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- All HBS Web (131)
- Faculty Publications (49)
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- 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.)
- 2024
- Working Paper
When Batteries Meet Hydrogen: Dual-Storage Investments for Load-Shifting Purposes
By: Christian Kaps and Simone Marinesi
Power systems account for nearly 40% of global emissions. As the world tries to reduce emissions by increasing renewable penetration, storage technologies are playing an increasingly important role in matching variable renewable supply with demand. Batteries have... View Details
Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; Renewable Energy; Transition; Utilities Industry; Battery Industry
Kaps, Christian, and Simone Marinesi. "When Batteries Meet Hydrogen: Dual-Storage Investments for Load-Shifting Purposes." Working Paper, October 2024.
- November 2016 (Revised September 2018)
- Case
Elon Musk's Big Bets
By: David B. Yoffie, Eric Baldwin and Brandon Kaufmann
Between late 2014 and late 2016, Tesla CEO Elon Musk undertook several major, and risky, initiatives that would dramatically expand the scale and scope of Tesla’s business. In late 2014, Tesla began construction on a $5 billion “gigafactory” that would manufacture... View Details
Keywords: Electric Vehicles; Batteries; Solar Power; Strategy; Execution; Technology; Space Flight; Tesla; SolarCity; SpaceX; Elon Musk; Information Technology; Risk and Uncertainty; Expansion; Renewable Energy; Investment; Manufacturing Industry; Green Technology Industry; Auto Industry; Aerospace Industry; Battery Industry
Yoffie, David B., Eric Baldwin, and Brandon Kaufmann. "Elon Musk's Big Bets." Harvard Business School Case 717-431, November 2016. (Revised September 2018.)
- January 2025
- Case
GE Appliances 2025: Energizing Change
By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Jacob A. Small
At the turn of 2025, Kevin Nolan, CEO of GE Appliances following its acquisition by Chinese appliance giant Haier in 2016, is reviewing progress toward his net zero carbon vision for homes, which would otherwise exacerbate the global warming climate crisis. An... View Details
Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Transformation; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Technological Innovation; Leading Change; Product Development; Organizational Culture
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Jacob A. Small. "GE Appliances 2025: Energizing Change." Harvard Business School Case 325-089, January 2025.
- July 2019 (Revised May 2021)
- Case
Acelerex
By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock
In early 2019, Randell Johnson, Founder and Chief Executive of Acelerex, was reflecting on the company’s first year of rapid growth and the challenges of scaling the business that lay ahead. Acelerex was riding the waves of change taking place in electrical power grids... View Details
Keywords: Energy; Energy Sources; Growth Management; Expansion; Global Strategy; Cash Flow; Energy Industry; Web Services Industry; Consulting Industry
Wells, John R., and Benjamin Weinstock. "Acelerex." Harvard Business School Case 720-360, July 2019. (Revised May 2021.)
- 17 May 2011
- First Look
First Look: May 17
http://papers.nber.org/papers/w16922 Historical Trajectories and Corporate Competences in Wind Energy Authors:Geoffrey Jones and Loubna Bouamane Abstract This working paper surveys the business history of the global wind View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- December 2022
- Technical Note
Risks and Opportunities from the Transition to a Low Carbon Economy: A Business Analysis Framework
By: George Serafeim
The transition to a low carbon economy introduces many risks and opportunities for businesses. Risks emerge from regulatory actions, such as carbon taxes and cap and trade systems, technological innovation that develop alternatives for customers making existing... View Details
Keywords: Risk Assessment; Opportunities; Environmental Sustainability; Carbon Footprint; Risk Management; Competitive Dynamics; Business Analysis; Climate Change; Accounting; Finance; Valuation; Business and Shareholder Relations; Technological Innovation; Transition; Product Positioning; Renewable Energy; Analysis
Serafeim, George. "Risks and Opportunities from the Transition to a Low Carbon Economy: A Business Analysis Framework." Harvard Business School Technical Note 123-014, December 2022.
- January 1990
- Case
Ashland Oil, Inc.: Trouble at Floreffe (A)
This case series involves a crisis in business ethics and management decision making, when one of the company's diesel fuel storage tanks collapses, releasing nearly one million gallons of oil into the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. Divided into four cases guiding the... View Details
Keywords: Ethics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Decision Making; Crisis Management; Energy Sources; Energy Industry
Goodpaster, Kenneth E. "Ashland Oil, Inc.: Trouble at Floreffe (A)." Harvard Business School Case 390-017, January 1990.
