Thomas R. Eisenmann
Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration
Peter O. Crisp Faculty Chair, Harvard Innovation Labs
Unit Head, Entrepreneurial Management
Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration
Peter O. Crisp Faculty Chair, Harvard Innovation Labs
Unit Head, Entrepreneurial Management
The Harvard MS/MBA confers an MBA from HBS and a Master of Science in Engineering Sciences from Harvard's Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. Each year, the program enrolls about 30 students who have an undergraduate degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field and at least two years of full-time work experience in technology product development. The two-year program prepares students to lead technology ventures by extending their understanding of engineering, building design skills, and providing a strong foundation in general management.
This teaching case profiles Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), a venture capital firm launched in 2009 that quickly broke into the VC industry's top ranks. The case recounts the firm's history; describes its co-founders' motivations and their strategy for disrupting an industry in the midst of dramatic structural change; and asks whether a16z's success to date has been due to its novel organization structure. In late 2013, a16z's 22 investment professionals were supported by 43 recruiting and marketing specialists—an "operating team" that was an order of magnitude larger than that of any other VC firm. Furthermore, the operating team aimed to not only assist a16z portfolio companies, but also to be broadly helpful to all parties in the Silicon Valley ecosystem, including search firms, journalists, PR agencies, and Fortune 500 executives. The bet: by providing "no-strings-attached" help to ecosystem partners, the partners might someday reciprocate by steering founders seeking funding to a16z. The case asks whether this bet makes sense and whether a16z should seek to double its scale over the next few years.
During weeklong January-term trips to New York City in 2013 and 2014, students from across Harvard University studied cultural entrepreneurship: new ventures in fashion, food, fine arts, and design. Students explored how such ventures are launched, and how proximity to NYC's rich ecosystem of established companies, investors, and supporting organizations (e.g., universities, foundations, trade press, industry associations) influenced the ventures' evolution. The trips, sponsored by Harvard’s Innovation Lab and co-led by Eisenmann, SEAS's Beth Altringer, and i-Lab Managing Director Gordon Jones, featured visits to startups focused on the creative arts, such as Birchbox, Kickstarter, Etsy, and Makerbot; corporations and other established organizations that support cultural entrepreneurship—such as DVF, Fashion Institute of Technology, James Beard Foundation, W Magazine, and Macy’s; and venture capital firms that invest in creative industries. Students also met with alumni mentors and learned the basics of design thinking in a workshop led by consultants from IDEO.
Many blockbuster products and services that have redefined the global business landscape are built around platforms that tie together two distinct groups of users in a network. Examples include credit cards that link consumers and merchants; operating systems that connect computer users and application developers; and HMOs that bring together patients and health care providers. Due to network effects, platform products often enjoy increasing returns to scale. Yet many firms struggle to establish and sustain two-sided platforms because they confront a Catch-22: It is difficult to mobilize one group until the other is on board, and vice versa. In this Harvard Business Review article, Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker and Marshall Van Alstyne draw on recent theoretical work to guide executives negotiating the challenges of two-sided platforms.
Due to network effects and switching costs in platform markets, entrants generally must offer revolutionary functionality. Platform envelopment offers a second entry path: one that does not rely upon Schumpeterian innovation. Examples of successful envelopment include Microsoft’s launch of Internet Explorer; Google’s Android platform; and LinkedIn’s move into recruiting markets. Through envelopment, a provider in one platform market can enter another platform market, combining its own functionality with the target's in a multi-platform bundle that leverages shared user relationships. Bundling exploits economies of scope and price discrimination opportunities. Further, envelopers may capture market share by foreclosing an incumbent's access to customers, and in doing so harness the network effects that previously protected the incumbent. This Strategic Management Journal article by Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker and Marshall Van Alstyne presents a typology of envelopment attacks based on whether platform pairs are complements, weak substitutes, or functionally unrelated, and analyzes conditions under which these attack types are likely to succeed.
Thomas R. Eisenmann is the Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School; Peter O. Crisp Faculty Chair, Harvard Innovation Labs; and Unit Head of the HBS Entrepreneurial Management faculty. Previously, Eisenmann was Faculty Co-Chair of the HBS Rock Center for Entrepreneurship, the Harvard MS/MBA-Engineering Sciences Program, and the Roberts Family Fellows Program for Harvard College students focused on technology and innovation. Eisenmann, author of the book Why Startups Fail, teaches the MS/MBA core course Designing Technology Ventures. In past years, he served as Chair of Harvard's MBA Elective Curriculum—the 2nd year of the MBA Program—and as course head of The Entrepreneurial Manager, taught to all 900 1st-year MBAs. With colleagues, Eisenmann has created fourteen MBA electives and MS/MBA courses, including Making Markets, which focuses on marketplace design; Launching Technology Ventures; Scaling Technology Ventures; Entrepreneurial Sales & Marketing; Product Management 101, in which students specified and supervised development of a software application; January Term Startup Bootcamp for first-year MBAs; Avoiding Startup Failure; and Managing Networked Business, which surveyed strategies for platform-based businesses that leverage network effects. He twice co-led a Harvard Innovation Lab course, Cultural Entrepreneurship in New York City, in which students from across Harvard spent a winter break week in New York exploring new ventures in fashion, food, and fine arts, and co-led four similar winter break trips to study entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley.
