Publications

November 1993 (Revised November 1994)
Case

Molding the Impossible: the NYPRO/Vistakon Disposable Contact Lens Project

By: Clayton M. Christensen

NYPRO, Inc., one of the world's leading manufacturers of plastic injection-molded products, is asked by the Vistakon Division of Johnson & Johnson to manufacture molds that Vistakon will use to produce disposable contact lenses. The required dimensional tolerances for... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Engineering; Management Practices and Processes; Product Development; Production; Groups and Teams; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

June 2007
Teaching Note

General Electric Healthcare, 2006 (TN)

By: Tarun Khanna

Teaching note to 706478. View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

September 2003 (Revised February 2007)
Case

PolyMedica Corporation (A)

By: David F. Hawkins and Jacob Cohen

The Securities and Exchange Commission and investors question PolyMedica Corp.'s practice of capitalizing rather than expensing of direct-response advertising. View Details

Keywords: Activity Based Costing and Management; Business Earnings; Advertising; Private Sector; Budgets and Budgeting; Cost Management; Capital Markets; Marketing; Private Equity; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

March 2000 (Revised May 2003)
Teaching Note

Owens & Minor, Inc. (A) and (B) TN

By: V.G. Narayanan and Lisa Brem

Teaching Note for (9-100-055) and (9-100-079). View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

March 2022 (Revised July 2022)
Case

Nexleaf Analytics: Saving the World Using the Internet of Things

By: Frank Nagle

In 2019, a decade after co-founding Nexleaf Analytics, CEO Nithya Ramanathan faced an important decision that would impact the ability of the small, but growing, not-for-profit organization to thrive for another decade. Their sensor technologies and big data analytics... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Strategy; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Technological Innovation; Nonprofit Organizations; Competitive Strategy; Patents; Expansion; Information Technology; Health Industry; Information Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Technology Industry

09 Jul 2018
Research & Ideas

Overcoming the Challenges of Selling Brand New Technology (Hey, Need a 3-D Printer?)

things like making machine parts and medical implantations. Still, the printers were large, unreliable, and expensive. Starting around 2011 the revolution began. 3-D printers began to shrink, grow in quality, and become considerably less... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Medical Devices & Supplies; Medical Devices & Supplies; Medical Devices & Supplies; Medical Devices & Supplies; Medical Devices & Supplies; Medical Devices & Supplies; Medical Devices & Supplies; Medical Devices & Supplies

Article

Drivers of the Variation in Prosthetic Implant Purchase Prices for Total Knee and Total Hip Arthroplasties

By: Derek A. Haas, Kevin J Bozic, Anthony M. DiGioia, Zirui Song and Robert S. Kaplan

Previous studies have documented wide variation in health-care spending and prices; however, the causes for the variation in supply purchase prices across providers are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the drivers of variation in... View Details

Keywords: Costing; Cost Variation; Total Knee Arthroplasty; Total Hip Arthroplasty; Prosthetic Implant Cost; Health Care and Treatment; Cost Management; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

Read Now

April 2009 (Revised June 2010)
Supplement

Supply Chain Partners: Virginia Mason and Owens & Minor (B)

By: V.G. Narayanan and Lisa Brem

The epilogue to Supply Chain Partners: Virginia Mason and Owens & Minor (A), the B case details the outcome of the issues discussed in Case A; namely that Virginia Mason and Owens & Minor did implement the TSCC contract. Virginia Mason also kept the suture contract... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Supply Chain Management; Partners and Partnerships; Measurement and Metrics; Contracts; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

October 2008
Case

Diagnostic Genomics

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Mark P. Allyn

Should this gene detection firm enter the business of providing tests for the detection of genetic diseases? If so, how should it prioritize the tests it could develop? View Details

Keywords: Health Testing and Trials; Market Entry and Exit; Product Development; Genetics; Strategy; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

April 1994 (Revised March 1995)
Teaching Note

Kevin Simpson TN

By: Linda A. Hill and Katherine Seger Weber

Teaching Note for (9-492-041). View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

09 Jan 2006
Research & Ideas

What Really Drives Your Strategy?

budgeting, but in the operating levels of the firm. Bower: Other examples in our book are very different. The field of medical devices is one in which successful companies have their sales technicians... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

23 Jan 2008
First Look

First Look: January 23, 2008

hourly wage. The entrepreneurial venture's donors were, however, significantly younger, more likely to be from a minority group, and more likely to have died from cancer. For-profit organizations, continuing medical training... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

24 Sep 2007
Research & Ideas

The FDA: What Will the Next 100 Years Bring?

stars. Announced actions against an Iowa dairy after illegal drug residues were found in the dairy's cows; a Tennessee company for selling a substance billed as both a preventative against skin cancer and a tanning agent; and a medical... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Biotechnology; Consumer Products; Food & Beverage; Health

July 2000 (Revised August 2000)
Case

AllHerb.com: Evolution of an E-tailer

By: Teresa M. Amabile and Christina L. Darwall

Serial entrepreneur Ken Hakuta, in the second year of his latest venture, reconsiders his original strategy of maintaining an independent, self-funded, self-led company. His Internet herbal remedy company, AllHerb.com, has already enjoyed considerable success with its... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Technological Innovation; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Strategic Planning; Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

Find at Harvard

01 Nov 2024
In Practice

Layoffs Surging in a Strong Economy? Advice for Navigating Uncertain Times

decision about entrepreneurship Starting your own company after a layoff is a significant decision. While it may seem like an opportune time, research suggests there are some important considerations. “Entrepreneurs coming from high-tech sectors such as biotechnology... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Technology; Information Technology

08 Aug 2017
First Look

First Look at Research and Ideas, August 8, 2017

trials at Boston Children’s Hospital. As the founders prepare to bring their new medical device to market, they struggle with two key decisions: Should Luminopia create its own salesforce to sell its product... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Apr 2015
Research & Ideas

The Slow, Steady Battle to Fix Cancer Care

After a cancer patient's first 30 days in the American medical system, the bills start stacking up—right next to the pile of paperwork explaining benefits. "It's very hard for patients to match these things up," says Dr. Thomas... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Health

March 1994 (Revised January 1995)
Case

Cardinal Health, Inc.

By: Jay W. Lorsch

Robert D. Walter, chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health, Inc., responds to questions regarding Cardinal's board and its influence on the acquisition of and merger with Whitmire Distribution. View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Governing and Advisory Boards; Power and Influence; Management Teams; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry