Publications

October 1976
Background Note

Industry Structural Change

By: Michael E. Porter

Presents a framework for understanding and predicting industry structural change. Examines 1) the important underlying forces causing structural change, 2) the key relationships among industry elements in the process of change, and 3) some implications of change for... View Details

Keywords: Framework; Industry Structures; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Structure; Strategy; Corporate Strategy

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July 2004 (Revised December 2004)
Case

Timberland: Commerce and Justice

By: James E. Austin, Herman B. Leonard and James Quinn

When Jeffrey Swartz became the third generation in his family to lead the Timberland Co., he pursued a strategy in which commerce and justice were "inextricably linked." Community involvement, environmental management, and global labor standards became not addenda to... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; For-Profit Firms; Innovation and Invention; Leadership Development; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Programs; Opportunities; Alignment; Business Strategy; Value

May 1994
Case

Laura Ashley (C): Rebuilding and Transforming a Global Brand

By: Richard L. Nolan

Over the course of two years a CEO executes a business transformation strategy and key decisions. View Details

Keywords: Transition; Decisions; Performance Consistency; Performance Improvement; Business Strategy

06 Oct 2010
Research & Ideas

John Kotter: Four Ways to Kill a Good Idea

"confounding questions, inane comments, and verbal bullets." This excerpt looks at attack strategies used by naysayers: fear mongering, delay, confusion, ridicule. For more information, read Kotter's HBR.org blog post, Know Your... View Details

Keywords: by John Kotter & Lorne A. Whitehead

Flipkart: Transitioning to a Marketplace Model

Founded in 2007 as an online book retailer, Flipkart rapidly became the largest e-commerce player in India, valued at almost $15 billion. However, it faced intense competition from other e-commerce players like Amazon and Snapdeal. Over the years Flipkart was slowly... View Details

15 Jul 2002
Research & Ideas

Going Green Makes Good Business Sense

and strategy with an emphasis on environmental management, Reinhardt recently shared his expertise with HBS alumni during reunion weekend. His talk, titled "Down to Earth: Applying Basic Business Principles to Environmental... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

April 2022
Case

Mastercard: Creating a World Beyond Cash

By: Sunil Gupta, Linda A. Hill, Julia Kelley and Emily Tedards

In late 2021, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach and Chairman and former CEO Ajaypal “Ajay” Banga considered how Mastercard could best position itself for continued success in the years to come. Since Mastercard’s initial public offering in 2006, the company had grown and... View Details

October 2000
Background Note

Creating Value

By: Rohit Deshpande

Creating value involves understanding consumers/customers and bringing this knowledge into the organization. Market-driven and market-driving strategies are contrasted in the context of new product development. View Details

Keywords: Knowledge Use and Leverage; Marketing Strategy; Consumer Behavior; Product Development; Value Creation

2018
Working Paper

Class Matters: The Role of Social Class and Organizational Sector in High-Achieving Women's Legitimacy Narratives

By: Judith A. Clair, Rachel D. Arnett, Katherine Chen, Beth K. Humberd and Kathleen L. McGinn

While prior research recognizes that women struggle to maintain legitimacy for their successes and that self-narratives play a key role in building such legitimacy, theory provides limited insight into how women build legitimacy through their self-narratives. Our... View Details

Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Gender; Success; Diversity; Perception; Situation or Environment

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December 2003 (Revised February 2005)
Case

HiJinx, Inc.

HiJinx is formulating its financial policy after a failed IPO. Options include landlord financing of its expansion, though with the knowledge that its real estate strategy may be compromised. View Details

Keywords: Initial Public Offering; Expansion; Valuation; Financial Strategy

12 PM – 1 PM EDT, 10 Apr 2025
Webinars: Career

Virtual Fireside Chat: Planning for a Successful Career Break and Return

Whether you're actively considering a break or simply want to be prepared for the unexpected, this conversation will provide valuable tools and strategies for navigating your career with confidence. View Details

December 2007 (Revised April 2008)
Case

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners

Selling an intangible like advertising services is a difficult task. The first step is to understand how brands buy these services. What are they looking for? What do they need to learn? How do they go about assessing things like creativity, trust, and loyalty? This... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Advertising; Sales; Advertising Industry

March 1991 (Revised April 1995)
Case

IBP and the U.S. Meat Industry

By: David J. Collis and Nancy Donohue

IBP, the largest U.S. beef and pork processor, is facing deteriorating earnings and undertakes a fundamental strategic review in 1990. Having grown from its founding in 1961 to its current position as a low cost, innovative producer of boxed beef, and more recently... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Product; Competition; Business Earnings; Geography; Vertical Integration; Corporate Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

January 2008 (Revised May 2011)
Case

Cognizant Technology Solutions

By: Robert G. Eccles, David Lane and Prabakar 'PK' Kothandaraman

In the highly competitive information technology outsourcing industry, Cognizant Technology Solutions has developed a strategy to differentiate itself by emphasizing building very close client relationships through its "Two-in-a-box" (TIB) model. This model is based on... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Knowledge Sharing; Resource Allocation; Competitive Advantage; Information Technology; Information Technology Industry

Career Coach

Lindsay Muller

Dallas. She can talk to students interested in working in consulting or transitioning from consulting into other industries. Employment Experience: United Health Insurance (Health Insurance Co; Medicare Strategy Internship) Oscar Health... View Details

Article

The Business Case for Curiosity

By: Francesca Gino

Although leaders might say they value inquisitive minds, in reality most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. Harvard Business School’s Francesca Gino elaborates on the benefits of and common barriers to curiosity in the workplace and... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Employees; Creativity; Cognition and Thinking; Learning; Decision Making; Performance Effectiveness

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March 2000 (Revised May 2002)
Case

Korea: On the Back of a Tiger

Describes the development strategy followed by Korea under the leadership of Park Chung Hee as well as the reform efforts embarked on by his successors. View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Developing Countries and Economies; Government and Politics; Growth and Development Strategy; Public Administration Industry; South Korea

April 2021
Case

Glovo: Expanding Quick Commerce

By: Antonio Moreno and James Barnett

In March 2021, delivery app CEO Oscar Pierre and his team consider strategies to grow Glovo’s quick commerce delivery service and to approach their expansion in Kenya. View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Entrepreneurship; Food; Global Strategy; Operations; Strategy; Distribution Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Web Services Industry; Africa; Kenya; Nairobi; Europe; Spain; Barcelona; Middle East; Central America; South America