Publications

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October 1997
Case

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (B)

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Elaine V. Backman

Outlines the process of strategy reinvention adopted by Planned Parenthood. It lays out the new strategic proposals, and the reactions of the various constituencies to those proposals. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Framework; Core Relationships; Risk and Uncertainty; Adaptation; Health Industry

May 1990 (Revised October 1993)
Case

Cooper Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

By: Frank V. Cespedes

Traces the 12-year career of a pharmaceutical salesperson, Bob Marsh, from recruitment to termination. Mr. Marsh has had an uneven career with Cooper Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPI) and, after a probationary period, is asked to resign. Following his termination, a number... View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Resignation and Termination; Personal Development and Career; Problems and Challenges; Core Relationships

Article

Soul and Machine (Learning)

By: Davide Proserpio, John R. Hauser, Xiao Liu, Tomomichi Amano, Burnap Alex, Tong Guo, Dokyun (DK) Lee, Randall Lewis, Kanishka Misra, Eric Schwarz, Artem Timoshenko, Lilei Xu and Hema Yoganarasimhan

Machine learning is bringing us self-driving cars, medical diagnoses, and language translation, but how can machine learning help marketers improve marketing decisions? Machine learning models predict extremely well, are scalable to “big data,” and are a natural fit to... View Details

Keywords: Machine Learning; Marketing Applications; Knowledge; Technological Innovation; Core Relationships; Marketing; Applications and Software

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January 2011
Supplement

ISS A/S (D): Goldman's 2011 Business Standards Report

By: Clayton S. Rose

The (D) case describes aspects of the Jan 2011 report by the Goldman Sach's Business Standards Committee on how the firm might strengthen its practices with respect to clients and other stakeholders. View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Financial Crisis; Corporate Governance; Management; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Core Relationships

February 1979
Background Note

Note on the Theory of Optimal Capital Structure

By: William E. Fruhan Jr.

Examines the interrelationship between the maximization of the share value of a firm's common stock and the minimization of the firm's weighted average cost of capital. Presents a revised version of a case by J.W. Mullins, Jr. View Details

Keywords: Capital Structure; Cost of Capital; Stock Shares; Core Relationships; Value

February 1996 (Revised March 1996)
Case

Harvey Golub: Recharging American Express

By: David A. Garvin and Artemis March

Harvey Golub, CEO American Express, initiated and led a large-scale change process. The case describes the organization he inherited, two successive waves of reengineering, his "principles-driven" approach to decision making, and his goal of converting American Express... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Decision Choices and Conditions; Engineering; Leadership Style; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Core Relationships; Integration; Value

01 Oct 2001
Research & Ideas

Connecting With Nonprofits

Core competency transferMore equal exchange of resources Joint value creation Need for value renewal Relationship Management Corporate contact usually in community affairs or foundation; nonprofit contact... View Details

Keywords: by James Austin

17 Apr 2017
HBS Case

This Turkish Debt Collector Is Customer-friendly

relationship with money. The company, Turkasset, has been successful with its heterodox techniques, giving it a competitive advantage over rival debt collection firms. What’s more, it has also provided a boon for companies who held the... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Financial Services

August 1991 (Revised September 1994)
Background Note

What Is Industrial Marketing?

By: V. Kasturi Rangan

Discusses the key distinguishing aspects of industrial as compared to consumer marketing. These differences are highlighted for organizational as well as marketing mix aspects. View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Innovation Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Marketing Channels; Marketing Strategy; Marketplace Matching; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Core Relationships; Industrial Products Industry; Manufacturing Industry

Portrait Project

Glenn Bean

expectations. Better grab some blueberries for brain food. Naturally, I will enjoy the meal with others. Through exchanging ideas, fellowship, and celebration, a shared meal allows relationships to flourish. These View Details

01 May 2013
News

Patricia F. Bilden & Philip M. Bilden, MBA 1991

From the day he first set foot on Soldiers Field, Philip Bilden, managing director of HarbourVest Partners’ Asia business in Hong Kong, knew the relationships formed at HBS would have an enduring impact beyond Aldrich Hall. “For me as... View Details

29 Mar 2019
Blog Post

My Concerns About Learning Accounting at HBS

HBS. HBS has a number of resources that will help students feel confident and well-equipped to handle all their classes. Current first-year student, Melanie Sperling, shared her experience learning accounting, finance, and analytics through the HBS Online View Details

01 Feb 2000
News

Short Takes

these relationships began to cross the line from traditional philanthropy to more strategic and mutually beneficial alliances, HBS professor James E. Austin, head of the School's Initiative on Social Enterprise (ISE), took note. "Here was... View Details

Keywords: Nancy O. Perry

February 2003 (Revised October 2003)
Case

Versity.com

By: Leslie A. Perlow

Versity.com has grown from four college students working out of a dorm to a $125 million venture capital-backed company. The young founders and new professional managers struggle to create a company vision and grapple with the question of whether to acquire another... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Growth and Development; Organizational Design; Mission and Purpose; Strategic Planning; Conflict and Resolution; Mergers and Acquisitions; Management Teams; Core Relationships