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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(3,919)
- People (11)
- News (1,203)
- Research (2,182)
- Events (3)
- Multimedia (5)
- Faculty Publications (1,419)
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- January 2019 (Revised October 2019)
- Case
Rural Taobao: Alibaba's Expansion into Rural E-Commerce
By: Tarun Khanna, Ryan Allen, Adam Frost and Wesley Koo
Alibaba's Rural Taobao initiative had been launched in 2014 as a public service initiative to increase e-commerce adoption in China’s remote rural areas. In the first two iterations of the initiative, dubbed “1.0” and “2.0,” Alibaba had partnered with local businesses... View Details
Keywords: Strategy; Business Growth; Ecommerce; Corporate Social Responsibility; Business And Government; Emerging Market; Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Emerging Markets; Rural Scope; Growth and Development Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Government Relations; Decision Making; E-commerce; China
Khanna, Tarun, Ryan Allen, Adam Frost, and Wesley Koo. "Rural Taobao: Alibaba's Expansion into Rural E-Commerce." Harvard Business School Case 719-433, January 2019. (Revised October 2019.)
- October 2005 (Revised September 2006)
- Case
Sapient Corporation (Abridged)
By: Rakesh Khurana and Joel Podolny
Describes the start-up, growth, organizational design, and operations over the first 10 years of a professional services firm. Focuses on the creative use of organizational purpose and values as an integral part of strategy and alignment of organizational activities. View Details
Keywords: Leadership; Organizational Culture; Change Management; Human Resources; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Growth and Maturation; Operations; Business Processes; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Service Industry
Khurana, Rakesh, and Joel Podolny. "Sapient Corporation (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Case 406-058, October 2005. (Revised September 2006.)
- May 2008
- Background Note
The Producing Manager: A Double-Barreled Role
By: John J. Gabarro and Thomas J. DeLong
The purpose of this note is to ground and amplify on the characteristics and challenges of the producing manager role. It is in response to requests from participants for a piece of "take away" material that can be shared with colleagues in professional service firms... View Details
Gabarro, John J., and Thomas J. DeLong. "The Producing Manager: A Double-Barreled Role." Harvard Business School Background Note 908-415, May 2008.
- September 2024
- Case
Cathay Cargo: Turnaround Short Haul, or Double Crew Long Haul?
By: Willy Shih and Billy Chan
Tom Owen, Director Cargo at Cathay Pacific Airways, had a problem. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the grounding of passenger flights meant the sudden loss of 50% of the airline's cargo carrying capacity. But the bigger challenge was that the Hong Kong government imposed... View Details
Keywords: Operations; Resource Allocation; Cash Flow; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Health Pandemics; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Decision Choices and Conditions; Air Transportation Industry; Hong Kong
Shih, Willy, and Billy Chan. "Cathay Cargo: Turnaround Short Haul, or Double Crew Long Haul?" Harvard Business School Case 625-019, September 2024.
- January 1997 (Revised November 1997)
- Case
IBM and Siemens: Revitalizing the Rolm Division (B)
By: Ashish Nanda, Antonio Davila and Georgia Levenson
This supplement to the (A) case describes Siemens’ purchase of Rolm’s entire product development and manufacturing operation to form Rolm Systems and discusses the simultaneous 50/50 joint venture between IBM and Siemens to manage marketing, sales, and service for PBX... View Details
Keywords: Manufacturing; Deal; Dealmaking; IBM; Siemens; Product Development; Joint Ventures; Restructuring; Corporate Strategy
Nanda, Ashish, Antonio Davila, and Georgia Levenson. "IBM and Siemens: Revitalizing the Rolm Division (B)." Harvard Business School Case 397-061, January 1997. (Revised November 1997.)
- April 2010 (Revised January 2013)
- Case
Southwest Airlines: In a Different World
By: James L. Heskett and W. Earl Sasser Jr.
This is the fourth in a 35-year series of HBS cases on an organization that has changed the rules of the game globally for an entire industry by offering both differentiated and low-price service. The focus of the case is on whether Southwest Airlines should buy gates... View Details
Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Service Delivery; Service Operations; Organizational Culture; Competitive Strategy; Air Transportation Industry; New York (city, NY)
Heskett, James L., and W. Earl Sasser Jr. "Southwest Airlines: In a Different World." Harvard Business School Case 910-419, April 2010. (Revised January 2013.)
- July 2002 (Revised August 2002)
- Case
SIG Beverages (A)
SIG Beverages, a leading supplier of bottling and packaging systems for the beverage industry, has recognized an opportunity in providing services for its product end users. Management's challenge is to develop a service portfolio to address end users' needs, while... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Production; Service Delivery; Manufacturing Industry; Italy
Oliva, Rogelio, and James Quinn. "SIG Beverages (A)." Harvard Business School Case 603-018, July 2002. (Revised August 2002.)
- June 1992 (Revised January 1994)
- Case
Coopers & Lybrand in Hungary (A)
Multinational professional services firm Coopers & Lybrand has decided to enter the Hungarian market and weighs its strategic options in light of the environment in which it will operate and its resources. View Details
Keywords: Strategy; Multinational Firms and Management; Market Entry and Exit; Service Industry; Hungary
Loveman, Gary W., and Roger H. Hallowell. "Coopers & Lybrand in Hungary (A)." Harvard Business School Case 692-112, June 1992. (Revised January 1994.)
