosing. You should select
an entity/situation you are familiar with; in most cases, this will be an organization where you
have worked or plan to work (and/or a challenge/topic about which you have some knowledge).
You may also select an entity you wish to learn more about. In such cases, it is important to
establish whether you can learn enough about the organization so that your paper has a solid
foundation. Interviews with the organization and/or relevant experts are encouraged.
You should choose a problem (or opportunity) to improve the work the entity does, and that you
can address by applying some concepts and tools explored in this course.
Your final paper should consist of [10-12] pages, and should:
• Describe the problem or opportunity you are addressing;
• Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using specific management tools to address
the problem or opportunity; and
• Make short-term and long-term recommendations.
Append a separate, brief note about your sources.
We will provide more details for this assignment later in the term.
Submitting Course Work
Unless otherwise specified, all assignments should be emailed to the class e-mail account
(address will be posted on course page). When submitting assignments as a word document,
please remember to include prominently on the first page: your name, the class (e.g.,
MLD110B), and the assignment that is being submitted.
Study Groups
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 3 Draft as of February 9, 2015 You will be assigned to groups in the first week of class. You are encouraged to work with these
groups to prepare for class. However, each student should independently prepare his or her
analysis of each case. Unless otherwise specified, you are not obligated to reach a consensus
answer with your group. You can use the group discussions outside of class to discuss alternative
approaches, different points of view, and different perspectives.
Other Information and Guidance
A significant part of your grade will be determined by your ability to write clearly and succinctly
- a key skill all public sector leaders must master. Before submitting your first written
assignment, please read: Behn, Bob. The Craft of Memo Writing (HKS, 2012). In addition, you
may want to look at some of the recommended readings on presentations and writing (see
below).
This is primarily a case study course. Over the course of the semester, we will discuss the
challenges faced by ~24 organizations and their leaders. A case study class is very different
from a lecture class. Before you participate in the first case study class, please be sure to read:
Hammond, John S. Learning by the Case Method (HBS-9-376-241, April 2002).
Auditors
Auditors are not permitted. Because this is a case study class, all students need to do the
readings and respond to the assignments.
Readings (All textbooks are on reserve in the library, and it is my expectation that any
required readings will be available electronically - so purchase is optional)
• Note: For the more formally academic papers in this Syllabus (e.g., peer reviewed journal
articles with complex econometrics and/or mathematics), you will only be responsible for
the key points in those papers (which can generally be found in the abstract,
introduction, and conclusions). We will not discuss econometric techniques, data
methodologies, etc.
• This course is founded upon the view that: Management techniques are important tools
for creating public value (Session 1 will explain this concept in more detail), and public
sector leaders/managers have an entrepreneurial role in this process. For more on the
topic of creating public value, please see: Moore, Mark Harrison. Creating Public Value:
Strategic Management in Government. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995.
Print.
• Optional readings are – optional. They mainly provide support or elaboration on points
we will discuss in class. You are not responsible for the optional readings and in general,
they will not be covered in class. However, you might find them useful if you want to
delve more deeply into a particular topic.
• This is not a course on best practices in writing and making presentations. On the other
hand: The ability to write a brief high impact memo, create a chart that quickly conveys
key information, or make a short set of verbal comments that shapes a discussion – are all
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 4 Draft as of February 9, 2015 key skills of the successful leader. As you prepare presentations (or points you want to
make in class), you may find the following books to be of use or interest:
o This is a classic which argues strongly for a pyramid approach to presentations.
In other words, lead with your recommendations and use the presentation/memo
to justify those recommendations: Minto, Barbara. The Pyramid Principle: Logic
in Writing and Thinking. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2002. Print.
o An American classic on writing, probably the best short book on how to write:
Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New York: Macmillan,
1979. Print.
o Prof. Pinker is both an accomplished academic and an excellent writer. This book
captures his thoughts and suggestions (Note: Pinker is not a fan of The Elements
of Style, and his book is more detailed and more technical than the older guide):
Pinker, Steven. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the
21st Century.
o Prof. Tufte is a fanatic (and I mean that in the best sense of the word) on what
makes a good graphic presentation. He has written several books on the topic. As
the name implies, this book is particularly good about quantitative information. If
you have a chance, look at the chart on the French advance and retreat from
Russia during the Napoleonic wars, arguably one of the most brilliant displays of
quantitative data ever done: Tufte, Edward R. The Visual Display of Quantitative
Information. Cheshire, Conn.: Graphics Press, 1983. (any edition).
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 5 Draft as of February 9, 2015 Overview of Classes
Class
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Date
Topic
Case
Introduction to leadership and management
01/26 Does leadership and management matter in the public sector?
01/28 Vision
Dubai
02/02 Mission
NGO Protecta
02/04 Strategy
Cleveland Clinic
02/09 Marketing Strategy
On Your Bike
02/11 ‘The Bully Pulpit’ (Persuasion)
Providence School District
02/18 The Complete Leader
Aravind Hospitals
Tools and techniques for leading in the public and non-profit sector
02/23 Performance Management
Mayor Williams (Washington DC)
02/25 Balanced Scorecard
City of Charlotte
03/02 Learning Organization
Children’s Hospital and Clinic
03/04 Employee Motivation
Logan Airport TSA
03/09 Talent Management
General Electric
03/11 Internationally Diverse Teams
Sun Microsystems
Spring Break - Problem Definition Memo is Due Before Break
03/23 Managing Accountability
ActionAid
03/25 Regulation
OSHA
Managing the external environment
03/30 Networks
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
04/01 Contracting and Outsourcing
Indianapolis
04/06 Public Private Partnerships
NYC Parks
04/08 Building Coalitions
Reverend Jeffrey Brown
Current topics in public sector leadership and management
04/13 Corruption
Lance Armstrong
04/15 Social Media
Planned Parenthood
04/20 Social Entrepreneurship
The American Food Paradox
04/22 Impact Investing
Acumen
04/27 Social Impact Bonds
Instiglio
04/29 Charismatic Leadership
Aung San Suu Kyi
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 6 Draft as of February 9, 2015 Class Meetings, Readings and Assignments
01/26: Session #1 – Does leadership and management matter in the public sector?
Objectives for this class: This session will provide an overview of the semester, and introduce
some key constructs (e.g., Vision, Mission, Leadership, and Logic Models) that we will examine
in detail during the semester. We will also discuss the evidence for why we believe management
and leadership matter in the public sector.
Everyone (Does not need to be submitted): Consider a personal example (i.e., someone you
worked for) of:
• A successful leader (e.g., someone who was a good leader based on Kotter’s definition of
leadership), and be prepared to explain in class why that person was successful, or
• A successful manager (e.g., someone who was a good leader based on Kotter’s definition
of management), and be prepared to explain why that person was successful.
Case: None
Readings:
• [56 pages] What do we mean by public value, and is it appropriate for a public sector
manager to innovate and be entrepreneurial? For some perspectives on these issues, skim
Chapters 1 and 2 of: Moore, Mark Harrison. Creating Public Value: Strategic
Management in Government. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995.
• [8 pages] Although the private sector faces a complicated problem (i.e., making a profit),
its underlying logic model (profits equal revenues, minus costs) is pretty straightforward.
But that’s not the situation for the public sector. The following illustrate the role and
importance of logic models in achieving public sector impact: Excerpts from W. K.
Kellogg Foundation. (2006). Logic Model Development Guide, pp. 1-8 of Chapter 1. See
also, table on page 54.
• [3 pages] As the name implies, this article sets out a definition of Strategic Management,
and provides a good overview of several themes we will discuss in class: Chen, Ming-Jer,
et al. (2010). What is Strategic Management? (Darden Business Publishing UVA-S0166).
