Publications

February 2007 (Revised April 2010)
Case

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals: Spurring Scientific Creativity with Metrics

By: Robert S. Huckman, Gary P. Pisano and Mark Rennella

Describes the reorganization of the drug discovery organization at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and focuses on the decisions to: (1) centralize decision-making within drug discovery and (2) institute numerical metrics--jointly affecting all R&D scientists--for the progression... View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Measurement and Metrics; Business Processes; Organizational Structure; Research and Development; Science-Based Business; Creativity; Pharmaceutical Industry

2011
Working Paper

Risky Trust: How Multi-entity Teams Develop Trust in a High Risk Endeavor

By: Faaiza Rashid and Amy C. Edmondson

This paper explicates the challenge of risky trust, which we define as trust that exists between parties vulnerable to high economic, legal, or reputational risks at individual or organizational levels. Drawing from analyses of data collected in a grounded case study... View Details

Keywords: Interpersonal Communication; Leadership; Business Processes; Groups and Teams; Risk and Uncertainty; Trust; Construction Industry; United States

Read Now

February 1999 (Revised April 1999)
Case

Guaranty Trust Bank PLC Nigeria (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Hal Hogan

Fola Adeola, the CEO of Nigeria's Guaranty Trust Bank and one of its founders in 1991, is considering what should be done to maintain the bank's original vision and vitality in the face of its rapid growth and success in the marketplace. Known for its high ethical... View Details

Keywords: Banks and Banking; Organizational Culture; Ethics; Planning; Expansion; Business Processes; Law; Banking Industry; Nigeria

01 Feb 1999
News

All in the Family

which he, and, for the last eight years, his son, had grown the business into a thriving magazine, book, and commercial publishing company. "Jonathan, this is not how I wanted things to work out," he said slowly. "I respect your... View Details

Keywords: Marguerite Rigoglioso

01 Dec 2022
News

Program Catalyzes New Streams of Research

accelerates the process of knowledge creation at HBS and leverages the expertise of the School’s faculty. For the 2022–2023 academic year, the BiGS Visiting Fellows’ work centers on race, diversity, inclusion, and inequality. View Details

Keywords: Jennifer Gillespie

September 2009 (Revised April 2011)
Case

Integrated Project Delivery at Autodesk, Inc. (A)

By: Amy C. Edmondson and Faaiza Rashid

Describes Autodesk's engagement in Integrated Project Delivery—a new model of risk management, inter-firm teamwork, and multi-objective (aesthetic, cost, and sustainability) optimization in building projects. In 2008, Autodesk, Inc., the world's largest design software... View Details

Keywords: Buildings and Facilities; Business Headquarters; Design; Risk Management; Business Processes; Projects; Groups and Teams; Partners and Partnerships; Cooperation; Construction Industry; Service Industry

02 Feb 2023
News

Can We Really Engineer a Climate Fix?

Photo credits: Aaron Sabin; Russ Campbell Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Spotify More Skydeck episodes Dan Morrell: Hi, this is Dan Morrell, host of Skydeck. This is the first episode of "Clearing the Air", a three-part series focused on the View Details

19 Jun 2014
News

Turning "Black Gold" to Green

carbon neutral," he says. The entire process is a major technological undertaking—one Dawe says he probably wouldn't be involved with if he and C12 Energy cofounder Kurt Zenz House hadn't been introduced to each other by a Harvard View Details

Keywords: Ralph Ranalli; Oil and Gas Extraction; Mining

01 Dec 2015
News

Preparing Future Leaders for Tomorrow’s Challenges

Enriching the MBA Experience Through Curricular Innovation In its first century, Harvard Business School created the pedagogy that has come to define management education around the world. The case method, adapted from Harvard Law School,... View Details

December 1999 (Revised December 2012)
Background Note

Measuring Interim Period Performance

By: David F. Hawkins

Covers interim period accounting objectives, theories, and practices. Special financial analysis concerns related to this topic are discussed. A rewritten version of an earlier note. View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Business Ventures; Policy; Management Practices and Processes; Measurement and Metrics; Performance Evaluation

May 2011 (Revised July 2015)
Case

Ford Motor Company: Strengthening the Dealer Network

By: V. Kasturi Rangan, Katharine Lee and Marie Bell

The case describes a five-year effort (2006-2011) of distribution rationalization and consolidation at Ford. The financial crisis in the second-half of 2008 forced GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy. Having completed the distribution overhaul work by 2011, its senior... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Product; Distribution; Consolidation; Distribution Channels; Transformation; Business Processes; Auto Industry

01 Mar 2017
News

The Middle Way

embassies around the world. Even after agreeing to attempt a compromise, the talks would often stall; sometimes they threatened to cease. By 2002, the original process was in disarray, and a whole new structure with new negotiators was... View Details

Keywords: Dan Morrell; photos by Kamil Bialous

January 2001 (Revised March 2001)
Case

Range, The (A)

By: Kathleen L. McGinn, Tracy Thompson and Michael Smith

Reveals the potential benefits and pitfalls of reorganization into teams in order to respond to environmental change. Takes place in the newsroom of a metropolitan daily newspaper. Both management and employees struggle to find new balance after a major restructuring... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Groups and Teams; Restructuring; Balance and Stability; Organizational Structure; Business Processes; Journalism and News Industry

Find at Harvard

01 Dec 2014
News

Nimble, Quick, and Adaptable

content around the entire process of starting a business,” says HBS professor Bill Sahlman, adding that the New Venture Competition continues to be a capstone event. Some alumni participate as judges of the student contest, while others... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna

01 Sep 2020
News

We Rise

this world,” she says. “There should be no monopoly on the ability to set that direction. No one gender or one race should control the flow of capital.” Solution #1: Make the Business Case “Women entrepreneurs are an untapped market.”... View Details

Keywords: April White; Finance

16 Jun 2020
News

How to recalibrate work dynamics and embrace digital transformation in a post-pandemic workplace

April 2010
Supplement

Bill Nichol Negotiates with Walmart: Hard Bargains over Soft Goods (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Ellen Knebel

This case describes the multi-prong negotiating approach that Bill Nichol, Kentucky Derby Hosiery Co. CEO, took to deal with an ultimatum from his largest customer, as well as the outcome of this process. It concludes with a number of Nichol's observations about... View Details

Keywords: Customers; Management Practices and Processes; Negotiation Deal; Outcome or Result; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Retail Industry