Professor Eisenmann received his Doctorate in Business Administration ('98), MBA ('83), and BA ('79) from Harvard University. Prior to entering the HBS Doctoral Program, Eisenmann spent eleven years as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he was co-head of the Media and Entertainment Practice.
Blog: Platforms & Networks
Twitter: @teisenmann
- Featured Work
-
Commonwealth edition: The Fail-Safe StartupMy book Why Startups Fail: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success is organized in three parts. Part I looks at three common failure patterns for early-stage startups, illustrating each with an anchor case study, then describing ways to avoid that type of failure. Part II follows the same format, presenting three failure patters for late-stage, resource rich startups. Part III shifts perspective from why startups fail (and how to avoid failure) to how to fail better – how to decide whether/when to pull the plug; how to shut down in ways that preserve integrity and relationships; and then how to heal, learn from the experience, and decide what to do next.Faculty Co-Chair
The Harvard MS/MBA confers an MBA from HBS and a Master of Science in Engineering Sciences from Harvard's Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. Each year, the program enrolls about 30 students who have an undergraduate degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field and at least two years of full-time work experience in technology product development. The two-year program prepares students to lead technology ventures by extending their understanding of engineering, building design skills, and providing a strong foundation in general management.
MBA Elective CourseOver the past twenty years, entrepreneurs have created and captured enormous value by launching new marketplaces. Examples include Airbnb, Alibaba, eBay, Google, Rakuten, and Uber, among many. Making Markets (M²), an MBA elective jointly developed with Prof. Scott Kominers, examines entrepreneurial opportunities to remedy market failures by building new platforms and marketplaces from scratch or by redesigning existing ones.MBA Elective CourseScaling Technology Ventures, jointly developed with Jeffrey Rayport, examines the challenges confronting entreprneurs in rapidly growing technology ventures, with a focus on formulating strategy; designing organizational structure, systems, and culture; and managing "growing pains" across the product, engineering, sales, marketing, and business development functions.The HBS Startup Bootcamp is an immersion program for first-year HBS MBA candidates that uses a learning-by-doing approach to build skills required to succeed as an early stage entrepreneur. During the January term, students attend morning workshops to learn new skills, then during afternoon and evening studio sessions, with help from practitioner experts, apply those skills to advance their team's venture concept. The Bootcamp culminates with a pitch to seasoned entrepreneurs, VCs, and faculty.Product Management 101 (PM 101) is a project-based MBA elective that uses a learning-by-doing approach to teach the basics of the high-tech product manager role. Student teams design and supervise development of a software application, and then launch it. The course features frequent peer-to-peer critiques of work-in-progress and skill-building workshops (e.g., on user experience research techniques, user interaction design, post-launch analytics, etc.).This teaching case profiles Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), a venture capital firm launched in 2009 that quickly broke into the VC industry's top ranks. The case recounts the firm's history; describes its co-founders' motivations and their strategy for disrupting an industry in the midst of dramatic structural change; and asks whether a16z's success to date has been due to its novel organization structure. In late 2013, a16z's 22 investment professionals were supported by 43 recruiting and marketing specialists—an "operating team" that was an order of magnitude larger than that of any other VC firm. Furthermore, the operating team aimed to not only assist a16z portfolio companies, but also to be broadly helpful to all parties in the Silicon Valley ecosystem, including search firms, journalists, PR agencies, and Fortune 500 executives. The bet: by providing "no-strings-attached" help to ecosystem partners, the partners might someday reciprocate by steering founders seeking funding to a16z. The case asks whether this bet makes sense and whether a16z should seek to double its scale over the next few years.
Harvard Innovation Lab January-Term Immersion TripDuring weeklong January-term trips to New York City in 2013 and 2014, students from across Harvard University studied cultural entrepreneurship: new ventures in fashion, food, fine arts, and design. Students explored how such ventures are launched, and how proximity to NYC's rich ecosystem of established companies, investors, and supporting organizations (e.g., universities, foundations, trade press, industry associations) influenced the ventures' evolution. The trips, sponsored by Harvard’s Innovation Lab and co-led by Eisenmann, SEAS's Beth Altringer, and i-Lab Managing Director Gordon Jones, featured visits to startups focused on the creative arts, such as Birchbox, Kickstarter, Etsy, and Makerbot; corporations and other established organizations that support cultural entrepreneurship—such as DVF, Fashion Institute of Technology, James Beard Foundation, W Magazine, and Macy’s; and venture capital firms that invest in creative industries. Students also met with alumni mentors and learned the basics of design thinking in a workshop led by consultants from IDEO.
Many blockbuster products and services that have redefined the global business landscape are built around platforms that tie together two distinct groups of users in a network. Examples include credit cards that link consumers and merchants; operating systems that connect computer users and application developers; and HMOs that bring together patients and health care providers. Due to network effects, platform products often enjoy increasing returns to scale. Yet many firms struggle to establish and sustain two-sided platforms because they confront a Catch-22: It is difficult to mobilize one group until the other is on board, and vice versa. In this Harvard Business Review article, Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker and Marshall Van Alstyne draw on recent theoretical work to guide executives negotiating the challenges of two-sided platforms.
