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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(682)
- News (127)
- Research (468)
- Events (1)
- Multimedia (1)
- Faculty Publications (167)
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- August 2017 (Revised November 2017)
- Case
VTS
By: Mark Roberge and Michael Roberts
The case raises issues around sales force deployment and management issues in the SaaS industry. Specifically, VTS sells a software product to the real estate industry and has designed a Go-to-Market strategy for what the founders perceive to be the unique... View Details
- October 1989 (Revised November 2006)
- Background Note
Deployment, Focus, and Measuring Effectiveness
Written for a module in the Marketing Implementation course (second-year MBA elective). Offers a framework for considering relevant factors that affect sales force deployment and criteria for measuring sales effectiveness and the conduct of field marketing efforts. View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "Deployment, Focus, and Measuring Effectiveness." Harvard Business School Background Note 590-044, October 1989. (Revised November 2006.)
- December 1987 (Revised September 1995)
- Case
IDS Financial Services
Scarce managerial talent, sales force turnover, and client attrition were potential problems underlying IDS' disappointing performance at mid-year 1987. The marketing vice president had three potential "fixes": 1) increasing or decreasing the $35 million budget for... View Details
Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Salesforce Management; Performance Improvement; Financial Services Industry
Bonoma, Thomas V., and Minette E. Drumwright. "IDS Financial Services." Harvard Business School Case 588-044, December 1987. (Revised September 1995.)
- February 2019 (Revised September 2021)
- Case
The a2 Milk Company
By: Benjamin C. Esty and Daniel Fisher
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) became the most valuable company listed on the New Zealand stock exchange in 2018 by capitalizing on a biochemical discovery related to the protein composition of cow's milk. Because many people find the A1 protein difficult to digest, and... View Details
Keywords: Judo Economics; Market Entry; Innovation; Barriers To Response; Industry Attractiveness; Advantage Horizon; Sustainability; First-mover Advantage; Scope; Strategy Execution; Strategic Evolution; Biochemistry; Genetics; Branding; Commodity; Milk; Dairy; Infant Formula; Farming; Porter's Five Forces; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy; Value Creation; Competition; Disruption; Innovation and Invention; Five Forces Framework; Market Entry and Exit
Esty, Benjamin C., and Daniel Fisher. "The a2 Milk Company." Harvard Business School Case 719-424, February 2019. (Revised September 2021.)
- June 1989 (Revised November 1991)
- Supplement
Ingersoll-Rand (B): Managing Multiple Channels--1986
Peter Baldwin takes over Clabough's job and is charged with the responsibility to improve sales force morale, control expenses, and improve market share. View Details
Keywords: Salesforce Management; Supply and Industry; Management Teams; Industrial Products Industry
Rangan, V. Kasturi. "Ingersoll-Rand (B): Managing Multiple Channels--1986." Harvard Business School Supplement 589-122, June 1989. (Revised November 1991.)
- May 2008 (Revised August 2010)
- Case
ScriptLogic®: Point, Click, Done!™
ScriptLogic is a software company that has built a product portfolio that fits under a 'Point, Click, Done!' umbrella; its products are easy to download, easy to install, and easy to use. The company's online marketing program and inside sales force have been very... View Details
Keywords: Investment Return; Growth and Development Strategy; Product Marketing; Product Development; Salesforce Management; Software; Information Technology Industry
Steenburgh, Thomas J., and Alexander Crisses. "ScriptLogic®: Point, Click, Done!™." Harvard Business School Case 508-114, May 2008. (Revised August 2010.)
- August 1996
- Case
Howard, Shea & Chan Asset Management (B); The Partnership Meeting
Continues the plot about growth and sales strategies, and adds interesting pricing and sales compensation elements. The partners' meeting sharpens the disagreements among the five partners, and forces Anne Howard, the managing partner, to develop a clear action plan. View Details
Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Price; Sales; Strategy; Asset Management; Partners and Partnerships; Service Industry
Shapiro, Benson P. "Howard, Shea & Chan Asset Management (B); The Partnership Meeting." Harvard Business School Case 597-022, August 1996.
- December 2012 (Revised August 2020)
- Case
Rodan + Fields Dermatologists
By: Das Narayandas, Michael Roberts and Liz Kind
The case focuses on issues involved in managing the direct multilevel marketing sales consultants who sell R+F skin care products. The company is trying to better manage the inconsistent and highly variable recruitment behavior of the sales force i.e., the degree to... View Details
Keywords: Marketing; Salesforce Management; Recruitment; Compensation and Benefits; Consumer Products Industry; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; California
Narayandas, Das, Michael Roberts, and Liz Kind. "Rodan + Fields Dermatologists." Harvard Business School Case 513-067, December 2012. (Revised August 2020.)
- January 1983 (Revised June 1985)
- Case
Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.: Marketing Communications
By: John A. Quelch
Marketing executives at the company are considering the merits of a variety of communications programs designed to increase the effectiveness of the company's sales force of beauty consultants. View Details
Keywords: Marketing Communications; Salesforce Management; Decision Making; Performance Effectiveness; Management Teams; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; United States
Quelch, John A. "Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.: Marketing Communications." Harvard Business School Case 583-068, January 1983. (Revised June 1985.)
- March 2014 (Revised September 2015)
- Case
Clef Company: Turnover
The Clef case focuses on the issue of turnover in a firm's sales force. Students must analyze the factors contributing to turnover as well as the role of the field sales force in Clef's profitable business strategy. Among other things, the Clef case illustrates that... View Details
Keywords: Sales; Marketing; Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Performance Evaluation; Retail Industry; Consumer Products Industry; United States
Cespedes, Frank V. "Clef Company: Turnover." Harvard Business School Case 814-100, March 2014. (Revised September 2015.)
