Publications

November 2022
Background Note

The Future of E-Commerce: Lessons from the Livestream Wars in China

By: Ayelet Israeli, Jeremy Yang and Billy Chan

This note explores the emerging multi-billion dollar commerce trend of livestream commerce. Livestream commerce is the sale of goods or services directly to consumers via live shows on digital platforms (such as social media or e-commerce platforms). It is a form of... View Details

July 2010 (Revised March 2013)
Case

One Firm One Future at Davis Langdon (A)

By: Robert G. Eccles and Kaitlyn A. Simpson

Senior Partner Rob Smith just led construction consultancy firm Davis Langdon through a major organizational change in Europe and the Middle East. In the past, compensation arrangements had not incentivized partners to collaborate across the firm to serve clients'... View Details

Keywords: Profit Sharing; Global Strategy; Compensation and Benefits; Leading Change; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Partners and Partnerships; Cooperation; Expansion; Consulting Industry; Europe; Middle East

February 2021
Case

Lidya: Bringing Nigerian FinTech Innovation to Global Small and Medium Enterprises

By: Lauren Cohen and Spencer C.N. Hagist

Lidya CEO Tunde Kehinde must size up options for the expansion of his novel lending practices that drastically reduce the credit cycle in his developing Nigeria, and determine if expansion into Eastern Europe will prove successful or disastrous. View Details

Keywords: Fintech; Economics; Entrepreneurship; Financing and Loans; Strategy; Expansion; Nigeria

Clubs

Central & Eastern European Club

Research Summary

Retailing

Sanghavi has undertaken / acted as lead researcher for numerous research projects for several retail and retail-related organizations in the UK, Europe and USA, and also various government organizations including the European Commission, University of St Gallen,... View Details

August 2021 (Revised February 2022)
Case

Northvolt: Making the World's Greenest Battery

By: Jurgen R. Weiss and Emilie Billaud

In 2021, the demand for lithium-ion batteries increased rapidly, particularly for electric vehicles. Anxious not to be reliant on Asian players, Europe was keen on developing its own home-grown capacity to control the value chain, maintain employment in Europe, and get... View Details

1990
Book

Banks as Multinationals

By: G. Jones

This comparative and international study looks at the origins and business strategies of multinational banks using empirical research from the United States, Japan, Europe and Australia. The authors survey the evolution of multinational banks over time, and suggest a... View Details

Keywords: Banks and Banking; Framework; Multinational Firms and Management; Growth and Development; Surveys; Research; Business Strategy; Japan; Europe; United States; Australia

Find at Harvard

August 1995 (Revised December 2006)
Case

Stonehaven, Inc.

By: H. Kent Bowen and Ramchandran Jaikumar

Stonehaven is a disguised version of a shoe factory located in Central Europe that must respond quickly to mix and volume changes for the U.S.-based company. Shoemaking involves several distinctly different processes, which must be designed and managed in a way to give... View Details

Keywords: Operations; Business Processes; Performance Capacity; Change Management; Design; Consumer Products Industry; Europe; United States

August 2004
Article

Inequality and Happiness: Are Europeans and Americans Different?

By: Rafael Di Tella, Alberto Alesina and Robert MacCulloch

We study the effect of the level of inequality in society on individual well-being using a total of 123,668 answers to a survey question about “happiness”. We find that individuals have a lower tendency to report themselves happy when inequality is high, even after... View Details

Keywords: Equality and Inequality; Happiness; Global Range; Local Range; United States; Europe

Find at Harvard

Read Now

March 1991 (Revised December 1994)
Case

Marks and Spencer Ltd. (A)

By: Cynthia A. Montgomery

Marks and Spencer is a highly regarded retailer in the United Kingdom. This case examines the history of the firm, its organizational capabilities, and its long standing relationships with employees, customers, and suppliers. Also discusses the firm's expansion into... View Details

Keywords: Expansion; Organizational Design; Relationships; Retail Industry; United Kingdom

02 Mar 2011
News

Egypt faces critical decision on its future

March 2008
Case

Shangri-La Hotels

By: Dennis Campbell and Brent Kazan

In November 2006, Symon Bridle, the newly appointed chief operating officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, was thinking about a number of organizational issues that presented challenges to Shangri-La's rapid expansion strategy. There were three major issues at hand:... View Details

Keywords: Employees; Growth and Development Strategy; Standards; Service Delivery; Organizational Culture; Accommodations Industry; China; Europe; North America

Research Summary

Competitiveness of particular countries and regions

Michael Porter's framework of competitiveness has provided a structured way for regions, countries, and groups of neighboring countries to analyze their competitiveness and identify priorities for competitiveness upgrading. My research applies these concepts to... View Details

30 Jun 2014
News

Are global companies wringing all of the innovation out of their businesses in pursuit of profits?

September 2010 (Revised December 2010)
Case

Santander Consumer Finance

By: J. Gunnar Trumbull, Elena Corsi and Andrew Barron

A Spanish company has to decide if they should expand into the fragmented European consumer finance market and has to make important organizational strategy decisions in the midst of the world economic downturn that followed the 2007 U.S. credit crunch. Since 2002, the... View Details

Keywords: Borrowing and Debt; Financial Markets; International Finance; Personal Finance; Consolidation; Corporate Strategy; Expansion; Financial Services Industry; European Union; Spain

April 2008 (Revised May 2011)
Case

Leading Citigroup (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine, Aldo Sesia and Carin-Isabel Knoop

The (A) case describes a series of controversial events and alleged misdeeds that placed Citigroup in the public spotlight and launched investigations into the company's business practices by regulators in Japan and Europe in the fall of 2004. CEO Chuck Prince must... View Details

Keywords: Crime and Corruption; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Leadership; Organizational Culture; Business and Government Relations; Reputation; Japan; Europe

Research Summary

Overview

According to McKinsey & Company, social interactions impact up to a third of all consumer purchases which accounts for US$940 billion in annual consumption in the US and Europe alone. Understanding social influence is important meeting consumer needs. In my research,... View Details

Keywords: Social Networks; Social Influence; Homophily; CRM; Mobile Gaming; Customer Lifetime Value; Forestry; Banking; Retail Banks

October 2000
Case

Procter & Gamble Italy: The Pringles Launch (A)

By: Roy D. Shapiro

Procter & Gamble's (P&G) Pringles potato chips have been a very successful brand. This case reviews the development and first launch in the United States, then in markets around the world. Italy is one of the last countries where Pringles will be launched. Should P&G... View Details

Keywords: Globalized Markets and Industries; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Product Launch; Emerging Markets; Product Development; Adoption; Value Creation; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States