- November 1999 (Revised January 2000)
- Case
Mexican Foundation for Rural Development
By: James E. Austin and Gerardo Lozano
The Mexican Foundation for Rural Development (MFRD) is a nonprofit network of 32 rural development centers servicing low-income farm families. Management plans to expand its operation dramatically, forming 10,000 rural cooperatives in ten years. It faces major issues... View Details
Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Operations; Cooperative Ownership; Nonprofit Organizations; Society; Strategy; Mexico
Austin, James E., and Gerardo Lozano. "Mexican Foundation for Rural Development." Harvard Business School Case 300-082, November 1999. (Revised January 2000.)
- 30 Sep 2008
- First Look
First Look: September 30, 2008
and service quality. Using longitudinal data from stores of a large retailer, I find that increasing the amount of labor at a store is associated with an increase in profitability through its impact on conformance quality but not its... View Details
Keywords: Martha Lagace
- September 2004 (Revised October 2005)
- Case
Sapient Corporation
By: Rakesh Khurana and Joel Podolny
Describes the start-up, growth, organizational design, and operations over the first 10 years of a professional services firm. Focuses on the creative use of organizational purpose and values as an integral part of strategy and alignment of organizational activities. View Details
Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Operations; Knowledge Management; Strategy; Service Industry
Khurana, Rakesh, and Joel Podolny. "Sapient Corporation." Harvard Business School Case 405-045, September 2004. (Revised October 2005.)
- March 1990
- Case
Lehrer McGovern Bovis, Inc. (Abridged)
Describes the growth of a construction management company and the operating problems it now encounters. Designed to introduce students to the value of competition in the construction industry, to show how the techniques of value analysis can be used to strategic... View Details
Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Operations; Construction; Growth Management; Quality; Competition; Problems and Challenges; Performance Productivity; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Construction Industry
Wheelwright, Steven C. "Lehrer McGovern Bovis, Inc. (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Case 690-074, March 1990.
- December 2002 (Revised October 2006)
- Case
Commerce Bank
By: Frances X. Frei and Corey B. Hajim
Commerce Bank has become one of the fastest growing banks in the country, despite having defied conventional wisdom about how to grow deposits. Banks historically have grown either by competing on deposit rates or through acquisitions that expand their deposit base.... View Details
Keywords: Business Model; Design; Growth and Development Strategy; Service Operations; Competition; Banking Industry
Frei, Frances X., and Corey B. Hajim. "Commerce Bank." Harvard Business School Case 603-080, December 2002. (Revised October 2006.)
- May 2007 (Revised April 2009)
- Case
Netflix
By: Willy C. Shih, Stephen P. Kaufman and David Spinola
Reed Hastings founded Netflix with a vision to provide a home movie service that would do a better job satisfying customers than the traditional retail rental model. But as it encouraged challenges it underwent several major strategy shifts, ultimately developing a... View Details
Keywords: Business Model; Film Entertainment; Disruptive Innovation; Growth and Development Strategy; Distribution Channels; Service Delivery; Renting or Rental; Competitive Strategy; Motion Pictures and Video Industry
Shih, Willy C., Stephen P. Kaufman, and David Spinola. "Netflix." Harvard Business School Case 607-138, May 2007. (Revised April 2009.)
- 2008
- Working Paper
The Effect of Labor on Profitability: The Role of Quality
By: Zeynep Ton
Determining staffing levels is an important decision in retail operations. While the costs of increasing labor are obvious and easy to measure, the benefits are often indirect and not immediately felt. One benefit of increased labor is improved quality. The objective... View Details
Keywords: Profit; Selection and Staffing; Service Delivery; Business Processes; Quality; Retail Industry
Ton, Zeynep. "The Effect of Labor on Profitability: The Role of Quality." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 09-040, September 2008. (Revised July 2009.)
- January 2021
- Article
'Mobile'izing Agricultural Advice: Technology Adoption, Diffusion and Sustainability
By: Shawn A. Cole and A. Nilesh Fernando
We examine the role of management in agricultural productivity by evaluating a mobile-phone based agricultural advice service provided to farmers in India. Demand for advice is high, and advice changes practices, increasing yields in cumin (28%) and cotton (8.6% for a... View Details
Keywords: Agricultural Extension; Informational Inefficiencies; Technology Adoption; Agribusiness; Information; Mobile Technology; India
Cole, Shawn A., and A. Nilesh Fernando. "'Mobile'izing Agricultural Advice: Technology Adoption, Diffusion and Sustainability." Economic Journal 131, no. 633 (January 2021): 192–219.
- 28 Feb 2022
- Research & Ideas
How Racial Bias Taints Customer Service: Evidence from 6,000 Hotels
Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses in the service industry often thrive or die depending on whether they provide exemplary customer service, but new research shows that the color of a customer’s skin can determine whether the... View Details
Keywords: by Pamela Reynolds
- July 2010 (Revised September 2011)
- Background Note
Hiring Professionals in China: A Practitioner's Guide
By: Heidi K. Gardner
This note outlines how leading professional service firms operating in China revise their standard hiring practices to fit local challenges and customs. Based on interviews with professionals in a number of established accounting, strategy consulting, and executive... View Details
Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Globalized Firms and Management; Employees; Selection and Staffing; Service Industry; China
Gardner, Heidi K. "Hiring Professionals in China: A Practitioner's Guide." Harvard Business School Background Note 411-029, July 2010. (Revised September 2011.)
- October 1976 (Revised April 1983)
- Case
Federal Express (A)
Federal Express is a small-package airline operating throughout the United States. After initial heavy losses it is now profitable. Management is examining the services offered by the firm and believes that there is great potential for "Courier Pak", an overnight... View Details
Lovelock, Christopher H. "Federal Express (A)." Harvard Business School Case 577-042, October 1976. (Revised April 1983.)