Publications

July 1990 (Revised April 1998)
Supplement

Nordstrom: Dissension in the Ranks? (B)

By: Robert L. Simons and Hilary Weston

Presents a follow-up to the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Rank and Position; Conflict and Resolution; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

30 Apr 2001
Research & Ideas

Entering the Age of Alliances

The Faces Of Collaboration These alliances do not require grandiose strategic plans; patience and perseverance are often sufficient to turn small beginnings into significant strategic alliances. Consider, for example, the relationship between the nonprofit City Year... View Details

Keywords: by James Austin

15 May 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, May 15, 2018

School Case 317-073 Prevent Senior: A New Paradigm for Growth in the Health Care Sector? No abstract available. Purchase this case:https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/product/317073 Harvard Business School Case 618-020 Under Armour After 20 years of growth unprecedented... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

11 Oct 2016
First Look

October 11, 2016

October 2016 Harvard Business Review Competing with a Goliath By: Avery, Jill Abstract—A Peruvian apparel company struggles to position itself against a global brand. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=51646... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

20 Jan 2015
First Look

First Look: January 20

working with high-end apparel retailers such as Bonobos, Gilt Groupe, and Zara. What distinguishes the company from its rivals is its use of Kiva robots, which collect customer items within the warehouse and bring them to the appropriate... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Dec 2007
News

Lighten Up

eliminated zippers, pockets, heavy buttons, and other embellishments that can add up to extra pounds. The company’s apparel and gear stand out for their simple but functional designs, brilliant colors, and, of course, light weight. Soon... View Details

Keywords: Kathryn Jones; Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, and Book Stores; Retail Trade

28 Aug 2017
Research & Ideas

Should Industry Competitors Cooperate More to Solve World Problems?

leadership and create more win-win opportunities in the future" In another example, apparel production is associated with water pollution at many stages of the value chain. Agricultural crop production (particularly cotton) has been... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Financial Services; Manufacturing; Agriculture & Agribusiness; Mining

05 Mar 2019
Working Paper Summaries

The Impacts of Increasing Search Frictions on Online Shopping Behavior: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Keywords: by Donald Ngwe, Kris J. Ferreira, and Thales Teixeira; Apparel & Accessories; Apparel & Accessories; Apparel & Accessories

06 Jan 2014
Working Paper Summaries

Mechanisms of Technology Re-Emergence and Identity Change in a Mature Field: Swiss Watchmaking, 1970-2008

Keywords: by Ryan Raffaelli; Apparel & Accessories; Apparel & Accessories; Apparel & Accessories

March 1999 (Revised March 2001)
Case

Nike, Inc.--Entering the Millennium

By: William E. Fruhan Jr.

Traces the evolution of Nike from 1987 through 1998. Through a series of eight assignment questions, it examines how the company has created and sustained a competitive advantage, and how that competitive advantage is reflected in growth, profitability, and share price... View Details

Keywords: Competitive Advantage; Profit; Corporate Strategy; Business Growth and Maturation; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

February 1987 (Revised March 2006)
Case

Arley Merchandise Corporation

By: William E. Fruhan Jr.

Involves the initial public offering of a firm's stock. The offering includes a money-back guarantee to investors from the issuing firm which comes in the form of a "put" option. Option valuation is thus an important issue in this case. View Details

Keywords: Initial Public Offering; Stocks; Cases; Valuation; Stock Options; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

November 1998 (Revised July 1999)
Case

Spyder Active Sports, Inc. and CHB Capital Partners (B)

By: John A. Davis, Louis B. Barnes and Peter K. Botticelli

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Private Equity; Family Business; Business Growth and Maturation; Entrepreneurship; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

Fall 2018
Article

The Value of Fit Information in Online Retail: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment

By: Santiago Gallino and Antonio Moreno

Online channels generate frictions when selling products with nondigital attributes, such as apparel. Customers may be reluctant to purchase products they have not been able to try on, and those customers who do purchase may return products when they do not fit as... View Details

Keywords: Supply Chain Information; Fit Uncertainty; Online Retail; Randomized Field Experiment; Virtual Fitting Room; Digital Retail; Customization and Personalization; Internet and the Web; Value; Performance Improvement; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

Find at Harvard

2019
Working Paper

Improving Working Conditions in Global Supply Chains: The Role of Institutional Environments and Monitoring Program Design

By: Jodi L. Short, Michael W. Toffel and Andrea R. Hugill

Activism seeking to improve labor conditions in global supply chains has led transnational corporations to adopt codes of conduct and monitor suppliers for compliance, but it is unclear whether these formal organizational structures raise labor standards. Drawing on... View Details

SSRN

Read Now

September 1998 (Revised July 1999)
Case

Spyder Active Sports, Inc. and CHB Capital Partners (A)

By: John A. Davis, Louis B. Barnes and Peter K. Botticelli

After establishing a small but profitable skiwear business, an entrepreneur decides to sell a minority stake in the firm to outside investors. His goal is to acquire the capital needed to grow the business, even though this will entail a substantial transformation of... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Private Equity; Family Business; Business Growth and Maturation; Entrepreneurship; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

2010
Supplement

Berkshire Partners: Bidding for Carter's, Spreadsheet Supplement

By: Malcolm Baker and James Quinn

Keywords: Auctions; Valuation; Leveraged Buyouts; Mergers and Acquisitions; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Massachusetts

Read Now

2016
Working Paper

The Impact of Supplier Inventory Service Level on Retailer Demand

By: Nathan Craig, Nicole DeHoratius and Ananth Raman

To set inventory service levels, suppliers must understand how changes in inventory service level affect demand. We build on prior research, which uses analytical models and laboratory experiments to study the impact of a supplier's service level on demand from... View Details

Keywords: Customer Satisfaction; Forecasting and Prediction; Learning; Consumer Behavior; Service Delivery; Performance Expectations; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry