Publications

Find at Harvard

14 Oct 2014
First Look

First Look: October 14

founded Netflix to provide a home movie service that would do a better job satisfying customers than the traditional retail rental model. But as it encountered challenges it underwent several major strategy... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

28 Jun 2011
First Look

First Look: June 28

Thomas R. Eisenmann and Michael PaoHarvard Business School Case 811-065 Dropbox is a venture-backed Silicon valley startup, founded in 2006, that provides online storage and backup services to millions of... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

05 Mar 2012
Research & Ideas

Is JC Penney’s Makeover the Future of Retailing?

gauge whether he's succeeding. This August, the company will begin updating all stores with new merchandise. Two to three in-store shops will be installed monthly over the four-year plan. The Town Squares, which will likely be used to View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard; Retail

11 Jan 2010
Research & Ideas

Mixing Open Source and Proprietary Software Strategies

profit is by selling complementary goods and services. For example, IBM sells consulting services and proprietary software that are complementary to the OS software it develops, and Sun sells complementary hardware such as servers.... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Web Services

02 Dec 2010
What Do You Think?

Making Right Choices: Art or Science?

service alternatives or provide incentives in order to facilitate customer choice with fewer regrets. According to Iyengar, " choosing helps us create our lives. We make choices and are in turn made by... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

November 2004 (Revised September 2019)
Background Note

The U.S. Health Club Industry in 2004

By: John R. Wells, Gabriel Ellsworth and Benjamin Weinstock

In 2004, the $16.8 billion U.S. health club industry continued its strong record of growth. There were almost 27,000 health clubs in the United States, up from 6,700 two decades earlier, and these clubs claimed 41 million members, over 14% of the U.S. population.... View Details

Keywords: Health Clubs; Fitness; Gyms; Chain; Weight Loss; Obesity; Exercise; Personal Training; Bally Total Fitness; 24 Hour Fitness; YMCA; Gold's Gym; Curves; Franchise; Franchising; Subscription; Promotional Sales; Promotions; Fixed Costs; Body; Accrual Accounting; Revenue Recognition; Buildings and Facilities; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; For-Profit Firms; Trends; Customers; Demographics; Age; Income; Private Equity; Financing and Loans; Profit; Revenue; Geographic Scope; Multinational Firms and Management; Health; Nutrition; Business History; Employees; Retention; Human Capital; Working Conditions; Contracts; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Markets; Demand and Consumers; Supply and Industry; Industry Growth; Industry Structures; Operations; Service Operations; Franchise Ownership; Private Ownership; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Sales; Salesforce Management; Situation or Environment; Opportunities; Nonprofit Organizations; Welfare; Sports; Strategy; Business Strategy; Competition; Competitive Strategy; Consolidation; Corporate Strategy; Customization and Personalization; Expansion; Segmentation; Hardware; Health Industry; United States

30 Jul 2001
What Do You Think?

What’s the Future of Corporate Governance?

could adversely affect non-financial indicators used as inputs for corporate governance. Vaddi provides a list of questions that need to be answered if a "public" balanced scorecard of non-financial information is to be created.... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

March 2007 (Revised April 2007)
Case

Micro Insurance Agency: Helping the Poor Manage Risk

By: Michael Chu and Jean Hazell

The notable success of insurance products for low-income clients of its microfinance network leads Opportunity International to launch the first global specialized microinsurance company, the Micro Insurance Agency (MIA). Building on the experience in 10 countries... View Details

Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies; Cost Management; Microfinance; Globalization; Growth and Development Strategy; Risk Management; Infrastructure; Nonprofit Organizations; Competition; Financial Services Industry; Africa; Asia; Latin America

10 Sep 2001
What Do You Think?

Do MBAs Need More Street Smarts?

suggests a complementary relationship, commenting that, while no substitute for street smarts, the MBA provides "tools and strategic understanding skills that accelerate an average human being's learning curve." Will the... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

Web

Fundraising - Alumni

wisely and that your experience is successful and rewarding. We will provide the following services and resources: Information on HBS initiatives and programs An experienced staff member to help facilitate... View Details

September 1999 (Revised April 2000)
Case

drugstore.com

By: Richard L. Nolan

On a clear day in August 1999 in the new headquarters of drugstore.com, against a backdrop of the Blue Angels flying in formation over Lake Washington practicing for their hydroplane Seafare Cup performance, Peter Neupert was pleased with his company's IPO performance.... View Details

Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Internet and the Web; Problems and Challenges; Business Startups; Retail Industry

Web

Connell House | About

Connell Limited Partnership, he built one of the largest privately owned companies in the United States. Connell Family In the 1980s, Connell was working for the Ogden Corporation, a New York-based conglomerate with operations ranging from food View Details

December 2023
Case

Davivienda Bank's Upskilling and Reskilling Strategy in Colombia

By: Jorge Tamayo, Raffaella Sadun and Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago

Set in 2022, this case describes the digital transformation strategy of Davivienda— a leading player in Colombia’s commercial banking and one of the companies belonging to Grupo Bolívar, a major Colombian financial conglomerate—and the bank’s upskilling and reskilling... View Details