• [10 pages] This seminal (and controversial) paper contrasts what leaders and managers
do: Kotter, J. P. (1990). What leaders really do. Harvard Business Review, 68(3), 103111.
• [15 pages] Read the Burns book excerpts on power and leadership; focus on sections
where he defines power, and contrasts transactional and transformational leadership. We
will return to this concept (of transactional vs. transformational leadership) several times
during this course: Burns, J. M. (1979). "The Power of Leadership," In Leadership. New
York: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc. (pp. 12-23).
Optional Reading:
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 7 Draft as of February 9, 2015 While leaders/managers may have real authority (to punish, promote, compensate, etc.) in practice, management is often an exercise in negotiation with external and internal
stakeholders. See: Lax, D. A. and Sebenius, J. K. (1986). The Manager as Negotiator:
Bargaining for Cooperation and Competitive Gain. New York: Free Press on “Power in
Bargaining” (pp. 249-257).
• This short article discusses the psychology of power - Galinsky, A. D., Magee, J. C.,
Inesi, M. E., and Gruenfeld, D. H. (2006). Power and perspectives not taken.
Psychological Science, 17(12), 1068-1074.
• During class time, use of electronic devices (computers, tablets, smartphones, etc.) for
note taking, texting, researching, reading your papers, etc. is not permitted. This article
sets out the reasons: Shirky, Clay. "Why I Just Asked My Students To Put Their Laptops
Away..." Medium. 9 Sept. 2014. (https://medium.com/@cshirky/why-i-just-asked-mystudents-to-put-their-laptops-away-7f5f7c50f368).
• For those of you who take notes electronically by typing, current research suggests this is
not as effective as writing them. Please see Mueller, Pam, and Daniel Oppenheimer.
"The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard." Sage. Psychological Science, 16 Jan. 2014.
Web. 17 Dec. 2014.
<http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/04/22/0956797614524581.abstract>.
• Ebrahim, A., and Rangan, V. K. (2010). The limits of nonprofit impact: A contingency
framework for measuring social performance. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School
Working Paper.
• President T. Roosevelt, "Citizenship In A Republic", delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris,
France on 23 April, 1910.
• Often, public sector leaders either question the value of management, or don’t focus on
the issue. Arguably, problems with the Obamacare launch (e.g., the website) were
management/leadership issues. That leads directly to the questions: What is
management, and how do we know it matters? The following academic papers suggest
that non-policy interventions can lead to substantial improvements in the delivery of
public service. You may want to briefly skim their abstracts, introductions, and
conclusions:
o Bloom, Nicholas et al. “Does Management Matter in Healthcare?”, Stanford
University Working Papers, June 2014.
o Bloom, Nicholas et al. “Does Management Matter in Schools?”, Stanford
University Working Papers, May 2014.
o Roland G., and Fryer, J. Injecting Charter School Best Practices into Traditional
Public Schools: Evidence From Field Experiments. Quarterly Journal of
Economics (2014). Forthcoming.
• BTW, to learn more about the “Management Matters” work (it now covers multiple
countries and sectors), check out its website – you may use this material for your
projects. It includes detailed descriptions of the survey instruments used:
http://worldmanagementsurvey.org/
Discussion Question: N/A
•
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 8 Draft as of February 9, 2015 01/28: Session #2 – What is your Vision? (Case: Dubai)
“Bush...suffered from his lack of what he called ‘the vision thing,’ a clarity of ideas and
principles that could shape public opinion and influence Congress. … He does not say why he
wants to be there … so the public does not know why it should care if he gets his way.”columnist George Will1
Objectives for this class: We expect our leaders to have a Vision, and if they fail to have one,
they risk failure or at least severe criticism/derision. However, even leaders who have a Vision
may find it difficult to articulate – they may have trouble explaining what they mean or even
why they want to lead. In this session, we will make the concept of a Vision more precise, and
explore its role in public sector leadership and management.
[We will also assign groups and roles for next session’s PROTECTA case].
Everyone (Does not need to be submitted, but come to class prepared to discuss): Evaluate the
Vision Statement (or nearest equivalent) of an organization you have worked for. In class, and
using the readings as a guide, be prepared to discuss and support your Vision Statement
evaluation.
Case:
• [31 pages] Sheik Mohammed and the Making of Dubai Inc. (Case: HBS 9-410-063).
Readings:
• [4 pages] Hammond, John S. Learning by the Case Method, (HBS-9-376-241, April
2002).
• [7 pages] Although this teaching note was written in 1989, it remains a classic survey and
provides a good introduction: The Vision Thing (HBS, 1989).
• [24 pages] Getting the Vision Right (HBP, 2005).
Optional Reading:
• Good, and recent, overview of what it means to have a Mission, Vision and Values. Also
includes links to interviews with corporate leaders who share their perspectives: Setting
Aspirations – Mission, Vision and Values [HBR].
• [14 pages] The authors of this piece argue (based on six years of research and the
synthesis of many case studies) that a Vision must have a Core Ideology (e.g., a
company’s timeless character) and an Envisioned Future (e.g., a Big Hairy Audacious
Goal): Building Your Company’s Vision (HBR, 1996).
1
For a longer discussion of “the vision thing” and the source for this quote see:
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 9 Draft as of February 9, 2015 Discussion Questions:
• Sheik Mohammed’s Vision for Dubai – What has been Sheik Mohammed’s Vision for
Dubai? Do you think his Vision has been effective (Why/Why not – evaluate using the
readings, particularly the frameworks in Getting the Vision Right). Do you think his
Vision has been appropriate for Dubai? What might have been an alternate Vision?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 10 Draft as of February 9, 2015 02/02: Session #3 – What is your Mission? (Case: PROTECTA)
Objectives for this class: In this class, we will explore the role of Mission in the public and notfor-profit sectors, and contrast it with the role and purpose of a Vision.
Everyone (Does not need to be submitted, but come to class prepared to discuss): Submit the
Mission Statement (or nearest equivalent) of an organization you have worked for. Was the
Mission Statement effective? Be prepared to explain in class why/why not, using the class
readings as a guide.
Case:
• [19 pages] PROTECTA—Promoting Civil Society in Serbia (HKS Case CR-1924.0).
Readings:
• [8 pages] Rangan, V. K. (2004). Lofty Missions, Down-to-Earth Plans. Harvard Business
Review, 82(3), 112-119.
• [9 pages] Oster, S. (1995). The Mission of the Nonprofit Organization. In Strategic
Management for Nonprofit Organizations: Theory and Cases. New York: Oxford
University Press, pp. 17-28.
• [1 page] Meehan, W. F. III. (2008). Making Missions That Won’t Creep. Stanford Social
Innovation Review, 6(1), p. 64.
• [2 pages] Star, K. (2012). The Eight Word Mission Statement: Don’t Settle for More.
Stanford Social Innovation Review, Blog, September 18, 2012.
• For this journal article, please skip the methods and econometric analysis, but review the
discussions and conclusions sections [about 8 pages]: Weiss, J. A., and S. K. Piderit.
"The Value of Mission Statements in Public Agencies." Journal of Public Administration
Research and Theory (1999), 9(2): 193-224.
Optional Reading:
• None
Discussion Questions:
Prepare the Case from the perspective of one of PROTECTA’s founders (you can signup for
specific founders on the Discussion Questions signup sheet). From your founder’s perspective,
analyze the alignment of the organization’s Mission, strategy, and programs by applying the four
steps of strategy formulation in the Rangan reading. To do this effectively, you will need a
strong command of both the Case and the Rangan reading. Following are questions to guide
your case preparation and reading:
1. What is PROTECTA’s Mission? How would you characterize its “operational mission”
(e.g., quantifiable indicators of Mission achievement)?
