Publications

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January 2014
Supplement

Ford Asia Pacific & Africa: The E-coating Facility Decision in Gujarat, India (B)

By: Juan Alcacer and Nancy Hua Dai

The case reveals that Ford decided to open its own e-coating plant in Gujarat, India, and details how the decision was made at different organizational levels. View Details

Keywords: Foreign Investment; Organizational Alignment; Strategic Decision Making; Motivation and Incentives; Communication; Organizational Structure; Decision Making; Business Processes; Foreign Direct Investment; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Gujarat

March 2012
Case

The Agnellis and Fiat: Family Business Governance in a Crisis (A)

By: John A. Davis, Bernardo Bertoldi and Roberto Quaglia

After the death of Umberto Agnelli in 2004, the Agnelli family, led by John Elkann, needs to decide whether to keep Fiat CEO Giuseppe Morchio. The Fiat Group is in a delicate financial position, and John Elkann, the new family leader, is untested in this role. The... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Family Ownership; Management Teams; Leadership; Corporate Governance; Crisis Management; Auto Industry; Auto Industry; Italy

November 2010 (Revised April 2011)
Supplement

Magna International, Inc. (A) (CW)

By: Timothy A. Luehrman and Yuhai Xuan

Magna International, Inc., a Canadian-based automotive parts manufacturer, is considering whether and how to unwind its dual-class ownership structure. A family trust controlled by the founder owns a 0.65% economic interest in the company but has 66% of the votes via a... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Voting; Governance Controls; Market Transactions; Production; Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Value Creation; Auto Industry; Auto Industry; Canada

April 1990 (Revised April 1993)
Case

Bridgeton Industries: Automotive Component & Fabrication Plant

Bridgeton Industries was experiencing reduced sales. To become more competitive it introduced a classification procedure for products based upon their productivity and other factors. Products were classified into three groups: world class, potentially world class, and... View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Competition; Cost Management; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry

March 2002 (Revised March 2004)
Case

Metalcraft Supplier Scorecard

By: Susan L. Kulp, V.G. Narayanan and Ronald L. Verkleeren

An automotive components company uses a supplier scorecard to make sourcing decisions and review its supplier performance. View Details

Keywords: Supply Chain Management; Quality; Performance Evaluation; Decision Making; Service Operations; Motivation and Incentives; Supply and Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry

August 1993
Case

Ford: Petersen's Turnaround

By: Nitin Nohria and Sandy Green

Discusses the changes that Donald Petersen made to turnaround Ford during his tenure, first as president then as CEO. Describes his major initiatives, including the new emphasis on quality. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Leadership Style; Management Teams; Auto Industry; Auto Industry

Find at Harvard

01 Dec 2005
News

Alumni Achievement Awards: Honorees and Victories

their turn to get into the game. Following are short profiles of this year’s recipients. Rahul Bajaj (MBA ’64) As chairman of Bajaj Auto Ltd., one of India’s foremost companies and one of the world’s largest makers of motorized scooters... View Details

Keywords: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services; Management; Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

21 Dec 2022
Blog Post

Climate Stories Episode #12: Vehicle to Everything - Claire Broido Johnson (MBA 2002), Chief Operating Officer of Fermata Energy

goals are two-fold: to help reduce auto emissions and make the fleet more climate friendly, as well as to “help boost driver recruitment.” Analysts said the Domino’s announcement is a reminder that corporate fleets are a key early driver... View Details

28 Apr 2022
Blog Post

Climate Stories Episode #4: Erika Myers, World Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

budgets have entered the EV space.” The ads, she noted, confirm the growing consumer interest in and target market for electric vehicles. Tesla’s boast that it delivered 1 million cars last year shows “that the technology is viable and that consumers want it.” Searches... View Details

01 Oct 2001
What Do You Think?

Will Information Technology Really Turn Organizations Upside Down This Time?

command? Or for business? For years, W. Edwards Deming, the father of modern continuous quality improvement, had trouble convincing U.S. (as opposed to Japanese) auto manufacturers to implement the keys to... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

01 Mar 2009
News

The Case for Studying Financial History

because these companies clearly are incapable of competing with Japanese-owned companies that are simply producing better cars at lower cost. Won’t we continue to have a U.S. auto industry? It’s just that the View Details

Keywords: Roger Thompson; federal bailouts; Finance; Administration of Economic Programs; Government

01 Jun 2009
News

Dispatches from the Global Classroom

have the market we desire.” Days 6–9: Monterrey TOM, REAL TIME: Students quiz executives at Nemak, a leading manufacturer of aluminum auto engine heads and blocks. Nemak is one of four business groups that... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services; Social Assistance; Health, Social Assistance; Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

20 Apr 2010
First Look

First Look: April 20

supplement:http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/310077-PDF-ENG Local Motors: Designed by the Crowd, Built by the Customer Michael I. Norton and Jeremy B. DannHarvard Business School Case 510-062 In the wake of the meltdown among U.S. View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

01 Mar 2009
News

Damon Silvers

policymaker in Europe last week, and he confirmed the Japanese auto industry’s belief that its supply chain in the United States would be disrupted should the three automakers fail. That’s because key suppliers are dependent on having a... View Details

Keywords: Roger Thompson; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

May 2017 (Revised January 2020)
Case

Webasto Roof Systems Americas: Leadership Through Change (A)

By: Francesca Gino and Paul Green

Webasto Roof Systems, Americas, the North American subsidiary of Germany-based Webasto Group, limped into 2014 in poor financial and operational shape. The company's early optimism emerging from the financial downturn had proven naive, and now, five years later, the... View Details

Keywords: Culture Change; Change Management; Leading Change; Crisis Management; Organizational Culture; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; North and Central America

March 1994 (Revised October 1994)
Case

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.: Target Costing System

Describes Nissan's sophisticated target costing system in the context of new product introduction. On the basis of consumer analysis and a life cycle contribution study, Nissan conducts an exhaustive analysis of component costs to determine whether a new model can be... View Details

Keywords: Cost; Product Development; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Japan

April 2012 (Revised August 2013)
Case

General Motors Technical Center India – Powertrain Engineering

By: Willy Shih, William Jurist, Brian McIntosh and Helen Wang

Prabjot Nanua was proud of the growing capabilities of the General Motors Technical Center India Powertrain Engineering group that he oversaw. Since 2003, engineers there had expanded the center's capabilities, developing a reputation within GM for completing... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Business Headquarters; Research and Development; Business Strategy; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; India

November 2010
Supplement

Magna International, Inc. (B)

By: Timothy A. Luehrman and Yuhai Xuan

Magna International, Inc., a Canadian-based automotive parts manufacturer, is considering whether and how to unwind its dual-class ownership structure. A family trust controlled by the founder owns a 0.65% economic interest in the company but has 66% of the votes via a... View Details

Keywords: Business and Shareholder Relations; Value Creation; Voting; Family Ownership; Cost; Cost vs Benefits; Stock Shares; Governance Controls; Governing and Advisory Boards; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Canada