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- Faculty Publications (121)
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- All HBS Web (308)
- Faculty Publications (121)
- November 2019 (Revised April 2021)
- Technical Note
Rechargeable Batteries, 2017: Gigafactory Wars in the Offing?
By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock
In 2017, the global market for rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries was 126 gigawatt-hours (GWh) valued at $37 billion, growing by $10 billion in two years. Once confined largely to consumer electronics and appliances, the rapid increase in demand was spurred by... View Details
Keywords: Batteries; Rechargeable Batteries; Lithium-ion; Lithium-ion Batteries; Electric Vehicle; Electric Vehicles; Energy Entrepreneurship; Energy Markets; Energy Storage; Battery; Demand Uncertainty; Demand Forecasting; Supply ＆ Demand; Supply And Demand; Capacity Planning; Tesla; Technological And Scientific Innovation; Technological Change; Technology Change; Technology Commercialization; Policy Change; Subsidies; Power/Energy; Power Grid; Energy Policy; Developing Markets; Alevo; Samsung; LG Chem; CATL; Northvolt; General Motors; Energy; Entrepreneurship; Technological Innovation; Commercialization; Policy; Demand and Consumers; Forecasting and Prediction; Supply and Industry; Emerging Markets; Competitive Strategy; China
Wells, John R., and Benjamin Weinstock. "Rechargeable Batteries, 2017: Gigafactory Wars in the Offing?" Harvard Business School Technical Note 720-371, November 2019. (Revised April 2021.)
- June 2018
- Case
American Airlines' Value Pricing (Abridged)
By: Alvin J. Silk and Sunil Gupta
This is an abridged version of the 1992 case where American Airlines (AA) launched "Value Pricing" in an attempt to simplify the pricing structure of the airline industry. AA expected that this plan would benefit not only consumers, but also AA and the entire airline... View Details
Keywords: Consumer Marketing; Market Segmentation; Pricing; Pricing Strategy; Demand Analysis; Competition; Marketing; Segmentation; Price; Strategy; Demand and Consumers; Analysis; Air Transportation Industry
Silk, Alvin J., and Sunil Gupta. "American Airlines' Value Pricing (Abridged)." Harvard Business School Case 519-019, June 2018.
- June 2014 (Revised October 2015)
- Case
Molycorp: Financing the Production of Rare Earth Minerals (A)
By: Benjamin C. Esty and E. Scott Mayfield
Molycorp, the western hemisphere's only producer of rare earth minerals, was in the middle of a $1 billion capital expenditure project in its effort to become a vertically integrated supplier of rare earth minerals, oxides, and metals. Yet it had just reported lower... View Details
Keywords: Convertible Debt; Uncertainty; Competition; Startup; China; Supply ＆ Demand; Growth; Rare Earth Minerals; Discounted Cash Flows; Mining; Payoff Diagrams; Option Pricing; Capital Budgeting; Capital Structure; Cash Flow; Financial Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Vertical Integration; Valuation; Metals and Minerals; Mining Industry; Industrial Products Industry; Canada; California
Esty, Benjamin C., and E. Scott Mayfield. "Molycorp: Financing the Production of Rare Earth Minerals (A)." Harvard Business School Case 214-054, June 2014. (Revised October 2015.)
