Publications

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November 2000 (Revised March 2006)
Teaching Note

BMG Entertainment (TN)

Teaching Note for (9-701-003). View Details

Keywords: Music Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

July 2000
Background Note

One of the steepest challenges a strategist faces is to navigate his or her company through a period of industry transformation--an era of rapid and wholesale changes in industry structure. This note considers how periods of transformation typically unfold. It then... View Details

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Management; Management Practices and Processes; Industry Growth; Industry Structures; Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Consulting Industry; Service Industry

July 2000 (Revised September 2005)
Case

BMG Entertainment

By: Jan W. Rivkin and Gerrit Meier

As dramatic changes in technology and customer tastes roil the music industry, the top executives of BMG Entertainment, one of the world's largest record companies, must decide how to organize for digital distribution of music. This case includes a brief history of the... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Competitive Strategy; Distribution Channels; Organizational Structure; Technological Innovation; Industry Structures; Customer Focus and Relationships; Growth and Development Strategy; Information Technology; Music Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

June 2000 (Revised November 2007)
Case

Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A)

In April 1986, the Ryan brothers announce that their fledging Irish airline Ryanair will soon commence service between Dublin and London. For the first time, Ryanair will face formidable competitors such as Aer Lingus and British Airways on a major route. Students are... View Details

Keywords: Market Entry and Exit; Competition; Air Transportation Industry; Republic of Ireland

June 2000 (Revised October 2000)
Supplement

Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (B)

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Competition; Market Entry and Exit; Service Operations; Air Transportation Industry; Dublin; London

June 2000 (Revised March 2006)
Supplement

Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (C)

Presents a follow-up to the (A) and (B) cases. View Details

Keywords: Air Transportation Industry; Dublin; London

June 2000
Article

Imitation of Complex Strategies

By: J. Rivkin

Keywords: Strategy

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April 2000
Background Note

Market Failures

By: Bharat N. Anand, Tarun Khanna and Jan W. Rivkin

Examines the role of transaction costs in impeding the functioning of markets and shows how the concept of transaction costs sheds light on a broad range of issues in strategy. View Details

Keywords: Competitive Strategy; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Cost; Market Transactions; Industry Clusters; Failure; Internet

2000
Working Paper

Interorganizational Ties and Business Group Boundaries: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

By: Tarun Khanna and Jan Rivkin

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January 2000 (Revised March 2001)
Teaching Note

Competition & Strategy: Course Structure TN

By: Michael E. Porter and Jan W. Rivkin

Provides an overview of the Competition & Strategy course, a first course on business strategy, as taught at Harvard Business School during the summer of 1999. Describes the role of the course in the overall MBA curriculum, the superstructure of the course, and the... View Details

Keywords: Curriculum and Courses; Higher Education; Management; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Practices and Processes; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy; Education Industry

January 2000 (Revised January 2006)
Teaching Note

Husky Injection Molding Systems (TN)

Teaching Note for (9-799-157). View Details

Keywords: Product Positioning; Competitive Strategy; Leadership Style; Expansion; Manufacturing Industry; Canada

January 2000 (Revised March 2002)
Teaching Note

Yahoo!: Business on Internet Time TN

By: Jan W. Rivkin and Jay R. Girotto

Teaching Note for (9-700-013). View Details

Keywords: Information Technology Industry; Web Services Industry

January 2000 (Revised September 2007)
Teaching Note

Airborne Express (TN)

Teaching Note for (9-798-070). View Details

Keywords: Service Industry

December 1999 (Revised March 2001)
Teaching Note

Matching Dell TN

Teaching Note for (9-799-158). View Details

Keywords: Computer Industry

July 1999 (Revised January 2000)
Case

Yahoo!: Business on Internet Time

By: Jan W. Rivkin and Jay R. Girotto

In the wake of major competitive moves, CEO Tim Koogle and his senior team at Yahoo!, an Internet portal, must decide whether and how to adjust their strategy. Following deals between AOL and Netscape, Excite and @Home, Infoseek and Disney, and Snap and NBS, Yahoo!... View Details

Keywords: Competitive Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Strategy; Organizational Structure; Industry Structures; Internet and the Web; Risk Management; Technological Innovation; Business or Company Management; Information Technology Industry; Web Services Industry

June 1999
Case

Matching Dell (A)

By: Jan W. Rivkin, Michael E. Porter, Charles E. Bruin, Markus Chappel, Thomas M Galizia and Laila J Worrell

After years of success with its vaunted "Direct Model" for computer manufacturing, marketing, and distribution, Dell Computer Corp. faces efforts by competitors to match its strategy. This case describes the evolution of the personal computer industry, Dell's strategy,... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Competitive Strategy; Industry Structures; Adoption; Computer Industry

May 1999 (Revised March 2008)
Case

Husky Injection Molding Systems

Husky, a Canadian maker of injection molding systems, has established an enviable position in the market for plastics processing equipment. The company builds the highest performance systems in the business and charges a hefty premium for them. Husky is enjoying robust... View Details

Keywords: Market Entry and Exit; Rank and Position; Competition; Expansion; Industrial Products Industry; Canada

March 1999 (Revised January 2000)
Background Note

A Note on Microeconomics for Strategists

By: Kenneth S. Corts and Jan W. Rivkin

Summarizes the core ideas about the microeconomics of markets that are most relevant to business strategy. Sections I and II develop two basic building blocks of any market, demand and supply. Section II discusses how demand and supply interact to determine the... View Details

Keywords: Microeconomics; Cost; Cost of Capital; Market Entry and Exit; Business Strategy; Competition; Corporate Strategy