Publications

March 2022 (Revised February 2024)
Case

Applied Intuition: Powering Autonomy

By: Andy Wu, Rocio Wu and Matt Higgins

Applied Intuition, a leader in autonomous vehicle simulation software, has just closed on a $175 million round of Series D financing that values the four-year-old firm at $3.6 billion. With the immediate future secure, CEO Qasar Younis must now chart a strategic course... View Details

Keywords: Autonomous Vehicles; Software; Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Valuation; Auto Industry; Technology Industry; California; Detroit

May 2004 (Revised June 2004)
Case

Brief Biographical Note on P. Roy Vagelos

By: Nitin Nohria and Bridget Gurtler

Provides background biographical information on P. Roy Vagelos, chief executive officer of Merck Pharmaceuticals. Teaching Purpose: To chart the development of a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. View Details

Keywords: Biography; Teaching; Leadership Development; Mission and Purpose; Personal Development and Career; Ethics; Pharmaceutical Industry

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November 1999 (Revised February 2000)
Case

Woodland Partners: Field of Dreams?

By: Thomas J. DeLong, Ashish Nanda and Theodore D. Seides

Elizabeth Lilly, Richard Rinkett, and Richard Jensen are pondering whether to launch a new investment management firm and, if so, what growth strategy to chart for the potential firm. View Details

Keywords: Goals and Objectives; Decision Making; Problems and Challenges; Business Startups; Business Processes; Growth and Development Strategy; Financial Services Industry

July 1973 (Revised August 1987)
Case

Central Express Corp.

Deals with the choice between debt and equity as a vehicle for financing expansion. Introduces the concept of EBIT charts and raises a number of other issues (e.g. dilution, leverage, etc.). View Details

Keywords: Expansion; Financing and Loans

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February 2010
Supplement

Marketing Analysis Toolkit: Breakeven Analysis (CW)

By: Thomas J. Steenburgh and Jill Avery

This Excel worksheet contains sample problems, prebuilt Excel models to run breakeven analyses, and charts and graphs which help visualize the results. It is designed to accompany "Marketing Analysis Toolkit: Breakeven Analysis." View Details

Keywords: Mathematical Methods; Marketing; Decisions; Planning; Marketing Strategy; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques

May 1986 (Revised August 1987)
Supplement

Gillette Co.: Dry Idea Advertising (A), Video Introduction

Provides an overview of video contents and three attachments: 1) chart discussed at meeting shown in video, 2) historical Dry Idea copy strategies, and 3) graphic comparison of Dry Idea share trends and airing history. View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Consumer Products Industry

Article

Developing a Digital Mindset: How to Lead Your Organization into the Age of Data, Algorithms, and AI

By: Tsedal Neeley and Paul Leonardi

Learning new technological skills is essential for digital transformation. But it is not enough. Employees must be motivated to use their skills to create new opportunities. They need a digital mindset: a set of attitudes and behaviors that enable people and... View Details

Keywords: Machine Learning; AI; Information Technology; Transformation; Competency and Skills; Employees; Technology Adoption; Leading Change; Digital Transformation

February 1975 (Revised April 1983)
Background Note

Note on the Boston Consulting Group Concept of Competitive Analysis and Corporate Strategy

Describes a method of competitive analysis used by the Boston Consulting Group to coordinate a portfolio of products at the corporate level. Construction and interpretation of product portfolio charts is an important aspect of the technique. View Details

Keywords: Corporate Strategy; Decision Making

November 2016 (Revised April 2025)
Case

Lynda Bussgang's Stages

By: Thomas J. DeLong and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Lynda Bussgang is getting ready for her 25th Harvard College reunion and for the first time she is actually looking forward to it. Unlike some of her classmates she has charted her own course to happiness. This path took her from musical theater, to non-profit work to... View Details

Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Success

June 2000
Case

Rebirth of the Swiss Watch Industry, 1980-1992 (B): Hayek and Thomke at SMH

By: Michael L. Tushman and Daniel Radov

Describes the course pursued by Hayek, Thomke, and others in the formation of SMH. Discusses the new strategy and its implementation, charting the dramatic recovery of the large Swiss watchmakers. Ends with an exploration of Hayek's efforts to build on SMH's successes. View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Organizational Structure; Cost Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Change Management; Alignment; Success; Asia; Hong Kong

January 1986 (Revised July 1990)
Supplement

Kristen's Cookie Co. (A2)

Intended for distribution during class, this case contains one set of answers to the (A1) case. It introduces the concept of a Gantt chart and discusses issues raised by the case such as the value of labor flexibility. The open-ended questions in the (A1) case are only... View Details

Keywords: Behavior; Employees

October 1981 (Revised April 1984)
Case

H.J. Heinz Co.: The Administration of Policy (A)

Relates the April 1979 discovery of improper income transferal practices used at the H.J. Heinz Co. Background data on the company is presented, along with a detailed description of the organizational practices, the management incentive system, and the corporate... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Business Processes; Compensation and Benefits; Manufacturing Industry; Consumer Products Industry

2021
White Paper

Working to Learn: Despite a Growing Set of Innovators, America Struggles to Connect Education and Career

By: Joseph B. Fuller, Rachel Lipson, Jorge Encinas, Tessa Forshaw, Alexis Gable and J.B. Schramm

In the wake of COVID-19 and growing inequality, America needs more pathways that bridge education and career. New research from the Project on Workforce at Harvard draws on data from New Profit's Postsecondary Initiative for Equity to identify opportunities for the... View Details

Keywords: COVID-19; Education; Training; Employment; Personal Development and Career; Health Pandemics