Sample Population

The sample population is comprised of all living Harvard University alumni spanning all 18 schools and divisions. A comprehensive Harvard University master roster served as the sample frame for this research. During record validation it was determined that a small fraction (< 3%) of roster records represented alumni who were no longer living. After adjusting for non-living alumni records, the living alumni population is estimated to be 375,037.

All 244,835 living alumni with a valid email addresses who had not opted out of receiving emails, were invited to participate in an online web-based survey. Detailed demographic information was available allowing respondents to be accurately profiled for weighting and other data validation purposes discussed in more detail below. This demographic information was also used to determine whether alumni who did not receive invitations‐either because they opted out or lacked email addresses‐differed from those who received invitations, in ways that might introduce non-response bias into the study. A number of statistical and validation techniques were used to determine any impact of non-response bias. No meaningful non-response bias was discernable.

Methodological Approach

An online web-based survey, designed to increase data completeness and quality.

Validation Scripts: Used throughout the survey allowing respondents to be queried for clarification in real-time when data they provided was unlikely or improbable. For example, out of sync graduation dates, extreme dollar amounts, and noted inconsistencies. Scripts were also used to prompt for skipped responses. For example, when respondents declined to enter a specific revenue figure, they were prompted with a list of ranges from which to choose in an attempt to improve data completeness. This technique proved highly effective, and would have been impossible with a paper and pencil survey.
Hovers: Used to provide additional information and explanations whenever a mouse was hovered over a link. The use of "hovers" greatly improves question clarity without clutter and enhances the overall respondent experience, both factors that can affect data quality. This technique cannot be used when using paper and pencil surveys nor computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI).
Schedule Independence: The web survey allowed users to pause and exit with the ability to return at a later time (even another day) to complete the survey from their last data entry. A significant number of people who took advantage of this feature.

LinkedIn® Integration

The LinkedIn® Corporation is a business-oriented social networking service founded in 2002 with more than 380 million users in more than 200 countries and territories (About LinkedIn® retrieved 9-12-2015). LinkedIn® user profiles commonly contain detailed career and education data. Through a special arrangement with the LinkedIn® Corporation respondents with LinkedIn® accounts were given the option of using their exiting online profiles to automatically populate many of the more detailed questions in the study.

Respondents were asked to provide detailed information for all of the companies and/or organizations that they have worked for during the course of their career (up to 15). For those with a long and varied career path, respondent fatigue was a serious consideration with the potential to impact response rate, break-offs, data completeness and accuracy. The web-based survey allowed many respondents to use their LinkedIn® accounts to automatically populate many of the most detailed education and career related questions on the survey.
Using a custom application programming interface (API), developed by Market Strategies International specifically for the Harvard Impact Study, alumni were able to complete important sections of the survey with a single click. The information retrieved was presented to the survey participant in a convenient grid format with the option to include or exclude each item using a simple checkbox. Respondents were also able to edit information as well as add any additional information (jobs, degrees, etc.) that was not on their LinkedIn® profile for whatever reason. In addition to the benefits above, a web survey provides quicker turn-around, a greater sense of anonymity than face-to-face or telephone interviews, and lower overall costs than other survey methods. A mixed-mode approach was considered but rejected because mode-effects could also introduce unwanted bias.

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"The inaugural Harvard Impact Study is a university-wide survey that is intended to capture the diverse contributions that Harvard alumni make to the world. Thank you, as always, for your continued commitment to Harvard."

‐ DREW GILPIN FAUST, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND LINCOLN PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

4 out of 10 alumni are founders of one or more for-profit and/or non-profit organizations.

Harvard alumni found enterprises across a wide swathe of industries

Considering the overall distribution of ventures founded by Harvard University alumni, the number one industry category is Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services at 20.1%, followed by Finance and Insurance at 9.5% and Media and Information at 5.6%.

However, when looking at founders from different generations there are some noteworthy differences. While Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services is the number one industry regardless of generation, younger founders (under 34) tend to be more likely to found enterprises in the areas of Educational Services, Youth Development, Civic and Social Organizations, Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, and Schools/Universities and Libraries (all leaning more toward social than economic impact).

Harvard alumni have founded organizations in countries all around the world

In this interactive map of the world, economic and social impact is clearly spread across the globe. Three primary metrics can be viewed independently by selecting Revenues, Ventures or Employees. These metrics can be filtered to show all data, or alternatively for-profit and non-profit ventures separately.

Select any country on the map to zoom in and city level data appears where available, providing an indication of relative impact in each metropolitan area (bubble size is driven by total ventures).

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In an effort to remain conservative, reported ventures with annual revenues in excess of $6 Billion such as Microsoft and Staples were not included in this visualization.

Economic and Social Impact Across the United States

The social and economic impact of Harvard Alumni is spread across the United States, with the highest levels of impact in the Pacific and Mid-Atlantic regions. The three key metrics measured in the study can be viewed independently by selecting Revenues, Ventures or Employees. These metrics can be filtered to show all data, or alternatively for-profit and non-profit ventures separately.

Select any region on the map to zoom in and city level data appears where available, providing an indication of relative impact in each metropolitan area (bubble size is driven by total ventures).

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Revenue

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Revenue

In an effort to remain conservative, reported ventures with annual revenues in excess of $6 Billion such as Microsoft and Staples were not included in this visualization.

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Board Service and Volunteerism

The study’s findings show that alumni make remarkable contributions to the world beyond the founding of organizations. Graduates who work as public servants, educators, artists, scientists, engineers, and lawyers improve their communities locally and globally every day. The study measured the deep and meaningful contributions of alumni from all fourteen of Harvard’s current and former schools outside of the workplace by collecting information about service on boards and volunteerism.

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Board Tenure

Alumni make a long-term commitment to the boards on which they serve. The study reveals the median number of years of board service is six, with roughly 35% of alumni reporting board tenure of over ten years.

Many alumni have also had the distinction of leading the boards on which they serve with 26% having served as the board chair and 21% as a committee chair.

Board Tenure

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VOLUNTEERISM BY AGE

The study shows that alumni volunteer at all points during their lives.

42%of those surveyed under the age of 45 reported that they volunteer, and volunteerism increases as alumni age reaching a peak for alumni between the ages of 65–74 with 57% reporting volunteer activities.

Volunteerism Sectors

Education is the top sector for the volunteerism efforts of Harvard University alumni, regardless of the geographic focus of efforts. Among those who volunteer locally, human spirituality/religion is the second strongest sector, while the number two slot is public governance/public service for both regional and national volunteer efforts. International humanitarian aid follows only education as a leading sector for global volunteerism (see the Executive Brief for more detail).

Volunteerism is Global but Strongest at Home

The focus of volunteerism is local for more than half of Harvard University alumni volunteers (59%), while 1 in 10 report that their volunteer efforts are international in nature. Over a third (31%) report volunteering nationally or regionally with regard to their home country.

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* In an effort to remain conservative, reported ventures with annual revenues in excess of $6 Billion such as Microsoft or Staples were only included individually, and not used to make further projections to the entire Harvard alumni population.