Publications

June 2021 (Revised November 2021)
Case

Equity Bank: Charting the Future

By: Lauren Cohen, Michael Chitavi and Spencer C. N. Hagist

After climbing the ranks among Kenya's financial institutions from 66th to 1st, and toppling a quarter of the market share held by mobile money giant Safaricom, CEO James Mwangi must now guide Equity Bank into its next stage of development beyond "Equity 3.0." Should... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Leadership; Decision Making; Market Entry and Exit; Developing Countries and Economies; Financial Institutions; Economics; Kenya

December 2012 (Revised September 2022)
Case

BabbaCo

By: Jeffrey J. Bussgang and Gaurav Jain

Having just raised a Series B financing, the case protagonist is faced with a tough decision: should she "step on the gas" and scale the customer base, or continue focusing on fine-tuning the product and business model. The case describes the various marketing channels... View Details

Keywords: Subscription; Marketing; Scaling; Product-market Fit; Online Marketing; Customers; Decisions; Expansion; Marketing Channels; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Digital Marketing; Marketing Strategy

December 2006 (Revised December 2008)
Case

Wireless Generation

Reflecting on an innovative joint venture that his company executed with a public school district in 2004, the CEO of Wireless Generation, a five-year-old, privately held educational technology company, is contemplating the company's product development strategy in... View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Education; Government Legislation; Growth and Development Strategy; Product Development; Business and Government Relations; Education Industry

October 2005 (Revised December 2006)
Case

Bennie Wiley at The Partnership, Inc.

Benaree Wiley, an African American, female HBS graduate (class of 1972), was appointed CEO and president in 1991 of The Partnership, a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to developing leadership potential in professionals of color and in increasing their representation... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Mission and Purpose; Leading Change; Nonprofit Organizations; Leadership Style; Growth and Development Strategy; Service Industry; Boston

28 Jul 2009
First Look

First Look: July 28

broad or focused managers, to leverage, to the timing of investment, and finally, to the compensation paid to both external managers and internal staff. Purchase this note: http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/209152-PDF-ENG Moods of... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

20 Mar 2012
First Look

First Look: March 20

in the world, wondered how to work more closely with its key suppliers-Swatch Group, Richemont Group, LVMH Group, and Rolex Group-to maintain strong growth in the Greater China region. Specifically, how could Hengdeli View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

12 May 2009
First Look

First Look: May 12, 2009

http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/09-078.pdf Deep Dives: The Role of Top Management in Linking Relevant Capabilities to Core Activities Authors:Howard H. Yu and Joseph L. Bower Abstract The inability of established firms to make necessary... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

17 Mar 2015
First Look

First Look: March 17

volatility, whereas shadow banks tend to hold relatively liquid assets. Publisher's link: http://www.people.hbs.edu/shanson/banks_20150305_FINAL.pdf March 2015 Production and Operations Management Managing... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

31 Jan 2011
Research & Ideas

Taking the Fear out of Diversity Policies

often, then, companies will adopt diversity policies more out of fear than anything else, the researchers argue. And this can lead to nonproductive situations. For example, a manager may shy away from constructively criticizing a minority... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

January 2020 (Revised April 2020)
Case

Rumo: Infrastructure for a Healthier Economy

By: Forest L. Reinhardt, Mariana Cal, Ruth Costas and Natalie Kindred

Brazilian logistics company Rumo operated 13,500 km in railway networks, port terminals, and inland transshipment terminals, connecting major Brazilian ports to the agriculture hubs of Mato Grosso and São Paulo state. Controlled by Cosan, Brazil's leading sugar and... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Customer Relationship Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Logistics; Rail Transportation; Value Creation; Rail Industry; Transportation Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Latin America; Brazil

11 Oct 2006
Research & Ideas

The Success of Reverse Leveraged Buyouts

shares in a company or part of a company that had been taken private in an initial leveraged buyout. Usually, buyout specialists will hold their portfolio firms for several years, working with existing management as well as bringing in... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Banking; Financial Services

01 Nov 2016
First Look

First Look - November 1, 2016

Tencent to Scandinavian digital trailblazer Schibsted, from The New York Times to The Economist, and from talent management to the future of education. Synthesizing what these stories have in common, and drawing on the latest research in... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

20 Jul 2010
First Look

First Look: July 20

value-relevant before disclosure, for negative earnings adjustments it is value-relevant only after disclosure. This finding is consistent with managers delaying the communication of bad news until IFRS compliance. A finer model shows... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

October 1993 (Revised September 1994)
Case

Catalina Marketing Corp.

By: David E. Bell, Walter J. Salmon and Dinny Starr

Catalina Marketing is a very successful marketing service firm. Their current customers include major supermarket retailers and consumer products manufacturers nation-wide. Catalina provides a unique way for these clients to distribute coupons for their products via... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Information Management; Expansion; Product; Salesforce Management; Information Technology; Growth and Development Strategy; Customer Value and Value Chain; Advertising Industry

11 Dec 2012
First Look

First Look: Dec. 11

what they should decide. Paper: http://hbr.org/2012/12/how-much-is-sweat-equity-worth/ar/1 When Identities, Interests, and Information Collide: How Subgroups Create Hidden Profiles in Teams Authors:Polzer, Jeff, and Lisa Kwan Publication:In Research on View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

September 2024
Case

Open Door Legal: Universal Legal Access

By: Brian Trelstad, Taylor Greenthal and Sarah Mehta

This case is about Open Door Legal (ODL), a San Francisco-based civil legal aid nonprofit. CEO Adrian Tirtanadi founded the organization in 2012 with a mission to achieve universal access to legal representation for all city residents. By 2024, ODL had opened four... View Details

Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship; Law; Growth Management; Nonprofit Organizations; Civil Society or Community; Business Model; Expansion; Legal Services Industry; United States; California; Los Angeles; San Francisco

October 2021
Teaching Note

BRAC in 2020

By: Tarun Khanna and Shreya Ramachandran

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 721-416. View Details

Keywords: Social Enterprise; Education; Health; Social Issues; Poverty; Programs; Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Global Strategy; Education Industry; Health Industry; Bangladesh; South Asia