Publications

August 1994
Case

Saturn Corp.'s Module II Decision

In the Spring of 1994, Saturn Corp. was setting sales records by attracting more than 25,000 buyers per month. Saturn officials believed there was a long-term opportunity to sell 400,000 to 500,000 cars per year in the United States and selected international markets.... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Production; Expansion; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Tennessee; United States

Article

The Market Design and Policy of Online Review Platforms

By: Benjamin Edelman

I present the institutions and incentives of online reviews, including attracting initial reviews, assuring truthful reviews of genuine experiences, and avoiding inflated or deceptive reviews. I also explore the competition and consumer protection concerns associated... View Details

Keywords: Reviews; Reputation; Platforms; Marketplaces; Deception; Market Design; Multi-Sided Platforms; Law; Online Technology; Information Technology Industry; Information Technology Industry; Information Technology Industry; Information Technology Industry

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05 Oct 2010
First Look

First Look: October 5, 2010

Affect Credit Ratings? Authors:Bo Becker and Todd Milbourn Abstract The credit rating industry has historically been dominated by just two agencies, Moody's and S&P, leading to longstanding legislative and regulatory calls for... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

October 2014
Article

Making Charity Pay

By: Michael I. Norton and Jill Avery

Companies are increasingly experimenting with the use of philanthropy to enhance consumer loyalty, brand awareness, and sales. But even highly creative approaches that garner a lot of buzz often fall short of sales goals, leading many companies to conclude,... View Details

Keywords: Philanthropy; Charitable Giving; Charity; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Advertising; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry; United States

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21 Jun 2010
Research & Ideas

Strategy and Execution for Emerging Markets

fills a void by making the market between, on the one hand, thousands of producers of goods and services and on the other, big-box retailers and many others in the United States that want to source from emerging markets. Li & Fung... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

January 2016 (Revised February 2016)
Course Overview Note

The Sustainable Core: Operations Management

By: Michael W. Toffel and L. Beril Toktay

This note is designed to help faculty embed environmental sustainability content into their core Operations Management course at the MBA or undergraduate level. It can also be used to identify cases with environmental content that can be used in operations electives... View Details

Keywords: Environmental Management; Operations Management; Sustainable Operations; Environmental Regulation; Operations; Supply Chain; Supply Chain Management; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Biotechnology Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Construction Industry; Forest Products Industry; Retail Industry

February 2019 (Revised January 2021)
Case

Quiksilver Inc. and Oaktree Capital Management

By: Kristin Mugford and Mike Harmon

Sports lifestyle company Quiksilver filed for bankruptcy in September 2015. Oaktree is considering an additional investment in the company to facilitate the restructuring. Students must consider whether Oaktree should invest given the risks of the turnaround... View Details

Keywords: Bankruptcy; Bankruptcy Reorganization; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Acquisition; Restructuring; Debt Securities; Transformation; Decision Making; Borrowing and Debt; Investment Return; Crisis Management; Negotiation; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; France; United States

01 Dec 2008
News

The Next Chapter

OLSON: After publishing, turning over a new leaf. Former Random House chairman and CEO Peter Olson (MBA ’76) has donned a new hat and will begin teaching corporate strategy at HBS next month. Olson is no stranger to Harvard, having attended Harvard College and Harvard... View Details

Keywords: Publishing Industries (except Internet); Publishing Industries (except Internet); Publishing Industries (except Internet); Publishing Industries (except Internet)

April 2021
Supplement

Buy Online, Pickup in Store: Vice President of Store Operations Supplement

By: Antonio Moreno, Santiago Gallino and Amy Klopfenstein

In April 2019, Sylvarella VP of Store Operations Axley Vega must review an analysis of her department’s sales data to determine the impact of the company’s Buy Online, Pickup in Store (BOPS) program. BOPS implementation created significant problems for the store... View Details

Keywords: Operations; Service Delivery; Logistics; Infrastructure; Distribution Channels; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Analysis; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States; Canada

January 2014 (Revised January 2014)
Case

Showdown at Cracker Barrel

By: Suraj Srinivasan and Tim Gray

In the fall of 2011, activist investor, Sardar Biglari, has acquired nearly 10% ownership in the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain. He believes that the board and senior management have failed and the company has underperformed relative to its peers. When he is denied a... View Details

September 2012 (Revised January 2013)
Case

SMARTBITES (A)

By: Michael Roberts, Jeronimo Silva and Amar Bhide

The case describes a Turkish brother-sister team who are evaluating the option of acquiring and operating a franchise of a US bakery/cafe in Turkey. They are comparing this option to that of simply starting a similar business. View Details

Keywords: Franchising; Start-up; Franchise Ownership; Family Ownership; Business Startups; Cost vs Benefits; Multinational Firms and Management; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Turkey; United States

April 2011
Teaching Note

Neck & Neck: Leveraging the Club Neck Information (TN)

Teaching Note for 111112. View Details

Keywords: Budgets and Budgeting; Knowledge Use and Leverage; Profit; Planning; Advertising Campaigns; Mathematical Methods; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

December 2010
Supplement

Restaurant Valuation: O'Charley's and AFC (CW)

This is a spreadsheet of the Exhibits for case 111-081, restaurant Valuation: O'Charley's and AFC. View Details

Keywords: Business Ventures; Valuation; Retail Industry; Retail Industry

December 2010
Case

Restaurant Valuation: O'Charley's and AFC

This case is a comparative analysis of the strategy, accounting, performance, and valuation for two restaurant chains alternatively having a company-owned versus franchising strategy. It requires students to identify these two different strategies, and the related... View Details

Keywords: Private Ownership; Valuation; Franchise Ownership; Retail Industry; Retail Industry

November 2010 (Revised February 2011)
Case

BonneSante S.A.

By: David F. Hawkins

IASB and FASB propose new lease accounting rules and the owner of a French chain of fast food outlets is concerned about the impact on his company's balance sheets. View Details

Keywords: Financial Reporting; International Accounting; Policy; Standards; Leasing; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; France