Publications

November 2018 (Revised June 2019)
Case

Michael Rubin and Fanatics (A)

By: Robert F. Higgins and John Masko

In 2016, Michael Rubin’s Fanatics was the U.S.’ largest sports e-commerce company and operator of the official online store for all the major American sports leagues. That year, Fanatics began to dabble in manufacturing licensed sports merchandise, securing limited... View Details

Keywords: Fanatics; Licensed Merchandise; E-commerce; Entrepreneurship; Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Sports; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States

January 2017 (Revised April 2018)
Background Note

Introduction to Incentive-based Sales Compensation Systems

By: Willy Shih

This background note explains the structure of incentive-based sales compensation systems. View Details

Keywords: Sales Compensation; Sales Force Compensation; Sales Force Management; Sales; Salesforce Management; Compensation and Benefits; Motivation and Incentives; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States

09 May 2017
First Look

New Research and Ideas, May 9

U.S. consumers. Despite years of offering samples to consumers, modifications to the naming and packaging design, the addition of new flavors, changes in the supermarkets where it placed its product, and offering retailers slotting... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

19 Dec 2017
First Look

New Research and Ideas, December 19, 2017

a new luxury brand specializing in cashmere garments. It describes how this venture emerged organically out of a combination of manufacturing and retail expertise with the ambition of creating the first pure Chinese luxury brand. The... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

22 Jan 2013
First Look

First Look: Jan. 22

political establishment. Purchase this case:http://hbr.org/search/113026-PDF-ENG Ahold versus Tesco-Analyzing Performance Srinivasan, Suraj, and Penelope RossanoHarvard Business School Case 113-040 The case relates to understanding and comparing the performance of two... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

16 Nov 2010
First Look

First Look: November 16, 2010

wholesalers. Going forward, its two main strategic challenges are 1) deciding how much to rely on partnerships with large retailers for growth and 2) deciding whether to continue as a "merchant," i.e., buying and reselling goods... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

13 Apr 2010
First Look

First Look: April 13

MaterialsNote on Direct Selling in Developing Economies Michael Chu and Joel SegreHarvard Business School Case 310-068 Informal and formal direct selling play a particularly important role in developing countries characterized by markets with limited View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

01 Apr 2008
First Look

First Look: April 1, 2008

Moderna to be the leading electronic retailer in 20 countries in and around Central and Eastern Europe, evolving an unusual multi-channel strategy, organizational structure, and IT systems. Serious conflicts cause Cesko to question his... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

09 Jan 2006
Research & Ideas

Rebuilding Commercial Real Estate

Students of recent United States real estate history can't help but notice unsettling parallels between the red-hot commercial market of the late 1980s and today. Then, as now, money gushed into the market, driving office and retail... View Details

Keywords: by Roger Thompson; Construction; Real Estate

August 2018 (Revised May 2019)
Case

Rev. Georgiette Morgan-Thomas & The American Hat Factory

By: Steven Rogers and Ariel Rogers

On a sunny Monday morning, Rev. Morgan-Thomas walked into her newly acquired hat factory thinking, “What have I gotten myself into? Things are worse than I imagined. Can I ever turn this company around given all of the known and unknown problems? Can I make it... View Details

December 2020 (Revised April 2021)
Case

Arcos Dorados: A QSR Recovery Plan

By: Forest Reinhardt, José B. Alvarez, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago and Mariana Cal

Arcos Dorados—McDonald’s largest independent franchisee, covering Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)—faced a pandemic that was disrupting the entire consumer foodservice business in 2020. With the exclusive right to own, operate, and sub-franchise McDonald’s... View Details

Teaching Interest

Overview

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport

Technology Entrepreneurship, Marketing Strategy, Service Management View Details

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Strategy Formulation; ＂Marketing Analytics＂; Advertising Technology; Media Content; Media And Broadcasting Industry; Media Businesses; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail 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

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; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry