Community - Publications - Faculty & Research

05 Aug 2010
What Do You Think?

What Is Customer Opinion Good For?

their obverse. They contribute to the herding behavior as opposed to protect against it [italics mine]. It's as if the entire community has been betrayed by the tools of their trade." I have no particular brief for traditional marketing... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett; Technology

02 Jul 2010
What Do You Think?

Is Profit as a “Direct Goal” Overrated?

"make the numbers" every quarter? Is it dangerous or misleading to give too much emphasis to the idea that profits are a by-product of many other policies and practices? Is it wise to communicate this concept to all levels of an... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

01 Aug 2008
What Do You Think?

Has the Time Come for “Stretch” in Management?

conditions that foster creativity. Combined with the development of new communication technology that connects information workers (and their brains) at precisely the moment that a new generation of workers trained in the use of the new... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

30 Jan 2006
Research & Ideas

Looking Behind Bad Decisions

Why is it that the U.S. federal government allows local communities to give tax dollars to wealthy sports team owners rather than to create better benefits for citizens? Why are organ-donor programs constrained to the point where... View Details

Keywords: by Manda Salls

07 Feb 2005
What Do You Think?

If You Blink, Will You Miss?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)...Often such persons are very convincing in their communication and often are correct; however, they may be very wrong due to their lack of correct analysis." Others were concerned... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

11 Mar 2001
Research & Ideas

Digital Designs on the Inner City

and projector into the churches, community centers, and schools of Harlem to show residents the goods and services available on the Internet. "We're trying to show them that this stuff is relevant to you because you can find a way to... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

29 Jan 2013
First Look

First Look: Jan. 29

modularity," analyzing the case of SugarCRM. The modular architecture of this platform software is aligned with its intellectual property structure in such a way that the firm can derive, from the same code tree, an open source View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

October 2016
Supplement

24 Hour Fitness (B): Ownership Changes, 2005–2016

By: John R. Wells and Gabriel Ellsworth

In 2016, 24 Hour Fitness was the number-two fitness chain in the United States, generating revenues of $1.4 billion from 441 clubs serving 3.8 million members. Based in San Ramon, California, 24 Hour Fitness operated clubs in 13 states. Having grown rapidly to become... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Advertising Campaigns; Buildings and Facilities; Acquisition; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Organization; For-Profit Firms; Customers; Customer Focus and Relationships; Customer Satisfaction; Age; Training; Private Equity; Financing and Loans; Price; Profit; Revenue; Geographic Location; Geographic Scope; Health; Nutrition; Business History; Human Resources; Employees; Employee Relationship Management; Recruitment; Selection and Staffing; Journals and Magazines; Human Capital; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Teams; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Channels; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Social Marketing; Demand and Consumers; Market Entry and Exit; Media; Organizational Design; Private Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Groups and Teams; Sales; Salesforce Management; Situation or Environment; Welfare or Wellbeing; Sports; Strategy; Business Strategy; Competition; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy; Expansion; Segmentation; Information Technology; Internet; Mobile Technology; Online Technology; Software; Web Sites; Value; Valuation; Health Industry; Media and Broadcasting Industry; United States; California; San Francisco

Citation

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13 Feb 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, February 13, 2018

innovations also present a panoply of challenges for communities and states. Surprisingly, federal laws are chief among those challenges despite the fact that online marketplaces facilitate transactions traditionally regulated at the... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

03 Nov 2009
First Look

First Look: Nov. 3

Palmisano, Chairman and CEO, and sponsored by Jon Iwata, Senior VP of Corporate Communications and Marketing, and John E. Kelly III, Senior VP and Director of Research, the IVT5's focus was on "the global IBMer"—define and... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

01 Aug 2019
What Do You Think?

Has the Twitter Age Left the Case Method Behind?

among all the cases I’ve written and one of the all-time best sellers at HBS. It’s about strategic planning at a hospital that does one thing, fixing inguinal hernias. It illustrates a set of ideas that could be presented in less time by lecture. In an age of View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Education

06 Sep 2017
What Do You Think?

Summing Up: What Are the Limits of CEO Activism?

company’s mission and values. When these values are violated, even by someone as powerful as the president of the United States, they are obliged to take a clear stand. In this era of instant global communications and social media, it is... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

03 Apr 2017
What Do You Think?

How About Investing in Human Infrastructure?

taking people from unemployment to good jobs (in the case of FocusHope, in partnership with the auto industry). The US community college network, by instituting the kind of co-op program with industry similar to the kind Northeastern... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Construction

12 Feb 2014
Research & Ideas

Private Sector, Public Good

Public Sector seminar series, which runs through May, is designed to induce lively conversation, build a community of scholars, and create a research agenda exploring the possible role of the private sector in shaping the institutions of... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

04 Dec 2012
Research & Ideas

Book Excerpt: Harder Than I Thought

trusted outlet. They'd have worked on the quotes to make them seem spontaneous rather than contrived. The SMA communications office had recommended working with them in very much this same manner if Barton had occasion to interact with... View Details

Keywords: by Robert D. Austin, Richard L. Nolan & Shannon O'Donnell; Aerospace

April 2025
Case

Giving Up on a Passion: Elizabeth Rowe at the Boston Symphony Orchestra

By: Jon M. Jachimowicz, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon and Alexis Lefort

For 20 years, Elizabeth Rowe was a world-renowned principal flutist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But in 2024, Rowe decided to leave her position to pursue a new full-time career as a leadership coach. At 50, Rowe was well under the typical retirement age, and,... View Details

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Educators

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05 Feb 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, February 5, 2019

Kristin, and Tolga Sınmazdemir Abstract— Finding suitable settlements to civil wars, then proceeding to reconcile and reintegrate civilian communities to realize such settlements and avoid future conflict, poses many seemingly... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

09 May 2018
Research & Ideas

A Simple Way for Restaurant Inspectors to Improve Food Safety

place. The researchers chalked this up to gradual workday fatigue; it takes effort to notice and document violations and communicate (and sometimes defend) them to an establishment’s personnel. “The more inspections you have done earlier... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Food & Beverage; Service

26 Feb 2018
Research & Ideas

The Airbnb Effect: Cheaper Rooms for Travelers, Less Revenue for Hotels

amenities, like a kitchen. And if you still prefer a hotel room, competition from Airbnb means you'll pay a lower price for it." Airbnb's rapid growth Airbnb, an online community marketplace where people can list and book short-term... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Travel

01 Feb 2016
Research & Ideas

CEOs and Coaches: How Important is Organizational 'Fit?'

“match made in heaven” that Lurie initially thought. In words of Lurie, the team was “looking for somebody who interacts very well and communicates clearly with everybody he works with and comes in touch with. Understands the passion of... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg & Abhijit Naik; Sports

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