Due to network effects and switching costs in platform markets, entrants generally must offer revolutionary functionality. Platform envelopment offers a second entry path: one that does not rely upon Schumpeterian innovation. Examples of successful envelopment include Microsoft’s launch of Internet Explorer; Google’s Android platform; and LinkedIn’s move into recruiting markets. Through envelopment, a provider in one platform market can enter another platform market, combining its own functionality with the target's in a multi-platform bundle that leverages shared user relationships. Bundling exploits economies of scope and price discrimination opportunities. Further, envelopers may capture market share by foreclosing an incumbent's access to customers, and in doing so harness the network effects that previously protected the incumbent. This Strategic Management Journal article by Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker and Marshall Van Alstyne presents a typology of envelopment attacks based on whether platform pairs are complements, weak substitutes, or functionally unrelated, and analyzes conditions under which these attack types are likely to succeed.
- Books
-
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. Why Startups Fail: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success. New York: Currency, 2021. View Details
- Eisenmann, Tom, ed. Managing Startups: Best Blog Posts. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2013. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., ed. Internet Business Models: Text and Cases. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2001. View Details
- Journal Articles
-
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Why Start-ups Fail." Harvard Business Review 99, no. 3 (May–June 2021): 76–85. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Geoffrey Parker, and Marshall Van Alstyne. "Platform Envelopment." Strategic Management Journal 32, no. 12 (December 2011): 1270–1285. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. Review of "Blue Skies: A History of Cable Television." Business History Review 83, no. 2 (Summer 2009). View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Managing Proprietary and Shared Platforms." California Management Review 50, no. 4 (Summer 2008). View Details
- Eisenmann, T. R. "Internet Companies' Growth Strategies: Determinants of Investment Intensity and Long-Term Performance." Strategic Management Journal 27, no. 12 (December 2006): 1183–1204. View Details
- Eisenmann, T. R., G. Parker, and M. van Alstyne. "Strategies for Two-Sided Markets." Harvard Business Review 84, no. 10 (October 2006). View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "The Effects of CEO Equity Ownership and Diversification on Risk Taking." Strategic Management Journal 23, no. 6 (June 2002): 513–534. View Details
- Eisenmann, T. R., and J. L. Bower. "The Entrepreneurial M-Form: Strategic Integration in Global Media Firms." Organization Science 11, no. 3 (May–June 2000): 348–355. View Details
- Eisenmann, T. R. "The U.S. Cable Television Industry, 1948-1995: Managerial Capitalism in Eclipse." Business History Review 74, no. 1 (Spring 2000). View Details
- Eisenmann, T. R. "Governance and Risk Taking in the U.S. Cable Television Industry." Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings (1998). View Details
- Hagel, J., III, and T. R. Eisenmann. "Navigating the Multimedia Landscape." McKinsey Quarterly 3 (1994): 39–55. View Details
- Book Chapters
-
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Geoffrey Parker, and Marshall Van Alstyne. "Opening Platforms: When, How and Why?" Chap. 6 in Platforms, Markets and Innovation, edited by Annabelle Gawer. Cheltenham, U.K. and Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009. View Details
- Eisenmann, T. R. "Corporate Intervention in Resource Allocation." Chap. 12 in From Resource Allocation to Strategy, edited by Joseph L. Bower and Clark Gilbert. U.K.: Oxford University Press, 2005. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Joseph L. Bower. "The Entrepreneurial M-Form: A Case Study of Strategic Integration in a Global Media Company." Chap. 13 in From Resource Allocation to Strategy, edited by Joseph L. Bower and Clark Gilbert. U.K.: Oxford University Press, 2005. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Valuation Bubbles and Broadband Deployment." Chap. 4 in The Broadband Explosion, edited by Robert D. Austin and Stephen P. Bradley. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2005. View Details
- Working Papers
-
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Determinants of Early-Stage Startup Performance: Survey Results." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-057, October 2020. View Details
- Cases and Teaching Materials
-
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Stacy Straaberg. "RightHand Robotics: Choosing the First Market." Harvard Business School Case 824-006, September 2023. (Revised January 2024.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jeffrey Huizinga. "DocSend: A Path off the Plateau?" Harvard Business School Case 824-038, September 2023. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Tom Quinn. "TetraScience: Noise and Signal." Harvard Business School Case 824-024, September 2023. (Revised December 2023.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Matt Higgins. "Quotient." Harvard Business School Case 824-048, August 2023. View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Tom Quinn. "Interior Collab." Harvard Business School Case 823-006, March 2023. View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, Kumba Sennaar, Sarah Mehta, and Jiyoon Han. "Kavnia Coffee." Harvard Business School Case 823-007, January 2023. View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Tom Quinn. "Proday: Calling the Right Play." Harvard Business School Case 823-005, January 2023. View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, Kumba Sennaar, and Sarah Mehta. "Enstitute." Harvard Business School Case 823-008, February 2023. View Details
- Eisenmann, Tom, Lindsay N. Hyde, and Tom Quinn. "Launching the Social." Harvard Business School Case 822-074, February 2022. View Details
- Eisenmann, Tom, Lindsay N. Hyde, and Tom Quinn. "Ample Hills Creamery." Harvard Business School Case 822-073, February 2022. (Revised October 2022.) View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Tom Quinn. "Agora (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 822-026, February 2022. View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Tom Quinn. "Agora (A)." Harvard Business School Case 822-022, February 2022. View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Tom Quinn. "Katerra (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 822-025, December 2021. (Revised January 2023.) View Details
- Hyde, Lindsay N., Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Tom Quinn. "Katerra (A)." Harvard Business School Case 822-021, December 2021. (Revised January 2023.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lindsay N. Hyde. "Dating Ring." Harvard Business School Case 822-013, January 2022. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Lindsay N. Hyde, and Olivia Graham. "Troverie (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 822-069, December 2021. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Lindsay N. Hyde, and Olivia Graham. "Troverie (A)." Harvard Business School Case 822-068, December 2021. (Revised May 2022.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Olivia Graham. "YogaSmoga." Harvard Business School Case 821-075, January 2021. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Olivia Graham. "uBiome." Harvard Business School Case 821-076, June 2021. View Details
