Publications
Publications
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- All HBS Web
(794)
- Faculty Publications (362)
- August 2002 (Revised February 2003)
- Case
Siebel Systems: Anatomy of a Sale, Part 2
By: John A. Deighton and Das Narayandas
How does a $2 million software sale happen? This case traces efforts by Siebel Systems to sell lead management software to discount broker Quick & Reilly. The buying process is mapped out over four years. Covers in detail the last six months--from Siebel's initial... View Details
- June 2002
- Article
Who's Helping Whom: A Comparison of Helping Behavior among American and Indian Software Engineers
By: Leslie Perlow and John Weeks
- March 2002 (Revised August 2002)
- Case
Microsoft.NET
By: Alan D. MacCormack and Kerry Herman
Set in the summer of 2000, following the unveiling of Microsoft's .NET initiative to the public. Three of the key figures in .NET's development are considering the next steps they would have to take to keep the initiative moving forward. Specifically, the challenges... View Details
- March 2002 (Revised January 2003)
- Case
Microsoft: Positioning the Tablet PC
By: Youngme E. Moon and Christina L. Darwall
Microsoft is preparing for the launch of the Tablet PC, which allows users to use a pen (stylus) to run Windows and Windows applications, annotate documents, and create handwritten documents for later reference or even conversion to text. Microsoft's original equipment... View Details
- February 2002 (Revised April 2002)
- Case
Chengwei Ventures and the hdt* Investment
By: G. Felda Hardymon, Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon
Bo Feng, cofounder and principal in Chengwei Ventures, one of the first sovereign venture capital firms in China, is trying to decide on the proper business model for hdt, the product of a merger between two portfolio companies. This case discusses the best way for the... View Details
- January 2002 (Revised May 2003)
- Case
ProfitLogic
By: Richard G. Hamermesh, Michael J. Roberts and Taslim Pirmohamed
Describes an "application software" company that has been through several evolutions--from consulting firm to applications service provider (ASP). The firm has received significant venture funding to pursue the ASP model but this has not worked, at least at the time... View Details
- January 2002 (Revised February 2002)
- Case
Postgirot Bank and Provment AB: Managing the Cost of IT Operations
By: F. Warren McFarlan and Nancy Bartlett
Describes a specific approach for measuring the efficiency of the groups of computers inside an organization and suggests ways this tool may be used to reduce the company's computing investment while maintaining service. It is a software-enabled industrial engineering... View Details
- December 2001
- Case
SinoSecurities.com
By: F. Warren McFarlan and Fred Young
Describes a complex software project that has run into difficulties. Students must decide whether to press forward, stop the project, or reconfigure it. Illustrates many of the similarities to challenges facing U.S. and Chinese companies in this difficult arena. View Details
- September 2001 (Revised August 2005)
- Case
Microsoft in 2002
By: Michael G. Rukstad, David B. Yoffie, Carl Johnston and Tyrell Levine
Examines Microsoft's strategy and competitive position as it prepares to launch Windows XP. The discussion explores how Microsoft builds and sustains its competitive edge. View Details
- July 2001 (Revised December 2001)
- Case
American Express Interactive
Follows the protagonist, Sonia Sharpe, as she and her American Express Interactive Team attempt to develop and market an interactive, on-line, corporate travel service in a highly competitive environment. Looks at the possible resources and partnerships a company needs... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Partners and Partnerships; Growth and Development Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Product Positioning; Applications and Software; Technological Innovation; Global Strategy; Expansion; Information Technology; Vertical Integration; Financial Services Industry; Travel Industry
- July 2001 (Revised October 2002)
- Case
Centra Software
By: John A. Deighton and Laetitia Pouliquen
Centra is a pioneer in software eLearning. It is debating how to modify its go-to-market strategy, adding telesales to improve sales force productivity. At the same time, its market is evolving, and management thinks it may be about to "cross the chasm" in Geoffrey... View Details
- April 2001 (Revised July 2001)
- Case
Verge Software (A)
By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Elizabeth Kind
Scott Rozic, CEO of start-up Verge Software, has just told his board that he is taking the company in a totally new direction, moving from enterprise knowledge management software to Internet direct marketing. This case covers the start-up of the business, and Rozic's... View Details
Keywords: Venture Capital; Investment; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Business or Company Management; Business Strategy; Technological Innovation; Applications and Software; Management Teams; Governing and Advisory Boards; Business Startups; Decision Choices and Conditions; Product Development; Information Technology Industry; United States
- December 2000 (Revised March 2001)
- Case
DoubleTwist, Inc.
By: Joseph L. Bower and Christina L. Darwall
John Couch, CEO of DoubleTwist, has transformed a software products company into an Internet application service provider, racing to provide databases and tools for those working to explore the human genome. Crafting strategy and building organizational capability are... View Details
- November 2000 (Revised May 2002)
- Case
Oracle Corporation
By: Frances X. Frei and Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar
Oracle Corp., the world's second-largest independent software company (behind Microsoft) was the world's dominant supplier of database software. Oracle also sold application software, such as the popular enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management... View Details
- July 2000 (Revised November 2001)
- Case
Catalyst Medical Solutions
By: Amy C. Edmondson, Richard M.J. Bohmer and Naomi Atkins
Faced with a drop in the NASDAQ, four eHealth entrepreneurs must decide between two distribution strategies for their new company's technology. The team, comprised of three full-time resident physicians and an MBA, has developed software to enable electronic... View Details
- June 2000 (Revised June 2000)
- Case
Microsoft Office 2000
By: Alan D. MacCormack and Kerry Herman
Describes the history of Microsoft's Office product suite. Discusses evolution of the Office 2000 project. Set at the end of the project when Steven Sinofsky, Office vice president, must decide upon the direction for the next version of Office, as well as make changes... View Details
- March 2000 (Revised June 2000)
- Case
Microsoft Office 2000: Multimedia
By: Alan D. MacCormack and Kerry Herman
Describes the history of Microsoft's Office product suite. Discusses evolution of the Office 2000 project. Set at the end of the project when Steven Sinofsky, Office vice president, must decide upon the direction for the next version of Office, as well as make changes... View Details
- February 2000 (Revised August 2000)
- Case
Microsoft Latin America
By: Robert S. Kaplan, Alberto Ballve and Antonio Davila
Mauricio Santillan, regional vice president for the Latin American division of Microsoft, has introduced a new performance measurement system to help his country managers formulate and control strategy. Microsoft Latin America's priorities are rolling out of an... View Details