Publications

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June 2001 (Revised July 2001)
Case

Amazon.com in the Year 2000

By: Krishna G. Palepu and Jeremy Cott

An analyst's critique of Amazon's prospectus from the perspective of its bond holders. View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Accounting Audits; Financial Reporting; Governing and Advisory Boards; Internet and the Web; Forecasting and Prediction; Retail Industry

30 May 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, May 30

These findings challenge previous recommendations for optimal advice-seeking behavior. Harvard Business School Case 617-059 Flashion: Art vs. Science in Fashion Retailing Kate Wilson, retail analytics... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

December 2010 (Revised March 2012)
Teaching Note

Alibaba Group

By: Julie M. Wulf

Teaching Note for 710436. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Business Subsidiaries; Competition; Motivation and Incentives; Internet and the Web; Growth and Development; Corporate Strategy; Organizational Structure; Retail Industry; China

February 1999 (Revised May 1999)
Case

Onsale, Inc.

By: Youngme E. Moon

Onsale has been a pioneer in electronic commerce, offering excess and refurbished goods using an online auction format. The company is now planning to become a player in the highly competitive world of first-run computer merchandise as well. However, unlike other... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Transformation; Customers; Brands and Branding; Auctions; Network Effects; Strategic Planning; Competitive Strategy; Internet and the Web; Retail Industry

June 2013 (Revised August 2013)
Case

AVA.ph: Growing a Filipino E-Commerce Company

By: William R. Kerr and Henry Motte-Munoz

AVA is a three-year old e-commerce company in the Philippines. From its early start mimicking the Gilt Groupe concept of online flash sales, the company has grown into a broader e-commerce platform for local fashion commerce. Oliver Segovia needs to evaluate where AVA... View Details

Keywords: Digital Platforms; Business Growth and Maturation; Internet and the Web; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Philippines

17 Dec 2001
Research & Ideas

Enterprising Women

Lewis (HBS MBA '92), took the Internet retailer of office supplies from 25 to 400 employees and $50 million to $500 million in revenues. Being an "intrapreneur" within a larger corporation—with a... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna

04 May 2020
Research & Ideas

Predictions, Prophets, and Restarting Your Business

period—and so did in-store sales as well as sales of jigsaw puzzles and walkie-talkies. It’s not clear what we learn from panic buying. So let’s look at what was happening online before the virus of 2020. Ecommerce has been part of the View Details

Keywords: by Frank V. Cespedes

March 2004 (Revised September 2005)
Case

RealNetworks Rhapsody

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Steven Carpenter

Examines RealNetwork's (Real's) strategy for the rapidly emerging online music market. In contrast to rivals who sell individual copies of songs, Real offers online music on a subscription basis. For a $10 monthly fee, subscribers to Real's Rhapsody service have... View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Competitive Advantage; Distribution Channels; Music Entertainment; Ownership; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry

08 Jul 2024
Research & Ideas

The Critical Computer Science Principles Every Strategic Leader Needs to Know

its own inventory. Today, Amazon is a classic example of “platformization”: The company grew from an online bookstore into a vast technological hub that provides logistics and advertising to third-party retailers and public cloud services... View Details

Keywords: by Ben Rand; Technology; Information Technology

January 1998
Case

Frontgate Catalog

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport

Frontgate is a high-end, Lebanon, Ohio-based catalog business. The decision makers are trying to determine how much financial and personnel resources to invest in the development of a Web site. The decision is being made in light of branding issues and competitor's Web... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Competition; Internet and the Web; Brands and Branding; Retail Industry; Ohio

Find at Harvard

May 2000 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Service and Value in e-Commerce

This collection of readings illustrates the importance of service and logistics in e-commerce, focusing on e-Toys' disastrous 1999 holiday season. View Details

Keywords: Valuation; Internet and the Web; Service Operations; Logistics; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry

26 Feb 2014
News

The First Five Years: Morgan Hermand-Waiche (MBA 2010)

HERMAND-WAICHE What's the story behind Adore Me? "I had always wanted to start a company in the United States and after three years at McKinsey & Company, and following my graduation from HBS, I felt ready to take the plunge. Prior to launching Adore Me, I partnered... View Details

Keywords: online shopping; fashion; Retail Trade; Retail Trade; Retail Trade; Retail Trade

10 Apr 2012
First Look

First Look: April 10

professionals, and parents alike forge their own paths to fulfillment. Publisher's Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/How-Will-You-Measure-Your-Life-Karen-Dillon?isbn=9780062102416&HCHP=TB_How+Will+You+Measure+Your+Life Retail... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

02 Jan 2018
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, January 3, 2018

on the job, Sportun had to tailor his message for change carefully to his colleagues, many of whom had worked for Mac’s for decades. The case provides an overview of the convenience store industry and examines the challenges of crime prevention in a late-night View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Apr 1997
News

Facing the Music

and IBM tested such a concept in the early 1990s but terminated the project after failing to receive commitments from major record labels and retail franchisees. Perhaps more immediately on the minds of record executives is how to use... View Details

Keywords: Marguerite Rigoglioso

November 2012
Teaching Note

Groupon (TN)

By: Sunil Gupta, Ray Weaver and Yien Hao Lock

On November 4, 2011, Groupon, a marketing services company that promoted local businesses by selling deeply discounted vouchers for their products and services, completed its initial public offering that valued the company at $17 billion. Within a year Groupon's share... View Details

Keywords: Social Networking; Media; Technology; Strategy; Business Growth and Maturation; Marketing Strategy; Marketing; Internet and the Web; Social Media; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; North America; United States