- Kominers, Scott Duke, Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Alan Lam. "Updating Dating." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 821-025, August 2020. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Scott Duke Kominers, Jeff Huizinga, and Allison Ciechanover. "Poppy (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 820-715, March 2020. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Allison M. Ciechanover, and George Gonzalez. "Anthony Soohoo: Retrospection on Dot & Bo." Harvard Business School Supplement 820-037, September 2019. (Revised December 2019.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Allison M. Ciechanover, and George Gonzalez. "Anthony Soohoo at Dot & Bo: Bringing Storytelling to Furniture E-Commerce." Harvard Business School Case 820-036, September 2019. (Revised December 2019.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jacey Taft. "Aereo." Harvard Business School Case 820-043, March 2020. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Susie L. Ma. "Baroo (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 820-026, August 2019. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Susie L. Ma. "Baroo (A): Pet Concierge." Harvard Business School Case 820-011, August 2019. (Revised August 2022.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Rand Fishkin at Moz (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 820-004, August 2019. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Rand Fishkin at Moz (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 820-003, August 2019. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Rand Fishkin at Moz (A)." Harvard Business School Case 820-002, August 2019. (Revised March 2023.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Jeffrey J. Bussgang, and David Lane. "Analytical Space: The Next Frontier?" Harvard Business School Case 819-089, January 2019. (Revised July 2021.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Lauren Barley. "Triangulate (B) Post Mortem." Harvard Business School Supplement 819-080, November 2018. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "Analytical Space, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 819-026, July 2018. (Revised May 2023.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Scott Duke Kominers, and David Lane. "Cadre." Harvard Business School Case 818-058, March 2018. (Revised July 2018.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Scott Duke Kominers. "Making Markets." Harvard Business School Technical Note 818-096, January 2018. (Revised February 2018.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Jeff Huizinga. "Poppy: A Modern Village for Childcare." Harvard Business School Case 818-075, November 2017. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Nicole Tempest Keller. "Shift Technologies, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 818-002, October 2017. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Scott Duke Kominers, and Alan Lam. "Updating Dating." Harvard Business School Case 818-052, October 2017. View Details
- Cespedes, Frank V., Thomas R. Eisenmann, Maria Fernanda Miguel, and Laura Urdapilleta. "IguanaFix." Harvard Business School Case 817-056, November 2016. (Revised October 2018.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Lauren Barley. "Triangulate (A)." Harvard Business School Case 811-055, January 2011. (Revised April 2024.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, Jeffrey F. Rayport, and Christine Snively. "Catalant: The Future of Work?" Harvard Business School Case 817-103, March 2017. (Revised October 2018.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, Shikhar Ghosh, and Christopher Payton. "Triangulate: Stay, Pivot or Exit?" Harvard Business School Case 817-059, October 2016. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Halah AlQahtani. "Flatiron School." Harvard Business School Case 817-114, January 2017. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, Allison Ciechanover, and Jeff Huizinga. "thredUP: Think Secondhand First." Harvard Business School Case 817-083, December 2016. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Kerry Herman. "SEAS and HBS in Allston." Harvard Business School Case 817-064, March 2017. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Kerry Herman. "SEAS in 2016." Harvard Business School Case 817-063, December 2016. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Kerry Herman. "HBS in 2016." Harvard Business School Case 817-062, December 2016. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, Mitch Weiss, and Halah AlQahtani. "Mark43." Harvard Business School Case 817-016, November 2016. (Revised November 2016.) View Details
- Roberge, Mark N., and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "eSig: Growth Analysis." Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Supplement 817-701, August 2016. (Revised November 2019.) View Details
- Roberge, Mark, and Tom Eisenmann. "eSig: Growth Analysis." Harvard Business School Case 817-009, August 2016. (Revised November 2019.) View Details
- Roberge, Mark, Tom Eisenmann, and Frank Cespedes. "InsightSquared: Developing the Sales and Marketing Plan." Harvard Business School Case 816-074, February 2016. (Revised August 2020.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lisa C. Mazzanti. "Quincy Apparel." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 815-118, June 2015. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lisa C. Mazzanti. "Quincy Apparel (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 815-095, February 2015. (Revised April 2016.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lisa Mazzanti. "Quincy Apparel (A)." Harvard Business School Case 815-067, February 2015. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, Lauren Barley, and Liz Kind. "Google Glass." Harvard Business School Case 814-102, April 2014. (Revised June 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "Google Glass." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 814-116, June 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Allison M. Ciechanover. "Chegg, Inc.: Building the Student Hub." Harvard Business School Case 814-035, February 2014. (Revised April 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Liz Kind. "Andreessen Horowitz." Harvard Business School Case 814-060, January 2014. (Revised October 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "Andreessen Horowitz." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 814-117, June 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alex Godden. "CloudFlare, Inc.: Running Hot?" Harvard Business School Case 813-145, January 2013. (Revised March 2017.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "CloudFlare, Inc.: Running Hot?" Harvard Business School Teaching Note 814-118, June 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Alex Godden. "MuMaté." Harvard Business School Case 813-085, January 2013. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alex Godden. "MuMaté (B-1): Confidential for Maxwell." Harvard Business School Supplement 813-149, January 2013. (Revised March 2013.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alex Godden. "MuMaté (B-2): Confidential for Cantor." Harvard Business School Supplement 813-150, January 2013. (Revised March 2013.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "MuMaté." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 815-065, October 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lauren Barley. "Edison Schools, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 813-113, November 2012. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alex Godden. "Lit Motors." Harvard Business School Case 813-079, December 2012. (Revised November 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "Lit Motors." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 814-120, June 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Tanya Bijlani. "Intuit Inc.: Project AgriNova." Harvard Business School Case 813-062, August 2012. (Revised November 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Intuit Inc.: Project AgriNova PowerPoint Supplement." Harvard Business School PowerPoint Supplement 814-125, June 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "Intuit Inc.: Project AgriNova." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 814-119, June 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lauren Barley. "People Express Airlines." Harvard Business School Case 812-134, April 2012. View Details
