Publications

December 2023 (Revised February 2024)
Case

21Seeds: Taking Shots at Breakout Growth

By: Elie Ofek, Julian De Freitas, Michael Moynihan and Nicole Tempest Keller

21Seeds, a female-founded flavor-infused tequila startup launched in 2019, had made inroads into the alcoholic beverage industry by focusing on an underserved consumer segment in spirits—women, primarily in their 30s and 40s, many of whom were moms—and by following a... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Distribution Channels; Sales; Food and Beverage Industry

March 2024 (Revised August 2024)
Case

Darktrace: Scaling Cybersecurity and AI (A)

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport and Alexis Lefort

In 2023, Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson was contemplating her growth strategy at a leading U.K.-based cybersecurity venture, launched in 2013 by a group of anti-terror cyber specialists, University of Cambridge mathematicians, and artificial intelligence (AI) experts.... View Details

Keywords: Technology; Talent; Scaling; Entrepreneurship; Cybersecurity; Leadership; Business Growth and Maturation; Recruitment; Resignation and Termination; AI and Machine Learning; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Culture; Going Public; Technology Industry; United Kingdom; Europe; United States

03 May 2016
First Look

First Look, May 3, 2016

2016 Berrett-Koehler Publishers Building the Future: Big Teaming for Audacious Innovation By: Edmondson, Amy C., and Susan Salter Reynolds Abstract—Machiavelli famously wrote, "There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Program

Competing in the Age of Digital Platforms

a competitive advantage Understand the core fundamentals of how to launch and maintain a platform business that outperforms digital and conventional competitors in the United States, China, and other global markets Identify how to... View Details

16 Oct 2007
First Look

First Look: October 16, 2007

Dewey, wait for the scheduled auction with several interested publishers, or pull out of the race? Allows for an in-depth examination of new-product acquisition, development, and launch strategies in the context of the book publishing... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Web

About Michael Porter - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

earth. Now, he and an all-star team aim to rescue the U.S. economy.” — Geoff Colvin, Senior Editor-at-large Fortune magazine, 2012 Read More About Michael Porter Michael Porter Biography Michael Porter is the founder of the modern... View Details

September 2017 (Revised February 2018)
Case

Becton Dickinson: Global Health Strategy

By: Mark R. Kramer and Sarah Mehta

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) was a medical technology firm headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, with 43,000 employees and 2016 revenues of $12.5 billion. For several years, the company had pursued developing products that created shared value, defined as... View Details

Keywords: Shared Value; Creating Shared Value; Odon Device; Medical Technology; Value Creation; Values and Beliefs; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Health Testing and Trials; Emerging Markets; Social Issues; Competitive Strategy; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Africa; Asia; Middle East

09 Jan 2024
In Practice

Harnessing AI: What Businesses Need to Know in ChatGPT’s Second Year

crowdsource diverse viewpoints and innovative solutions to their most complex solutions. Take the Netflix challenge. In 2006, Netflix launched an open competition for the best collaborative filtering algorithm to predict user ratings for... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Information Technology

11 Oct 2016
First Look

October 11, 2016

come first. The authors have identified six common barriers to change: (1) unclear direction on strategy and values, which often leads to conflicting priorities; (2) senior executives who don't work as a team and haven't committed to a... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

July 2010 (Revised December 2010)
Case

Beohemija's Duel

By: Das Narayandas and Kerry Herman

Vladimir Joksic, Director of Marketing for Serbia's Beohemija, along with his marketing team has managed to grow Duel, the firm's soap powder offering from single digits to almost 40% of the Serbian market in just a few short years. He has used innovative and... View Details

Keywords: Investment; Growth and Development; Innovation Strategy; Management Teams; Marketing; Product Launch; Competition; Consumer Products Industry

Web

Harvard Business School Online Courses & Learning Platforms

Choose a subject area: Digital Transformation Marketing Business Essentials Leadership & Management Entrepreneurship & Innovation Strategy Finance & Accounting Business in Society Now Offering Launching Tech Ventures On-Demand – Start... View Details

Web

Insights & Advice - Recruiting

Development (CPD) office shares practical tips to help you and your team thrive. Whether you work from home full-time or split your week between home and the office, success depends on intentionally managing technology, routines, and... View Details

26 Apr 2022
Blog Post

How I Spent My HBS 2+2 Deferral: Vasilis Mornto

many project teams that were hard-working but at the same time fun and engaging, which ultimately offered me a solid understanding of business and made me a better person and leader. It was then time for me to serve in the Greek Navy,... View Details

March 2024 (Revised July 2024)
Case

WeightWatchers: Promoting Weight Health

By: Ranjay Gulati, Cynthia A. Montgomery, Ashley Whillans, Allison Ciechanover and Emily Grandjean

In December 2023, the 60-year-old weight management industry stalwart WeightWatchers announced the launch of WeightWatchers Clinic, which incorporated GLP-1s , a new class of prescription weight-loss medications, into the company’s portfolio of products and mobile app... View Details

Keywords: Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Resource Allocation; Diversification; Leadership; Growth and Development Strategy; Technology Industry; Health Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States; New York (city, NY)

11 Dec 2012
First Look

First Look: Dec. 11

what they should decide. Paper: http://hbr.org/2012/12/how-much-is-sweat-equity-worth/ar/1 When Identities, Interests, and Information Collide: How Subgroups Create Hidden Profiles in Teams Authors:Polzer, Jeff, and Lisa Kwan... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

March 2024
Case

Nomad: A License to Bank

By: Paul A. Gompers and Pedro Levindo

In late 2023, Lucas Vargas, CEO and co-founder of Nomad, a fintech that offered financial services in the United States for Brazilian residents, had to decide what to do to ensure the company’s continued expansion. Nomad launched its first product, a U.S. digital bank... View Details

June 2007 (Revised April 2010)
Case

Comcast Corporation

By: Anita Elberse and Jason Schreiber

In October 2006, Comcast executives had entered negotiations with broadcast networks to broaden the selection of free network content distributed via its video-on-demand (VOD) service. The major broadcast networks, however, were unsure of the effect it would have on... View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Product Launch; Consumer Behavior; Competitive Strategy; Technology Adoption; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Motion Pictures and Video Industry