- May 2024
- Case
Shell's Balancing Act: Resource Allocation and the Green Transition
By: David Collis and Haisley Wert
In mid-2023, amid pressure from climate change activists, shareholder activists, and confronting enormous uncertainty about the future demand for and price of fossil fuels, new Shell CEO Wael Sawan (Harvard MBA 2003) announced a change in strategy for the U.K. oil... View Details
Keywords: Portfolio Analysis; Climate; Oil; Oil And Gas; Oil Companies; Renewables; Petroleum; Investor Demand; Investors; Corporate Strategy; Resource Allocation; Climate Change; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Business and Shareholder Relations; Energy Industry; United Kingdom
- October 2015
- Teaching Note
Molycorp: Financing the Production of Rare Earth Minerals (A)
By: Benjamin C. Esty and E. Scott Mayfield
Molycorp, the western hemisphere's only producer of rare earth minerals, was in the middle of a $1 billion capital expenditure project in its effort to become a vertically integrated supplier of rare earth minerals, oxides, and metals. Yet it had just reported lower... View Details
Keywords: Convertible Debt; Uncertainty; Competition; Startup; China; Supply ＆ Demand; Growth; Rare Earth Minerals; Discounted Cash Flows; Mining; Payoff Diagrams; Option Pricing; Capital Budgeting; Capital Structure; Cash Flow; Financial Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Vertical Integration; Valuation; Metals and Minerals; Mining Industry; Industrial Products Industry; Canada; California
- February 2016 (Revised June 2016)
- Case
Curtis LLP: A Case on Cases
By: Nikolaos Trichakis
A product market firm faces an inventory investment decision in the face of demand uncertainty. To hedge against some of the uncertainty, the firm contemplates an additional fixed investment that would offer the flexibility of diverting inventory in case of weak sales.... View Details
Keywords: Dynamic Decision Making Under Uncertainty; Operations Management; Inventory Management; Real Options; Management; Risk and Uncertainty; Decision Choices and Conditions; Operations
Trichakis, Nikolaos. "Curtis LLP: A Case on Cases." Harvard Business School Case 616-049, February 2016. (Revised June 2016.)
- April 2025
- Article
Serving with a Smile on Airbnb: Analyzing the Economic Returns and Behavioral Underpinnings of the Host’s Smile
By: Shunyuan Zhang, Elizabeth Friedman, Kannan Srinivasan, Ravi Dhar and Xupin Zhang
Non-informational cues, such as facial expressions, can significantly influence judgments and interpersonal impressions. While past research has explored how smiling affects business outcomes in offline or in-store contexts, relatively less is known about how smiling... View Details
Keywords: Sharing Economy; Airbnb; Image Feature Extraction; Machine Learning; Facial Expressions; Prejudice and Bias; Nonverbal Communication; E-commerce; Consumer Behavior; Perception
Zhang, Shunyuan, Elizabeth Friedman, Kannan Srinivasan, Ravi Dhar, and Xupin Zhang. "Serving with a Smile on Airbnb: Analyzing the Economic Returns and Behavioral Underpinnings of the Host’s Smile." Journal of Consumer Research 51, no. 6 (April 2025): 1073–1097.
- 19 Jul 2016
- Working Paper Summaries
Towards a Prescriptive Theory of Dynamic Capabilities: Connecting Strategic Choice, Learning, and Competition
Keywords: by Gary P. Pisano
- May 1999
- Case
African Communications Group (Condensed)
Describes the opportunities that confront the African Communications Group, an entrepreneurial organization that plans to introduce a wireless pay-phone system in Tanzania. Provides a foundation for the analysis of value creation and of value capture. The possibility... View Details
McGahan, Anita M. "African Communications Group (Condensed)." Harvard Business School Case 799-148, May 1999.
- June 1990 (Revised January 1994)
- Case
Desktop Printer Industry in 1990
The desktop printer industry in 1990 is characterized by significant uncertainty about new technologies and about the types of features customers may demand in the next decade. The case looks at the positions of Hewlett-Packard, Canon, Kodak, Xerox, and IBM enabling... View Details
Teisberg, Elizabeth O. "Desktop Printer Industry in 1990." Harvard Business School Case 390-173, June 1990. (Revised January 1994.)
- March 1996
- Case
African Communications Group
Describes the opportunities that confront the African Communications Group, an entrepreneurial organization that plans to introduce a wireless pay-phone system in Tanzania. Provides a foundation for the analysis of value creation and of value capture. The possibility... View Details
Keywords: Value Creation; Competition; Entrepreneurship; Forecasting and Prediction; Wireless Technology; Telecommunications Industry; Tanzania
McGahan, Anita M., and Dale Coxe. "African Communications Group." Harvard Business School Case 796-128, March 1996.
- Research Summary
Lean Startup Management Practices
Many information technology startups have embraced "lean startup" management practices. Lean startups confront high levels of uncertainty about both customer problems and product solutions: the strength of demand for new... View Details
- November 2000 (Revised April 2004)
- Case
Airbus A3XX: Developing the World's Largest Commercial Jet (A)
By: Benjamin C. Esty and Michael Kane
In July 2000, Airbus Industries' supervisory board is on the verge of approving a $13 billion investment for the development of a new super jumbo jet known as the A3XX that would seat from 550 to 1,000 passengers. Having secured approximately 20 orders for the new jet,... View Details
Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Investment; Forecasting and Prediction; Capital Budgeting; Valuation; Government and Politics; Demand and Consumers; Product Development; Product Positioning; Air Transportation Industry; Manufacturing Industry
Esty, Benjamin C., and Michael Kane. "Airbus A3XX: Developing the World's Largest Commercial Jet (A)." Harvard Business School Case 201-028, November 2000. (Revised April 2004.)
