Publications

Educators

March 2018 (Revised March 2019)
Technical Note

Control or Flexibility? Structured Empowerment Offers Both — Lessons from Retail & Service Chains

By: Tatiana Sandino

This note explains how several retail and service organizations use a practice described here as “structured empowerment” to balance control and flexibility as they grow. I define structured empowerment as a practice that grants employees both (a) the power to make... View Details

Keywords: Service Operations; Standards; Employees; Service Delivery; Decision Making; Power and Influence; Retail Industry; Retail Industry

Educators

August 2023
Supplement

Zurich Insurance (B): Re-Establishing a Leading Market Position in Retail

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Stefano Brusoni, Claudio Freser, Karolin Frankenberger and Ana Procopio Schoen

spring 1996
Article

The Effect of Manufacturer Advertising on Retail and Wholesale Margins

By: R. Lal and C. Narasimhan

Keywords: Advertising

Article

Consumer Behavior, Retailer Power and Performance in Consumer Goods Industries

By: M. E. Porter

Keywords: Consumer Behavior; Performance; Goods and Commodities; Supply and Industry; Consumer Products Industry

13 Apr 2009
News

The Shifting Paradigm: Rules Being Redefined For Fashion and Retail

22 Jan 2020
Podcast

From opt-in to check-out: How digital platforms are transforming retail

Dan O’Connor, retail expert and executive-in-residence with the HBS Managing the Future of Work project, traces the evolution of retail from the corner store through big-box, e-commerce, and the emergence of omni-faceted digital platforms. What are the implications for... View Details

14 Mar 2014
Blog Post

Looking to the Next Decade of Change: A Recap of the 10th Annual Retail & Luxury Goods Conference

On the evening of Saturday, February 22, 2014 and all day Sunday, February 23, 2014, the Retail & Luxury Goods Club hosted a record number of nearly 400 students and professionals from Harvard and the surrounding community for its... View Details

Keywords: Consumer Products / Retail

February 1987 (Revised July 1987)
Case

Sears, Roebuck and Co. and the Retail Financial Services Industry (A)

31 Aug 2023
News

Legendary Retail CEO Hubert Joly’s Playbook for Navigating the Culture Wars

19 Mar 2024

The Value of an MBA in Manufacturing, Consumer Products, and Retail

Attention to all young professionals shaping the future in manufacturing, consumer products, or retail: whether you're already excelling in these vibrant sectors or aiming to carve your path, we extend an invitation to join a panel of HBS students and alumni who share... View Details

16 Feb 2023

The Value of an MBA in Manufacturing, Consumer Products, and Retail

Have you ever wondered what an MBA could do to help you accomplish your personal and professional goals? Join us to hear more about why an MBA degree can be of value to students interested in working in Manufacturing, Consumer Products, and Retail prior to their... View Details

2019
Book

Operations in an Omnichannel World

By: Santiago Gallino and Antonio Moreno

The world of retailing has changed dramatically in the past decade. Sales originating at online channels have been steadily increasing, and even for sales transacted at brick-and-mortar channels, a much larger fraction of sales is affected by online channels in... View Details

Keywords: Omnichannel; Omnichannel Retail; Retail; Operations; Management; Supply Chain Management; Business Model; Organizational Change and Adaptation