- Cespedes, Frank V., Thomas Eisenmann, and Steven G. Blank. "Customer Discovery and Validation for Entrepreneurs." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-097, November 2011. (Revised August 2012.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "Business Model Analysis for Entrepreneurs." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-096, December 2011. (Revised October 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, Eric Ries, and Sarah Dillard. "Hypothesis-Driven Entrepreneurship: The Lean Startup." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-095, December 2011. (Revised July 2013.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld. "Scaling a Startup: People and Organizational Issues." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-100, January 2012. (Revised November 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Michael Pao, and Lauren Barley. "Dropbox: 'It Just Works'." Harvard Business School Case 811-065, January 2011. (Revised October 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Dropbox: 'It Just Works'." Harvard Business School Teaching Plan 813-007, July 2012. (Revised March 2018.) View Details
- Bussgang, Jeffrey J., Thomas R. Eisenmann, Sarah Dillard, Katharine Nevins, and Puja Ramani. "The Business Development Manager." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-107, December 2011. (Revised March 2013.) View Details
- Bussgang, Jeffrey, Thomas Eisenmann, and Robert Go. "The Product Manager." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-105, December 2011. (Revised January 2015.) View Details
- Marshall, Paul W., Thomas R. Eisenmann, Shikhar Ghosh, and Lauren Barley. "Keurig and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters." Harvard Business School Case 812-101, December 2011. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Shikhar Ghosh, and James K. Sebenius. "Keurig: Confidential Information for Negotiation with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters." Harvard Business School Case 812-102, December 2011. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Shikhar Ghosh, and James K. Sebenius. "Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: Confidential Information for Negotiation with Keurig." Harvard Business School Case 812-103, December 2011. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Aldo Sesia. "Keurig and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters." Harvard Business School Teaching Plan 814-018, August 2013. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas. "Scaling a Startup: Pacing Issues." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-099, November 2011. (Revised November 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Laura Winig. "Rent the Runway." Harvard Business School Case 812-077, November 2011. (Revised December 2012.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Brent Goldfarb, and David A. Kirsch. "Rent the Runway (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Case 815-055, August 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Rent the Runway (TP)." Harvard Business School Teaching Plan 813-008, September 2012. View Details
- Piskorski, Mikolaj Jan, Thomas R. Eisenmann, Jeffrey J. Bussgang, and David Chen. "foursquare." Harvard Business School Case 711-418, January 2010. (Revised March 2013.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "foursquare (TP)." Harvard Business School Teaching Plan 813-010, July 2012. View Details
- Piskorski, Mikolaj Jan, Thomas R. Eisenmann, Aaron Smith, David Chen, and Brian Feinstein. "Facebook." Harvard Business School Case 808-128, March 2008. (Revised March 2014.) (More Info.) View Details
- Edelman, Benjamin, and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Google Inc." Harvard Business School Case 910-036, January 2010. (Revised April 2011.) (Winner of ECCH 2011 Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Case Method - Strategy and General Management.) View Details
- Edelman, Benjamin, and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Google Inc. (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Case 910-032, February 2010. (Revised December 2010.) View Details
- Edelman, Benjamin, and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Google Inc. and Google Inc. (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 910-050, June 2010. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Jeffrey J. Bussgang, and David Kiron. "Predictive Biosciences." Harvard Business School Case 811-015, January 2011. (Revised March 2011.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., William A. Sahlman, and Evan W. Richardson. "Chegg: Textbook Rental Takes Flight." Harvard Business School Case 811-077, February 2011. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Rob Go. "Product Development at OPOWER." Harvard Business School Case 811-075, February 2011. (Revised November 2012.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas, and Liz Kind. "RentJuice." Harvard Business School Case 811-069, February 2011. (Revised December 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and David Kiron. "Aquion Energy." Harvard Business School Case 811-047, February 2011. (Revised November 2012.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Alison Berkley Wagonfeld, and Lauren Barley. "Aardvark." Harvard Business School Case 811-064, January 2011. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Amit Jain. "Mochi Media." Harvard Business School Case 811-056, January 2011. (Revised November 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld. "Steven Carpenter at Cake Financial." Harvard Business School Case 811-041, December 2010. (Revised November 2014.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Joseph B. Fuller, and Shikhar Ghosh. "Steven Carpenter at Cake Financial (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Case 814-054, January 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Steve Carpenter at Cake Financial." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 814-121, June 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Toby E. Stuart, and David Kiron. "The Huffington Post." Harvard Business School Case 810-086, March 2010. (Revised October 2010.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "The Huffington Post." Harvard Business School Teaching Plan 815-052, August 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Ann Leamon. "AME Learning Inc." Harvard Business School Case 810-065, November 2009. (Revised October 2010.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Toby E. Stuart, Bhaskar Chakravorti, Vincent Marie Dessain, Simon Harrow, and Elena Corsi. "Orange: Read&Go." Harvard Business School Case 809-122, February 2009. (Revised May 2010.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and David Andrew Vivero. "Visions of Web 3.0." Harvard Business School Case 808-147, April 2008. (Revised May 2010.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Toby E. Stuart, and Lauren Barley. "Talent Agencies." Harvard Business School Case 810-104, April 2010. View Details
