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All HBS Web
(1,830)
- Faculty Publications (503)
- February 2021 (Revised March 2022)
- Case
TikTok in 2020: Super App or Supernova?
By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Dan Maher and Dan O'Brien
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was launched in 2012 around a simple idea – helping users entertain themselves on their smartphones while on the Beijing Subway. In less than a decade, it had become one of the world’s most valuable private companies, with investors...
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Keywords:
Business Model;
Business Startups;
Business Organization;
Change Management;
Disruption;
Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues;
Global Strategy;
Health Pandemics;
Innovation Strategy;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Growth Management;
Brands and Branding;
Marketing Strategy;
Marketing Channels;
Network Effects;
Digital Platforms;
Product Design;
Product Development;
Partners and Partnerships;
Opportunities;
Social Issues;
Mobile and Wireless Technology;
Internet and the Web;
Value Creation;
United States;
China
Rayport, Jeffrey F., Dan Maher, and Dan O'Brien. "TikTok in 2020: Super App or Supernova?" Harvard Business School Case 821-087, February 2021. (Revised March 2022.)
- February 2021
- Case
Yellow Digital Retailers: Providing Solar Electricity to Transform Rural Africa
By: Lynda M. Applegate, Frank V. Cespedes and Michael Norris
In 2020, Mike Heyink and Maya Stewart, co-founders of the Pay-as-you-Go Solar company Yellow were considering how to grow their startup. They had achieved some success in their first market, Malawi, and had recently entered Uganda, where business was slower. What did...
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Keywords:
Solar Energy;
Business Model;
Business Startups;
Developing Countries and Economies;
Alternative Energy;
Renewable Energy;
Social Entrepreneurship;
Green Technology;
Salesforce Management;
Diversification;
Expansion;
Energy Industry;
Africa;
South Africa;
Malawi;
Uganda
Applegate, Lynda M., Frank V. Cespedes, and Michael Norris. "Yellow Digital Retailers: Providing Solar Electricity to Transform Rural Africa." Harvard Business School Case 821-041, February 2021.
- January 2021 (Revised March 2022)
- Case
Brigad: The Future of Work
By: Nien-he Hsieh, Elena Corsi and Daniela Beyersdorfer
In 2019 Florent Malbranche, CEO and co-founder of the French tech startup Brigad, pondered the next growth steps. Founded in 2015, Brigad’s objective was two-fold: to help restaurants and bars find qualified staff for punctual shifts, and to make it easier for...
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- January 2021 (Revised August 2021)
- Case
ByteDance: TikTok and the Trials of Going Viral
By: William C. Kirby and John P. McHugh
In 2020, TikTok became the most valuable start-up ever. The short-form, video-sharing social media platform emerged as the crown jewel of the Chinese technology firm ByteDance, realizing 850 million monthly users and an estimated worth of $180 billion. However, a...
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Keywords:
China;
Technology;
Startup;
Start-up;
International Strategy;
Global Strategy And Leadership;
Innovation;
Political Risk;
Regulations;
Trump;
Foreign Policy;
Foreign Investment;
Chinese Internet Market;
Global Strategy;
Crisis Management;
Risk and Uncertainty;
Entrepreneurship;
Globalized Economies and Regions;
Government Legislation;
Innovation and Management;
Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms;
Internet and the Web;
Social Media;
Technology Industry;
China;
United States
Kirby, William C., and John P. McHugh. "ByteDance: TikTok and the Trials of Going Viral." Harvard Business School Case 321-110, January 2021. (Revised August 2021.)
- January 2021 (Revised March 2021)
- Case
Jumia's Path to Profitability
By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Pippa Tubman Armerding and Gamze Yucaoglu
The case opens in September 2019 as Sacha Poignonnec and Jeremy Hodara, co-founders and co-CEOs of Jumia, the leading Pan-African e-commerce platform, are contemplating the company’s path to profitability in the aftermath of a fragile investor sentiment, as the company...
