Publications

August 1993
Case

General Motors: Smith's Dilemma

By: Nitin Nohria and Sandy Green

Discusses Roger Smith's tenure as CEO of General Motors. Describes his vision for changing General Motors, and how he went about implementing that vision. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Management Teams; Leadership Style; Auto Industry; Manufacturing Industry

August 1993 (Revised March 1996)
Case

Millipore: A Common Language for Common Systems

By: Nitin Nohria and Sandy Green

April 2002
Article

Local Versus Global Mimetism: The Dynamics of Alliance Formation in the Automobile Industry

By: Carlos Garcia-Pont and Nitin Nohria

Keywords: Local Range; Global Range; Production; Auto Industry

2002
Book

Master Passions: The Interplay of Anxiety, Ambition, and Envy

By: Mihnea Moldoveanu and Nitin Nohria

Keywords: Social Psychology

2000
Book

Breaking the Code of Change

By: Michael Beer and Nitin Nohria

Keywords: Change

August 2004 (Revised December 2005)
Case

From his humble beginnings in China as a teacher's son, a refugee, and later as a salesman, Li provides a lesson in integrity and adaptability. Through hard work, and a reputation for remaining true to his internal moral compass, he was able to build a business empire... View Details

Keywords: Leadership Development; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Leadership Style; Success; Business Conglomerates; Ethics; Values and Beliefs; China

May 2004 (Revised July 2004)
Case

Clarence Saunders: The Comeback King

By: Nitin Nohria and Bridget Gurtler

Follows the rise and fall of the founder of the modern supermarket, Clarence Saunders. Prior to 1915, all staple shopping took place in the market or general store, where a clerk behind a counter pulled items from shelves for customers , measured them from a barrel, or... View Details

Keywords: Inflation and Deflation; Mission and Purpose; Business Processes; Leadership; Consumer Behavior; Leadership Style; Advertising; Customer Relationship Management; Customer Value and Value Chain; Order Taking and Fulfillment

May 2004 (Revised June 2004)
Case

Brief Biographical Note on P. Roy Vagelos

By: Nitin Nohria and Bridget Gurtler

Provides background biographical information on P. Roy Vagelos, chief executive officer of Merck Pharmaceuticals. Teaching Purpose: To chart the development of a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. View Details

Keywords: Biography; Teaching; Leadership Development; Mission and Purpose; Personal Development and Career; Ethics; Pharmaceutical Industry

October 27, 2005
Article

Double-edged Sword

By: Anthony Mayo and Nitin Nohria

October 2005
Article

Zeitgeist Leadership

By: Anthony Mayo and Nitin Nohria

Keywords: Leadership

August 1993
Background Note

Executing Change: Seven Key Considerations

By: Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana

Provides a 7S framework to complement the McKinsey 7S framework. Focuses on some of the critical choices that must be made in implementing change--Strategic Intent, Substance, Scale, Scope, Speed, Sequence, and Style. Overall, the note argues that these choices must be... View Details

Keywords: Change; Framework; Goals and Objectives; Management Style; Time Management; Strategy

August 1993
Case

Ford: Petersen's Turnaround

By: Nitin Nohria and Sandy Green

Discusses the changes that Donald Petersen made to turnaround Ford during his tenure, first as president then as CEO. Describes his major initiatives, including the new emphasis on quality. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Leadership Style; Management Teams; Auto Industry; Manufacturing Industry

1996
Working Paper

How Strategic Networks Get Built: The Dynamics of Alliance Formation in the Global Automobile Industry

By: Nitin Nohria and Carlos Garcia-Pont

May 2009 (Revised November 2009)
Case

Ralph Nader: When Purpose and Legacy Collide

By: Nitin Nohria and Umaimah Mendhro

This case tells the story of Ralph Nader's leadership, from his success as a crusader for consumer interests and active public participation in the political process to his controversial campaigns for the U.S. presidency. View Details

Keywords: Values and Beliefs; Government and Politics; Leadership; Personal Development and Career; Reputation; Public Opinion; Public Administration Industry

December 1997
Article

What is the Optimum Amount of Organizational Slack? A Study of the Relationship Between Slack and Innovation in Multinational Firms

By: Ranjay Gulati and Nitin Nohria

Keywords: Organizations; Relationships; Business Ventures; Innovation and Invention

August 2002 (Revised March 2003)
Teaching Note

NerveWire (TN)

By: Nitin Nohria and Bridget Gurtler

Teaching Note for (9-402-020), (9-402-021), and (9-402-022). View Details

Keywords: Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Recruitment; Mission and Purpose; Internet and the Web; Problems and Challenges; Consulting Industry; Newton

December 2001 (Revised November 2002)
Case

John Smithers

By: Nitin Nohria and Todd Jick

Describes an ill-fated effort to institute a total quality program. Using the vantage point of one of the managers selected to be a quality instructor, the case traces the rise and fall of the quality effort during its very brief existence over the course of six... View Details

Keywords: Quality; Change Management; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Culture; Failure