2. Is PROTECTA suffering from “mission stick” or “market pull”?
3. What do you think of PROTECTA’s strategy? Is it effective and sustainable for
achieving its Mission?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 11 Draft as of February 9, 2015 4. Sketch out a Strategy Platform for PROTECTA.
02/04: Session #4 – What is Strategy? (Case: Cleveland Clinic)
Objectives for this class: In this class, we will define and examine the role of Strategy, and how
it interacts with Vision and Mission, and explore forces that shape Strategy.
[We will also assign groups to cities for next week’s bike share assignment.]
Case:
• [23 pages], Cleveland Clinic Growth Strategy 2012.
Readings:
• This is a classic in the field of strategy, particularly appropriate if you are responsible for
a not for profit that operates in competition with other not-for-profits -[19 pages] The
Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy (HBR, 2008).
• As you read this article, try to substitute the words “public value” wherever the author
discusses profitability. Also, consider do public sector providers need to create fit among
their activities? Do they need to make tradeoffs in who they will serve and how? Does
fit matter for creating public value? [14 pages] What is Strategy? (HBR, 1996).
• The Strategic Triangle is one of the classic constructs in public sector management (we
discussed it biefly in an earlier class), this brief note outlines the applicability of the
Strategic Triangle and why it matters[4 pages] Moore, Mark H. "Defining Mission and
Goals in the Public Sector." Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in
Government. 1997 ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 70-73. Print.
Optional Reading:
• If you are interested in health care, this article may be useful – it elaborates on some
points made in the Case: Health Care’s Service Fanatics (HBR, May 2013).
• Also of interest, regarding health care: Cole Eye Institute, 2012, Outcomes.
• For more on the Strategic Triangle, plus a discussion and comparison of strategy in the
for-profit, not-for-profit and governmental sectors, see: Moore, Mark H. "Managing for
Value: Organizational Strategy in For-Profit, Nonprofit, and Governmental
Organizations." Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (2000), 29(1): 183-204. Web.
Discussion Questions:
What are your recommendations to Dr. Cosgrove (e.g., which growth initiatives, if any, should
the Clinic select and why)? To answer, it may be helpful to consider:
• What is the Clinic’s overall Strategy for improving value for patients? Identify the critical
components and their rationale.
• Where has the Clinic made the most progress?
• What are the areas for improvement?
• Identify and evaluate the Clinic’s various approaches to growing its practice.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 12 Draft as of February 9, 2015 02/09: Session #5 – Creating Public Value Using Marketing Strategy
Objectives for this class: Marketing is often considered to be merely advertising and promotion.
A comprehensive marketing strategy, however, also covers topics such as: segmentation (which
population groups to target), pricing, placement (where the public service should be delivered)
and design of the service/product. In this class, we will develop a better understanding of why
marketing matters in the public sector.
Case:
• [30 pages] On Your Bike (HKS, 2014).
Readings:
• [15 pages] Strauss, S. et al (2014). Note on Marketing: A Tool to Create Public Value.
(HKS__).
• Skim the Andreasen and Kotler chapters, which go into greater depth about the concept
of the customer-centered mindset, and the tricky process of pricing in the nonprofit and
governmental sectors:
o [23 pages] Andreasen, A.R. and Kotler, P. (2008). Developing a Target AudienceCentered Mindset. In Strategic Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations, 7th ed.
Prentice Hall. Chapter 2, pp. 34-57.
o [15 pages] Andreasen, A.R. and Kotler, P. (2008). Managing Perceived Costs. In
Strategic Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations, 7th ed. Prentice Hall. Chapter
10, pp. 233-248.
Discussion Questions:
Identify the key goals and challenge(s) facing the bike share program in the city you’ve been
assigned. Here are some additional questions to guide your case preparation and reading:
• What are the key customer segments and perceived positioning of the bike share program
in your assigned city?
• What is the current marketing mix? Be sure to provide details about the product, pricing
strategy, place (channel) and promotion.
• What role do other players/collaborators have in the success of the bike share program
(local government, local businesses and nonprofits)?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 13 Draft as of February 9, 2015 02/11: Session #6 – Leadership as a “Bully Pulpit” (Case: Providence School District)
Objectives for this class: One reality of public sector leadership, is that we must often lead
“major change” programs from positions of great nominal authority, but very limited actual
authority. In most democratically elected countries, often civil service rules preclude “firing at
will”, union work rules limit flexibility, and work force incentives are limited. In other cases,
deeply embedded cultural norms are barriers to change. However, senior leadership positions in
the public sector do have significant convening power, and provide a “Bully Pulpit”.2 In this
class, we will explore the power, opportunities and limits of the “Bully Pulpit” to drive
transformational change.
Case:
• [14 pages] “Winning Hearts and Minds: Reforming the Providence School District (A)”,
HKS Case C14-03-1689.0.
Readings:
• President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is approximately 300 words, yet in a
speech lasting only 2 minutes, Lincoln was able to cover: the principles of human
equality espoused by the Declaration of Independence, invoke the Civil War as a struggle
for the preservation of the Union, and position the Civil War as a struggle not just for the
Union, but also for the principle of human equality. Please read Lincoln’s Gettysburg
address: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm
• [10 pages] This is the classic article on the steps involved in leading change: Kotter, John
P. "Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail." Harvard Business Review. Jan.
2007. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.
• [10 pages] The author argues that Leaders need to communicate their Vision clearly and
succinctly around five topics: Organizational Hierarchy, Financial Results, The Leader’s
Role, Time Management and Corporate Culture: The Five Messages Leaders Must
Manage (HBR, 2006).
• [6 pages] Sorensen, Jasper. Note on Organizational Culture, Stanford University,
Publication Date Sep 01, 2009.
• If you have taken a course on persuasion techniques, you may find these a useful
refresher. If you have not taken a course on persuasion, please skim:
o [4 pages] “Principles of Effective Persuasion” (HBS Note 9-497-059).
o [10 pages] Cialdini, Robert B. "Harnessing the Science of Persuasion.” Harvard
Business Review. 1 Oct. 2001.
2
Note: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a Bully Pulpit is "a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue." The term was first used by President Teddy Roosevelt, in explaining his view of the Presidency: "I suppose my critics will call that preaching, but I have got such a bully pulpit!" FYI -­‐ The word “bully” was an adjective in the vernacular of that time meaning "first-­‐rate," somewhat equivalent to recent use of the word "awesome." Prof. Steven Strauss Page 14 Draft as of February 9, 2015 Optional Reading:
• More details on organizational culture - Edgar H. Schein, Organizational Culture and
Leadership, Josey-Bass (2004). pp. 1-9, 9-23, 39-61.
• The saying “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic” is often attributed
to Stalin; however, it actually has some basis in psychology: Small, D., Loewenstein, G.,
& Slovic, P. (2007). Sympathy and callousness: The impact of deliberative thought on
donations to identifiable and statistical victims. Organizational Behavior and Human
Decision Processes, 102, 143-153.
• Graham Allison, Essence of Decision, Little, Brown, 1999 (second edition), pp. 1-11,
379-405 (Chapters 1 and 7).
• [4 pages] For this article, skim the abstract, introduction and conclusion. Skitka, L. J., and
Tetlock, P. E. (1993). Providing public assistance: Cognitive and motivational processes
underlying liberal and conservative policy preferences. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 65, 1205 - 1223.
Discussion Questions:
• Assume Melody Johnson has decided to suspend school for a day and hold a celebration
for Providence teachers in early December. Write a 750 word speech that lays out your
key points, and be prepared to read your speech in class. In writing the speech, think of a
situation where you had the opportunity to speak to a large group of people and needed to
persuade them of an important point or points. What worked most effectively for you?
As you consider Melody Johnson’s speech to the Providence teachers, write the speech as
you would deliver it, if you were in her situation.
