Publications

April 2015
Case

Accor: Designing an Asset-Right Business and Disclosure Strategy

By: Mozaffar Khan and George Serafeim

Sebastien Bazin was now in charge of Accor, the world's largest French hotelier, a CAC 40 company with 3,600 hotels in 92 countries and a market cap of €10 billion. Previously as the European head of Colony Capital, one of the largest private equity groups and the... View Details

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Frameworks - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

globe with the overarching goal of value for patients. Drivers of Competitiveness Competitiveness is the productivity with which a location (nation, state, city or region) uses its human, capital, and natural endowments to create value.... View Details

December 2024 (Revised March 2025)
Case

Strategy and CEO Succession at Starbucks

By: Krishna G. Palepu and David Lane

On August 13, 2024, Starbucks announced that Laxman Narasimhan who was appointed as the CEO only in September 2023, was stepping down as CEO and board director “with immediate effect.” Laxman would be replaced on September 9 by Brian Niccol, CEO since 2018 of Chipotle... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Corporate Governance; Leadership; Management Succession; Cost Management; Labor Unions; Working Conditions; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Service Operations; Investment Activism; Governing and Advisory Boards; Resignation and Termination; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

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The Five Forces - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

HBS ISC Strategy Strategy Strategy Explained Business Strategy Creating a Successful Strategy Corporate View Details

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Online Business Strategy Course | HBS Online

Professionals General Managers Consultants and Investors Develop a powerful, value-based strategy to achieve greater success for your team and organization. Participating in the student discussions was empowering. View Details

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Strategic Positioning - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

HBS ISC Strategy Strategy Strategy Explained Business Strategy Creating a Successful Strategy Corporate View Details

February 2018 (Revised October 2020)
Case

The Marriott-Starwood Merger: Navigating Brand Portfolio Strategy and Brand Architecture

By: Jill Avery, Chekitan S. Dev and Laure Mougeot Stroock

In September 2016, Marriott completed its $13.3 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which added 11 brands to its already robust 19 hotel brand portfolio. Tina Edmundson, Marriott's global brand officer, was charged with making sense of the brand portfolio... View Details

June 2001
Background Note

IT Asset: the "Legacy" System Problem

By: Richard L. Nolan

Describes the legacy system problem facing traditional companies as they strive to build strategic I-Nets. Identifies the key trends amplifying legacy system problems that cause IT assets to become IT liabilities. View Details

Keywords: Trends; Management Systems; Problems and Challenges; Business Strategy; Information Technology

October 2013 (Revised January 2016)
Case

J.C. Penney's 'Fair and Square' Strategy (Abridged)

By: Elie Ofek and Jill Avery

As he gets ready to release 2nd quarter 2012 results, Ron Johnson, the new CEO of department store J.C. Penney, is reconsidering the dramatic changes he initiated for the business model and brand image of his company. A new pricing scheme he put in place in February,... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Change Management; Marketing Strategy; Price; Consumer Behavior; Decision Making; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Retail Industry; United States

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CSV Explained - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

HBS ISC Creating Shared Value CSV Creating Shared Value CSV Explained Emerging Topics CSV in Practice Published CSV Cases CSV Explained CSV Explained The Three Levels of CSV Adding a Social Dimension to Strategy Redefining Capitalism The... View Details

October 2007 (Revised December 2008)
Case

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group: The Human Capital Strategy

By: Boris Groysberg and Eliot Sherman

Describes the development and implementation of one of the world's most advanced human resource management support systems. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a global banking leader that began implementing a strategy for measuring the impact of human capital on... View Details

Keywords: Financial Management; Human Resources; Human Capital; Management Systems; Measurement and Metrics; Performance Effectiveness; Strategy; Information Technology; Banking Industry

November 2002 (Revised November 2005)
Case

MontGras: Export Strategy for a Chilean Winery

By: David J. Arnold, Howard H. Stevenson and Alexandra de Royere

MontGras, a medium-sized Chilean winery, has to formulate an export strategy. It has to decide whether to emphasize the U.S. or U.K. markets, which also offer different positioning and pricing proposals. It has twice failed to penetrate the U.S. market because... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Cost Management; Global Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Product Positioning; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Business Strategy; Valuation

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Publications - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

care for specific events.... June 2021 The CMS New Rule on Ambulatory Surgical Centers Earns Only Partial Credit by Junaid Nabi and Robert S. Kaplan The Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that it will be... View Details

January 2025
Case

A Winning Strategy (A): Innovation in Olympic Speed Skating

By: Rebecca Karp, Maria Roche, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon and Tom Quinn

This case describes two innovators in the Olympic sport of speed skating: the U.S. Men’s team, which devised a new approach to the team pursuit event following their disappointing performance in the 2018 Winter Olympics; and Nils van der Poel, a Swedish skater who... View Details

Keywords: Sports; Disruptive Innovation; Innovation Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Knowledge Sharing; Sports Industry; United States; Sweden; Netherlands; Norway

Teaching Interest

Strategies for Value Creation (MBA Course)

By: Benjamin C. Esty

SVC is a capstone course that integrates topics from finance, strategy, and leadership. It is intentionally cross-functional and designed to force integration at the end of the MBA program. Students develop a value creation mindset and learn that value creation is an... View Details

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Strategy Execution Online Course | HBS Online

to improve strategy execution within your team, department, or organization. “I was impressed by how well the course material fit my personal challenges and goals at work, and how easy it was to use the... View Details

Sep 2014
Survey

An Economy Doing Half Its Job

are struggling, as are small businesses. While HBS alumni saw strengths in elements of the business environment that influence firms' success, the weaknesses in elements that drive prosperity for the average American indicate that the American economy requires a View Details

October 1977 (Revised April 1998)
Case

Japan (D1): A Strategy for Economic Growth

By: Bruce R. Scott and Audrey T. Sproat

Data on Japan's unparalleled economic growth in the post-war era: How was it achieved and what future risks might be foreseen in 1971? View Details

Keywords: Economic Growth; Growth and Development Strategy; Risk and Uncertainty; Japan