Publications

June 1997 (Revised March 2001)
Case

Genset Initial Public Offering (A)

By: Paul A. Gompers and Jeffrey M. Anapolsky

Pascal Brandys, founder and CEO of Genset, must decide whether to take this young biotechnology company public. If so, should he do a dual offering in both France and the U.S.? The case also explores the business models in genomics research. View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Initial Public Offering; Genetics; Going Public; Management Teams; Biotechnology Industry; France; United States

Keywords: Garry Emmons;Julia Hanna;Roger Thompson; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Arts, Entertainment; National Security and International Affairs; Government; Health, Social Assistance; Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services; Information; Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Food Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

01 Dec 2011
News

Making the Case for Leadership

programming vision, to recruiting and motivating a growing team of employees (some of whom, like Swan, were commuting from other cities at the time). Also in play: managing a tight, closely watched budget... View Details

29 Oct 2014
Research & Ideas

Inventing Products is Less Valuable Than Inventing Ideas

ideas." With a level in the middle, R&D teams will both forced to look at current ideas and able to take them in new directions. Finally, says Ahuja, it's essential to put a knowledge management... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Technology

November 2002 (Revised August 2003)
Case

MedSource Technologies

By: Robert S. Huckman

Considers the issues facing Richard Effress, MedSource's chairman and CEO, as the firm approaches the Precision Cut project--the first test of MedSource's capabilities as an integrated, contract manufacturer in the medical device industry. MedSource Technologies was... View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Production; Mergers and Acquisitions; Product Design; Supply Chain Management; Management Teams; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States

April 1991 (Revised July 1991)
Case

RJR Nabisco Board: Guardians of the Gate? (A)

By: Jay W. Lorsch

Charles Hugel, the chairman of RJR Nabisco, receives a call from RJR Nabisco's CEO, Ross Johnson; Johnson plans to present an LBO plan to the board of directors at the board meeting the following week. The case details Hugel's actions as chairman, and describes the... View Details

Keywords: Leveraged Buyouts; Situation or Environment; Bids and Bidding; Decision Making; Managerial Roles; Governing and Advisory Boards; Management Teams; Consumer Products Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

May 2013 (Revised April 2015)
Case

Ron Johnson: Retail at Target, Apple, and J.C. Penney

By: Das Narayandas, Kerry Herman and Lisa Mazzanti

In April 2013, Ron Johnson (HBS '84) stepped down after just 18 months as CEO of J.C. Penney. In his brief tenure, Johnson, an acclaimed retailer respected for his innovation and success in shaping the retail image at Target and Apple, introduced dramatic departures... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Innovation Leadership; Situation or Environment; Failure; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Retail Industry; United States

03 Mar 2016
News

3-Minute Briefing: Pamela Meyer (MBA 1986)

being paranoid. But the costs of deception are high. It pays to develop a close team of colleagues you absolutely trust and would go to war with. A complicated stew in our culture is creating a deception epidemic. Social media, for... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna

01 Jun 2022
News

Empowering Entrepreneurially Minded Students

Kerr: There’s a lot of alignment between general management and entrepreneurial management. We define entrepreneurship following the early work of Howard Stevenson at HBS as “the pursuit of opportunity beyond resources controlled.” What... View Details

Keywords: Jennifer Gillespie

27 Aug 2012
Research & Ideas

Employee-Suggestion Programs That Work

June 2012 working paper, Key Drivers of Successful Implementation of an Employee Suggestion-Driven Improvement Program. Tucker is an associate professor in the Technology and Operations Management unit, and the Marvin Bower Fellow at HBS.... View Details

Keywords: by Paul Guttry

August 1992 (Revised February 1998)
Supplement

Star Distributors, Inc. (B)

By: David A. Thomas

Presents the dilemma of Don Waters, vice president of Franchise Operations at Belmont Beverages. Waters must must decide what to do about the conflict between two partners in one of Belmont's franchises. View Details

Keywords: Management Teams; Conflict Management; Franchise Ownership; Partners and Partnerships; Distribution Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

01 Mar 2018
News

Realizing The Potential Of One Harvard

Administration at HBS. “This program will help established leaders work more effectively with data science teams and understand how to use new data capabilities to drive strategic advantage.” Participants in HBAP take part in six new... View Details

01 Mar 2004
Lessons from the Classroom

Mission to Mars: It Really Is Rocket Science

design "programs" or sequences of projects over time in order that learning is maximized. Most past research on innovation has focused on the management of individual projects. As a result, we know a lot about topics such as... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

July 2018
Teaching Note

Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail

By: Ryan Raffaelli

In April 2013, Ron Johnson (HBS '84) stepped down after just 18 months as CEO of J.C. Penney. In his brief tenure, Johnson, an acclaimed retailer respected for his innovation and success in shaping the retail image at Target and Apple, introduced dramatic departures... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Leadership Development; Legal Industry; Procurement; Professional Service Firms; Pricing; Competition; Organizational Behavior; Change Management; Innovation Leadership; Situation or Environment; Failure; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Retail Industry; United States

November 1995
Case

InterZine Productions, Inc.

By: William A. Sahlman and Jason Green

Brian Henley founded InterZine Productions to develop interactive multimedia content for America Online (AOL) and the Internet. With funding and support from AOL's Greenhouse program, Henley has launched Golf, a unique interactive golf service. While he has operated on... View Details

Keywords: Business Ventures; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Capital; Financing and Loans; Internet and the Web; Management Teams; Innovation and Invention; Media and Broadcasting Industry

Find at Harvard

December 2016
Supplement

Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail

By: Ryan Raffaelli, Joshua D. Margolis and Das Narayandas

This is a video supplement, to be used when teaching the Ron Johnson case. See abstract:

In April 2013, Ron Johnson (HBS '84) stepped down after just 18 months as CEO of J.C. Penney. In his brief tenure, Johnson, an acclaimed retailer respected for his... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Leadership Development; Legal Industry; Procurement; Professional Service Firms; Pricing; Competition; Organizational Behavior; Change Management; Innovation Leadership; Situation or Environment; Failure; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Retail Industry; United States

June 2012 (Revised March 2014)
Case

Best Buy in Crisis

By: John R. Wells and Galen Danskin

In June 2012, Best Buy was in crisis. In 1996, Best Buy overtook Circuit City as the world's leader in consumer electronics retailing; however, 18 years later, Best Buy now found this position threatened. With $51 billion in revenues, it was still the biggest CE... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Decision Choices and Conditions; Forecasting and Prediction; Competitive Strategy; Ethics; Management Teams; Consumer Products Industry; Electronics Industry; Retail Industry