In preparing this speech (and/or preparing for the class discussion), please consider the
following:
• Using Kotter’s framework and principles of persuasion, assess Lam’s strategy for
bringing change to Providence Schools. In what areas was she particularly effective? In
what areas was she particularly ineffective?
• Again, using Kotter as a guide - what are the critical challenges facing Melody Johnson
as she assumes the role of Superintendent of the Providence School District in September
2002?
• How can Melody Johnson elicit leadership from within the Providence School District?
Using principles of persuasion, and given her goals - What should Johnson say to the
teachers when she meets with them “to celebrate teaching” and get them “on their feet”
on December 10, 2002?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 15 Draft as of February 9, 2015 02/18: Session #7 – Dr. V – The Complete Leader (Case: Aravind)
Objectives for this class: We will use this class to close off our discussions of: how Vision,
Mission, Strategy and Marketing come together in an organization, and the role of a strong
visionary charismatic leader. This class will also serve as a transition as we start to focus on
operations and performance management as key levers for delivering public value.
Case:
• [20 pages] Aravind Eye Hospital (HBS Case 9-593-098).
• [Everyone: Download the Aravind Spreadsheet from the course webpage and populate it
with data from the case.]
Readings:
• [6 pages] Kaplan, Robert S. and Norton, David P., Integrating Strategy Planning and
Operational Execution: A Six-Stage System (2008). Balanced Scorecard Report, 10(3),
1-6.
• [6 pages] Antonakis, J., Fenley, M. and Liechti, S. Learning Charisma. Harvard Business
Review, Publication Date Jun 01, 2012.
• This is not required for the Aravind Case, but before the spring break: You must submit a
brief memo setting out your ideas for you final paper, and this note will help with your
process - [3 pages] Background Note: Defining the Problem.
Discussion Questions:
Should Dr. V expand the Aravind model to other parts of India, Asia and Africa – and, if so,
how? To answer this question, you should consider the following:
1. What are Aravind’s Vision, Mission and Strategy?
2. What are the key factors that led to Aravind’s success?
3. What has been Dr. V’s role in all of this?
4. Evaluate Aravind’s quality of service at the free hospital vs. the paying hospital.
5. What has been the role of Aravind's clinical and support staff in all this? Are they
dedicated and altruistic, or do they have an ulterior motive?
6. Are there any weaknesses at all with the Aravind model of delivering eye care?
7. How are its satellite hospitals at Tirunelveli (best labeled T-Valley) and Theni doing?
(The spreadsheet will help answer this question.)
8. How are its eye camps performing?
9. Using the Kaplan and Norton framework as an evaluation tool, are they missing anything
important?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 16 Draft as of February 9, 2015 02/23: Session #8 – Using Performance Management to Drive Cultural Change (Case:
Mayor Anthony Williams)
Objectives for this class: During this class session, we will analyze the case about Mayor
Williams in Washington, D.C., and discuss the benefits/problems of performance measurement
as a management and motivational tool.
Everyone (does not need to be submitted): Provide examples—from personal experience—that
illustrate how goal-setting or other benchmarks/standards can be beneficial or dysfunctional for
organizational performance.
Case:
• [30 pages] Mayor Anthony Williams and Performance Management in Washington DC
(HKS Case 16-02-1647.0).
Readings:
• [30 pages] Behn, Robert. (2006). Performance Leadership: 11 Better Practices That Can
Ratchet Up Performance. IBM Center for The Business of Government.
• [10 pages] Ordóñez, L. D., Schweitzer, M. E., Galinsky, A. D., and Bazerman, M. H.
(2009). Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Overprescribing Goal Setting.
Academy of Management Perspectives, 23(1), 6-16.
• [10 pages] Gray, Ann E. and Leonard, James. Process Fundamentals (HBS Case 9-696023) (Revised Sept 8, 2009).
Optional Reading:
• [12 pages] Locke, E. A., and Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of
goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705717.
Discussion Questions:
Did Mayor Williams make a good decision by selecting Scorecards (i.e., goal
setting/performance management) as one of his first mayoral initiatives? To answer this
question, please consider the following:
• Using Behn’s list of better practices, evaluate Mayor Williams’ implementation of
performance management. (This is not meant to be a checklist; try to provide a high-level
evaluation of Mayor Williams’ implementation and be ready to support your evaluation
with facts from the case.)
• Based on the Locke & Latham and Ordonez et al. articles, if you were advising Mayor
Williams, what would you tell him about benefits and risks of his choice?
• Where would you fit Mayor Williams’ Scorecards into Ebrahim and Rangan’s
Contingency Framework for Measuring Results (which we discussed our first week)?
Think about the differences in the complexity of operations and theories of change across
departments of city government.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 17 Draft as of February 9, 2015 02/25: Session #9 – Balanced Scorecard (Case: City of Charlotte)
Objectives for this class: In this class, we will elaborate on our discussion of performance
management, and look at additional techniques.
Case:
• [25 pages] City of Charlotte (A) (HBS Case 9-199-036).
Readings:
• [20 pages] Kaplan, Robert S. and Norton, David P. “Measurement and Management in
the Information Age”, Chapter 1 in The Balanced Scorecard, HBS Press, 1996, pp. 1-20.
• [30 pages] Kaplan, Robert S. (1999). “The Balanced Scorecard for Public-Sector
Organizations”, Balanced Scorecard Report, HBS Press B9911C.
Optional Reading:
• TBC
Discussion Question:
• Using last week’s case (Performance Management in DC) for comparison with this
week’s case (City of Charlotte): Identify one or more advantages, and one or more
disadvantages, in the Balanced Scorecard approach versus simpler forms of performance
management.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 18 Draft as of February 9, 2015 03/02: Session #10 – Learning Organization (Case: Children’s Hospital and Clinic)
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
– George Santayana
Objectives for this class: All people and institutions make mistakes; the best institutions and
people learn from their mistakes. In this class, we will discuss what it means to be a learning
organization.
Case:
• [25 pages] Children’s Hospital and Clinics (A) (HBS Case 9-302-050).
Readings:
• [10 pages] David A. Garvin, Amy C. Edmondson, and Francesca Gino, “Is Yours a
Learning Organization?” Harvard Business Review, March 2008. R0803H.
• [10 pages] Amy Edmondson, “The Competitive Imperative of Learning”, Harvard
Business Review, July 2008, R0807E.
• [13 pages] Chris Argyris, “Teaching Smart People to Learn”, Harvard Business Review,
May 1991, 91301.
• [30 pages] Please skim (the chapter has some redundencies): Kegan, Robert and Lisa
Lahey, Immunity to Change, Harvard Business Press, 2009, pp. 31-60.
Optional Reading:
• [29 pages] Kegan, Robert and Lisa Lahey, Immunity to Change, Harvard Business Press,
2009, pp. 11-30.
Discussion Question:
• Julie Morath has read about Immunity to Change and is enormously excited by the
concept. She asks you to write her a memo recommending the idea of doing this kind of
work at the hospital.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 19 Draft as of February 9, 2015 03/04: Session 11 – The “Strategic Corporal” in the Public Sector (Case: Logan Airport
TSA)
Objectives for this class: The success (or failure) of policy initiatives often rests on the judgment,
motivation, morale and professionalism of (what are often) the lowest paid staff members, doing
the most monotonous work, with the least prestige. Yet paradoxically, in our modern digital age,
these front line government employees are also asked to cope with an increasingly complex set
of responsibilities, and make complex judgments. The front line of any government is: The civil
servant at the department of motor vehicles counter, the sanitation worker, the police officer
walking the beat, the teacher in the classroom and so on. Keeping the team motivated and on
track is one of the most important functions of any leader/manager. In this class, we will explore
some of these challenges via the lens of the security personnel at TSA.
Case:
• [11 pages] Mina O’Reilly at Logan Airport’s TSA (HBS Case 9-409-116).