- Coles, Peter A., and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Skype." Harvard Business School Compilation 806-165, March 2006. (Revised December 2009.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld. "Linden Lab: Opening Second Life." Harvard Business School Case 808-114, March 2008. (Revised August 2009.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld. "Linden Lab: Crossing the Chasm." Harvard Business School Case 809-147, April 2009. (Revised August 2009.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Linden Lab: Crossing the Chasm." Harvard Business School Teaching Plan 815-053, September 2014. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lars Peter Christian Nielsen. "Sermo, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 809-142, April 2009. (Revised November 2012.) View Details
- Ghosh, Shikhar, and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Skyhook Wireless." Harvard Business School Case 809-119, April 2009. (Revised May 2017.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Managing Networked Businesses: Course Overview for Students." Harvard Business School Background Note 806-103, January 2006. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Managing Networked Businesses: Network Mobilization Module." Harvard Business School Module Note 808-079, October 2007. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Managing Networked Businesses: Course Overview for Educators." Harvard Business School Course Overview Note 807-104, December 2006. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Managing Networked Businesses: Summary Module." Harvard Business School Module Note 808-003, July 2007. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Managing Networked Businesses: Platform Evolution Module." Harvard Business School Module Note 808-063, August 2007. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Platform-Mediated Networks: Definitions and Core Concepts." Harvard Business School Module Note 807-049, September 2006. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Platform-Mediated Networks." Harvard Business School Module Note 807-067, December 2006. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Andrei Hagiu. "Staging Two-Sided Platforms." Harvard Business School Background Note 808-004, July 2007. (Revised March 2008.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Kerry Herman. "Podcasting." Harvard Business School Compilation 806-109, January 2006. (Revised November 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Tele-Communications, Inc.: Accelerating Digital Deployment." Harvard Business School Case 899-141, December 1998. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Tele-Communications, Inc.: Accelerating Digital Deployment (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 803-177, March 2003. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Tele-Communications, Inc. (A): Cascading Miracles." Harvard Business School Case 899-215, February 1999. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Tele-Communications, Inc. (B): The Empire Strikes Back." Harvard Business School Case 899-216, February 1999. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "A Note on Racing to Acquire Customers." Harvard Business School Background Note 803-103, January 2003. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Winner-Take-All in Networked Markets." Harvard Business School Background Note 806-131, February 2006. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lauren Barley. "Atheros Communications." Harvard Business School Case 806-093, February 2006. (Revised June 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Atheros Communications (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 807-174, June 2007. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Masako Egawa, and Ariko Ota. "eAccess, Ltd." Harvard Business School Case 805-117, April 2005. (Revised March 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Lauren Barley. "PayPal Merchant Services." Harvard Business School Case 806-188, April 2006. (Revised March 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "PayPal Merchant Services (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 808-031, July 2007. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Justin Wong. "Electronic Arts in Online Gaming." Harvard Business School Case 804-140, January 2004. (Revised October 2006.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Electronic Arts in Online Gaming (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 807-066, October 2006. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Gillian Morris. DLJdirect: "Putting Our Reputation Online". Harvard Business School Case 800-164, November 1999. (Revised June 2006.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. DLJdirect: "Putting Our Reputation Online" (TN). Harvard Business School Teaching Note 803-178, March 2003. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Scientific-Atlanta, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 804-191, June 2004. (Revised June 2006.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 808-081, October 2007. View Details
- Bradley, Stephen P., Thomas R. Eisenmann, Masako Egawa, and Akiko Kanno. "NTT DoCoMo, Inc.: Mobile FeliCa." Harvard Business School Case 805-124, April 2005. (Revised June 2006.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "NTT DoCoMo, Inc.: Mobile FeliCa (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 807-116, December 2006. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Fernando Suarez. "Sun Microsystems, Inc.: Web Services Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 805-095, March 2005. (Revised June 2006.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Sun Microsystems, Inc.: Web Services Strategy (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 808-080, September 2007. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld. "Yahoo! Messenger: Network Integration." Harvard Business School Case 805-102, April 2005. (Revised June 2006.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and David Andrew Vivero. "Monster Networking." Harvard Business School Case 805-145, April 2005. (Revised February 2006.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Monster Networking (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 807-138, June 2007. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- McFarlan, F. Warren, Andrew P. McAfee, Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Masako Egawa. "Rakuten." Harvard Business School Case 305-050, October 2004. (Revised December 2005.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Nicole Tempest. "Tellme Networks, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 801-319, November 2000. (Revised November 2005.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Nicole Tempest. "Tellme Networks, Inc. (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-320, December 2000. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "High-Definition TV: The Grand Alliance." Harvard Business School Case 804-103, December 2003. (Revised October 2005.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jonathan Gibbons. "Cox Communications, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 804-192, June 2004. (Revised September 2005.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Steven Carpenter. "RealNetworks Rhapsody." Harvard Business School Case 804-142, March 2004. (Revised September 2005.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "RealNetworks Rhapsody (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 808-069, September 2007. (Revised September 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Ryland Matthew Willis. "Blackout: August 14, 2003." Harvard Business School Case 804-156, March 2004. (Revised June 2004.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Ryland Matthew Willis. "Fuel Cells: The Hydrogen Revolution?" Harvard Business School Case 804-144, February 2004. (Revised March 2004.) View Details
