Publications

Find at Harvard

17 May 2011
First Look

First Look: May 17

111-012 This case describes the operating model and philosophy of this high-end set of global properties. Aman relies on employees taking considerable initiative to deliver the highest quality personalized service in the hospitality... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

05 Sep 2006
Research & Ideas

HBS Cases: Porsche’s Risky Roll on an SUV

A decade ago, Porsche, the luxury car company, found itself at a crossroads. Renowned for its classy (and expensive) sports cars, the firm had taken a hit in the wake of the 1987 stock market crash and suffered in great part due to Porsche's dependence on the U.S.... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Auto; Manufacturing

June 1976 (Revised March 1984)
Case

Polaroid-Kodak

By: Norman A. Berg

Describes Kodak's long-awaited challenge to Polaroid in the field of instant photography. Provides technological and company background of both Polaroid and Eastman-Kodak and their respective product lines. Discusses Polaroid's claim that Kodak infringed on 10 Polaroid... View Details

Keywords: Technology; Patents; Competition; Product Development

07 Dec 2010
First Look

First Look: Dec. 7

marketing strategy by the marketing department, one focused on the role of customer relations in product development, is considered. The creation of a set of basic principles and operating procedures for... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

26 Feb 2018
Research & Ideas

The Airbnb Effect: Cheaper Rooms for Travelers, Less Revenue for Hotels

Times. The AHLA also launched a campaign to portray Airbnb hosts as being, in reality, commercial operators looking to compete illegally with hotels. As margin pressure increases from Airbnb properties over time, hotels will be forced to... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Travel

01 Jun 2016
News

Case Study: On the Table

style-driven business, but go with it. —Ted Hibben (MBA 1986) Start the delivery operation but structure it for spin-off, because there’s clearly an opportunity for e-commerce logistics in Mexico. As part of the startup, look for other... View Details

November 2021
Case

Kermit PPI

By: Kyle Myers, Matt Grennan and Sarah Mehta

Launched in 2011, Kermit PPI helped hospitals save money on expensive orthopedic implants and devices by enabling them to renegotiate their contracts with device manufacturers and better monitor compliance. In 2021, as they look to grow, they are entertaining two... View Details

Keywords: Health; Health Care and Treatment; Strategy; Expansion; Information Technology; Applications and Software; Supply Chain; Supply Chain Management; Contracts; Health Industry; Technology Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States; Maryland

September 2000
Background Note

Professional Services Module Five: Serving Clients Effectively

By: Thomas J. DeLong, Ashish Nanda and Scot H. Landry

It is imperative for the internal systems and processes to be connected to the external processes of client management, competitive adaptation, and service delivery. View Details

Keywords: Competency and Skills; Customer Relationship Management; Knowledge Acquisition; Service Delivery; Performance Effectiveness; Adaptation; Competitive Strategy

Find at Harvard

August 1994 (Revised October 1996)
Case

MicroFridge

By: Norman A. Berg and James Weber

MicroFridge, a five-year-old, $12 million company based in Sharon, Mass., develops and sells a unique, combination compact refrigerator and microwave oven. All of the manufacturing is done for it by Sanyo in various overseas locations. The founder and president... View Details

Keywords: Production; Competitive Strategy; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Supply Chain Management; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Consumer Products Industry; Massachusetts

September 2017 (Revised April 2022)
Case

Tempur Sealy International (A)

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Lauren G. Pickle

This case explores the long-term relationship between Tempur Sealy (TPX, a mattress manufacturer) and Mattress Firm (MFRM, a bedding retailer and TPX's largest customer). For almost 20 years, the firms enjoyed a mutually beneficial and commercially prosperous... View Details

16 Feb 2011
News

Healthy Growth

Ayers After gaining experience in strategy consulting, M&As, systems engineering, and running a multibillion-dollar refrigeration company, Jonathan Ayers (MBA ‘83) has come full circle to a job that relates to his Yale undergraduate major... View Details

Keywords: veterinary medicine; Health, Social Assistance

07 Feb 2018
News

Helping Startups Give Back

Canadians.” Formerly a business strategy consultant at Monitor Group and marketing VP at Canadian Medical Discoveries Fund, since 2011 Goldstein has been working as an independent consultant while parenting her three young children.... View Details

24 Aug 2016
Blog Post

Internship In Action

introducing a new operational strategy for a group of sellers. After a few weeks of investigation my manager and I pushed to initiate the launch of this new operational... View Details

Keywords: Consumer Products / Retail

01 Dec 2018
News

What I Do: Lindsey Mead (MBA 2000), Vedica Qalbani and Jessica Wu (both MBA 2007)

its competitors in the hunt for talent in the high-stakes, trilliondollar finance industry. Ratio’s focus is on search for private equity and hedge fund firms, and its founders’ strategy for winning in that specialized, competitive market... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; illustrations by Peter and Maria Hoey

2002
Report

Integrate to Innovate: The Determinants of Success in Developing and Deploying New Services in the Communications Industry

By: Michael Raynor and C. M. Christensen

Keywords: Integration; Innovation and Management; Service Operations; Success; Communications Industry