Publications

March 1996
Case

New Product Development at Canon: The Contact Sensor Project

By: Joseph L. Bower and Michael Partington

Canon is one of the leading innovators in the world. This case describes the processes by which Canon manages the flow of ideas from basic science to new products, and how it harnesses product innovation to a strategy of diversification. View Details

Keywords: Innovation and Management; Strategic Planning; Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Management Practices and Processes; Diversification; Success; Consumer Products Industry

April 2000 (Revised March 2015)
Case

The First Six Months: Launching a PSF Career

By: Ashish Nanda, Thomas J. DeLong and Scot H. Landry

Presents two situations: 1) two graduating MBAs from Harvard Business School compare and contrast their strategies for getting off to a good start in consulting, and 2) a junior consultant has to deal with difficult feedback in his very first performance review. View Details

Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Planning; Practice; Strategy; Performance Evaluation; Adaptation; Consulting Industry

July 2003
Article

Probabilistic Representation of Complexity

By: Nabil I Al-Najjar, Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Emre Ozdenoren

We study individuals' behavior in an environment that is deterministic, but too complex to permit tractable deterministic representation. Under mild conditions, behavior is represented by a unique probabilistic model in which the agent's inability to think through all... View Details

Keywords: Complexity; Behavior; Problems and Challenges; Risk and Uncertainty; Planning

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25 Aug 2017
News

And Now, a Word from Our Graduates

Keywords: Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Educational Services

22 Aug 2014
News

And Now, a Word from Our Graduates

Keywords: alumni; Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Educational Services

December 1999 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Prime Designs

By: Paul W. Marshall

A student takes the role of the father who is the CEO of a family business. A non-family manager has asked for a meeting. Agenda topics are: your son's latest proposal and managers' desire to own equity. View Details

Keywords: Labor and Management Relations; Family Ownership; Employee Stock Ownership Plan

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September 1998 (Revised May 1999)
Case

Walnut Venture Associates (C): RBS Due Diligence--Market Size

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Business Plan; Research; Applications and Software; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Information Technology Industry

01 Jun 2016
News

How Do I Get Your Job?

Sarah Kauss (MBA 2003) (Courtesy S’Well Bottle) Ollie Wilson (MBA 2017) (Courtesy Ollie Wilson) Sarah Kauss (MBA 2003) is the founder and CEO of S’well reusable water bottles, beloved by everyone from the Kardashians to TED Conference attendees. HBS student Ollie... View Details

Keywords: April White

01 Sep 2013
News

Faculty Opinion: No Magic Bullet

Image by Getty Images/Retrorocket What does it mean to be "successful"? How do you achieve your dreams? For many of us, it may mean creating an impressive list of achievements or gaining significant wealth, status, position, and power. It may mean impressing our... View Details

01 Nov 2009
News

Leadership at Harvard

Keywords: President Drew Faust, Professor Michael Porter; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

27 Feb 2013
Research & Ideas

Sidetracked: Why Can’t We Stick to the Plan?

"The best-laid schemes of mice and men go often awry." - Robert Burns, 1785 An entrepreneur starts a company with plans to go public, but ultimately accepts a low-ball acquisition offer from a competitor. A newlywed husband... View Details

June 2004 (Revised January 2005)
Case

Rambus Inc., 2004

By: David B. Yoffie and Deborah Freier

Examines the role of technology licensing in strategies for high-technology companies. In the 1990s, Rambus developed a revolutionary memory technology that would improve the ability of DRAMs to keep pace with ever-faster microprocessors. To commercialize the... View Details

Keywords: Innovation Strategy; Lawsuits and Litigation; Strategic Planning; Relationships; Commercialization; Competition; Technology Adoption; Value; Semiconductor Industry

December 1997 (Revised April 2000)
Case

John Trani's First Year

By: Hugo Uyterhoeven

John Trani is Stanley Works' new CEO. This case describes his philosophy, communications, and actions during his first seven months in office, aiming at a major transformation of strategic postures, organizational structure, and company culture. View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Strategic Planning; Communication; Personal Development and Career; Organizational Culture; Leadership Style; Management Skills; Consumer Products Industry

November 2023 (Revised February 2025)
Background Note

Corporate Climate Targets

By: Willy C. Shih, Michael W. Toffel and Kelsey Carter

Companies that are addressing climate change by mitigating their greenhouse gas emissions often set reduction targets. This note describes several types of widely used carbon reduction targets, including carbon neutral, science based, net zero, real zero, and carbon... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Sustainability; Environmental Strategy; Climate Risk; Target-setting; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Accountability; Policy; Measurement and Metrics; Strategic Planning; Social Issues; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact

November 2006
Background Note

Technical Game Theory Note #6: Multiple-Round Games and Reputations

By: Dennis A. Yao

Provides a game theory-based interpretation of reputations and reputation building. View Details

Keywords: Game Theory; Mathematical Methods; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Reputation; Debates; Strategy; Performance Consistency; Performance Improvement; Strategic Planning; Education Industry

November 1996 (Revised June 1997)
Case

Harvard Business School Publishing

By: David A. Garvin and Artemis March

Linda Doyle, president and CEO of Harvard Business School Publishing Corp., has succeeded in turning around the organization after several difficult years. She has launched several strategic and organizational initiatives, and has instilled a new philosophy and vision.... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Leading Change; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Structure; Strategic Planning; Problems and Challenges

24 Jan 2012
News

The Power of Mentoring

Keywords: Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations; Personal Services

January 1982 (Revised July 2007)
Case

Kirk Stone (A)

Kirk Stone ran into an organization "land mine" when he joined the company. The teaching objective is to understand better how Kirk could have anticipated the company culture and other realities. View Details

Keywords: Values and Beliefs; Organizational Culture; Personal Development and Career; Planning