- March 1998 (Revised December 2000)
- Case
Siebel Systems (A)
By: Michael J. Roberts, Joseph B. Lassiter III and Nicole Tempest
The case describes the early evolution of Siebel Systems, a sales force automation software company, focusing on issues surrounding Siebel's use of systems integrators as implementation partners and the relationship between implementation and the selling function. View Details
Keywords: Marketing; Software; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Sales; Information Technology Industry
Roberts, Michael J., Joseph B. Lassiter III, and Nicole Tempest. "Siebel Systems (A)." Harvard Business School Case 898-210, March 1998. (Revised December 2000.)
- February 1980 (Revised June 1984)
- Case
Quaker Steel and Alloy Corp.
By: John J. Gabarro
Lower middle-level manager is faced with the need to bring about a change in the call patterns of the sales force selling her product. Based on an earlier case by P.R. Lawrence. View Details
Gabarro, John J. "Quaker Steel and Alloy Corp." Harvard Business School Case 480-063, February 1980. (Revised June 1984.)
- January 2019 (Revised February 2019)
- Supplement
The a2 Milk Company
By: Benjamin C. Esty, Daniel Fisher and Greg Saldutte
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) became the most valuable company listed on the New Zealand stock exchange in 2018 by capitalizing on a biochemical discovery related to the protein composition of cow's milk. Because many people find the A1 protein difficult to digest, and... View Details
Keywords: Judo Economics; Market Entry; Innovation; Barriers To Response; Industry Attractiveness; Advantage Horizon; Sustainability; First-mover Advantage; Scope; Strategy Execution; Strategic Evolution; Biochemistry; Genetics; Branding; Commodity; Milk; Dairy; Infant Formula; Farming; Porter's Five Forces; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy; Value Creation; Competition; Market Entry and Exit; Disruption; Innovation and Invention; Five Forces Framework; Consumer Products Industry; New Zealand; Australia; China
- 02 Nov 2010
- First Look
First Look: November 2, 2010
http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/10-063.pdf Do Bonuses Enhance Sales Productivity? A Dynamic Structural Analysis of Bonus-Based Compensation Plans Authors:Doug J. Chung, Thomas Steenburgh, and K. Sudhir Abstract We estimate a dynamic... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- 2021
- Chapter
Digital Transformation and the Salesforce: Observations, Warnings, and Recommendations
Sales is a crucial test for organizational change, including productive use (or not) of new technologies. Changes in selling always have wider organizational implications, because so many other decisions and resource commitments in firms depend upon demand forecasts... View Details
Keywords: Sales; Salesforce Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Digital Transformation
Cespedes, Frank V. "Digital Transformation and the Salesforce: Observations, Warnings, and Recommendations." In Managing Digital Transformation: Understanding the Strategic Process, edited by Andreas Hinterhuber, Tiziano Vescovi, and Francesca Checchinato. Routledge, 2021.
- October 2000 (Revised April 2005)
- Case
Z Corporation
By: Joseph B. Lassiter III, Matthew C. Lieb and Tom Clay
Tom Clay, president of Z Corp., and founder/CEO Marina Hatsopolous must decide between using a direct sales force or using a value-added reseller to begin selling the company's new 3-D printing prototype manufacturing system. View Details
Keywords: Technological Innovation; Salesforce Management; Distribution Channels; Conflict and Resolution; Technology Industry
Lassiter, Joseph B., III, Matthew C. Lieb, and Tom Clay. "Z Corporation." Harvard Business School Case 801-210, October 2000. (Revised April 2005.)
- June 2017
- Case
Magellan Boatworks
By: John A. Quelch and James T. Kindley
Magellan Boatworks is a midsize manufacturer of customized, power "cruising yachts." In the face of economic and political uncertainty in late 2016, Magellan's VP of sales and marketing, Walt Robinson, wonders whether he should request a budget increase for 2017.... View Details
Quelch, John A., and James T. Kindley. "Magellan Boatworks." Harvard Business School Brief Case 917-547, June 2017.
- June 2018
- Teaching Note
Meridian Systems (Brief Case)
By: Frank V. Cespedes and Michael J. Roberts
Teaching Note for HBS No. 918-533. The key issues discussed in the Meridian teaching note concern sales force deployment: decisions about how to focus sales efforts with respect to territories, customers, and products. The teaching note explains the strengths and... View Details
- April 2019
- Teaching Note
The a2 Milk Company
By: Benjamin C. Esty and Daniel Fisher
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) became the most valuable company listed on the New Zealand stock exchange in 2018 by capitalizing on a biochemical discovery related to the protein composition of cow's milk. Because many people find the A1 protein difficult to digest, and... View Details
Keywords: Judo Economics; Market Entry; Innovation; Barriers To Response; Industry Attractiveness; Advantage Horizon; Sustainability; First-mover Advantage; Scope; Strategy Execution; Strategic Evolution; Biochemistry; Genetics; Branding; Commodity; Milk; Dairy; Infant Formula; Farming; Porter's Five Forces; Market Entry and Exit; Disruption; Innovation and Invention; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy; Value Creation; Competition; Brands and Branding; Five Forces Framework; Consumer Products Industry; New Zealand; Australia; China
- March 1998 (Revised July 2000)
- Case
InPart
By: Joseph B. Lassiter III, Michael J. Roberts and Jon Biotti
Stacey Lawson, HBS 1996, started a CAD parts representations database company to help designers and engineers with the design process. The company has completed its product and is starting to sell it. The case examines issues involving the organization of the sales... View Details