Publications

April 1999 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Compaq Computer: Focus Groups

By: David E. Bell and Ann Leamon

Gives the final report, both results and methodology, of the focus group on Compaq Computer's new consumer notebook. Describes the groups, selection method, and methodology in detail. Should Compaq base its product design on the opinions of 64 people? Must be used with... View Details

Keywords: Selection and Staffing; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Product Design; Outcome or Result; Corporate Strategy; Computer Industry

14 Aug 2012
First Look

First Look: August 14

substitution. For small firms, the rate of substitution improves with the country's available domestic credit, while large firms are insensitive to this friction. The findings suggest that both country and firm-level factors have a significant impact on how financing... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

January 2010 (Revised November 2012)
Teaching Note

Genzyme's CSR Dilemma: How to Play its HAND (TN)

By: Christopher A. Bartlett

Teaching Note for [910407]. View Details

Keywords: Programs; Intellectual Property; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Partners and Partnerships; Multinational Firms and Management; Competitive Strategy; Markets; Biotechnology Industry

December 1998 (Revised September 1999)
Case

Novartis: Betting on Life Sciences

By: Ray A. Goldberg, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Srinivas Sunder

The merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz produced genomic-based synergies for health care, agribusiness, and nutritional supplements. How to build on the strength of the individual divisions and provide synergies that would continue Novartis' leadership role is the question... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Divisions; Health Care and Treatment; Leadership; Product Positioning; Science-Based Business; Corporate Strategy; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 1998 (Revised November 1999)
Case

Hamilton Financial Investments: A Franchise Built on Trust

By: Robert L. Simons and Antonio Davila

Provides a vehicle for students to evaluate risk management in the fast-paced mutual funds industry. A new risk manager has been hired to install new management controls and procedures. A series of decisions will determine how much business and franchise risk the... View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Management Teams; Managerial Roles; Forecasting and Prediction; Investment Funds; Performance Evaluation; Corporate Strategy; Change Management; Financial Services Industry; Banking Industry

22 Feb 2022
News

March 2022 Alumni and Faculty Books

of corporate purpose, and for good reason. Too many companies deploy purpose as a promotional vehicle to make themselves feel virtuous and to look good to the outside world. Some have only foggy ideas about what purpose is and conflate it... View Details

14 Dec 2015
News

A Leader’s Call to Action

power plant, she ultimately rose to be president of Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation and Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation, within the Integrys Energy Group. “I had several instrumental leaders who believed in me, who saw my... View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley

08 Oct 2019
Blog Post

Balancing Act: Kate Eberle Walker’s Action Plan for C-suite Diversity

career—until, that is, she took a job as senior vice president for strategy and corporate development at Tutor.com under the leadership of CEO Mandy Ginsberg. “I watched her do her work and could picture... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship

19 May 2016
Blog Post

Finding the Path: Making Space for Reflection During Recruiting

and a healthy dose of luck led me to corporate strategy at Capital One after college and to management consulting with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) this summer. Most of us are at HBS at least partially... View Details

Keywords: Consulting

01 Dec 1996
News

On Eve of Transition, Alumni Conference Set for Hong Kong

throughout the conference, as a distinguished lineup of speakers including high-level Asian government officials, business leaders, economists, and HBS professors help attendees with practical strategies for capitalizing on the real... View Details

Keywords: Elaine Gottlieb

13 Jun 2017
News

Finding Common Ground

and his partners created SharedXpertise Media and took over Corporate Responsibility Magazine, a publication modeled on CFO and Workforce magazines. “We were betting there would be a corporate responsibility... View Details

Keywords: Ralph Ranalli

30 Jul 2013
First Look

First Look: July 30

in supporting the emergence of "High Road" strategies that lead to better New Growth Path-related outcomes. It then focuses on creating a new set of data that can start shedding light on the empirical relevance of this... View Details

Keywords: Anna Secino

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

01 Mar 2004
News

Toy Story

showcase a variety of skills among its players. “All players have a chance to shine,” explains Furlong, using Cranium’s refreshingly accessible corporate lingo. “So someone who can’t spell ‘receipt’ backwards might learn that she’s a... View Details

Keywords: Susan Young; toys; Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries; Arts, Entertainment

03 Nov 2009
First Look

First Look: Nov. 3

self-report of the licensee. The self-reporting aspect of the environment gives rise to demand for auditing by the licensor or third-party attestation by the licensee. We characterize the optimal royalty contract, accounting system choice by the licensee, and audit... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

16 Feb 2004
Research & Ideas

HBS Center Focuses on Europe

has gained importance particularly at the European level; and the European corporate world has to work with the public sector at regional, national, and European levels, and that adds complexity to conducting business. You should know... View Details

Keywords: by Cynthia Churchwell

September 1992
Case

Star Cablevision Group (A): Harvesting in a Bull Market

By: William A. Sahlman

First case in a series of six cases that follow the experience of a cable television company as it adjusts to the rapid rise and precipitous decline of the stock market in the late 1980s. In this case Don Jones, the company's founder and owner, sees the rise in public... View Details

Keywords: Behavioral Finance; Financial Markets; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Restructuring; Corporate Strategy; SWOT Analysis; Wealth; Business Cycles; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

January 1988 (Revised May 1988)
Case

General Motors' Asian Alliances

By: Joseph L. Badaracco Jr.

Describes all of General Motors' major alliances with Asian firms. These include Toyota, Fanuc, Isuzu, Daewoo, Suzuki, Nissan, and Hitachi. Students can discuss the rationale of each alliance, their risks, their management problems, and their likely evolution. Also... View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Cost Management; Globalized Firms and Management; Problems and Challenges; Alliances; Risk and Uncertainty; Adoption; Corporate Strategy