Publications

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November 1997 (Revised December 2000)
Case

Corn Products International, Inc.

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Tom Clay

A firm that started in corn processing and moved up the value-added food chain decides to spin-off the original commodity part of the business. How does the new spin-off survive and how does it develop a strategy? Firms in the food system are separating out their... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Growth and Development Strategy; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Product Development; Service Delivery; Vertical Integration; Food and Beverage Industry

March 2019
Article

Open Source Software and Firm Productivity

By: Frank Nagle

As open source software (OSS) is increasingly used as a key input by firms, understanding its impact on productivity becomes critical. This study measures the firm-level productivity impact of nonpecuniary (free) OSS and finds a positive and significant value-added... View Details

Keywords: Applications and Software; Open Source Distribution; Performance Productivity; Information Technology; Strategy

07 Jul 2003
What Do You Think?

Can We Have Too Much Productivity Improvement?

Summing Up There was a wide divergence of opinion on this month's column. A surprising number of respondents concluded that an economy could suffer, at least in the short-run, from too much productivity improvement. But many suggested... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

February 1982 (Revised August 1987)
Case

Hoover: Multinational Product Planning

By: Robert D. Buzzell and Benson P. Shapiro

Keywords: Product Marketing; Global Strategy; Multinational Firms and Management

Article

Products to Platforms: Making the Leap

By: Feng Zhu and Nathan Furr

Following the path of companies such as Apple and Amazon, more and more firms are trying to become not just product purveyors but also platform providers, facilitating direct connections between customers and other groups. Although launching a platform can generate new... View Details

Keywords: Product; Digital Platforms; Expansion

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November 2003 (Revised September 2008)
Case

Circle Gastroenterology Products (A)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Weber

A new, minimally invasive medical device has achieved only one-third of its budget. Was the problem one of marketing strategy, sales, reimbursement, and/or clinical trials? View Details

Keywords: Health Testing and Trials; Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Sales; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

May 1998
Article

Market Structure, Innovation and Vertical Product Differentiation

By: Shane Greenstein and Garey Ramey

We reassess Arrow's (1962) [Economic Welfare and the Allocation of Resources for Invention, in NBER, The Rate and Direction of Innovative Activity (Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ)] results concerning the effect of market structure on the returns from process... View Details

Keywords: Product; Market Design; Innovation and Invention; Monopoly; Competition

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June 2005
Teaching Note

Midwest Office Products (TN)

By: Robert S. Kaplan

Teaching Note to (9-104-073). View Details

Keywords: Computer Industry; Service Industry

December 1999 (Revised April 2001)
Case

Avon Products China (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Jennifer Gui

In April 1998, when the Chinese central government bans all forms of direct selling in China in April 1998, executives at Avon China must decide how to respond. The first direct sales company to enter China after its opening to outsiders, Avon sparked widespread... View Details

Keywords: Crisis Management; Sales; Trade; Business and Government Relations; Government and Politics; Market Participation; China

March 1990
Background Note

Technological Imperatives of Production

By: Oscar Hauptman and Marco Iansiti

March 1982
Background Note

Note on Productivity Accounting

By: Robert H. Hayes

Keywords: Accounting

May 1961 (Revised April 1973)
Case

Reliable Products Co. (B)

Article

Marketing the Premium Product

By: John A. Quelch

September 1995
Supplement

At Play Productions (B)

By: William A. Sahlman and Andrew S. Janower

February 1993 (Revised September 1993)
Case

AT&T Copper Cable Products

January 1989 (Revised March 1995)
Case

Du Pont Freon Products Division (A)

By: Richard H.K. Vietor and Forest L. Reinhardt

In 1988, the Du Pont Co. is abruptly confronted with solid scientific evidence that chlorofluorocarbons are destroying the earth's ozone shield. Du Pont, with its Freon brand product line serving markets for foam insulation, electronics solvents, and especially... View Details

Keywords: Business Divisions; Policy; Management; Brands and Branding; Production; Service Operations; Natural Environment; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Environmental Sustainability