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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(5,997)
- People (8)
- News (1,089)
- Research (3,985)
- Events (38)
- Multimedia (15)
- Faculty Publications (2,438)
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- March 1998 (Revised March 2001)
- Case
Concordia Electronic Systems Test
By: Thomas R. Piper
The management of an electronics company must decide whether to use a single hurdle rate for all projects or to move to a system of different hurdle rates for each of its two divisions. The divisions differ substantially in terms of risk and seem to have substantially... View Details
Keywords: Business Model; Risk and Uncertainty; Cost of Capital; Valuation; Business Divisions; Electronics Industry
Piper, Thomas R. "Concordia Electronic Systems Test." Harvard Business School Case 298-115, March 1998. (Revised March 2001.)
- March 2014
- Article
Choosing the Right Customer
By: Robert Simons
Companies that win in competitive markets identify a primary customer and dedicate maximum resources to meeting that customer's needs. This article will show you how to identify the best primary customer for your business by analyzing perspective, capabilities, and... View Details
Keywords: Strategy Execution; Customer Focus; Organization Design; Accountability; Management Control Systems; Customer Relationship Management; Organizational Design
Simons, Robert. "Choosing the Right Customer." Harvard Business Review 92, no. 3 (March 2014): 48–55.
- May 2017 (Revised June 2017)
- Teaching Note
ATH Technologies Case Series
By: Robert Simons and Jennifer Packard
Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 117-012, 117-013, 117-014, 117-015, 117-016, and 117-017. View Details
- June 2020
- Teaching Note
Catalant's Operating System for the Future of Work
By: Christopher Stanton, William R. Kerr, James Palano and Kendall Smith
This case touches on the topics of project-based work, agile methodology, and skill and talent management through Catalant's evolution as a company. Catalant’s journey to becoming a software platform and talent marketplace provides context for students to explore new... View Details
- February 1990 (Revised July 1990)
- Case
Internal Revenue Service: Automated Collection System
By: Nitin Nohria
Describes how the IRS's collection operations changed from a largely manual system (COF) to an automated system (ACS). A central aspect of ACS was the electronic scheduling and maintaining of work. While with ACS the IRS accomplished significant improvements in the... View Details
Keywords: Sovereign Finance; Revenue; Information Technology; Taxation; Change Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Design; Human Resources; Public Administration Industry; United States
Nohria, Nitin. "Internal Revenue Service: Automated Collection System." Harvard Business School Case 490-042, February 1990. (Revised July 1990.)
- May 2017
- Supplement
ATH Technologies (E)
By: Robert Simons and Jennifer Packard
Supplements the (A) case. Designed as an in-class handout. View Details
Keywords: Strategy And Execution; Management Control Systems; Balancing Innovation And Control; Health Industry
Simons, Robert, and Jennifer Packard. "ATH Technologies (E)." Harvard Business School Supplement 117-017, May 2017.
- May 1992 (Revised January 2000)
- Case
Asea Brown Boveri: The ABACUS System
By: Robert L. Simons
Describes the computer-based information system (ABACUS) used to monitor and control business operations in a complex, global company. Describes the technical attributes of the database system, financial reporting requirements, target setting and profit calculations on... View Details
Keywords: Financial Reporting; Profit; Business Growth and Maturation; Analytics and Data Science; Design; Accounting Audits; Growth and Development; Globalized Firms and Management; Complexity; Technology Industry
Simons, Robert L. "Asea Brown Boveri: The ABACUS System." Harvard Business School Case 192-140, May 1992. (Revised January 2000.)
- June 2010 (Revised April 2017)
- Teaching Note
Pfizer: Letter from the Chairman (A) and (B)
By: Robert Simons and Kathryn Rosenberg
Teaching Note for 110003 and 110004. View Details
- July 2005 (Revised February 2007)
- Background Note
Principles of Family Business System Change
By: John A. Davis
Identifies several practical principles to keep in mind when changing a family business system. View Details
Davis, John A. "Principles of Family Business System Change." Harvard Business School Background Note 806-011, July 2005. (Revised February 2007.)
- Article
Manage the Suppliers That Could Harm Your Brand: Know When to Avoid, Engage, or Drop Them
By: Jodi L Short and Michael W. Toffel
The pandemic has placed a new spotlight on working conditions in factories that supply global companies. To avert problems, firms often impose codes of conduct on their suppliers and perform audits to assess compliance. Do these measures help identify unethical... View Details
Keywords: Auditing; Agency Cost; Quality And Safety; Quality Management System; Quality Management; Unions; Environmental Management; Globalization; Goods and Commodities; Governance; Labor; Labor Unions; Wages; Working Conditions; Operations; Supply Chain; Safety; Quality; China; Bangladesh; Asia; Pakistan
Short, Jodi L., and Michael W. Toffel. "Manage the Suppliers That Could Harm Your Brand: Know When to Avoid, Engage, or Drop Them." Harvard Business Review 99, no. 2 (March–April 2021).
