Publications

September 1991 (Revised May 1994)
Case

Microsoft's Networking Strategy

By: David B. Yoffie

Keywords: Network Effects; Networks; Business Strategy; Information Technology; Information Technology Industry

Web

Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

HBS ISC Professor Michael Porter retired from the Harvard Business School faculty on November 30, 2023. Harvard Business Review: Smart, Connected Products Health Care: Value-Based Health Care U.S. COMPETITIVENESS: Competition in the Politics Industry The Institute for... View Details

August 1993
Background Note

Executing Change: Three Generic Strategies

By: Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana

Describes the strengths and weaknesses of three generic strategies for implementing change--programmatic change, discontinuous change, and emergent change. View Details

Keywords: Change; Strategy

15 Nov 2016
Working Paper Summaries

Algorithmic Foundations for Business Strategy

Keywords: by Mihnea Moldoveanu

November 1983 (Revised October 1988)
Case

Canon Inc.: Worldwide Copier Strategy

By: Michael E. Porter

Describes Canon's worldwide strategy in the copier business. Designed to be used to explore strategy formulation in a worldwide industry, and the principles of international competition. View Details

Keywords: Values and Beliefs; Global Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Manufacturing Industry

March 2021 (Revised December 2021)
Supplement

Humana (B) — Strategy Execution

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ashley Ifeadike

After Humana debuted its new pillar strategy focused on driving integration across members’ health care experiences, feedback from investors in private conferences and other forums was positive but stressed the need for execution and faced several questions in order to... View Details

Keywords: Health Care; Health Care Operations; Health Insurance; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Operations; Strategy; Health Industry

June 2005 (Revised August 2013)
Case

Amazon.com's European Distribution Strategy

By: Janice Hammond and Claire Chiron

Describes how Amazon's distribution system evolved from the company's inception. In 2003, Amazon Europe must decide how to reconfigure its distribution network in light of expected growth, products proliferation, and geographical expansion in Europe. Examines how... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Decision Choices and Conditions; Growth and Development; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Supply and Industry; Distribution; Supply Chain; Risk and Uncertainty; Expansion; Web Services Industry

July 2001 (Revised March 2002)
Case

Progressive Insurance: Disclosure Strategy

By: Amy P. Hutton and James Weber

Progressive Insurance had refused to play Wall Street's earning game. Progressive didn't manage reported earnings nor did management give guidance to analysts. Management then considered taking their unique disclosure strategy one step further to become the first to... View Details

Keywords: Earnings Management; Stocks; Corporate Disclosure; Insurance; Volatility; Insurance Industry; United States

November 2016 (Revised December 2016)
Module Note

Strategy Execution Module 7: Designing Asset Allocation Systems

By: Robert Simons

This module reading provides tools and analyses for acquiring and allocating resources. The module begins by reviewing the importance of setting strategic boundaries as a basis for asset acquisitions. Next, a distinction is made between new assets acquired to meet... View Details

Keywords: Management Control Systems; Implementing Strategy; Execution; Asset Allocation Systems; Payback; Discounted Cash Flow; Internal Rate Of Return; Strategic Investments; Analyzing Acquisitions; Strategy; Capital Budgeting

Research Summary

Masters of Strategy

By: David B. Yoffie

Over the last two decades, Professor Yoffie has written numerous cases on Intel, Microsoft, and Apple. In a new research project with Professor Michael Cusumano of MIT, the authors are examining what made Andy Grove of Intel, Bill Gates of Microsoft, and Steve Jobs... View Details

September–October 1986
Article

Hustle as Strategy

By: Amar Bhidé

Jun 2013
Conference Presentation

Seven Strategy Questions

By: Robert L. Simons

June 1985
Case

Brazil's Computer Strategy

14 Feb 2024
Podcast

Raízen’s Decarbonization Strategy

The bonus episode of the Climate Rising features an episode of HBR’s Cold Call podcast featuring a discussion on ethanol, a biofuel with a complex history and an uncertain future. Host Brian Kenny is joined by Professor Gunnar Trumbull and Paula Kovarsky from Raízen.... View Details

January 1991 (Revised April 1995)
Case

Cooper Industries' Corporate Strategy (A)

By: David J. Collis

Describes the development of a successful corporate strategy based on the acquisition and subsequent consolidation of low-technology manufacturing companies. Starting with a company history and discussion of current business segments, the case goes on to detail the... View Details

Keywords: Value Creation; Corporate Strategy; Acquisition; Manufacturing Industry

October 1997 (Revised November 2000)
Background Note

Note on Marketing Strategy

By: Robert J. Dolan

Describes the major elements of marketing strategy: the decisions to be made and the underlying analysis to support that decision making. View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy

31 May 2011
Research & Ideas

Japan Disaster Shakes Up Supply-Chain Strategies

The full cultural and sociological aftershocks of the earthquake in Japan—the worst disaster to hit the country since World War II—are washing like a tsunami across many industries as manufacturers and their customers scramble to replace suppliers disrupted and even... View Details

Keywords: by Dennis Fisher; Auto; Technology; Computer; Electronics

7 PM – 11 PM EDT, 10 Oct 2018

HBX Strategy Execution

Identify and solve your company's strategic challenges with an exclusive group of like-minded senior leaders via HBX Live, a real-time, interactive online classroom. Program Dates: October 10, 2018 - November 7, 2018 View Details

August 2024
Module Note

Mastering the Complete Strategy Landscape

By: David J. Collis

As CEO, whether of a large established firm or an entrepreneurial startup, you have the responsibility to craft a strategy capable of creating, capturing, and realizing value. And yet, too often, the holistic perspective required to integrate those discrete tasks gets... View Details

Keywords: Value Capture; Strategy; Strategic Planning; Value Creation