Operational Efficiency - Publications - Faculty & Research

23 Apr 2024
In Practice

Getting to Net Zero: The Climate Standards and Ecosystem the World Needs Now

With each month clocking record-breaking temperatures across the planet, this Earth Day reflected the renewed urgency of regulators and businesses to find climate-change solutions. The US Securities and Exchange Commission recently adopted new rules that will mandate... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

21 Mar 2019
HBS Case

The Ferrari Way

opportunity to test drive one of Ferrari’s cars. “He drove it for a few hours and couldn’t sleep that night.” Despite its legendary success at defining its brand, it is also a company confronting modern realities. After nearly 80 years of View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Auto

January 2025
Case

GE Appliances 2025: Energizing Change

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Jacob A. Small

At the turn of 2025, Kevin Nolan, CEO of GE Appliances following its acquisition by Chinese appliance giant Haier in 2016, is reviewing progress toward his net zero carbon vision for homes, which would otherwise exacerbate the global warming climate crisis. An... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Transformation; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Technological Innovation; Leading Change; Product Development; Organizational Culture

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24 Apr 2017
Op-Ed

Op-Ed: Courage: The Defining Characteristic of Great Leaders

lagged PepsiCo’s. Since 2011, PepsiCo stock is up 70 percent, while Coca-Cola’s has increased only 15 percent. The courage cohort There are literally thousands of competent managers who can run organizations efficiently using... View Details

Keywords: by Bill George; Auto; Food & Beverage

13 Feb 2014
Research & Ideas

Managing the Family Business: Leadership Roles

decisions to protect the standards and aspirations of the group. Managing Managing, as opposed to leading, is about getting a group to operate efficiently and effectively. Managing is done by planning and... View Details

Keywords: by John A. Davis

25 Nov 2008
First Look

First Look: November 25, 2008

core retailing business and AWS. Students are also provided with an opportunity to discuss operational diversification and its limits within the AWS context. Purchase this case: http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

24 May 2021
Op-Ed

Can Fabric Waste Become Fashion’s Resource?

COVID-19 has broken fashion’s supply chain. As a result, an already wasteful industry has become more wasteful. Even before the pandemic, the global apparel industry was producing about 92 million tons of textile waste a year. That’s about one garbage truck’s worth of... View Details

Keywords: by Geoffrey Jones and Shelly Xu; Fashion

20 Apr 2015
Research & Ideas

The 5 Strategy Rules of Bill Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs

lessons: "Build Platforms and Ecosystems—Not Just Products." Early on Gates realized that no one product could provide a lasting competitive advantage, but if consumers became hooked on a particular platform, such as the Microsoft View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Computer

09 Apr 2007
Research & Ideas

Industry Self-Regulation: What’s Working (and What’s Not)?

important questions to explore, according to Michael Toffel, a professor in the Technology and Operations Management Unit of Harvard Business School. Toffel has conducted extensive research and recently co-organized a conference at... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

17 Jun 2017
Research & Ideas

Amazon, Whole Foods Deal a Big Win for Consumers

Source: 400tmax Editor's Note. Online retailing behemoth Amazon announced June 16 that it would acquire upscale grocery chain Whole Foods Market in a deal valued at more than $13 billion. Though the company has dabbled with the idea of a brick-and-mortar footprint in... View Details

Keywords: by Jose Alvarez and Len Schlesinger; Retail

22 Aug 2022
Research & Ideas

Can Amazon Remake Health Care?

successful if owned by say, United or CVS or Walgreens or Humana, than if owned by Amazon. Gazette: Amazon is highly customer-driven and known for finding ways to streamline its operations to provide greater View Details

Keywords: by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette; Health

21 Sep 2020
Research & Ideas

Are You Sabotaging Your Own Company?

During World War II, the predecessor to the US Central Intelligence Agency produced a secret field manual detailing how “citizen-saboteurs” could disrupt the operations of enemy organizations. In addition to inflicting physical damage,... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

26 Nov 2001
Research & Ideas

How Toyota Turns Workers Into Problem Solvers

quality, low cost, short lead-time and flexible production. And Toyota's operating system—the Toyota Production System—had been widely credited for Toyota's sustained leadership in manufacturing performance. Furthermore, Toyota had been... View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Johnston; Manufacturing; Transportation; Auto

December 1997
Case

Wriston Manufacturing Corporation

By: Janice H. Hammond

Wriston Manufacturing is a broad-line maker of components for the automotive industry. It has developed a network of nine plants as its product line has grown. Newer, higher-volume products tend to be made in newer, focused, high-volume plants, while older product... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Cost Management; Business or Company Management; Production; Performance Efficiency; Auto Industry

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07 Jun 2004
Research & Ideas

What Drives Supply Chain Behavior?

be divided into strategic and operational activities. Strategic activities include, among others, long-term capacity planning and network configuration of warehouses, distributors, and retail stores. Examples of View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Johnston

07 Mar 2022
Research & Ideas

Effective Leaders Share the Spotlight with Their Teams

inclusive CEO increased a company’s average three-day return by 0.8 percent. This is likely because these managers retain staff, which may result in increased operating efficiency and innovation, Zou says,... View Details

Keywords: by Pamela Reynolds

28 Jun 2016
First Look

June 28, 2016

forthcoming Management Science The First Deal: The Division of Founder Equity in New Ventures By: Hellmann, Thomas F., and Noam Wasserman Abstract—We examine the trade-off between efficiency and equality within the context of... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

21 Jan 2009
First Look

First Look: January 21, 2009

consider how the reductions in aircraft capacity growth should be spread across the two plane types. This discussion hinges not only on issues of aircraft efficiency but also on those of operational focus... View Details