Publications

15 Feb 2012
News

Social Innovation Challenge

October 2011
Case

Levendary Cafe: The China Challenge

By: Christopher A. Bartlett and Arar Han

Just weeks into her new job, Mia Foster, a first time CEO with no international management experience, is faced with a major challenge at Levendary Cafe, a $10 billion US-based fast food chain. Strategically, many of her corporate staff have become concerned that the... View Details

Keywords: Globalization; International Management; Foreign Subsidiaries; General Managers; Strategy; Management Style; Strategic Planning; Business Subsidiaries; Multinational Firms and Management; Adaptation; Entrepreneurship; Relationships; Standards; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; China; United States

June 2010
Teaching Note

Australia: The Riches and Challenges of Commodities (TN)

By: Laura Alfaro and Renee Kim

Teaching Note for 709007. View Details

Keywords: Futures and Commodity Futures; Financial Crisis; Demand and Consumers; Trade; Natural Environment; Business and Government Relations; Policy; Growth and Development Strategy; Australia

21 Jul 2009
Research Event

Business Summit: Managing Human Capital—Global Trends and Challenges

Editor's Note: This is a summary of an HBS Business Summit presentation. View a full summary and video of the event on the HBS Centennial Web site linked below. Date of Event: October 13, 2008 Moderator: David H. Thomas, HBS faculty... View Details

Keywords: Re: David A. Thomas

November 1989
Background Note

Problems in the Development and Manufacture of Defense Systems

By: J. Ronald Fox

Find at Harvard

There has never been a greater need for long-term investments. And it is increasingly unlikely that the public sector will be willing or able to fill the gap. Those best positioned to address the long-run needs are likely to be the pools of capital in the hands of... View Details

March 2025
Case

Mobvoi's Path Through Market Challenges and Business Reinvention

By: Paul A. Gompers and Shu Lin

Founded in 2012, Mobvoi evolved through multiple transformations—from AI-driven voice technology to smart wearables and later AI-generated content. Backed by major investors, the company navigated shifts in strategy while facing two failed IPO attempts. As market... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Entrepreneurship; AI and Machine Learning; Transformation; Initial Public Offering; Business Strategy; Technology Industry; China

29 Apr 2013
News

The RaiseForWomen Challenge

Keywords: Nonprofit; social enterprise; Arts, Entertainment; Health, Social Assistance

November 2012 (Revised September 2013)
Case

Learning Resources: A Hands-On Toy Company Deals with New Challenges and Opportunities

By: Boris Groysberg and Anahita Hashemi

Learning Resources is a family-owned educational toy company that, by late 2011, was facing a myriad of challenges, including increased competition, entry into new markets, new distribution methods, rising costs of production in China, and changing customer behavior.... View Details

Keywords: Leading Teams; Strategy Formulation; Strategy And Execution; Innovation; Corporate Culture; Industry Analysis; Organizational Alignment; Entrepreneurs; Sales Channels; Leadership; Strategy; Change Management; Innovation Leadership; Family Business; Entrepreneurship; Product Design; Sales; Retail Industry; United States

24 Apr 2014
News

Thinking globally about business challenges and people's lives

Stever Robbins (MBA 1991) is a serial entrepreneur who applies an engineering mindset to solving problems for companies and coaching people through career and life changes.... View Details

25 Mar 2013
News

Finalists selected in President’s Challenge

07 Feb 2007
Working Paper Summaries

The Value of Openness in Scientific Problem Solving

Keywords: by Karim R. Lakhani, Lars Bo Jeppesen, Peter A. Lohse & Jill A. Panetta

26 Mar 2014
News

The problem with "Golden Parachutes"

January 2023 (Revised December 2024)
Technical Note

LCA Action Planning: Responsibility and Accountability

By: Sandra J. Sucher, Nien-he Hsieh and Marilyn Morgan Westner

LCA action plans integrate responsibility and accountability into decision-making and planning. This module note was designed for the LCA course and reviews six steps leaders can follow to develop a practical LCA action plan for their business. It shows how integrating... View Details

Keywords: Responsibility; Accountability; Management Challenges; Corporate Accountability; Leadership; Planning; Decisions; Strategy

December 1977
Article

Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives and Solutions to Nash's Bargaining Problem

By: A. E. Roth

Keywords: Negotiation; Problems and Challenges

Find at Harvard

September 1994
Case

Leadership Problems at Salomon (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Michael Santoro

Deryck Maughan, a vice chairman and co-head of investment banking at Salomon Brothers, learns that his superiors have been less than candid about their knowledge of bidding improprieties by the firm's government trading desk. He must decide what, if anything, he should... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Decision Choices and Conditions; Ethics; Moral Sensibility; Values and Beliefs; Crime and Corruption; Rank and Position; Financial Services Industry