Readings:
• [18 pages] Pratt, Michael G. and Blake E. Ashforth. “Fostering Meaningfulness in
Working and at Work”, Chapter 20, pp. 309-327, in Positive Organizational Scholarship:
Foundations of a New Discipline (2003). Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
• [10 pages] Liddy, M. L. “The Strategic Corporal: Some Requirements in Training and Education”. Australian Army Journal, Vol II, nr. 2, pp. 139-­‐148.
• [14 pages] Grant, Adam M., and David A. Hofmann. "Outsourcing Inspiration: The
Performance Effects of Ideological Messages from Leaders and Beneficiaries."
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 116.2 (2011): 173-87.
• [18 pages] Adam Grant, Leading With Meaning: Beneficiary Contact, Prosocial Impact,
and the Performance Effects of Transformational Leadership, Academy of Management
Journal (2012), Vol. 55, No. 2, 458–476. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0588
Discussion Questions:
• What should Mina O’Reilly do about the situation with Ludo Sanchez? And, more
generally, what should she do going forward?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 20 Draft as of February 9, 2015 03/09: Session #12 – Talent Management (Case: GE)
Objectives for this class: Talent management is one the most important single functions of a
leader. The most brilliant Vision, Mission, Strategy and Operating Procedures can be rendered
useless by the wrong person in the wrong job, or the right person, but with the wrong training. In
this class, we will discuss what is considered to be a best case example of long-term talent
management.
Everyone (does not need to be submitted): In preparation for this class, please reflect on your
own experiences with talent management systems. What types of systems have you experienced,
and did the talent management process seem well suited to the organization and its tasks?
Case:
• [28 pages] General Electric’s Talent Machine: The Making of a CEO (HBS Case 304049) (or Governance and Talent Management in a Professional Services Firm) (2013).
Readings:
• [23 pages] Motivation: The Not-So-Secret Ingredient of High Performance, pp. 1-23
(HBS Note 7386BC) (2006).
• [10 pages] Jeffrey Pfeffer, Putting People First, Academy of Management Executives
(1999), Vol 13, 2, pp. 37-48.
Optional Reading:
•
[9 pages] Perry, James L., Annie Hondeghem, and Lois Recascino Wise. "Revisiting the
Motivational Bases of Public Service: Twenty Years of Research and an Agenda for the
Future." Public Administration Review 70.5 (2010): 681-90.
Discussion Question:
• Under what circumstances would GE’s vitality curve “with its rigid allocation of top
20%, highly valued 70% and bottom 10%” be applicable in the public sector? Never? Or,
in certain circumstances? Cite examples.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 21 Draft as of February 9, 2015 03/11: Session #13 – Leading Internationally Diverse Teams (Case: Sun Microsystems)
Objectives for this class: With globalization, we are increasingly called on to work in teams that
are culturally diverse, operating under different legal systems, and often in different time zones
(e.g., the challenges of coordinating a UN peace keeping mission). During this class session, we
will analyze the challenges faced by an internationally distributed work team, through the case of
Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (A).
Everyone (does not need to be submitted): In preparation for this class, please reflect on your
own career experiences. Have you ever been in a distributed (e.g., working across multiple time
zones) and culturally diverse team (e.g., not just different time zones, but staff members with
different expectations, backgrounds, etc.) – what was the experience like?
Case:
• [15 pages] Managing a Global Team: Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (A) (HBS
case 9-409-003). (2008).
Readings:
• Leaders set the tone for the organizational debate. It is an important role, but the framing
is often ignored. An empowering leader can drive team performance. Please read the
Introduction (pp.1465-1470) and General Discussion (pp. 1481-1484): Tost, L. P., F.
Gino, and R. P. Larrick. "When Power Makes Others Speechless: The Negative Impact of
Leader Power on Team Performance." Academy of Management Journal 56.5 (2013):
1465-486. Web.
• [2 pages] Molinsky, A. L., Davenport, T. H., Iyer, B., and Davidson, C. (2012). 3 Skills
every 21st Century Manager Needs. Harvard Business Review, 90(1/2), 140-141.
• [30 pages] Excerpts from Molinsky, A.L. (2013). Global Dexterity: How to Adapt Your
Behavior Across Cultures Without Losing Yourself. Boston: Harvard Business Review
Press.
o Chapter 2: Psychological Challenges of Global Dexterity (pp. 23-41).
o Chapter 3: Diagnose the New Cultural Code section on “You Can Be a Cultural
Detective” (pp. 58-59).
o Conclusion: The Myth and Reality of Adapting Behavior across Cultures (pp.
173-182).
Optional Reading:
• Mannix, E., and M. A. Neale. "What Differences Make a Difference? The Promise and
Reality of Diverse Teams in Organizations." Psychological Science in the Public Interest
(2005), 6(2): 31-55.
• Woolley, A. W., C. F. Chabris, A. Pentland, N. Hashmi, and T. W. Malone. "Evidence
for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups." Science
330.6004 (2010): 686-88.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 22 Draft as of February 9, 2015 Discussion Questions:
• Overall, how well has James managed his global team? What should he do in the short
and long-term? When thinking about these questions, please consider the following:
• Who is responsible for the HS Holding Crisis?
• What role did the “Open Work” environment play in the case?
• What role did diversity play on the team?
[Reminder – Problem Definition Memos are due just before the break]
SPRING Break March 14th to 22nd
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 23 Draft as of February 9, 2015 03/23: Session #14 – Managing Accountability with Diverse Stakeholders (Case:
ActionAid)
Objectives for this class: A not uncommon challenge, in the public and not-for-profit sectors, is
an organization that raises funds in one community to serve a different community (which
immediately raises issues of accountability and priorities). You will see in the Case how
leveraging diversity is central to ActionAid’s strategic dedication to stakeholder accountability.
Case:
• [32 pages] ActionAid International: Globalizing Governance, Localizing Accountability
(HBS Case 311-004).
Readings:
• [20 pages] The Brown and Moore reading is about how international nongovernmental
organizations (e.g., nonprofits) can be strategic about moral, legal, and instrumental
demands of accountability. Brown, L. D., and Moore, M. H. (2001). Accountability,
Strategy, and International Nongovernmental Organizations. Nonprofit and Voluntary
Sector Quarterly, 30(3), 569-587.
• [10] pages Ely, R. J., Meyerson, D. E., and Davidson, M. N. (2006). Rethinking Political
Correctness. Harvard Business Review, 84(9), 78-87.
Optional Reading:
We will touch on ideas from each of these optional readings during the discussion, but they are
strictly optional, and are not required for the case analysis or class discussion.
• [10 pages] The Davidson excerpts are about leveraging diversity for strategic advantage,
and a nice complement to the Ely, Myerson and Davidson reading listed above:
Davidson, M. N. (2011). The End of Diversity as We Know It. San Francisco, CA:
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Read: p. 47, comparing managing diversity with
leveraging difference; pp. 76-83, the leveraging difference cycle (explaining Figure 1);
and pp. 184-188, how leaders leverage difference (elaborating about Figure 6 on
feedback loops).
• The optional reading by Chait et al. is a recent, influential book on nonprofit boards.
Chait, R. P., Ryan, W. P., and Taylor, B. E. (2005). Governance as leadership:
Reframing the work of nonprofit boards. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.
Discussion Questions:
At the end of the case, global North-South differences are creating tensions in the organization,
as evidenced by the motions submitted for a vote at the General Assembly. Is this a problem or
an opportunity? What leadership actions could be taken at the General Assembly and going
forward to leverage these differences? Use the following questions to guide your case
preparation and reading:
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 24 Draft as of February 9, 2015 1. Following the Brown and Moore reading, how has ActionAid made accountability part of
its strategy?
