Publications

October 2011
Case

Gene Sequencing: Staking a Position in an Expanding Industry

By: Richard G. Hamermesh, Mara Aspinall and Phillip Andrews

Towards the end of 2010, companies in the gene sequencing industry were pushing aggressive R&D programs to develop technologies and products in the race to sequence the entire human genome at a cost of $1,000. It remained to be seen when the "$1,000 genome" would... View Details

Keywords: Genetics; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Plan; Competition; Venture Capital; Biotechnology Industry

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January 2003 (Revised January 2008)
Case

The British Motorcycle Industry at a Crossroads

By: Jan W. Rivkin

By 1975, the collapse of the British motorcycle industry is nearly complete. Only one British manufacturer, NVT, remains in operation. In this setting, the British government commissions the Boston Consulting Group to identify and evaluate strategic alternatives for... View Details

Keywords: Cost; Industry Structures; Business and Government Relations; Mathematical Methods; Competition; Consulting Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Motorcycle Industry; Great Britain

February 1994 (Revised May 1995)
Case

Eastman Kodak Co.: Funtime Film

By: Robert J. Dolan

Eastman Kodak has suffered significant declines in film market share at the hands of lower priced branded producers and private label products. The case presents Kodak's proposal to launch a new economy brand of film to combat these rivals. View Details

Keywords: Product Positioning; Competition; Price; Product Launch; Brands and Branding; Consumer Products Industry

August 1996 (Revised November 2000)
Case

Hewlett-Packard Co.'s Home Products Division in Europe (A)

By: Michael Y. Yoshino and Carin-Isabel Knoop

In 1995, Hewlett-Packard Home Products Division (HPD) has the assignment to make Hewlett-Packard the third major home PC player worldwide. With the U.S. launch imminent, the HPD team has to decide how to enter the European market. View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Globalization; Product Launch; Market Entry and Exit; Competition; Information Technology; Technology Industry; Europe; United States

June 2009
Teaching Note

COFCO Xinjiang Tunhe Co., Ltd. (TN)

By: David E. Bell, Sarah Morton and Mary Louise Shelman

Teaching Note for [508079]. View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Customer Focus and Relationships; Goals and Objectives; Quality; Price; Competitive Strategy; Contracts; Supply and Industry; Business or Company Management; Problems and Challenges; Safety; Cost Management; Food and Beverage Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; China

05 Dec 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, December 5, 2017

organization to a new level. And at home, rebels are more engaged partners, parents, and friends. Packed with strategies for embracing rebellion at work and in life as well as illuminating case studies from a wide range of industries,... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

21 Mar 2004
Research & Ideas

Loyalty: Don’t Give Away the Store

is getting them into the store one more time. Q: Often you'll see that when one store offers a special, its competitor will come up with a similar deal. Does this copycat strategy work in attracting customers? Is there anything retailers... View Details

Keywords: by Manda Salls; Consumer Products; Retail

22 Apr 2015
Op-Ed

Reforming Greece: Myths and Truths

plus side of the ledger, tariff rates declined, leading to more competition and forcing Greek companies to compete internationally. Reducing bureaucracy also helped: time to export decreased from 20 to 16 days, according to the World... View Details

Keywords: by George Serafeim

December 2010
Teaching Note

Cresud S.A., Farmer or Real Estate Developer? (TN)

By: Arthur I Segel and Andrew Pierson Terris

Teaching Note for 211-011. View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Decision Choices and Conditions; Risk Management; Competition; Motivation and Incentives; Corporate Strategy; Opportunities; Decisions; Performance Effectiveness; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Argentina; Bolivia; Brazil; Paraguay

24 Jul 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, July 24, 2018

and envisioned strategy and operations. With this context, students are invited to consider how aggressively OCP Group should pursue downstream integration (and specifically its Africa strategy), as well as how OCP can best leverage its... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

27 Feb 2018
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, February 27, 2018

entrepreneurship. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=54068 January 2018 Journal of Labor Economics Who Gets Hired? The Importance of Competition Among Applicants By: Lazear, Edward P., Kathryn L. Shaw, and... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

21 Nov 2016
Research & Ideas

It Matters That Your CEO Doesn't Know Much About Sales

targets, but a tactical tool that’s rarely part of strategy formulation. Develop the best product, and let the sales department figure out the best way to get it to the customer, they think. And many sales leaders like it that way.... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

17 Nov 2015
Working Paper Summaries

Self-Interest: The Economist's Straitjacket

Keywords: by Robert Simons

January 2022 (Revised November 2023)
Supplement

Uber in China (C): The Cost of Success for Didi

By: William C. Kirby and Noah B. Truwit

On June 30, 2021, ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing (Didi) raised $4.4 billion in its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the largest IPO of a Chinese company listed on an American exchange since Alibaba raised $25 billion in 2014.... View Details

Keywords: Uber; Didi Chuxing; Start-up Growth; Regulation; Ride-sharing; Transportation; Business Startups; Business and Government Relations; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Growth and Development; Policy; Competition; Laws and Statutes; Transportation Industry; Technology Industry; China

June 2008
Teaching Note

Threadless: The Business of Community (TN)

By: Karim R. Lakhani

Teaching Note for 608707 View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Civil Society or Community; Competition; Blogs; Business Model; Decisions; Design; Retail Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Chicago

October 2019
Case

GRIT Fitness

By: Lynda M. Applegate and Olivia Hull

In December 2018, GRIT Fitness was a growing chain of boutique fitness studios offering a variety of workout classes, including weightlifting, high intensity interval training, and cardio dance. With 400 members and three Dallas studios, CEO Brittani Rettig believed... View Details