Publications

01 Mar 2009
News

Buddy, Can You Spare a Trillion

bond markets, commodity markets, and derivatives markets. In fact, so did all asset classes — not to mention those that benefit when bonuses are big, from vintage Bordeaux to luxury yachts. But these boom years were also misery years,... View Details

Keywords: Finance; Publishing Industries (except Internet); Information

18 Dec 2012
First Look

First Look: December 18

We conclude with an internalization model depicting organizational adaptation to evolving social institutions. Download the paper: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2184439 Cases & Course MaterialsAustralia: Commodities and Competitiveness... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

January 2025
Case

Negotiating a Legacy at Sustainable Harvest (A)

By: Jillian Jordan, Julian Zlatev, Alicia Dadlani and Martha Hostetter

The specialty coffee importer Sustainable Harvest was the first certified B Corp in the coffee industry due to its investments in building coffee farmers’ capacity and livelihood. But in 2022, after coffee prices plummeted and the company’s bank declined to extend its... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Acquisition; Trust; Ethics; Agribusiness; Volatility; Futures and Commodity Futures; Social Enterprise; Valuation; Food and Beverage Industry; United States; Europe

June 2024 (Revised October 2024)
Case

Equifruit

By: Elizabeth A. Keenan and Annelena Lobb

Jennie Coleman, president of Fairtrade banana company Equifruit, considered how best to position her firm and brand to increase sales of Fairtrade bananas in the U.S. and Canada. She saw her biggest challenge as convincing retailers that consumers would be OK spending... View Details

Keywords: Plant-Based Agribusiness; Food; Goods and Commodities; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Sales; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Ecuador; Guatemala; Canada; United States

August 2022 (Revised November 2024)
Case

Sweet Teez Bakery: Projecting the Dough’s Rise

By: Emily R. McComb, Mel Martin and Amy Klopfenstein

In 2021, the HBS Impact Investment Fund student team met with entrepreneur Teresa Maynard, who had applied for a $25,000 impact investment loan. The students thought the former Harvard Data Scientist’s bakery business, Sweet Teez Bakery, showed promise. Maynard had... View Details

Keywords: Impact Investment; Entrepreneurship; Social Entrepreneurship; Finance; Investment; Goods and Commodities; Financial Reporting; Small Business; Food and Beverage Industry; United States; Massachusetts

08 Mar 2016
Research & Ideas

Solving an Economic Mystery Surrounding Argentina and Chile

globalized world. During the late nineteenth century both countries flourished as major exporters of commodities to the industrialized nations in North America and Europe. Argentina did so well that it became one of the richest countries... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

14 Feb 2007
Op-Ed

Tata-Corus: India’s New Steel Giant

pressure from cut-throat competition in mainland China. Even though TCL was one of the largest Chinese TV manufacturers (even prior to the acquisition of Thomson's assets), commodity TVs and other consumer electronics items were not... View Details

Keywords: by Tarun Khanna

June 1999 (Revised April 2003)
Case

Zucamor S.A.: Global Competition in Argentina

By: V. Kasturi Rangan

Describes the evolution of Zucamor and its business strategy, particularly after the opening of the Argentine economy in 1992 and 1993. Traces the action that led to its association with U.S. paper giant Union Camp. Poses some of the critical challenges faced by the... View Details

Keywords: Business Strategy; Global Strategy; Value; Problems and Challenges; Business or Company Management; Goods and Commodities; Alliances; Pulp and Paper Industry; Argentina; United States