2. Who are its Value creation stakeholders? Who are its support and
authorization/legitimacy stakeholders? Who are its operational capacity stakeholders?
What programmatic and governance changes has the leadership made to become more
accountable to all of these stakeholders?
3. Following the Davidson reading, how has ActionAid “leveraged difference” to achieve
its strategic objectives?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 25 Draft as of February 9, 2015 03/25: Session #15 – Leading a Regulatory Agency (Case: OSHA)
Objectives for this class: One major way the public sector delivers Value is by leading and
managing regulatory agencies. As a leader, you face all the same problems of managing any
large organization. Additionally, your ability to impact the public will be as much about your
ability to manage the institutions you regulate, as about managing your actual agency. In this
class, we will discuss some of the organizational and other challenges of managing a regulator.
Case:
• [28 pages] OSHA (A,B,C) (HKS Cases C102-97-1371-0, 1372.0, and 1373.0).
Readings:
• [7 pages] “Types of Processes” (HBS Case 9-682-08).
• [7 pages] Organizational Structure (Darden, UV3041).
• [3 pages] Appelbaum, Binyamin. "Jean Tirole Wins Nobel in Economics for Work on
Regulation." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Oct. 2014. Web. 17 Dec.
2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/business/jean-tirole-wins-nobel-prize-ineconomics.html>
• [3 pages] Tirole, Jean. "Quality, Information and Public Policy." in The Theory of
Industrial Organization. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1988. pges 113-15. Print.
• [6 pages] "Regulatory Excellence." McKinsey Center for Government. McKinsey, Oct.
2013.
Optional Reading:
• [50 pages] Prof. Tirole recently won the Nobel Prize for his work on regulation. The
summary of his work (prepared by the Prize Committee) is a good overview of the topic:
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economic-sciences/laureates/2014/advancedeconomicsciences2014.pdf
Discussion Question:
• What are the advantages of OSHA’s Maine 200 approach compared to the Redesign
approach? (TBC)
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 26 Draft as of February 9, 2015 03/30: Session #16 – Networks (Case: Institute for Healthcare Improvement)
Objectives for this class: We will discuss the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and its use of
networks to deliver impact.
Case:
• [36 pages] Institute for Healthcare Improvement: The Campaign to Save 100,000 Lives
(Stanford Business School Case L-13).
Readings:
• [5 pages] Wei-Skillern, J., and Marciano, S. (2008). The Networked Nonprofit. Stanford
Social Innovation Review, 6(2), 38-43.
• One of the key skills of any leader/manager needs is the ability to create networks, this
article is a bit of “how to” - "How Leaders Create and Use Networks." Harvard Business
Review. N.p., 01 Jan. 2007. Web. 09 Feb. 2015. https://hbr.org/2007/01/how-leaderscreate-and-use-networks/ar/1
Optional Reading:
• Networks are a powerful tool for any leader. These excerpts, from a biography of the
American civil rights leader Whitney Young, illustrate the networks he built and how
they were used to advance civil rights in the United States: Part I on “Becoming a
Leader”, Excerpts from Dickerson, D. (1998). “Becoming a Leader: The Omaha Years.”
In Militant Mediator: Whitney M. Young Jr. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.
pp. 56-87; 326-329. Part II on “Maintaining the Middle Ground”, Excerpts from
Dickerson, D. (1998). “Maintaining the Middle Ground.” In Militant Mediator: Whitney
M. Young Jr., Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. pp. 161-171, 183; 339-342.
Pettigrew, T. F., and Tropp, L. R. (2000).
• Extensive academic research indicates that women, minorities and disadvantaged
communities suffer from limited access to networks, while a bit dated this article
provides a good starting point on this important issue - Ibarra, Herminia. "Personal
Networks of Women and Minorities in Management: A Conceptual Framework." The
Academy of Management Review 18.1 (1993): 56. Web
• Both of these readings are more relevant to the medical and health systems reform
aspects of the case: [22 pages] Jerome Groopman, MD, Chapter 6, “The Uncertainty of
the Expert” in How Doctors Think, Houghton Mifflin, 2007, pp. 132-155; [13 pages] Atul
Gawande, MD, “The Checklist”, The New Yorker, Dec. 10, 2007, pp. 1-13.
Discussion Questions:
What are the biggest impediments to the changes needed in hospitals to reduce risks to patients?
And, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the IHI approach? Would a more regulatory
approach have worked better? Why? Why not?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 27 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/01: Session #17 – Contracting and Outsourcing (Case: Indianapolis)
Objectives for this class: One of the ways the government delivers impact is by
outsourcing/contracting with the private sector. In this class, we will discuss the experience of
Indianapolis when it decided to outsource some of its road maintenance work.
Case:
• [20 pages] Organizing Competition in Indianapolis (A) and (B) (HKS C18-95-1269.0 and
C18-95-1270.0).
Readings:
• [22 pages] Quinn, J.B. and Hilmer, F.G. “Strategic Outsourcing”, Sloan Management
Review (1994).
• [5 pages] Brown, Adrian, and Adam Swersky. "Smarter Outsourcing in the Public
Sector." Www.bcgperspectives.com. BCG, July 2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
<https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/public_sector_sourcing_procurement
_smarter_outsourcing_public_sector/>.
Optional Readings:
• [36 pages] Steven J. Kelman, “Contracting,” in Lester M. Salamon, ed., The Tools of
Government, Oxford University Press, 2002, pp. 282-318.
• The author is a, former undersecretary of defense for policy (2009-12), co-founder of the
Center for a New American Security – in this editorial she sets out concerns and
suggestions regarding defense procurement - Flournoy, Michele. "The Smart-Shopping
Way to Cut Defense Spending." WSJ. Wall Street Journal, 07 July 2013.
Discussion Questions:
• How does Mayor Goldsmith’s approach to improving productivity compare to Mayor
Williams’? Should Mayor Williams have adopted the Indianapolis approach? Why or
why not?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 28 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/06: Session #18 – Public Private Partnerships (Case: NYC Parks)
Objectives for this class: Public private partnerships have been an increasing part of the public
sector landscape, from the perspective of the public sector manager they present many potential
benefits and challenges. In this class, we will discuss the managements issues of public-private
partnerships (PPP) using the Case of New York City Parks.
Case:
• [30 pages] Parks and Partnership in New York City (HKS Case CR16-04-1743.0).
Readings:
• [29 pages] Donahue, John D. and Richard J. Zeckhauser, “Public-Private Collaboration,”
in The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, 2006, pp. 496-525.
• [tbc]
Discussion Questions:
• What benefits and risks do you see in Adrian Benepe’s approach to supporting the NYC
parks? Is the PPP approach appropriate for NYC parks?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 29 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/08: Session #19 – Building Coalitions (Case: Cops, Kids and Ministers)
Objective for this class: One of the challenges of public sector leadership is having great
responsibility, with limited authority (a situation we discussed before with the “Bully Pulpit”).
Another approach to this challenge is to leverage leadership by building coalitions, as we will
discuss in the case of Rev. Jeffrey Brown.
Case:
• [28 pages] Rev. Jeffrey Brown, “Cops, Kids and Ministers” (HBS Case 9-801-284).
Readings:
• [8 pages] HBS Note on “Building Coalitions”.
Optional Readings:
• For a different, but related set of perspectives, see Chapters 6 (Diagnose the Political
Landscape) and 10 (Act Politically) in Heifetz, Ronald A., Alexander Grashow, and
Martin Linsky. The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing
Your Organization and the World. Boston, MA: Harvard Business, 2009.
Discussion Question:
• What is Reverend Brown’s distinctive contribution to reducing youth violence in Boston?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 30 Draft as of February 9, 2015 Special Topics
04/13: Session #20 – Excellence Corrupted - Lance Armstrong
Objective for this class: As leaders, managers, and followers, you will almost certainly confront
situations involving corruption. In this class, we will discuss the challenges of corrupt cultures
and leaders, and their high stakes and risks.