- May 2020 (Revised March 2022)
- Case
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Global Economy (A)
By: Alberto Cavallo and Christian Godwin
In April 2020, the world struggled to contain the exponential escalation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Dozens of countries had imposed restrictions on travel, work, and social gatherings. A large share of the global population was under lockdowns and... View Details
Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic; Demand and Consumers; Supply and Industry; Finance; Central Banking; Financial Markets; International Finance; Globalization; Government and Politics; Health Pandemics; Decision Making; Macroeconomics; Employment; Crisis Management; Supply Chain; Risk and Uncertainty; Air Transportation Industry; Banking Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Employment Industry; Financial Services Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Health Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; Public Administration Industry; Retail Industry; Service Industry; Shipping Industry; Tourism Industry; Travel Industry; Asia; China; Europe; Latin America; Africa; United States
Cavallo, Alberto, and Christian Godwin. "The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Global Economy (A)." Harvard Business School Case 720-031, May 2020. (Revised March 2022.)
COVID-19 Is Rewriting the Rules of Corporate Governance
Boards are facing a complex new reality as a result of Covid-19. The new environment is characterized by pressures and demands from various stakeholder groups, heightened expectations for societal engagement and corporate citizenship, and radical uncertainty... View Details
- November 2010 (Revised December 2010)
- Case
Mid-Missouri Energy: Ethanol from Corn
By: Forest L. Reinhardt, Noel Michele Holbrook, James Weber and Karla Sartor
Mid-Missouri Energy (MME) is a farmer-owned cooperative that produces ethanol from corn. The cooperative has performed well in comparison to other producers, but margins in the industry had declined as industry production levels neared market demand limits. MME farmers... View Details
Keywords: Agribusiness; Renewable Energy; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Policy; Growth and Development Strategy; Cooperative Ownership; Business and Government Relations; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; United States
Reinhardt, Forest L., Noel Michele Holbrook, James Weber, and Karla Sartor. "Mid-Missouri Energy: Ethanol from Corn." Harvard Business School Case 711-004, November 2010. (Revised December 2010.)
- October 6, 2020
- Article
COVID-19 Is Rewriting the Rules of Corporate Governance
By: Lynn S. Paine
Boards are facing a complex new reality as a result of COVID-19. The new environment is characterized by pressures and demands from various stakeholder groups, heightened expectations for societal engagement and corporate citizenship, and radical uncertainty about the... View Details
Paine, Lynn S. "COVID-19 Is Rewriting the Rules of Corporate Governance." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (October 6, 2020).
- Article
The Effects of Product Line Breadth: Evidence from the Automotive Industry
By: Antonio Moreno and Christian Terwiesch
Using a detailed data set from the U.S. automotive industry, we enrich the existing literature on product line breadth with new results that highlight previously unexplored operational aspects of its benefits and costs. We find that expanding product line breadth has a... View Details
Keywords: Variety; Pricing; Automotive Industry; Marketing/operations Interface; Platforms; Empirical Operations Management; Product Marketing; Production; Management; Auto Industry
Moreno, Antonio, and Christian Terwiesch. "The Effects of Product Line Breadth: Evidence from the Automotive Industry." Marketing Science 36, no. 2 (March–April 2017): 254–271.
- 21 May 2020
- Research & Ideas
Fighting the COVID Blues: Advice from Business Research
now. In a matter of weeks, as the coronavirus rapidly began taking an increasing number of lives and livelihoods, people suddenly felt as if their future became murkier. When uncertainty and disappointment morph into fear, people often... View Details
Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman and Danielle Kost
- 14 Jul 2009
- First Look
First Look: July 14
firms face market uncertainty about consumers' preferences for innovation on two product attributes and technology uncertainty about the success of their R&D investments. Firms can conduct costly market... View Details
Keywords: Martha Lagace