- Suarez, Fernando F., and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Symbian: Setting the Mobility Standard." Harvard Business School Case 804-076, October 2003. (Revised March 2004.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alastair Brown. "Satellite Radio." Harvard Business School Case 802-175, March 2002. (Revised November 2003.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Elizabeth Kind. "NeoPets, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 802-100, March 2002. (Revised May 2003.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "NeoPets, Inc (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 803-106, March 2003. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Akamai Technologies (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 808-024, July 2007. (Revised October 2007.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Daniel J. Green. "Telecommunications Act of 1996, The." Harvard Business School Background Note 802-144, January 2002. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Daniel J. Green, and Douglas R Rogers. "Teledesic." Harvard Business School Case 802-154, January 2002. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Teledesic (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Case 804-096, November 2003. (Revised March 2004.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Daniel J. Green, and Douglas Ronald Rogers. "Teledesic." Harvard Business School Multimedia/Video Case 800-057, February 2000. (Revised October 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Daniel J. Green. "Teledesic TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-078, October 2000. (Revised June 2003.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Christopher Hackett. "Qwest Communications International Inc." Harvard Business School Case 802-133, December 2001. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Christina L. Darwall. "Sigma Networks, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 802-103, November 2001. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Pauline M Fischer. "BET.com." Harvard Business School Case 800-283, February 2000. (Revised May 2001.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Pauline M Fischer. "BET.com TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-196, December 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "eBricks.com." Harvard Business School Case 800-327, February 2000. (Revised May 2001.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "eBricks.com TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-245, October 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Pauline M Fischer. "CNET 2000." Harvard Business School Case 800-284, February 2000. (Revised April 2001.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Pauline M Fischer. "CNET 2000 TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-195, October 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Sanjay Pothen. "Application Service Providers." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-310, January 2001. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alastair Brown. "Online Brokers." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-307, January 2001. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alastair Brown. "Networked Utility Providers." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-309, December 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Chris Hackett. "Online Market Makers." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-308, December 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Sanjay Pothen. "Online Portals." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-305, December 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alastair Brown. "Online Retailers." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-306, December 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Daniel Green. "Internet Access Providers." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-304, December 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alastair Brown. "Online Content Providers." Harvard Business School Background Note 801-261, November 2000. (Revised December 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Joanna M. Jacobson, and Gillian Morris. "Staples.com." Harvard Business School Case 800-305, February 2000. (Revised December 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Gillian Morris. "Staples.com TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 800-412, May 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Christina L. Darwall, and Elizabeth Kind. "Geocast Network Systems, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 801-211, November 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Christina L. Darwall. "Geocast Network Systems, Inc." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-301, November 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Petstore.com." Harvard Business School Case 801-044, July 2000. (Revised October 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Abby J. Hansen PHD. "Petstore.com TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-197, October 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Gillian Morris. "CarPoint in 1999." Harvard Business School Case 800-328, February 2000. (Revised October 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Gillian Morris. "CarPoint in 1999 TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-246, October 2000. View Details
- Bradley, Stephen P., Thomas R. Eisenmann, Stephanie Mason Ogborne, and Julie C. Toscano. "Quokka Sports." Harvard Business School Case 701-011, September 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jon K Rust. "Boston.com." Harvard Business School Case 800-165, February 2000. (Revised August 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jon K Rust. "Boston.com TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-215, November 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jon K Rust. "Priceline WebHouse Club." Harvard Business School Case 800-287, February 2000. (Revised August 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Abby J. Hansen PHD. "Priceline Webhouse Club TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-206, October 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jon K Rust. "StarMedia: Launching a Latin American Revolution." Harvard Business School Case 800-166, January 2000. (Revised April 2000.) View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jon K Rust. "StarMedia: Launching a Latin American Revolution TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-207, October 2000. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., Charmaine C Ess, and Ann A. O'Hara. "Sendwine.com." Harvard Business School Case 800-211, December 1999. View Details
- Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Abby J. Hansen PHD. "Sendwine.com TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 801-198, November 2000. View Details
- Bower, Joseph L., and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Viacom, Inc.: Carpe Diem." Harvard Business School Case 396-250, February 1996. (Revised November 1996.) View Details
- Bower, Joseph L., and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Viacom, Inc.: Carpe Diem (Condensed)." Harvard Business School Case 398-086, January 1998. (Revised March 1998.) View Details
- Bower, Joseph L., Thomas R. Eisenmann, and Sonja Ellingson Hout. "Viacom, Inc.: Video Supplement." Harvard Business School Case 397-066, April 1997. (Revised July 2003.) View Details
- Research Summary
-
Most startups fail. Why? Are there recurring patterns that can be anticipated and avoided? If entrepreneurs fail, how can they do so in ways that leave their reputations, relationships, and integrity intact? And, how can they learn from the experience, heal, and determine whether to pursue another startup?