- February 2020 (Revised August 2020)
- Case
Catalant's Operating System for the Future of Work
By: Christopher Stanton, William R. Kerr, James Palano and Kendall Smith
This case touches on the topics of project-based work, agile methodology, and skill and talent management through Catalant's evolution as a company. Catalant’s journey to becoming a software platform and talent marketplace provides context for students to explore new... View Details
Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Information Technology; Talent and Talent Management; Business Model; Transformation
Stanton, Christopher, William R. Kerr, James Palano, and Kendall Smith. "Catalant's Operating System for the Future of Work." Harvard Business School Case 820-093, February 2020. (Revised August 2020.)
- July 1987 (Revised October 1995)
- Case
Phillips 66: Controlling a Company Through Crisis
The downstream operations subsidiary of a major U.S. petroleum company is faced with major restructuring decisions and responds by developing an Executive Information System (EIS) which allows for increased responsiveness, wider span of control, and higher levels of... View Details
Keywords: Restructuring; Information Management; Governance Controls; Organizational Design; Crisis Management; Communication; Management Teams; Growth Management; Mining Industry; Energy Industry; United States
Applegate, Lynda M. "Phillips 66: Controlling a Company Through Crisis." Harvard Business School Case 189-006, July 1987. (Revised October 1995.)
- September 1994 (Revised June 2017)
- Case
Chemalite, Inc. (B): Cash Flow Analysis
By: Robert Simons and Antonio Davila
Students are asked to use actual and pro forma financial statements to prepare a statement of cash flows under both the direct and indirect method. View Details
Keywords: Cash Flow Analysis; Strategy Execution; Management Control Systems; Analysis; Cash Flow; Financial Statements
Simons, Robert, and Antonio Davila. "Chemalite, Inc. (B): Cash Flow Analysis." Harvard Business School Case 195-130, September 1994. (Revised June 2017.)
- January 1999 (Revised April 2004)
- Case
Infox System GmbH
Apax, a private equity firm, has an opportunity to invest in a travel-related print-materials distribution business in Germany. Infox is typical of many buyout opportunities. One of the founders seeks to exit the business, and recently hired managers will have to... View Details
Keywords: Private Equity; Leveraged Buyouts; Entrepreneurship; Investment; Financial Services Industry; Germany
Kuemmerle, Walter, M. Frederick Paul, and Chad S Ellis. "Infox System GmbH." Harvard Business School Case 899-061, January 1999. (Revised April 2004.)
- May 2017
- Supplement
ATH Technologies (B)
By: Robert Simons and Jennifer Packard
Supplements the (A) case. Designed as an in-class handout. View Details
Keywords: Strategy And Execution; Management Control Systems; Performance Management; Balancing Innovation And Control; Management Systems; Performance; Health Industry
Simons, Robert, and Jennifer Packard. "ATH Technologies (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 117-014, May 2017.
- 22 Jan 2001
- Research & Ideas
Control Your Inventory in a World of Lean Retailing
Manufacturers generally classify products in terms of broad product lines, developing a single marketing strategy and production plan for each line. That makes sense for marketing, but it's a mistake for production. Different SKUs... View Details
- October 1979 (Revised March 1995)
- Background Note
Note on the Management of Queues
Contains four sections: 1) measuring the performance of queuing systems; 2) types of queuing systems; 3) the behavior of simple systems (elementary queuing theory); and 4) the management of queues (including a discussion of their psychology). View Details
Keywords: Mathematical Methods
Maister, David H. "Note on the Management of Queues." Harvard Business School Background Note 680-053, October 1979. (Revised March 1995.)
- July 2021
- Article
The Effect of Price on Firm Reputation
By: Michael Luca and Oren Reshef
While a business's reputation can affect its pricing, prices can also affect its reputation. To explore the effect of prices on reputation, we investigate daily data on menu prices and online ratings from a large rating and ordering platform. We find that a price... View Details
Keywords: Pricing; Reputation Systems; IT Policy And Management; Economics Of Digital Platforms; Business Ventures; Reputation; Price; Consumer Behavior; Analysis
Luca, Michael, and Oren Reshef. "The Effect of Price on Firm Reputation." Management Science 67, no. 7 (July 2021): 4408–4419.
- 19 Aug 2021
- Op-Ed
Don't Ignore Your Employees' Misery—TAKE Control
officers—some of the military’s most senior leaders—sometimes assume that great officers leave the military for the private sector because they want to make more money. In reality, some of those officers... View Details
Keywords: by Hise O. Gibson and MaShon Wilson
- March 1998 (Revised October 1999)
- Case
Electronic Data Systems (EDS)
By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Thomas Dretler
Explores a global program of Electronic Data Systems (EDS) called "Global Volunteer Day" and examines the activities and business situation of the company in four countries. Asks students to address whether American values like "volunteerism" can be exported. View Details
Keywords: Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Globalized Firms and Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Community Relations; Information Technology Industry; United States
Kanter, Rosabeth M., and Thomas Dretler. "Electronic Data Systems (EDS)." Harvard Business School Case 398-072, March 1998. (Revised October 1999.)