Publications

23 Aug 2019
Sharpening Your Skills

Has the Corporate Mission Just Been Disrupted?

their efforts often lack an overall strategy that dilutes their effectiveness. "Kash" Rangan and colleagues offer a pragmatic solution. Why Business Should Support Employees Who Are CaregiversShifting demographics are causing an increasing number of people... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Green Technology

January 2009 (Revised February 2013)
Case

Appellation Shanxi: Grace Vineyard

By: William C. Kirby, Michael Shih-ta Chen and Keith Chi-ho Wong

Grace Vineyard was a rare family-owned, private winery in China that was set on establishing itself as a world-renowned, quality vintner. Judy Leissner, the second-generation company leader, was at a crossroads in how she wanted to grow the business that her father... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Growth and Development Strategy; Family Ownership; State Ownership; Expansion; Food and Beverage Industry; China

29 Apr 2008
First Look

First Look: April 29, 2008

Germany's most influential political news magazine. In the 1970s, its founder Rudolf Augstein gave a 50% ownership stake to his employees and sold another 25% to rival publisher Gruner+Jahr, but retained significant control during his... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

February 2005 (Revised October 2006)
Teaching Note

Khalil Abdo Group (TN)

By: John A. Davis and Courtney Sampson

Teaching Note to (9-898-011). View Details

Keywords: Family Ownership

14 Nov 2019
Book

Lifting the Lid on Turkey's Hidden Business History

Turkey’s economic development story has always been something of a black box for scholars to understand, perhaps in part because many of the most successful business enterprises there have been in family hands and largely closed to public... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

09 Mar 2010
First Look

First Look: March 9

different ownership structure and managers with different risk aversion and talent match endogenously through incentive contracts. The model predicts and the data support that, compared to widely held firms, View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

November 2006
Supplement

The Bollingers: Negotiating with Wal-Mart (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Ellen Knebel

Keywords: Negotiation; Family Ownership

13 Dec 2004
Research & Ideas

Sharing News That Might Be Bad

obligations on the recipient; there are practices followed by privately held businesses, family businesses, and employee-owned businesses. Here's the lynchpin: If the answer you provide does not feel truthful and complete, you fail.... View Details

Keywords: by Paul Michelman

28 Aug 2017
Research & Ideas

Should Industry Competitors Cooperate More to Solve World Problems?

relationships of competitors,” he says. Serafeim, the Jakurski Family Associate Professor at Harvard Business School, discusses his theory in a recent email interview. His paper is called Investors as Stewards of the Commons? Sean... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Financial Services; Manufacturing; Agriculture & Agribusiness; Mining

November 1995 (Revised October 1997)
Case

Francisco de Narvaez at Tia (A)

By: Linda A. Hill and Stacy Palestrant

Describes Francisco de Narvaez's leadership efforts to transform his family-owned business into a market-driven, professionally run global company. Covers the events from 1989 to 1992. View Details

Keywords: Leading Change; Family Business; Family Ownership; Global Strategy; Problems and Challenges

Find at Harvard

10 Jan 2005
Research & Ideas

Motivation and the Cross-Sector Alliance

business holdings. The traditional Argentine newspaper La Nación provides an example of such a shift, when in 1996 a change in ownership of the controlling stake led to the appointment of Julio Saguier as board chairman. Saguier was... View Details

Keywords: by James Austin, Ezequiel Reficco & SEKN research team

July 1998 (Revised November 1998)
Supplement

The Pellegrins (B)

By: John A. Davis

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Management Succession; Family and Family Relationships; Family Ownership; Publishing Industry

December 2003
Case

Sale of Hephaestus, Inc. to Vulcan Ventures, Inc.

Henry Hephaestus founded Hephaestus, Inc. in 1895. Its first product was a tapered roller bearing for use with horse-drawn wagons and carriages. It reduced friction on the axle and reduced the force necessary to move a heavy load, thereby enabling one horse to do the... View Details

Keywords: Business Exit or Shutdown; Entrepreneurship; Family Ownership; Manufacturing Industry

May 2022
Supplement

Maestro Pizza (B): The Competition Awakens

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Fares Khrais

Maestro pizza opened its first store in 2013 after its founder, Khalid Al Omran, recognized an opportunity in Saudi Arabia to offer high quality pizza at affordable prices. The business grew rapidly and under the radar at first, but soon enough caught the attention of... View Details

21 Nov 2005
Research & Ideas

Making Credibility Your Strongest Asset

this without a patent or a copyright. In theory, anyone could try to horn in on his territory. Surely some are trying; there are no formal barriers to entry. Rovell's competitive advantage is his reputation. Foster A Reputation For Generosity Now consider Tony Lucci,... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Wheeler

August 2012
Teaching Note

Messer Griesheim (A) (Abridged) and (B) (TN)

By: Josh Lerner and Eva Lutz

Teaching Note for 813-018 and 809-057 View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Venture Capital; Energy; Family Ownership; Energy Industry; Europe

April 2025
Case

Techint: Strategic Choices for Community Impact

By: Lauren Cohen, Virak Prum, Kenneth Charman, Pedro Levindo and Mariana Cal

In early 2024 Erika Bienek, Chief Community Relations Officer at Techint, had to decide whether to invest in a new company-owned and operated technical school in Veracruz, Mexico, or invest instead in strengthening the city’s public education system. Techint, a global... View Details

Keywords: Technical Institutes; Community Relations; Social Impact; Argentina; Mexico; Brazil; Conglomerate; Stakeholder Management; Government And Business; Community Impact; Philanthropy; Business Conglomerates; Business Subsidiaries; Business Headquarters; Family Business; Decision Making; Private Sector; Public Sector; Education; Curriculum and Courses; Middle School Education; Secondary Education; Teaching; Training; Learning; Energy; Engineering; Construction; Values and Beliefs; Geography; Global Range; Local Range; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Globalized Firms and Management; Government Legislation; Recruitment; Innovation and Invention; Disruptive Innovation; Knowledge; Resource Allocation; Industry Clusters; Infrastructure; Family Ownership; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Business and Community Relations; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Business and Government Relations; Creativity; Reputation; Social and Collaborative Networks; Civil Society or Community; Social Issues; Poverty; Strategy; Construction Industry; Education Industry; Energy Industry; Industrial Products Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Steel Industry; Europe; Italy; Latin America; North and Central America; Mexico; North America; United States; South America; Argentina; Buenos Aires; Brazil