Publications

July 1997
Case

We've Got Rhythm! Medtronic Corporation's Cardiac Pacemaker Business

By: Clayton M. Christensen

Illustrates how a new management team at Medtronic's Cardiac Pacemaker business reversed a steep decline in market share by adopting certain management principles for new product development: clarifying strategy, aggregating project planning, accommodating the number... View Details

Keywords: Management Teams; Innovation Strategy; Innovation and Management; Product Development; Health; Technology; Change Management; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States

March 1975 (Revised September 1990)
Case

Insight Optical Equipment Co.

By: Steven C. Wheelwright

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

February 1991 (Revised January 1994)
Teaching Note

Ring Medical, Teaching Note

By: V. Kasturi Rangan

Teaching Note for (9-589-046). View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

January 1989 (Revised June 1993)
Case

Health Industry Manufacturers Association

By: George C. Lodge

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

August 2013
Course Overview Note

Building Life Science Businesses Fall 2013: Course Outline and Syllabus

By: Richard G. Hamermesh

This Course Outline and Syllabus gives an overview of the Fall 2013 class Building Life Science Businesses. View Details

Keywords: Healthcare Ventures; Entrepreneurial Management; Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurs; Health Care and Treatment; Health Testing and Trials; Medical Specialties; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Asia; North America; Europe

June 2024
Supplement

Legacy Partners (B)

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

Pre-abstract: Instructors should consider the timing of making videos available to students, as they may reveal key case details.

Abstract: Stephen Holbrook and Austin Pulsipher (both HBS '19) had been leading Nutrishare since acquiring the company six... View Details

July 2011
Teaching Note

Digital microscopy is making me crazy! (TN)

By: Willy C. Shih

Teaching Note for 612-002. View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

September 2008
Background Note

Background on the Technology of Molecular Diagnostics

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Jason Sanders

To be used as background reading for the "EXACT Sciences Corp.: Commercializing a Diagnostic Test" and "Diagnostic Genomics" cases, HBS nos. 308-090 and 309-040. View Details

Keywords: Health Testing and Trials; Technology; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

May 2002
Teaching Note

Guidant: Radiation Therapy (TN)

Teaching Note for (9-801-040). View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

September 1993
Case

Manufacturing at ALZA: The Right Prescription? (A)

By: Dorothy A. Leonard

ALZA, a company specializing in drug delivery systems such as transdermal patches, considers manufacturing its own products. Until now, the company has conducted research and development on its patented system but has then licensed the technology to client-partner... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Technological Innovation; Innovation and Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Problems and Challenges; Production; Research and Development; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

February 2020
Teaching Note

Theranos: Who Has Blood on Their Hands? (A) and (B)

By: Nien-he Hsieh and Christina R. Wing

Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 619-039 and 320-091. View Details

Keywords: Health Testing and Trials; Corporate Accountability; Organizational Culture; Misleading and Fraudulent Advertising; Crime and Corruption; Lawsuits and Litigation; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; California; United States

February 2016 (Revised September 2017)
Case

Neurotrack and the Alzheimer's Puzzle

By: Richard G. Hamermesh, Liz Kind and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Elli Kaplan founded Neurotrack in 2012 with a breakthrough noninvasive cognitive diagnostics test that will detect Alzheimer's disease in its earliest pre-symptomatic stages. While the company has gained great traction in the three years since it was started, with no... View Details

Keywords: Alzheimer's Disease; Diagnostics; Healthcare; Entrepreneurship; Health Disorders; Science-Based Business; Business Model; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States

November 2011 (Revised December 2011)
Case

PerkinElmer Developing Products in China for China

By: Vicki Sato, Christoph Jaeker and Kareem Reda

Keywords: Product Development; Developing Countries and Economies; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; China

October 2011 (Revised June 2013)
Case

Becton Dickinson: Opportunities and Challenges on the Road to the 'Envisioned Future'

By: Michael Beer and Russell A. Eisenstat

The case depicts a mission and values driven firm, how it was turned around, and its unique strategy of enabling others to succeed. View Details

Keywords: Corporate Strategy; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

June 2009
Teaching Note

Stryker Corporation: In-sourcing PCBs (TN)

By: Timothy A. Luehrman

Teaching Note for [207121]. View Details

Keywords: Investment; Capital Budgeting; Valuation; Investment Return; Mathematical Methods; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

July 2004 (Revised April 2005)
Teaching Note

MedSource Technologies (TN)

By: Robert S. Huckman

Teaching Note to (9-603-081). View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

March 2004 (Revised May 2006)
Teaching Note

PolyMedica Corporation (A), (B), and (C) TN

By: David F. Hawkins and Jacob Cohen

Teaching Note to (9-104-023), (9-104-031), and (9-104-032). View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

November 2003 (Revised December 2007)
Supplement

Circle Gastroenterology Products (B)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Weber

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Marketing Strategy; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

August 2002 (Revised July 2003)
Case

LAE Enterprises Corp.

Jay Entrepreneur had to decide whether it was worth his time to plow through a 12-page term sheet for a Series A round of preferred stock prepared by HBS Investors, a well-established venture capital firm that did seed, early-round, and mezzanine financings. He could... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Contracts; Decision Choices and Conditions; Business Startups; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry