Inside Companies that Get the Purpose-Profit Balance Right

Inside Companies that Get the Purpose-Profit Balance Right

Author: Harvard Business Review February 15, 2022 Duration: 28:05
Purpose has become a corporate buzzword over the past decade. Leaders are embracing the idea that companies can’t just do well financially; they also have to do good for society. But how many organizations are really walking the talk? Ranjay Gulati, professor at Harvard Business School, has studied how dozens of purpose-driven companies -- from Etsy in the United States to Recruit in Japan -- simultaneously pursue profits. He argues that while we all want a win-win, leaders must also sometimes learn to make thoughtful tradeoffs. Gulati is the author of the book "Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies” and the HBR article “The Messy but Essential Pursuit of Purpose.”

Each week, the HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review sits down with experts whose ideas are shaping the world of work. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a conversation focused on practical insights for leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs navigating real challenges. You'll hear from scholars, CEOs, and innovators dissecting topics across management, marketing, and organizational strategy, translating complex research into actionable advice. The discussions get into the nuances of building effective teams, driving growth, making strategic decisions, and understanding the forces transforming industries. By tuning into this podcast, you gain access to the forefront of business thinking, a resource for anyone looking to sharpen their skills and lead more effectively. The consistent, in-depth dialogue provides a valuable perspective that goes beyond headlines, offering a deeper understanding of how to succeed in a competitive landscape. It's a direct line to the ideas that matter, presented through thoughtful conversation designed to provoke reflection and inspire change in your own professional approach.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

HBR IdeaCast
Podcast Episodes
4 Business Ideas That Changed the World: Disruptive Innovation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:28
In the 1980s, Clayton Christensen cofounded a startup that took over a market niche from DuPont and Alcoa. That experience left Christensen puzzled. How could a small company with few resources beat rich incumbents? It l…
What Kara Swisher Has Learned From Decades Covering Tech [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:30
No industry has had more impact than technology over the past few decades. Tech companies have changed the way we live, work, and interact with each other. They’ve helped us in a lot of ways, but they’ve also created som…
4 Business Ideas That Changed the World: Scientific Management [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:17
In 1878, a machinist at a Pennsylvania steelworks noticed that his crew was producing much less than he thought they could. With stopwatches and time-motion studies, Frederick Winslow Taylor ran experiments to find the o…
To Improve AI Outcomes, Think About the Entire System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:23
Artificial intelligence technology has been advancing, and businesses have been putting it into action. But too many companies are just gathering a bunch of data to kick out insights and not really using AI to its fulles…
Introducing 4 Business Ideas That Changed the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:15
Influential business and management ideas have tremendous influence over us. Like it or not, they shape how organizations are run and how people around the world spend their days. And Harvard Business Review has introduc…
Advice from the CEO of an All-Remote Company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:27
Most organizations have now accepted that the days of all their knowledge workers coming into the office full time are over. So what's next? Sid Sijbrandij, CEO and cofounder of Gitlab, thinks all-remote can be the answe…
It’s Time to Fine-Tune Performance Management [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:08
Measuring a broad set of standards across the organization seems like a fair way to judge employees’ performance year over year. But Heidi Gardner, distinguished fellow at Harvard Law School, says performance management…
Rolling Stone’s Jann Wenner on Cultivating Creative Talent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:56
Rolling Stone launched in 1967 with a mission to not only redefine music journalism but also chronicle important societal changes. Under the leadership of founding editor and publisher Jann Wenner, it published work from…
Work-Life Supports That Truly Help Your Organization [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:32
Work-life support programs have long been known to lower turnover and raise employee loyalty. But new research shows they also have a positive effect on promoting diversity among managers at those firms, an effect that’s…