Publications

February 2005
Article

European Integration and Corporate Restructuring: The Strategy of Unilever c1957-c1990

By: Geoffrey Jones and Peter Miskell

This article examines the role of the large Anglo-Dutch consumer products company in promoting European integration. It shows that Unilever contributed financially to campaigns to support the creation of the European Union, and its subsequent expansion, despite a... View Details

Keywords: Horizontal Integration; Organizations; Policy; Expansion; Market Transactions; Geographic Location; Restructuring; Competition; Brands and Branding; Production; Capital Structure; Value; Consumer Products Industry; European Union; United States

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2020
Working Paper

Design in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

By: Roberto Verganti, Luca Vendraminelli and Marco Iansiti

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is affecting the scenario in which innovation takes place. What are the implications for our understanding of design? Is AI just another digital technology that, akin to many others, will not significantly question what we know about... View Details

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Design Thinking; Technological Innovation; Design; Change; Theory; AI and Machine Learning

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Web

Technology & Operations Management - Faculty & Research

Philanthropy ; Charitable Donations ; Sustainability ; Foundation ; Impact Investing ; ESG ; Family Business ; Forecasting and Prediction ; Private Sector ; Renewable Energy ; Social Entrepreneurship ; Climate Change ; Environmental... View Details

07 Feb 2007
Research & Ideas

Dividends from Schumpeter’s Noble Failure

Business Cycles was Joseph Schumpeter's least successful book when measured by its professed aims and several other yardsticks. Yet the book contains two vital aspects that have largely been overlooked. First, the prodigious research that went into its writing caused a... View Details

Keywords: by Thomas K. McCraw

November 2007 (Revised March 2018)
Case

Maidenform Bras

By: Tom Nicholas

Uses Ida Rosenthal's entrepreneurship in brassieres to explore how economic, social, and demographic changes reshaped gender and business enterprises in early- to mid-20th century America. It shows the importance of timing and geography to Rosenthal's new firm in New... View Details

Keywords: Geographic Location; Marketing; Entrepreneurship; Gender; Change; Apparel and Accessories Industry

October 2008 (Revised September 2009)
Supplement

Procter & Gamble in the 21st Century (C): Integrating Gillette

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Matthew Bird

P&G had used its purpose, values, and principles (PVP) to prepare for the physical integration of Gillette prior to the change of control. The execution of these plans posed numerous challenges in global business units as well as in individual country organizations.... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Change Management; Globalized Firms and Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Conflict and Resolution; Business Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Integration

15 Aug 2023
News

Twelve Alumnae Named to Forbes 50 Over 50

The third annual 50 Over 50 list, published by Forbes, includes 12 HBS alumnae. Whether self-made entrepreneurs, astronauts, or investors, the recipients are recognized for the variety of ways in which they are all changing the world.... View Details

Keywords: Publishing Industries (except Internet); Information

22 Oct 2018
Blog Post

HBS Marketing Club Presents: The Brand Summit

and a competitive edge in the market. Of course, this is easier said than done. In a world of rapid technology advancements and changing consumer preferences, marketers are constantly tested on how quickly they can adapt and reassess... View Details

Keywords: All Industries

February 2014
Teaching Note

Advising Families on Estate Planning

By: Robert C. Pozen

Sean Warrick is an estate planning adviser at Hellwig & Macon. He is preparing for meetings with two clients. His first clients are Peggy and David Bartley, a professional married couple of moderate wealth. His second clients are Ray and Michelle Polanski, a couple... View Details

Keywords: Estate Planning; Estate Tax; Gift Tax; Gift Giving; Generation Skipping Tax; Tax Accounting; Tax Strategy; Taxes; Taxation; Retirement; Financial Services Industry; United States

January 2014 (Revised June 2014)
Case

Advising Families on Estate Planning

By: Robert C. Pozen and Lucas W. Goodman

Sean Warrick is an estate planning adviser at Hellwig & Macon. He is preparing for meetings with two clients. His first clients are Peggy and David Bartley, a professional married couple of moderate wealth. His second clients are Ray and Michelle Polanski, a couple... View Details

Keywords: Estate Planning; Estate Tax; Gift Tax; Generation Skipping Tax; Tax Accounting; Tax Strategy; Taxes; Taxation; Retirement; United States

06 Apr 2020
News

Is China Ready for Leadership on the Global Stage?

