Ben Heineman
Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Contact:
Telephone: 617-496-7305
Fax: 617-495-8963
Email: ben_heineman@harvard.edu
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April 5, 2011
"Can Women Be a Catalyst for Japan's Renewal?"
Op-Ed, The Atlantic
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"Japan faces the daunting task of rebuilding after the earthquake and the tsunami. But these natural disasters struck a nation with deep structural issues, including a slow-growth economy, an aging population, often sclerotic political, bureaucratic, and business leadership -- and significant workplace discrimination against women."
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March 27, 2011
"The Inside Story of Ferraro's 1984 Debate Prep"
Op-Ed, The Atlantic
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"The moment of truth for vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro was her debate against George H.W. Bush on October 11, 1984. The high command at the headquarters of presidential candidate Walter Mondale may have been worried. Her own campaign staff may have been concerned. But one person was utterly self-confident: the candidate herself."
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March 17, 2011
"Crisis Management Failures in Japan's Reactors and the BP Spill"
Op-Ed, Harvard Business Review
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"These two unprecedented events are stark reminders that effective crisis management involving complex science and technology is wholly dependent on well-thought-out — and actively practiced — crisis response plans."
February 28, 2011
"Egypt's Quest for Economic (Not Just Political) Legitimacy"
Op-Ed, The Atlantic
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"The political economy of Egypt is as important as its constitutional and political system. But, as in other developed and developing nations, sometimes the emphasis is on politics, not economics, and sometimes on economics, not politics. Finding the right balance of political legitimacy, a social safety net, economic growth, and a right-sized role for government is elusive everywhere."
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February 14, 2011
"The Portrait and the Nazis"
Op-Ed, The Atlantic
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"On a quiet Friday morning, my wife and I came face to face with history."
January 17, 2011
"How the BP Commission Dropped the Ball"
Op-Ed, Harvard Business Review
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"Although the National Commission report emphasizes the importance of corporate safety culture and safety management "from the highest levels on down" as a necessary complement to regulatory reform, it never looks at the overall global organization of BP and never evaluates what board and business leaders did and did not do in furtherance of those goals."
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January 10, 2011
"The Very Real Danger Beyond Cyberhackers: Inside Leaks"
Op-Ed, The Atlantic
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"Even in this computer age, real people inside real institutions do not need sophisticated computer techniques to steal real, important secrets."
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December 17, 2010
"In Repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' Implementation Matters"
Op-Ed, The Atlantic
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"Critics ignore that the U.S. military has, in the past, made two momentous and largely successful transitions in the face of opposition among the uniformed force: racial integration and gender integration."
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December 14, 2010
"One Strike and You're Out"
Op-Ed, On Leadership at washingtonpost.com
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"Despite suspension over honor code violations and an ongoing investigation into his recruitment, Auburn's Cam Newton last week won the Heisman Trophy--an award meant to honor "pursuit of excellence with integrity." The award raises a dilemma faced by many organizations: In dealing with top performers, how much should leaders overlook corner cutting, rule breaking and other integrity issues?"
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December 14, 2010
"Don’t Divorce the GC and Compliance Officer"
Op-Ed, Corporate Counsel
By Ben Heineman, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"At the dead center of the GC (and CFO) job is responsibility for adherence to the formal and ethical rules binding the Independence won't guarantee ethical behavior. They must be partners to the CEO, but first and foremost they must be guardians of the company on thethree essentials of compliance: prevent, detect, and respond."