- March 2025 (Revised March 2025)
- Case
Good for the Seller, Good for the Buyer and Good for Society: Sampo-yoshi, Sustainability and Trust at ITOCHU
By: Sandra J. Sucher and Bethelehem Y Araya
In 2024, ITOCHU CEO Masahiro Okafuji was at a crossroads. As the thirteenth CEO since ITOCHU’s founding in 1858, he had fueled the company’s growth since 2011 by bringing ITOCHU’s founding philosophy of Sampo-yoshi (good for the seller, good for the buyer and... View Details
Keywords: Sustainability; Trust; Profit; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Mission and Purpose; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Japan
Sucher, Sandra J., and Bethelehem Y Araya. "Good for the Seller, Good for the Buyer and Good for Society: Sampo-yoshi, Sustainability and Trust at ITOCHU." Harvard Business School Case 325-053, March 2025. (Revised March 2025.)
- 25 Nov 2008
- First Look
First Look: November 25, 2008
Amazon.com, Inc., specializing in the provision of web-based storage and computing services to web developers. The case focuses on the issues facing Andy Jassy, the head of AWS, in 2008 as AWS faces increased competition from established... View Details
Keywords: Martha Lagace
- June 2009 (Revised June 2009)
- Case
VidaGas: VillageReach - The Mozambican Foundation for Community Development Joint Venture
This case describes the evolution of a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) distributor start-up, incubated by two not-for-profit NGOs to help improve the vaccine cold chain in Northern Mozambique. These NGOs must face the decision whether and how to sell their participation in... View Details
Keywords: Joint Ventures; Supply Chain; Health Care and Treatment; Investment; Non-Governmental Organizations; Energy Sources; Energy Industry; Energy Industry; Mozambique
Watson, Noel H., and Santiago Kraiselburd. "VidaGas: VillageReach - The Mozambican Foundation for Community Development Joint Venture." Harvard Business School Case 609-107, June 2009. (Revised June 2009.)
- 15 Nov 2011
- First Look
First Look: November 15
in achieving greater energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions, the firm is looking for other ways to expand its sustainability initiatives, such as in its supply chain and incorporating sustainability into its due diligence and... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- 08 Mar 2012
- Research & Ideas
Unplugged: What Happened to the Smart Grid?
anywhere from 30 percent to 300 percent more electricity and allow for greater energy storage than the current overburdened system. "We're trying to reduce the peak demand because it's very expensive.... View Details
- 29 Feb 2016
- HBS Case
Bigbelly's Big Bet on the Digital Trash Can
Weiss. “My second thought was, what are you doing to your company?” Selling hardware to budget-crunched cities can difficult. Bigbelly’s early pitch was that by providing trash compacting in the units (solar powered to boot), additional waste View Details
- 03 Dec 2015
- Op-Ed
How "New Nuclear" Power Could Save the Planet—If Regulators Would Allow It
Leaders from some 150 nations have convened in Paris this week for the COP21 conference with a singular goal: to fight the global threat of climate change. Each of them have brought to Paris their own national plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that drive... View Details
- 06 Feb 2012
- Research & Ideas
Kodak: A Parable of American Competitiveness
in the area of energy storage and green energy production, for example, including lithium ion batteries for cell phones and laptops, silicon solar cells, and power... View Details
- 21 May 2013
- First Look
First Look: May 21
the implementation of energy efficiency measures, which create long-term financial and environmental benefits. With early success serving customers in the cold storage and industrial manufacturing sectors,... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- 07 Mar 2017
- First Look
First Look at New Research, March 7
would manufacture lithium-ion batteries used in Tesla’s electric vehicles on an unprecedented scale. In early 2015, Tesla announced a new product line of battery packs designed for large-scale energy storage... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- 23 Dec 2002
- Research & Ideas
Partnering and the Balanced Scorecard
decisions. Strategic partnerships with suppliers arise when companies wish to select suppliers that offer not low prices, but low costs. Low-price suppliers may turn out to be extremely high-cost if they deliver in large quantities that require extensive View Details
Keywords: by Robert S. Kaplan & David P. Norton