Publications

June 2010
Case

Cypress Sharpridge: Raising Capital in a Time of Crisis

By: Lena G. Goldberg and Adam Benjamin Nebesar

Cypress Sharpridge, a REIT investing in agency securities, launched its IPO just before the collapse of the subprime mortgage market. The IPO failed. In June 2009, an IPO window seemed to be opening. Should the company try again? CEO Kevin Grant knew that his company's... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Capital; Financial Strategy; Initial Public Offering; Investment; Leadership; Crisis Management; Financial Services Industry; Real Estate Industry

August 2007 (Revised June 2008)
Case

The Lapdesk Company: A South African FOPSE

Shane Immelman, founding CEO of Lapdesk (South Africa), is facing several acute problems: a conflict between his director of marketing and his director of field operations; a dramatic increase in prices by a key supplier; and a major strategic alliance that does not... View Details

Keywords: Social Enterprise; For-Profit Firms; Entrepreneurship; Problems and Challenges; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Education Industry; South Africa

September 2006 (Revised October 2007)
Supplement

BT Plc: The Broadband Revolution (B)

By: Michael L. Tushman, David Kiron and Adam M. Kleinbaum

In early 2003, CEO Ben Verwaayen and Chief Broadband Officer Alison Ritchie of BT Plc. are trying to transform the former British Telecom from a stodgy telephone company into a 21st century broadband company. Their efforts to focus the firm on broadband issues within... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Innovation and Invention; Management Teams; Problems and Challenges; Telecommunications Industry; United Kingdom

September 2000 (Revised February 2001)
Case

CBS MarketWatch

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport

Larry Kramer, the chairman and CEO of MarketWatch.com, is faced with a dilemma. In April 2000, his company--a joint venture of CBS and Data Broadcasting Corp.--has emerged as the leading financial information and data provider online. Yet, because of the downturn in... View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Decision Choices and Conditions; Media and Broadcasting Industry

Find at Harvard

News

Ice Bucket Challenge Issued to Buffett, Gates: Will They Do It?

02 Mar 2022
News

From Strength to Strength: A Book Launch Event with Arthur C. Brooks

27 Jan 2016
News

Please, Take Your Leadership Personally

10 Sep 2020
Blog Post

Founding a Company at the Intersection of Medicine and Technology

surgical robotics to treat lung cancer, the intersection of medicine and technology was a deep interest of his prior to HBS. He is now the Founder and CEO of Alife Health, which uses machine learning to help assess the healthiest embryo... View Details

07 Jul 2015
First Look

First Look: July 7, 2015

think through how CEO Kevin Sharer should handle a positive entry decision given the divided opinions across the senior management team. Purchase this case: https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/product/714424-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

08 Feb 2022
Cold Call Podcast

What’s Next for Nigerian Production Studio EbonyLife Media?

Keywords: Re: Andy Wu; Media & Broadcasting

10 Aug 2021
Cold Call Podcast

The Science of Sales Conversations with Gong’s Amit Bendov

Keywords: Re: Alison Wood Brooks

06 Apr 2021
Cold Call Podcast

Disrupting the Waste Industry with Technology

Keywords: Re: Shai Benjamin Bernstein

November 2022 (Revised April 2023)
Supplement

HTC and Virtual Reality (B)

By: Andy Wu and Matt Higgins

In April 2023, Cher Wang, CEO and Chairwoman of HTC, reflected on her time as a leader in the virtual reality industry from her office high above Taoyuan City, Taiwan. It had been a roller coaster ride of new product introductions and unexpected challenges for HTC and... View Details

Keywords: VR; Virtual Reality; Strategy; Metaverse; Market Entry and Exit; Competition; Technology Industry; Taiwan; China; United States

December 2017 (Revised June 2018)
Case

TelePizza (Abridged)

By: Lynda M. Applegate

Describes TelePizza, Spain's leading chain of pizza restaurants and delivery services. TelePizza has experienced rapid growth to 500 stores since its creation in 1987. The company went public on the Spanish stock market in late 1996. Franchising has played an important... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Franchise Ownership; Expansion; Global Range

February 2013 (Revised February 2013)
Case

King Abdullah Economic City in 2009: Population Drivers and Cash Flow

By: John D. Macomber

CEO of high profile new economic city in Saudi Arabia must decide how to allocate limited investment funds across projects under duress. Issues include understanding core economic drivers, planning infrastructure investment and return, attracting multinationals, energy... View Details

Keywords: Urban Development; Infrastructure; Real Estate Industry; Saudi Arabia

November 2012
Case

The Universalization of L'Oréal

By: Rajiv Lal and Carin-Isabel Knoop

In 2010, half of the world's cosmetics sales came from the so-called emerging markets for the first time; L'Oréal opened three new subsidiaries, in Egypt, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan; and the Paris, France-based cosmetics and personal care powerhouse declared its... View Details

Keywords: Retailing; Marketing; Cosmetics Industry; L'Oreal; India; R＆D; Globalization; Product Development; Research and Development; Emerging Markets; Retail Industry; Latin America; Asia; Middle East

May 2009
Case

Who is the Fairest of Them All? Choosing a Leader at Deronde International

By: Nitin Nohria and Martha Spaulding

Alain Deronde, the CEO of a French personal care company, has to choose a successor to head global product development from a diverse set of candidates with different backgrounds, strengths, and weaknesses. The candidates include Elise Bernier, Vice President of... View Details

Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Management Succession; Diversity; Management Teams; Product Development; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; France

June 2007 (Revised February 2008)
Case

Reinventing Ericsson

By: Das Narayandas, Vincent Marie Dessain, Daniela Beyersdorfer and Anders Sjoman

Carl-Henric Svanberg, CEO of the Swedish telecom infrastructure company Ericsson, has to reorganize the recovering company in late 2003 after a major industry downturn. He is convinced that only a more market-orientated and customer-focused organization will be able to... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Customer Focus and Relationships; Marketing; Organizational Structure; Sales; Competitive Advantage; Telecommunications Industry; Sweden

October 2003 (Revised January 2009)
Case

Transforming Matsui Securities

By: Lynda M. Applegate, Masako Egawa, Jamie Ladge and Haruki Umezawa

Michio Matsui, president and CEO of Matsui Securities, transformed a small regional securities company into a leading player in the online broking industry in Japan. Discusses how he transformed the business model and culture of the company and took advantage of the... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Innovation and Invention; Leading Change; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Business Model; Organizational Culture; Financial Markets; Competitive Advantage; Japan