Publications

January–February 2015
Article

The Truth about CSR

By: Kasturi Rangan, Lisa Chase and Sohel Karim

The article discusses corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. In the authors' view many of these programs consist of disparate, uncoordinated initiatives that fail to maximize their impact. They recommend a more coherent strategy that divides CSR efforts into... View Details

Find at Harvard

September 2009 (Revised February 2011)
Case

Intellectual Ventures

By: Andrei Hagiu, David B. Yoffie and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld

Intellectual Ventures creates and acquires intellectual property, which it then seeks to monetize through non-exclusive licensing. In early 2009, as an increasing number of companies were trying to position themselves as leading intermediaries in the market for... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Innovation and Invention; Intellectual Property; Rights; Service Operations; Research and Development; Technology; Service Industry

Producing Prosperity: Why America Needs a Manufacturing Renaissance

For years—even decades—in response to intensifying global competition, American companies decided to outsource their manufacturing operations in order to reduce costs. But we are now seeing the alarming long-term effect of those choices: in... View Details

April 2018 (Revised May 2018)
Teaching Note

Haier: Incubating Entrepreneurs in a Chinese Giant

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Jonathan Cohen

This Teaching Note helps instructors teach the HBS case, “Haier: Incubating Entrepreneurs in a Chinese Giant,” (HBS No. 318-104) presenting analysis of the case and a teaching plan to guide classroom discussions. View Details

04 Nov 2008
First Look

First Look: November 4, 2008

should hire to fill?). The case also features lively exhibits that illustrate Abrahams's value proposition, analyze his business model and revenue sources, and so forth. Purchase this case:... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

March 2010 (Revised July 2010)
Case

The Economist

By: Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Bharat N. Anand and Lizzie Gomez

In 2009 the Economist continued to experience impressive growth and operating margins while many of its peers reeled from both a cyclical downturn and structural threats to print publishing. The case describes the history, organization, and business model of the... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Journals and Magazines; Growth and Development Strategy; Strategic Planning; Competitive Strategy; Online Technology; Publishing Industry; United Kingdom

January 2024 (Revised March 2024)
Case

Tesla Motors in 2024--Turbulence Ahead?

By: Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Kate Stoppiello

Over its 20 years in existence, Tesla had become nearly synonymous with electric vehicles, and the company assumed an enviable market position. By 2023, however, Tesla faced intense competition. Traditional carmakers and EV upstarts were expected to introduce close to... View Details

Keywords: Competitive Strategy; Product Positioning; Competition; Industry Growth; Auto Industry; North America; Europe; China; Australia

July 2008 (Revised September 2009)
Case

Betfair vs. UK Bookmakers

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Neil Campbell

Betting exchanges provide an electronic platform that allows ordinary consumers to not only back teams to win, but also to lay odds for other punters to back. This business model allows punters to cut out the middleman of the bookmaker and leads to a much more... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Decision Choices and Conditions; Two-Sided Platforms; Market Transactions; Competition; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

Julia B. Austin

Julia Austin is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School’s Rock Center for Entrepreneurship where she currently teaches Startup Operations. Julia is also a certified Executive Coach, board member, startup advisor and angel investor... View Details

June 2008
Case

Starbucks Coffee Company in the 21st Century

By: Nancy F. Koehn, Marya Lisl Hill-Popper Besharov and Katherine Miller

The case explores the opportunities and challenges confronting Starbucks in the early 21st century. For more than 15 years, Starbucks has grown swiftly and successfully, helping create a large, dynamic market for specialty coffee, building one of the world's most... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Economy; Growth Management; Brands and Branding; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Competition

November 1999 (Revised October 2009)
Case

Virtualis Systems (A)

By: Jay O. Light and Michael J. Roberts

Describes a second-year MBA's attempts to make money for a fledgling Web-hosting business. As the case ends, he must both sort out the company's business model and financing needs, as well as select from an array of financing and acquisition alternatives. View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Model; Business Startups; Financial Strategy; Financing and Loans; Web Services Industry

Das Narayandas

Das Narayandas is the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Technology degree in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB), a Post-Graduate... View Details

Keywords: advertising; beauty products; biotechnology; computer; electrical equipment; electronics; entertainment; federal government; high technology; industrial goods; information technology industry; internet; management consulting; manufacturing; marketing industry; professional services; retailing; telecommunications; transportation

18 Oct 2006
Research & Ideas

New at the Helm: A Talk with HBS Dean Light

Forty years ago, in September 1966, a young mission analyst named Jay Light left the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California and headed east to Harvard Business School. At JPL, Light used his undergraduate engineering physics... View Details

Keywords: by Roger Thompson; Education

08 Feb 2017
Video

Francesca Ioffreda, MBA 2017

September 2000 (Revised July 2001)
Case

Chapters.ca

By: Michael J. Roberts, Rajiv Lal and Walter J. Salmon

Describes the challenges facing the online site associated with Canada's largest bricks-and-mortar bookseller. Presents a variety of lenses for examining the economic model of the online versus traditional book-selling business, and asks students to identify the... View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Internet and the Web; Business Model; Entrepreneurship; Product Marketing; Business Strategy; Technological Innovation; Canada

Find at Harvard

February 2005 (Revised November 2016)
Background Note

Forecasting the Adoption of a New Product

By: Elie Ofek

Provides tools and methodologies that allow forecasting demand for innovative new products. Highlights the Bass model—the theory behind it and ways to determine its parameters. Provides a detailed example of how to use the Bass model to forecast demand for satellite... View Details

Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Innovation and Invention; Marketing; Demand and Consumers; Mathematical Methods; Competition