12 PM – 1:30 PM EST, 29 Feb 2024
Webinars: Career

Considering Retirement

"So you're actually thinking about retiring?!" Retirement can inspire not only excitement for new possibilities, but also fear for the future. How can you keep the parts of work you love but enjoy more balance in your life? What work will you do? How will this... View Details

February 2010
Case

Go Mobile: The Phirbol Franchise

By: Rajiv Lal and Natalie Kindred

To grow Phirbol, a telecom retail franchise chain in Delhi, India's underdeveloped markets, its founders were exploring ways to offer more value to the franchisees. In mid-2009, the Phirbol franchise was comprised of some 150 franchisees that had converted their small... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Business Startups; Innovation and Management; Brands and Branding; Service Operations; Franchise Ownership; Value Creation; Telecommunications Industry; Delhi

May 2022
Article

Investment as the Opportunity Cost of Dividend Signaling

By: Zach Kaplan and Gerardo Pérez Cavazos

We provide evidence that firms with weak investment opportunities (those whose current earnings justify a greater valuation than firms with strong investment opportunities) signal their permanent earnings level through their dividends. In the cross-section, we show... View Details

Keywords: Dividends; Earnings; Investment Opportunities; Payout Policy; Signaling; Capital Structure; Business Earnings; Investment; Opportunities

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August 2017 (Revised November 2017)
Case

Accounting for Political Risk at AES

By: Gerardo Pérez Cavazos and Suraj Srinivasan

As a global energy generating company, AES frequently faces challenges from political changes and instability. This is exacerbated by the fact that in many instances AES' primary customer is the government, which is also in charge of law-making. For example, AES'... View Details

Keywords: Political Risk; Asset Impairment; Risk Factors; Fair Value; Fair Value Accounting; Financial Reporting; Financial Statements; Energy Industry; Bulgaria; Dominican Republic; United States; Venezuela

November 2008
Article

Getting off the Hedonic Treadmill, One Step at a Time: The Impact of Regular Religious Practice and Exercise on Well-Being

By: Daniel Mochon, Michael I. Norton and Dan Ariely

Many studies have shown that few events in life have a lasting impact on subjective well-being because of people's tendency to adapt quickly; worse, those events that do have a lasting impact tend to be negative. We suggest that while major events may not provide... View Details

Keywords: Health; Religion; Behavior; Happiness; Welfare

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December 2023 (Revised May 2024)
Case

Building Resiliency in McDonald's Supply Chain

By: David E. Bell, Damien McLoughlin and David Lane

Considers McDonald’s efforts to build resilience into its global supply chain so that the company and its suppliers can better navigate the increasing pressures and pace of climate change and regulatory change, including a focus on supplying sustainable beef, while the... View Details

Keywords: Climate Change; Supply Chain Management; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Risk and Uncertainty; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Growth Management; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States; Europe; South America

09 Aug 2019
Blog Post

Making the Switch from CPG to a Self-Driving Car Startup through my Summer Internship

favorability of our brand within the San Francisco community. Originally my job was to develop a community partnerships strategy, but like a role at any growing startup, it quickly expanded to include a variety of mission-critical projects. Coming from an incumbent... View Details

March 1979 (Revised November 1980)
Case

Beth Israel Hospital, Boston

The hospital is reviewing its obstetrical services and trying to decide on future strategy relative to communications, pricing and service characteristics. Important environmental trends include increasing government health regulation, a declining birth rate, more... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Marketing Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Medical Specialties; Health Industry; Boston