My research on entrepreneurial failure addresses these questions. Findings are presented in: 1) a book, Why Startups Fail, to be published in March 2021; 2) a case-based MBA elective course, Entrepreneurial Failure; and 3) a working paper, "Determinants of Early-Stage Startup Performance," that analyzes survey data from 470 seed-stage startups.Many information technology startups have embraced "lean startup" management practices. Lean startups confront high levels of uncertainty about both customer problems and product solutions: the strength of demand for new solutions to prospective customers' problems is not well understood, nor is it clear how new solutions to these problems should be built. Lean startups address this uncertainty through very rapid cycles of hypothesis-driven, customer-centric experimentation. Objectives include: building, measuring, and learning at an accelerated pace; failing fast; and constantly improving a product based on nearly-immediate customer feedback. Lean startup practices often encompass: 1) launching with a "minimum viable product," that is, the smallest possible set of features that will meet the needs of early evangelists; 2) reliance on free open source software modules and "agile" software development methods in which requirements and solutions evolve iteratively through the collaboration of cross-functional teams; 3) intensive use of customer interviews, surveys and split market testing to gauge demand for new features; and 4) bootstrapping and avoiding heavy investments in customer acquisition to keep burn rates low until hypotheses about customer problems and product solutions are verified. Eisenmann's research on lean startups focuses on identifying contingencies under which different practices are economically attractive and determining which practices apply to new ventures outside the information technology sector.
Platform-based businesses that leverage network effects face a distinctive set of management challenges. A platform encompasses components and rules that facilitate interactions between the platform's users. A platform-based product or service exhibits a network effect when the platform's value for any one user depends on the number of other users with whom the focal user can interact. When network effects are strong, increasing returns to scale may lead to winner-take-all (WTA) outcomes. Competition in platform-mediated networks can be unforgiving: if winners take all, losers take nothing. Consequently, if they confront WTA dynamics, managers must decide whether to race to acquire customers and whether to share their new platform with rivals rather than fight for dominance. They also must contend with boom-bust valuations engendered by investors' expectations for rapid growth, and with government policy-makers' concerns about monopolies' market power. Finally, managers must design organization structures and governance processes suited for making 'bet-the-company' decisions. Eisenmann's research addresses these management challenges, focusing on: 1) contingencies under which accelerated growth strategies are attractive; 2) when aspiring platform providers should pool efforts with prospective rivals versus developing proprietary platforms; 3) conditions under which "closed" platforms—that is, platforms that restrict participation at the provider and/or user level—should be opened as they mature, and vice versa; and 4) how dominant platform providers in one market can envelop platforms in adjacent markets through bundling strategies. - Awards & Honors
-
Winner of the 2015 Case Centre Award in the Entrepreneurship category for “Dropbox: ‘It Just Works’” with Michael Pao and Lauren Barley (HBS Case 811-065).Won a 2011 European Case Clearing House (ecch) Award in the Strategy and General Management category for his case with Benjamin G. Edelman, "Google Inc." (HBS Case 910-036) and another ecch Award in the Entrepreneurship category for his case with Mikołaj Jan Piskorski, David Chen, and Brian Feinstein, "Facebook’s Platforms" (HBS Case 808-128).
- Additional Information
- Areas of Interest
-
- entrepreneurship
- managing growth
- networks
- technology management
- technology strategy
- business policy
- competitive strategy
- corporate governance
- corporate strategy
- decision-making
- diversification
- electronic commerce
- electronic markets
- entrepreneurial management
- entrepreneurial marketing
- general management
- government and business
- high-tech marketing
- industry evolution
- industry structure
- information technology
- infrastructure
- innovation
- management styles
- managing innovation
- organizational strategy
- organizational structure
- product development
- resource allocation
- startup management
- strategic planning
- strategy
- strategy formulation
- technological change
- technological innovation
- top management teams
- venture creation/development
- advertising
- broadcasting
- communications
- computer
- e-commerce industry
- electronic publishing
- electronics
- entertainment
- fiber optics
- high technology
- home video games
- information technology industry
- infrastructure industry
- internet
- journalism
- media
- motion pictures
- music
- publishing industry
- semiconductor
- software
- telecommunications
- television
- video games
Additional TopicsIndustries