Publications

21 Feb 2007
Op-Ed

What a U.N. Partnership with Big Business Could Accomplish

are the greatest drivers of wealth creation, there needs to be a way to bring their capabilities and resources to those countries and regions where they are now absent. It is also essential to minimize the risk, make their investment... View Details

Keywords: by George C. Lodge & Craig Wilson

08 Jan 2008
First Look

First Look: January 8, 2008

comprehensive micro-data allow us to study how the entry rate, the distribution of entry sizes, and survival rates for firms responded to changes in banking competition. We also distinguish the relative... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

17 Nov 2020
In Practice

How Retailers Can Thrive in a Shopping Season Like No Other

lecturer of business administration and the C. Roland Christensen Distinguished Management Educator. Ramon Casadesus-Masanell: Watch costs and find channel advantages Given COVID-19 transmission rates as... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost; Retail

17 Aug 2010
First Look

First Look: August 17

appropriate systemic connections to effectively distribute solutions. Thus, these challenges cannot be dealt with by one profession or institution acting alone; indeed, effective action most often occurs at the intersections View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

03 Jun 2015
What Do You Think?

Is the Time Right for Self-Management?

increasing complexity and unpredictability of our world is such that only a highly distributed decision-making structure will be able to adapt and respond effectively, she continued. "Most View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Retail

March 1993 (Revised April 1995)
Case

IBM After-Sales Service

By: Janice H. Hammond

IBM has established a service delivery system to provide service and maintenance parts for its installed base of computers. The case outlines the competitive pressures IBM faces from alternative providers of maintenance services (e.g. other OEMs, third-party... View Details

Keywords: Service Delivery; Service Operations; Supply Chain; Supply Chain Management; Logistics; Operations; Distribution; Customer Focus and Relationships; Competitive Strategy; Computer Industry

Blog

Crossing the Bridge from Program Learning to Practical Application

learning." Barnes accepted the invitation and did an amazing job. She's since become part of four more sessions, two online and two in person. In delivering lectures, Barnes has tried to channel HBS... View Details

Article

Divide and Conquer: Competing with Free Technology under Network Effects

By: Deishin Lee and Haim Mendelson

We study how a commercial firm competes with a free open source product. The market consists of two customer segments with different preferences and is characterized by positive network effects. The commercial firm makes product and pricing decisions to maximize its... View Details

Keywords: Profit; Product Launch; Network Effects; Open Source Distribution; Adoption; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage

Find at Harvard

February 1980 (Revised April 1981)
Case

Poland Spring Bottling Corp.

By: Benson P. Shapiro

Poland Spring is a small domestic bottler of mineral water trying to compete in a rapidly expanding market against Perrier, the dominant brand, and 20 other foreign and domestic waters. Company management must decide how to position and promote its product with limited... View Details

Keywords: Product Marketing; Product Positioning; Competition; Globalized Markets and Industries; Distribution Industry; Distribution Industry; United States

May 2002 (Revised May 2003)
Case

Sa Sa Cosmetics

By: David E. Bell and Iris T. Li

Sa Sa Cosmetics has had spectacular success as a low-price retailer of branded cosmetics. But recently, growth has slackened. What are the causes? This case describes recent strategic initiatives and provides market research data to aid the students in diagnosis. View Details

Keywords: Crisis Management; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Distribution; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Fashion Industry

24 Feb 2009
First Look

First Look: February 24, 2009

efficiency benefits, rebates, and treatment in case of loss or fraud. Purchase this case: http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=909006 Distribution at American Airlines (A) Harvard... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

20 Jan 2009
Research & Ideas

Risky Business with Structured Finance

this product was so superior to other channels of financing. We also started hearing the phrase, 'These structures create yield out of thin air.' It implies magic, or a... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Banking; Financial Services

20 Sep 2016
First Look

September 20, 2016

staggered boards can be beneficial for early-life-cycle firms, which exhibit greater information asymmetries between insiders and investors. These results are validated using a larger sample of firms from the Investor Responsibility... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

07 Mar 2019
News

Smart Marketing Brings Rapid Growth to Latino Brands

“If you fast forward 11 years, what we have been able to accomplish is, first of all, an insanely rapid growth. We have doubled the size of the business every two years. Second, we are close to servicing... View Details

25 Jul 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas: July 25, 2017

different types of seats are filled) on distributional objectives is comparable to the effect of adjusting reserve sizes. Either lowering the precedence order positions View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

24 Jul 2007
First Look

First Look: July 24, 2007

video rental chains. The combination of a large national inventory, a recommendation system that drove viewership across the broad catalog, and a large customer base made Netflix a force to be reckoned with, especially as a View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

05 May 2011
Research & Ideas

How ‘Political Voice’ Empowers the Powerless

and economics in developing countries, examining how distribution of power impacts policy and social groups. "I don't think we can understand the effects of economic... View Details

Keywords: by Maggie Starvish

23 Jul 2008
Sharpening Your Skills

Sharpening Your Skills: Balanced Scorecard in Action

Balanced Scorecard should be the primary documents distributed to the board in advance of meetings. Does Customer Profitability Increase Using The Bsc? A Balanced Scorecard Approach To Measure Customer... View Details

October 2004 (Revised March 2005)
Case

Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd

By: David E. Bell and Hal Hogan

Bright Dairy has been growing rapidly since becoming a public company. The Chinese market for milk products is still wide open. What should it be doing to make sure it captures a significant share of the potential market? View Details

Keywords: Distribution; Marketing Strategy; Growth and Development; Public Ownership; Emerging Markets; Business Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; China