Publications

25 Jan 2010
Research & Ideas

A Macroeconomic View of the Current Economy

repay, which means they're going to have a claim on our output. And someday, we're probably going to have to run a current account surplus, where we're producing more than we spend, and we're View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

September 1983 (Revised December 1985)
Case

Dunkin' Donuts (C): Growth Strategy

By: Hirotaka Takeuchi

Dunkin' Donuts franchises and operates retail donut shops for take-home and in-shop consumption. Looks at three growth alternatives: 1) More shops (owned or franchised); 2) A broader product line; and 3) More advertising. Raises important issues related to franchise... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Brands and Branding; Logistics; Franchise Ownership; Relationships; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

22 Aug 2022
Research & Ideas

Can Amazon Remake Health Care?

Investors and market watchers noted Amazon’s less-than-stellar forays into health care, while privacy advocates raised concerns about Amazon’s access to patient medical data. Still others have voiced hopes Amazon will bring much-needed... View Details

Keywords: by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette; Health

February 2022
Case

US Foods: Driving Post-Pandemic Success?

By: David E. Bell, Olivia Hull and Amy Klopfenstein

In November 2021, US Foods CEO Pietro Satriano must decide his company’s trajectory following the COVID-19 pandemic. US Foods suffered due to business closures and social distancing during the height of the pandemic. While the situation improved following the return of... View Details

12 Aug 2019
Research & Ideas

How Scale Changes a Manager's Responsibilities

think about "the how" of every aspect of the business (including many of the issues above, but also how to manage funds, manufacturing and shipping if applicable, payroll, insurance—the list is... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Austin

January 2021 (Revised April 2022)
Case

Best Buy's Corie Barry: Confronting the COVID-19 Pandemic

By: William W. George and Amram Migdal

This case examines the leadership of Corie Barry, the new CEO of Best Buy, with a focus on actions the company took in 2020 to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. The case includes a history of Best Buy’s strategy and leadership, including the transitions between the... View Details

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic; Change; Disruption; Volatility; Communication; Competency and Skills; Customers; Decision Making; Ethics; Fairness; Moral Sensibility; Values and Beliefs; Finance; Cash Flow; Financial Condition; Financial Liquidity; Goods and Commodities; Corporate Governance; Health Pandemics; Human Resources; Executive Compensation; Employees; Employee Relationship Management; Resignation and Termination; Retention; Selection and Staffing; Innovation and Invention; Jobs and Positions; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Job Design and Levels; Job Interviews; Job Offer; Labor; Employment; Human Capital; Working Conditions; Law; Leadership; Leadership Development; Leadership Style; Management; Business or Company Management; Crisis Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Practices and Processes; Management Style; Management Succession; Management Systems; Management Teams; Risk Management; Operations; Distribution; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Logistics; Service Delivery; Service Operations; Supply Chain; Organizations; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Outcome or Result; Personal Development and Career; Retirement; Work-Life Balance; Planning; Strategic Planning; Problems and Challenges; Relationships; Business and Community Relations; Labor and Management Relations; Risk and Uncertainty; Safety; Science; Strategy; Retail Industry; North and Central America; United States; Minnesota

18 Sep 2017
Research & Ideas

'Likes' Lead to Nothing—and Other Hard-Learned Lessons of Social Media Marketing

when an organization invites public input, it should also be prepared to lose its grip on a campaign, as the UK’s National Environment Research Council found out when it created a citizen poll to suggest a title for a ship View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Advertising; Technology

24 May 2018
Research & Ideas

Distance Still Matters in Business, Despite the Internet

Lalocracio Location has always been a vital resource in business. “Location, location, location,” as they say in real estate. But then along came the internet in the 1980s, and suddenly distance-related business costs collapsed for... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Shipping; Shipping; Shipping; Shipping; Shipping

25 Mar 2019
Research & Ideas

The Secret Life of Supply Chains

attributes that make it a source of innovation: The creation of specialized inputs can produce value in a wide variety of different contexts. That’s true whether we’re talking about a new semiconductor tailored to the computer industry, or a service such as cloud... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Manufacturing; Service

29 Aug 2018
What Do You Think?

What Should Harley-Davidson’s Management Do?

planning for move of EU manufacturing offshore ” Most respondents suggested that the Company’s survival was more closely associated with product/market issues than the logistics and politics of... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Auto

May 2016 (Revised August 2022)
Case

RegionFly: Cutting Costs in the Airline Industry

By: Susanna Gallani and Eva Labro

RegionFly is a small, private airline specializing in ultra-premium services. Founded shortly after the "Golden Age of airline travel," RegionFly's financial performance had been strong for several decades. More recently, however, the results have taken a downward... View Details

Keywords: Recession; Downsizing; Profitability; Cost Management; Profit; Luxury; Competitive Strategy; Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Divisions; Logistics; Decision Making; Strategic Planning; Air Transportation Industry