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Francesca Gino is at the center of one of the most high-profile academic scandals in recent US history. Once a celebrated Harvard Business School professor, bestselling author, and global consultant, Gino’s career has been upended by allegations of data fraud, a historic tenure revocation, and a $25 million lawsuit that has rocked the worlds of academia, business, and behavioral science.
Harvard Crimson: Tenure Revoked for Francesca Gino
📰 Breaking News: Harvard Revokes Tenure & Fires Francesca Gino
🚨 May 2025: Harvard University revoked Francesca Gino’s tenure and terminated her employment after an 18-month investigation concluded she had committed academic misconduct and manipulated data in at least four published studies. This marks the first time since the 1940s that Harvard has stripped a tenured professor of their position, a move described as “historic” and “career-ending” by academic observers.
🧾 What Was Alleged? Gino, known for her research on honesty, ethics, and decision-making, was accused of intentionally falsifying and fabricating datasets to support her hypotheses, according to the official Harvard Business School report and forensic analysis.
🕵️♂️ How Did It Start? Concerns about Gino’s work first surfaced in 2021, when the Data Colada blog—run by three behavioral scientists—flagged anomalies in several of her papers. Harvard launched an internal investigation, which found additional instances of data manipulation beyond those raised by Data Colada.
🧑⚖️ Gino’s Response: Gino has consistently denied wrongdoing, stating, “I did not commit fraud. I did not falsify data to bolster any result.” She claims she is being unfairly targeted and has filed a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard and Data Colada for defamation and reputational harm.
Science: Harvard’s Investigation Report on Gino
🧾 What Was Alleged? Gino, known for her research on honesty, ethics, and decision-making, was accused of intentionally falsifying and fabricating datasets to support her hypotheses, according to the official Harvard Business School report and forensic analysis.
🕵️♂️ How Did It Start? Concerns about Gino’s work first surfaced in 2021, when the Data Colada blog—run by three behavioral scientists—flagged anomalies in several of her papers. Harvard launched an internal investigation, which found additional instances of data manipulation beyond those raised by Data Colada.
🧑⚖️ Gino’s Response: Gino has consistently denied wrongdoing, stating, “I did not commit fraud. I did not falsify data to bolster any result.” She claims she is being unfairly targeted and has filed a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard and Data Colada for defamation and reputational harm.
📉 Timeline: Rise, Fall, and Fallout of Francesca Gino
📈 2004–2019: Gino’s career soars. She earns a PhD in Economics and Management from Sant’Anna School in Pisa, Italy, and joins Harvard Business School in 2010. She becomes a top-rated professor, bestselling author (“Rebel Talent,” “Sidetracked”), and a sought-after advisor for Fortune 500 companies and the US military.
🏆 2015–2020: Gino is named to Thinkers50’s list of the world’s most influential management thinkers and Poets & Quants’ “40 Under 40.” Her research on behavioral economics, negotiation, and ethics is widely cited and covered by The New York Times, The Economist, and Scientific American.
🧪 2021: Data Colada and independent researchers raise concerns about data anomalies in Gino’s published studies. Harvard launches an internal review.
📉 2023–2024: Harvard’s investigation finds Gino “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsified and/or fabricated” data in multiple studies. Three papers are retracted; Gino is placed on administrative leave and banned from campus.
🚫 2025: Harvard revokes Gino’s tenure and fires her, citing research misconduct. Gino files a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard and Data Colada, alleging defamation, discrimination, and reputational harm.
🏆 2015–2020: Gino is named to Thinkers50’s list of the world’s most influential management thinkers and Poets & Quants’ “40 Under 40.” Her research on behavioral economics, negotiation, and ethics is widely cited and covered by The New York Times, The Economist, and Scientific American.
🧪 2021: Data Colada and independent researchers raise concerns about data anomalies in Gino’s published studies. Harvard launches an internal review.
📉 2023–2024: Harvard’s investigation finds Gino “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsified and/or fabricated” data in multiple studies. Three papers are retracted; Gino is placed on administrative leave and banned from campus.
🚫 2025: Harvard revokes Gino’s tenure and fires her, citing research misconduct. Gino files a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard and Data Colada, alleging defamation, discrimination, and reputational harm.
🔬 The Data Fraud Allegations: What Did Harvard Find?
🧬 Scope of Misconduct: Harvard’s 1,300-page report, unsealed as part of Gino’s lawsuit, concluded she manipulated data in at least four published studies on honesty, creativity, and decision-making. The report details how data was altered or deleted to better support her research hypotheses, sometimes across different journals, co-authors, and years.
📑 Key Findings:
⚖️ Lawsuit: Gino is suing Harvard, its dean, and the Data Colada bloggers for defamation, emotional distress, and career damage, seeking $25 million in damages. She claims the investigation was “one-sided” and that she was denied due process.
Wikipedia: Francesca Gino – Career & Controversy
📑 Key Findings:
- Intentional alteration and fabrication of datasets in multiple studies
- Pattern of misconduct spanning eight years and several co-authors
- Retractions of three high-profile papers in top journals
- Concerns about additional undiscovered misconduct in her research
⚖️ Lawsuit: Gino is suing Harvard, its dean, and the Data Colada bloggers for defamation, emotional distress, and career damage, seeking $25 million in damages. She claims the investigation was “one-sided” and that she was denied due process.
📚 Books, Research, and Gino’s Influence Before the Scandal
📚 Major Books:
🏅 Teaching & Consulting: Gino taught negotiation, decision-making, and behavioral economics at Harvard and was a top-rated professor, winning multiple awards. As a consultant, she advised companies like Ferrari, Disney, Google, Walmart, and the US military.
🌎 Thought Leadership: Named among the world’s most influential management thinkers by Thinkers50, Gino was a frequent keynote speaker and media commentator.
Francesca Gino: Books & Publications
- Rebel Talent (2018): Explores the value of breaking rules and fostering innovation in organizations and life.
- Sidetracked (2013): Examines why our decisions get derailed and how to stay on track.
🏅 Teaching & Consulting: Gino taught negotiation, decision-making, and behavioral economics at Harvard and was a top-rated professor, winning multiple awards. As a consultant, she advised companies like Ferrari, Disney, Google, Walmart, and the US military.
🌎 Thought Leadership: Named among the world’s most influential management thinkers by Thinkers50, Gino was a frequent keynote speaker and media commentator.
📈 Why Is Francesca Gino Trending? Impact, Debate & What’s Next
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📰 Why the Buzz?
📰 Why the Buzz?
- Historic Harvard tenure revocation and firing
- Ongoing $25 million lawsuit drawing national attention
- Debate over academic integrity, gender bias, and due process
- Impact on behavioral science, business education, and research standards
- Media coverage in NYT, BBC, The Economist, and more
©️ 2025 | Francesca Gino: Complete Guide for US Readers