Everyone (not to be submitted, but please come to class prepared to discuss):
• Think about a situation where you were personally involved and witnessed a leader,
formal or informal, make a decision for others that made you uncomfortable.
• Think about a situation where you were personally involved (e.g., an organization you
worked for) and witnessed talented indivduals follow a leader into actions that were
corrupt or at a minimum, ethically questionable.
Case:
• [20 pages] “Following Lance Armstrong: Excellence Corrupted,” HBS No. 9- 314-015.
Readings:
• Prior to class, please watch the following videos:
o “Tyler Hamilton: International Cycling Union ‘As Dirty As They Come’,”
www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50139078n
o “Who is Tyler Hamilton?” www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7366962n
• This is a short article on what was (arguably) the worst legal scandal in the United States
criminal justice system. Thousands of children were sent to jail because a judge was
receiving kickbacks from a private prison. What does it say about the culture of the
judicial system that this wasn’t spotted sooner? Urbina, Ian. "Despite Red Flags About
Judges, a Kickback Scheme Flourished." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27
Mar. 2009. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/us/28judges.html>.
• Chapters 1 and 8 of: Bazerman, Max H., and Ann E. Tenbrunsel. Blind Spots: Why We
Fail to Do What's Right and What to Do about It. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2011.
Optional reading
• The Lance Armstrong case, and the judicial kickback scheme described in the NYTimes
article, happened in the context of what we think of “rule of law” countries with stable
legal and political systems. These challenges are even greater in countries with weaker,
less stable systems, as discussed in these cases: Corruption in La Paz: A Mayor Fights
City Hall (HKS, HKS064-PDF-ENG); Corruption in La Paz: A Mayor Fights City Hall –
Sequel – (HKS, HKS213-PDF-ENG)
Discussion Questions:
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 31 Draft as of February 9, 2015 •
In the end, what is Armstrong’s legacy? Armstrong organized and led what was perhaps
the most sophisticated and comprehensive cheating program in the history of sports. Who
suffered from his cheating and what were the costs? Were the other riders—Hamilton,
Landis, and those who testified—too loyal to Armstrong or not loyal enough?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 32 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/15: Session #21 – Public Sector Management in the Age of Social Media (Case: Planned
Parenthood/Komen)
‘The prosecutor in Ferguson has indicted...social media and the press!’
Nicholas Kristof
Objectives for this class: On a positive note, social media provides a real check on the power of
government to oppress and suppress. Arguably, without social media, the tragedy in Ferguson
might have simply been local news. Paradoxically, while social media enhances accountability,
it can also promote – unfounded/untrue rumors (Have you heard? - President Obama was born in
Kenya.), conspiracy theories, and much else that is unhelpful. In this class, we will focus on
exploring the structure of a viral campaign – framing, content development, and the “ask”. And,
more generally, attempt to understand the circumstances when social media is a friend (or an
enemy) to public sector managers and leaders.
Case:
• [30 pages] Social Media and the Planned Parenthood/Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Controversy (HKS, 1975).
Readings:
• “Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted”, by Malcolm Gladwell in The
New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change3?currentPage=all
• “The Political Power of Social Media” by Clay Shirky in Foreign Affairs.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67038/clay-shirky/the-political-power-of-socialmedia
• “From Innovation to Revolution” by Clay Shirky and Malcolm Gladwell in Foreign
Affairs. http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67325/malcolm-gladwell-and-clayshirky/from-innovation-to-revolution
• “350 Global Day of Action: A New Bright Line for Digital Organizing”, by Silberman in
The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-silberman/350-global-dayof-action_b_340229.html
• The Nicholas Kristof quote is from this article, which provides a good overview of social
media as it relates to Ferguson: Scola, Nancy. "Ferguson Prosecutor Slams ‘non-stop’
Social Media While Calling for Increased Attention to Race”. The Washington Post, 25
Nov. 2014. Web. 14 Dec. 2014.
• "Six Social-media Skills Every Leader Needs." Six Social-media Skills Every Leader
Needs. McKinsey, Feb. 2013.
<http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/high_tech_telecoms_internet/six_socialmedia_skills_every_leader_needs>.
Optional Reading:
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 33 Draft as of February 9, 2015 •
•
•
Another challenge (and opportunity) of the digital era is the internet of things. Traditional
governments were “dumb” – the first time a government knows a train is stopped, a sewage
line is broken, a gas main has broken - is when people call the government to complain – and
it can take a long time for information to travel up the system to key decision makers. The
internet of things makes possible far more responsive governments, but also brings us much
closer to the “big brother state” – for more on this topic:
• see the chapter “Human Centered Cities” pages 233-251 in Rose, David. - Enchanted
Objects: Design, Human Desire, and the Internet of Things. The danger of information cascades has been widely discussed in the economics literature, in
this controversial article the author warns of the danger of the “hive mind” of the web “Digital Maoism: The Hazards of the New Online Collectivism”, by Jaron Lanier in
Edge.org http://edge.org/3rd_culture/lanier06/lanier06_index.html
Important and related areas in public sector management are the challenges and benefits of
Big Data. These two survey articles provide some perspective, and we will (briefly) touch on
this topic in class:
• “Big Data: The Management Revolution”, Harvard Business Review, Andrew
McAfee, Erik Brynjolfsson. Oct 2012.
• “Thriving in a Big Data World”, Harvard Business Review, Alden M. Hayashi.
Publication Date Jan 01, 2014.
Discussion Questions:
In what ways did Planned Parenthood foment the social media response to Susan G. Komen for
the Cure’s (SGKC) defunding decision? Was SGKC’s use of social media effective? Why or
why not?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 34 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/20: Session #22 – Leader and Manager as Social Entrepreneur (Case: Solving the
American Food Paradox)
Objective for this class: In many of our discussions, we have highlighted the differences between
the roles of the leader and the manager. In an entrepreneurial situation, leadership and
management are often tightly linked. The successful social entrepreneur may be called on to act
as the leader, day to day manager, and staff. In this class, we will discuss Doug’s role as a leader
and manager in attempting to solve America’s food paradox.
Case:
• [24 pages] Doug Rauch: Solving the American Food Paradox (HBS Case 9-512-012).
Guest: Doug Rauch (TBC)
Reading:
• [1 page] "Trader Joe's Ex-president to Open Store Selling Expired Food." Fox News.
FOX News Network, 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/01/22/trader-joe-ex-president-to-open-storeselling-expired-food/>.
• Abrams, Lindsay. "“Expired” Food Is Good for You: A Supermarket Exec’s Bold
Business Gamble." Saloncom RSS. Salon, 20 Jan. 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.salon.com/2014/01/20/expired_food_is_good_for_you_a_supermarket_exec
s_bold_business_gamble/>.
• [2 pages] Russell, Jenna, and Jenn Abelson. "Former Trader Joe’s Executive Wants to
Sell Inexpensive Prepared Meals Made from `expired’ Food - The Boston Globe."
BostonGlobe.com. The Boston Globe, 26 Feb. 2013. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.
• [10 pages] Note on Starting a Non-Profit Venture (Harvard Business School, 1992).
• [10 pages] The Social Enterprise Spectrum (HBS, 1996).
Optional Readings
• Dees, J. Gregory. "A Tale of Two Cultures: Charity, Problem Solving, and the Future of
Social Entrepreneurship." Journal of Business Ethics 111.3 (2012): 321-34.
• Lyons, Thomas S. “Ch 2 - The 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Social Enterprise” and "Ch 4 - Hybrid
Discourses on Social Enterprise." In Social Entrepreneurship: How Businesses Can
Transform Society. Vol. I. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2013. N. pag. Print.