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Keywords:
Retail;
Business Models;
Business Model;
Business Startups;
Emerging Markets;
For-Profit Firms;
Strategy;
Digital Platforms;
Information Technology;
Technology Adoption;
Value Creation;
Globalization;
Entrepreneurship;
Competition;
Expansion;
Logistics;
Profit;
Resource Allocation;
Diversification;
Corporate Strategy;
Retail Industry;
Technology Industry;
Africa
Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Pippa Tubman Armerding, and Gamze Yucaoglu. "Jumia's Path to Profitability." Harvard Business School Case 721-355, January 2021. (Revised March 2021.)
- November 2020
- Teaching Note
DayTwo: Going to Market with Gut Microbiome
By: Ayelet Israeli
Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 519-010. DayTwo is a young Israeli startup that applies research on the gut microbiome and machine learning algorithms to deliver personalized nutritional recommendations to its users in order to minimize blood sugar spikes after meals....
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Keywords:
Start-up Growth;
Startup;
Positioning;
Targeting;
Go To Market Strategy;
B2B Vs. B2C;
B2B2C;
Health & Wellness;
AI;
Machine Learning;
Female Ceo;
Female Protagonist;
Science-based;
Science And Technology Studies;
Ecommerce;
Applications;
DTC;
Direct To Consumer Marketing;
US Health Care;
"USA,";
Innovation;
Pricing;
Business Growth;
Segmentation;
Distribution Channels;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Business Startups;
Science-Based Business;
Health;
Innovation and Invention;
Marketing;
Information Technology;
Business Growth and Maturation;
E-commerce;
Applications and Software;
Health Industry;
Technology Industry;
Insurance Industry;
Information Technology Industry;
Food and Beverage Industry;
Israel;
United States
- November 2020
- Case
Truebird—An AlleyCorp Venture
By: Shikhar Ghosh and Shweta Bagai
In December 2018, Kevin Ryan and Wendy Tsu faced an important decision – to finalize the CEO candidate for Truebird, an innovative, automated coffee café concept. Like many of AlleyCorp and Ryan’s companies, Truebird started with the observation of an unmet need – an...
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Keywords:
Startup;
Hiring;
Staffing;
Recruiting;
Business Startups;
Finance;
Leadership;
Management Skills;
Management Teams;
Jobs and Positions;
Job Interviews;
Human Resources;
Recruitment;
Selection and Staffing;
Technology Industry;
Food and Beverage Industry;
United States
Ghosh, Shikhar, and Shweta Bagai. "Truebird—An AlleyCorp Venture." Harvard Business School Case 821-030, November 2020.
- November 2020 (Revised March 2023)
- Case
Zipline: The World's Largest Drone Delivery Network
By: Tarun Khanna and George Gonzalez
Zipline established the world's largest logistics network in Rwanda and Ghana by delivering medical supplies to hospitals via automated drones. The company is now looking to expand in the U.S. and partnered with Walmart to expand into home delivery. Zipline must...
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Keywords:
Drones;
Business Startups;
Expansion;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms;
Medical Devices and Supplies Industry;
United States;
Africa
Khanna, Tarun, and George Gonzalez. "Zipline: The World's Largest Drone Delivery Network." Harvard Business School Case 721-366, November 2020. (Revised March 2023.)
- 2020
- Working Paper
Determinants of Early-Stage Startup Performance: Survey Results
To explore determinants of new venture performance, the CEOs of 470 early-stage startups were surveyed regarding a broad range of factors related to their venture’s customer value proposition, product management, marketing, technology and operations, financial...
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Keywords:
Startups;
Survey Research;
Performance Analysis;
Entrepreneurship;
Performance;
Analysis;
Business Startups;
Failure;
Surveys
Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Determinants of Early-Stage Startup Performance: Survey Results." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-057, October 2020.
- October 2020 (Revised February 2023)
- Teaching Note
MobSquad
- September 2020
- Case
Uber at a Crossroads (2017)
By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Karen Elterman
This case describes the history of Uber, its business model—including the ways it differed from that of the traditional taxi industry—and its competition with Lyft. The case is set in 2017, a year in which Uber was plagued by even more scandals than usual, though its...
