Publications

Research Summary

Overview

Professor Ngwe develops structural models of supply and demand to probe deeply into the dynamics of shoppers and retailers, especially unobservable aspects of purchase behavior. He focuses on the adoption of outlet stores in the fashion industry, using transactional... View Details

Keywords: Outlet Stores; Price Discrimination; Retail; Discounts; Location; Industrial Organization; Structural Modeling; Fashion Industry; Retail Industry

January 1996 (Revised September 1997)
Case

Scott Paper Company

By: Stuart C. Gilson and Jeremy Cott

A professional turnaround manager attempts to implement a massive global downsizing program at the world's largest producer of consumer tissue products. The plan involves laying off almost one third of the company's 34,000 hourly and salaried employees and dramatically... View Details

Keywords: Assets; Global Strategy; Resignation and Termination; Goals and Objectives; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Sales; Value Creation; Pulp and Paper Industry

March 2009 (Revised June 2010)
Case

TOTO: The Bottom Line

TOTO, the leading manufacturer of toilets in Japan, is struggling to penetrate the U.S. market with its premier bidet-toilets, which are present in 63% of homes in Japan. The case examines the behavioral, cultural, and institutional barriers that TOTO faces in gaining... View Details

Keywords: Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Disruptive Innovation; Product Positioning; Market Entry and Exit; Organizational Culture; Consumer Products Industry; Japan; United States

March 1974 (Revised June 1995)
Case

First National City Bank Operating Group (B)

By: Jay W. Lorsch

Growth in demands on the bank's "back office" required a totally new approach to management. New stress on systems orientation, objectives, measurement, process design and control has resulted in lower costs, fewer people, and higher quality. Also resulted in fear,... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transition; Banks and Banking; Management Practices and Processes; Managerial Roles; Production; Outcome or Result; Banking Industry

16 Mar 2016
Video

Testing Your Social Venture: Iterating Based on Market Feedback

18 Aug 2010
News

How We Save (and Spend) Now

21 May 2019
News

Layaway loans are back, with a new look

04 Mar 2019
News

How to Navigate Investing in A.I., From Someone Who’s Done It

April 2003 (Revised November 2005)
Case

Trend Micro (B)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Kim Bettcher

The Trend Micro team's discussion of consumer strategy at its quarterly meeting in Germany provides an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the team's decision process. View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Management Teams; Business Strategy; Diversity; Information Technology Industry; Germany

14 Nov 2013
News

Work-Family Conflict is Not the Problem. Overwork Is.

21 Jan 2009
First Look

First Look: January 21, 2009

http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/06-007.pdf Sweatshop Labor Is Wrong Unless the Jeans Are Cute: Motivated Moral Disengagement Authors:Neeru Paharia and Rohit Deshpandé Abstract While many consumers say they... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

Teaching Interest

Families in Business

By: Christina R. Wing

Like every company, family businesses must strive for growth amidst fierce competition, an evolving marketplace, and demanding customers. But family businesses also face a unique set of challenges and opportunities. In this Executive Education program, participants... View Details

Research Summary

Current Research

By: William C. Kirby

Doing business in China in the early 21st century

Chinese companies and consumer markets

Chinese Universities: Leaders of the 21st Century?

The enduring role of State-Owned Enterprises in China

Business, political, and cultural... View Details

27 Oct 2011
News

America's new financial values

February 2003 (Revised April 2006)
Case

Reaching the Bottom: UniGlobe's Small Local Stores Dilemma

By: Clayton M. Christensen and Lana Newishy

To distribute products to very small retailers in a very fragmented retail environment, the local subsidiary of a large consumer products company created an innovative distribution mechanism. The subsidiary's Small Local Stores division employed middlemen who... View Details

Keywords: Distribution Channels; Innovation and Invention; Consumer Products Industry; Philippines

10 Apr 2008
Working Paper Summaries

Where Does it Go? Spending by the Financially Constrained

Keywords: by Shawn A. Cole, John Thompson & Peter Tufano; Financial Services

April 1999 (Revised February 2001)
Background Note

Offshore Drilling Industry, The

After booming in 1997 and early 1998, the offshore drilling industry slumps in late 1998 and early 1999. Lower oil prices lead oil companies to reduce drilling budgets, and rig utilization falls from essentially 100% to 70% in some markets. Day rates--the prices paid... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Demand and Consumers; Price; Supply and Industry; Mining Industry

August 2022
Background Note

Retail Media Networks

By: Eva Ascarza, Ayelet Israeli and Celine Chammas

In 2022, retail media was one of the fastest growing segments in digital advertising. A retail media network (RMN) allows a retailer to use its assets for advertising. Retailers set up an advertising business by allowing marketers to buy advertising space across their... View Details