Discussion Questions: Should Rauch join with Whole Foods? Why or why not?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 35 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/22: Session #23 - Performance Measurement and Impact Investing (Case: Acumen)
Objectives for this class: Impact investing is a complement to social impact bonds, and is another
new technique widely discussed in public sector leadership. In this class, we will explore its
applications.
Case:
• [24 and 14 pages] Acumen Fund: Measurement in Impact Investing (A & B) (HBS case
311-004).
Readings:
Please skim the following:
•
•
•
[25 pages] Venture Philanthropy: Its Evolution and Its Future. Allen Grossman, Sarah
Appleby, Caitlin Reimers. Harvard Business School, 313111-PDF-ENG, Publication
Date Jun 13, 2013.
[15 pages] Frameworks for Dialogue and Research About Social Impact Investing,
Harvard Business School Technical Note 312-091, May 2012.
[19 pages] The Promise of Impact Investing, Harvard Business School, 2012. (9- 512045).
Optional Reading:
• The optional Trelstad article is a supplementary reading on metrics by Acumen’s CIO:
Trelstad, B. (2008). Simple measures for social enterprise. Innovations, 3(3), 105-118.
• The optional Kaplan publication explains the application of Balance Scorecards to
public-interest organizations. Acumen’s Capabilities Assessment Matrix is adapted from
Kaplan’s Balanced Scorecard: Kaplan, R. (2002). Balanced Scorecard and Nonprofit
Organizations. Harvard Business Publishing Newsletters (Product number B0211A).
• The optional Ebrahim and Mayne publications provide further insight into current
debates about performance-metric-based evaluations of social contributions: Ebrahim, A.
(2013). "Let's Be Realistic about Measuring Impact," Blog Post to Harvard Business
Review Online (1:30 PM March 13, 2013); Mayne, J. (2008). Contribution analysis: An
approach to exploring cause and effect. Issue Brief 16. The Institutional Learning and
Change (ILAC) Initiative.
• [8 pages] The Kaplan and Grossman reading provides background on developments in
nonprofit funding that help to set the Acumen case in context: Kaplan, Robert S., and
Allen S. Grossman. The emerging capital market for nonprofits, Harvard Business
Review, (2010), 88(10).
• [13 pages] Provides an overview of different forms of venture philanthropy and recent
trends - Note on Socially Responsible Investing, Harvard Business School, 609060-PDFENG, August 2012.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 36 Draft as of February 9, 2015 Discussion Questions:
If you were Brian Trelstad, would you recommend to the investment committee that Acumen
invest in Ecotact, Meridian, both, or none? Use the Capabilities Assessment Matrix (Exhibit 9)
as the foundation for your argument, and be prepared to present a total number from the Matrix
for each investment candidate. You may also use other criteria that you think are pertinent. In
answering this question, you should consider:
• What is your evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the Capabilities Assessment
Matrix?
• What is your evaluation of BACO as a measurement method? We will discuss this in
class, and you may find it helpful to attempt to calculate Ecotact's BACO in advance. In
calculating benefits, should Acumen measure outputs or outcomes?
• What specific recommendations would you make to Brian for improving the
effectiveness of Acumen's investment criteria and metrics?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 37 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/27: Session #24 – Social Impact Bonds (Case: Instiglio)
Objectives for this class: Social impact bonds (SIBs) are one of the newest techniques available
to public sector leaders and managers. In this class, we will discuss their applications, benefits
and challenges.
Case:
• [21 pages] Betting Private Capital on Fixing Public Ills: Instiglio Brings Social Impact
Bonds to Colombia. By Dan Levy; Pamela Varley (HKS Publication Date Jul 23, 2014).
Readings:
• Callanan, Laura, and And Jonathan Law. "Will Social Impact Bonds Work in the United
States." McKinsey in Society (n.d.): n. pag. McKinsey, 2012. Web.
<http://mckinseyonsociety.com/downloads/reports/Social-Innovation/Social-impactbonds.pdf>.
Discussion Questions: Assess the operational feasibility for Instiglio to implement SIBs in
Antioquia (regardless of which social program they end up choosing). In particular, what do you
see as the key pressure points/sources of uncertainty that threaten the likelihood Instiglio will be
successful in offering SIBs in Colombia?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 38 Draft as of February 9, 2015 04/29: Session #25 – Special Topic: Charismatic Leadership (Case: Aung San Suu Kyi)
Objectives for this class: During this class session, we will analyze the case of Aung San Suu
Kyi: Icon of Hope in Burma (A). The Aung San Suu Kyi (A) case is long, but well written and
provides valuable background information. The Wikipedia entry provides an efficient summary
of Weber’s three bases of authority. Refer to the optional reading for the original text.
Everyone (not to be submitted, but please think about this before class): Can leaders learn to be
charismatic? Or, is this really something which grows out of larger life experiences and/or we
are born with?
Case:
• [35 pages] Aung San Suu Kyi: “Icon of Hope” in Burma (A) (HKS Case C15-03-1685.0).
Readings:
• [NA] Wikipedia explanation of Max Weber’s classic three bases of authority:
Charismatic, Traditional, and Rational/Legal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_classification_of_authority Note: See the optional
reading for original material.
• [16 pages] The Kets de Vries article is a psychoanalytic perspective on leadership. We
won’t apply this model wholesale. But we will draw on pieces of it – particularly, how
leadership performance flows from accumulated life experiences, and how some
leadership dynamics stem from followers’ own needs, projections, and transferential
processes. Focus your reading on the passages about narcissism, projection, and
transference. Kets de Vries, M. F. R. (1994). The leadership mystique. Academy of
Management Executive, 8(3), 73-89.
• [NA] For a short discussion of charisma in the early Obama era, please see: Zernike,
Kate. "The Charisma Mandate." The New York Times. The New York Times, 16 Feb.
2008. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/weekinreview/17zernike.html>
Optional Background Reading (on reserve at library):
• Weber’s is the classic reference on charismatic leadership: Weber, M. (1947). The theory
of social and economic organization (A. M. Henderson & T. Parsons, Trans.). New York:
Oxford University Press. See section on: The Types of Authority and Imperative
Coordination (pp. 324-423).
• The optional Kohut reading is a classic in the psychoanalytic study of leadership: Kohut,
H. (1985). On leadership. In C. B. Strozier (Ed.), Self Psychology and the Humanities:
Reflections on a New Psychoanalytic Approach (pp. 51-72). New York: W. W. Norton.
• The optional Kets de Vries chapter is a further elaboration of these ideas, focusing on the
rise of charismatic leaders in times of threatening crisis: Kets de Vries, M. (1988).
Origins of charisma: Ties that bind the leader and the led. In J. A. Conger & R. N.
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 39 Draft as of February 9, 2015 •
Kanungo (Eds.), Charismatic leadership: The elusive factor in organizational
effectiveness (pp. 237-252). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
The Bondurant book excerpts provide additional case background on the short film about
Gandhi’s Salt March that we will analyze at the beginning of class, in terms of Gandhi’s
transactional and transformational motivational appeals. Bondurant, J. V. 1965. In
Conquest of violence: The Ghandian philosophy of conflict, Berkeley: University of
California Press on “Satyagraha as Applied Socio-Political Action” (pp. 36-46) and
“Satyagraha in Action” (pp. 88-104).
Discussion Questions:
How does Aung San Suu Kyi fit the Kets de Vries characterization of charismatic leadership?
Use the following study questions to guide your case preparation and reading.
• How did Aung San Suu Kyi build and leverage the charismatic appeal of her leadership
during the political crisis in Burma in the late 1980s, and then during her house arrest in
the early 1990s? From what life experiences was she able to draw?
• What was the role of Aung San Suu Kyi’s followers in elevating her leadership status?
Prof. Steven Strauss Page 40