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Keywords:
Business Startups;
Business Model;
Customer Satisfaction;
Fairness;
Values and Beliefs;
Price;
Profit;
Revenue;
Investment;
Government Legislation;
Business History;
Compensation and Benefits;
Resignation and Termination;
Employment;
Wages;
Lawfulness;
Leadership Style;
Leading Change;
Management Style;
Market Entry and Exit;
Digital Platforms;
Product Design;
Organizational Culture;
Problems and Challenges;
Attitudes;
Strategy;
Competitive Strategy;
Expansion;
Transportation Networks;
Mobile and Wireless Technology;
Valuation;
Transportation Industry;
Technology Industry;
United States
Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, and Karen Elterman. "Uber at a Crossroads (2017)." Harvard Business School Case 721-376, September 2020.
- September 2020
- Teaching Note
Miami's Tech Future (B): Building the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Joyce J. Kim
In 2017, Miami was rated #1 among U.S. cities for startups, but about 40th for “scale-ups” – growth companies. This case shows how leaders of incubators and accelerators supported startups and a culture of entrepreneurship, but also describes some factors limiting...
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- September 2020
- Teaching Note
Miami's Tech Future (C): Reaching Another Miami
By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Joyce J. Kim
The effects of Miami’s startup scene have not reached many “left-behind” lower-income Black communities, which are disproportionately affected by problems such as segregation and racial discrimination, lack of transportation access, crime, education quality, government...
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Keywords:
Technology;
Change;
Transformation;
Progress;
Community;
Scaling;
Income Inequality;
Racism;
Community Impact;
Community Relations;
Change Management;
Business Startups;
Information Technology;
Diversity;
Race;
Equality and Inequality;
Social Issues;
Business and Community Relations;
Miami;
Florida
- August 2020
- Case
Ready for Take-Off at Jet It
By: Gary P. Pisano, Hise Gibson and Nicole Gilmore
This case examines the business model and growth of a start-up company in the private aviation industry. In June 2020, amidst the COVID crisis, the company's co-founder and CEO must make a decision regarding an order of new jets that will significantly expand the...
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Keywords:
Capacity Planning;
Business Startups;
Business Model;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Air Transportation Industry
Pisano, Gary P., Hise Gibson, and Nicole Gilmore. "Ready for Take-Off at Jet It." Harvard Business School Case 621-036, August 2020.
- July 2020
- Supplement
Instabeat—Crossing the Finish Line
By: Shikhar Ghosh, Nicole Tempest Keller and Alpana Thapar
Lebanese entrepreneur Hind Hobeika was just 21 years old when she launched her startup, Instabeat, which had developed the first real-time bio-feedback device for swimmers to monitor and improve their performance. It had been an extremely testing 10-year journey to...
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Keywords:
Start-up;
Wearables;
Entrepreneurship;
Business Startups;
Information Technology;
Information Infrastructure;
Strategy;
Operations;
Management;
United States;
Lebanon
Ghosh, Shikhar, Nicole Tempest Keller, and Alpana Thapar. "Instabeat—Crossing the Finish Line." Harvard Business School Supplement 821-012, July 2020.
- July 2020
- Case
Amanda and Kristen: Mented Cosmetics
By: Steven Rogers, Jeffrey J. Bussgang and Alterrell Mills
The co-founders (Black HBS alumnae) of an e-commerce beauty startup explore the unmet needs within the beauty industry. This case study examines the entrepreneurial opportunities that come from identifying an underserved market, specifically within the Black community...
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Keywords:
Brands and Branding;
Competition;
Customers;
Disruption;
Disruptive Innovation;
Distribution Channels;
Entrepreneurship;
Finance;
Macroeconomics;
Marketing;
Marketing Channels;
Marketing Communications;
Marketing Strategy;
Mission and Purpose;
Organizational Culture;
Product Design;
Product Development;
Product Positioning;
Sales;
Social Issues;
Social Marketing;
Business Startups;
Strategic Planning;
Strategy;
Supply Chain Management;
Venture Capital;
Beauty and Cosmetics Industry;
Advertising Industry;
Public Relations Industry;
Chemical Industry;
Manufacturing Industry;
Retail Industry;
North and Central America;
United States;
New York (city, NY);
New York (state, US)
Rogers, Steven, Jeffrey J. Bussgang, and Alterrell Mills. "Amanda and Kristen: Mented Cosmetics." Harvard Business School Case 321-002, July 2020.
- July 2020 (Revised January 2021)
- Case
Pattern Brands
By: Sunil Gupta, Elie Ofek and Julia Kelley
In March 2020, direct-to-consumer (DTC) company Pattern Brands needed to decide how to allocate resources across its different brands. Pattern Co-Founders Nick Ling and Emmett Shine hoped to avoid the pitfalls faced by some DTC companies—such as inability to scale and...
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Keywords:
Direct-to-consumer;
Brands and Branding;
Marketing Channels;
Marketing Strategy;
Product Marketing;
Product Launch;
Product Positioning;
Business Model;
Business Startups;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Demand and Consumers;
Business Strategy;
Diversification;
Competitive Advantage;
Consumer Products Industry;
Retail Industry;
North and Central America;
United States;
New York (city, NY);
New York (state, US)
Gupta, Sunil, Elie Ofek, and Julia Kelley. "Pattern Brands." Harvard Business School Case 521-009, July 2020. (Revised January 2021.)
- July 2020 (Revised September 2020)
- Case
MobSquad
By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, William R. Kerr and Susie L. Ma
Irfhan Rawji (MBA 2004) launched MobSquad in October 2018 to help American tech start-ups retain hard-to-find talent, many of whom struggled with U.S. work visa issues, such as software engineers with experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, or data...
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Keywords:
Work Visas;
H1-B;
Business Ventures;
Business Startups;
Labor;
Human Capital;
Human Resources;
Crisis Management;
Employment Industry;
Canada;
United States
Choudhury, Prithwiraj, William R. Kerr, and Susie L. Ma. "MobSquad." Harvard Business School Case 821-010, July 2020. (Revised September 2020.)
- July 2020
- Case
Kathy Fish at Procter & Gamble: Navigating Industry Disruption by Disrupting from Within
When Kathy Fish, Procter & Gamble’s Chief Research, Development & Innovation Officer, and a 40-year company veteran, stepped into her role in 2014, she was concerned that the world’s leading consumer packaged goods company had lost its capability to produce a steady...
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Keywords:
Female Protagonist;
Organizational Change;
Organizational Behavior;
Culture Change;
Digital;
Innovation;
Lean Startup;
Experimentation;
Metrics;
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG);
Leadership;
Leading Change;
Change Management;
Organizational Culture;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
Disruption;
Innovation and Invention;
Digital Transformation
Truelove, Emily, Linda A. Hill, and Emily Tedards. "Kathy Fish at Procter & Gamble: Navigating Industry Disruption by Disrupting from Within." Harvard Business School Case 421-012, July 2020.
- June 2020
- Teaching Note
Shiseido Acquires Drunk Elephant
By: Jill Avery
On October 7, 2019, the Shiseido Group announced that it would acquire clean skincare brand Drunk Elephant for $845 million, a valuation of 8.5 times sales. Did Shiseido pay too much or too little for this brand asset? How much was the Drunk Elephant brand worth and...
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Keywords:
Brand Management;
Brand Valuation;
Brand Equity;
Brand Value;
Mergers & Acquisitions;
Startup;
DTC;
Brand Portfolio Strategy;
Marketing;
Marketing Strategy;
Brands and Branding;
Mergers and Acquisitions;
Valuation;
Entrepreneurship;
Business Startups;
Beauty and Cosmetics Industry;
Consumer Products Industry;
United States;
Japan;
Asia;
North America