Publications

September 1984 (Revised December 1992)
Case

Federated Industries (A)

By: Robert J. Dolan

The market leader in an overcapacity industry with a commodity product is trying to restore industry price levels. Price cutting has hurt overall industry price levels and the leader must determine whether (and how) to bring up price levels or exit the market. View Details

Keywords: Supply and Industry; Market Entry and Exit; Price; Goods and Commodities; Competition; Consumer Products Industry; United States

March 1989
Background Note

Industrial Distribution Systems

A comprehensive description of industrial distribution systems. Written from the perspective of industrial products manufacturers, concerned about building and managing channels systems for taking products from point of manufacture to point of use. Covers: 1) channels... View Details

Keywords: Distribution Channels; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry

01 Jun 2012
News

What Industrial Policy?

Awards

Maurice Holland Award

By: Alan D. MacCormack

Winner of the 2013 Maurice Holland Award from the Industrial Research Institute for his paper with Alan W. Crandall, P. Toft, and P. Henderson, "Do You Need a New Product-Development Strategy?" (Research Technology Management, 2012). View Details

March 1989 (Revised October 1996)
Background Note

Industrial Marketing Strategy--An Overview

Provides an integrated discussion of the basic elements of industrial marketing strategy and develops a strategic marketing planning model. May be used as either an introductory or a summary reading for an industrial marketing course or course segment. View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy

December 1979 (Revised April 1982)
Case

UV Industries

July 1996 (Revised March 2000)
Case

Hobson Industries

01 Apr 2021

Industry Spotlight Series: From Industrials to HBS

Please join us for a virtual panel discussion highlighting Harvard Business School students formerly working in the Industrials Industry. Hear what a day in the life of an HBS student is like, how they plan to utilize their MBA, and maybe... View Details

October 1976
Background Note

Industry Structural Change

By: Michael E. Porter

Presents a framework for understanding and predicting industry structural change. Examines 1) the important underlying forces causing structural change, 2) the key relationships among industry elements in the process of change, and 3) some implications of change for... View Details

Keywords: Framework; Industry Structures; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Structure; Strategy; Corporate Strategy

September 2001 (Revised June 2005)
Case

Stevenson Industries (A)

By: John A. Davis and Kacie LaChapelle

Simon Carlson, chairman of the board of his family's fourth-generation industrial company, must decide how to deal with his conflict with the company's nonfamily CEO. Hired by the board just 15 months earlier to pursue growth more aggressively, CEO Paul Steel has upset... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Management Succession; Management Style; Governing and Advisory Boards; Management Teams; Rank and Position; Organizational Culture; Decision Making; Manufacturing Industry

May 1999 (Revised March 2001)
Case

Marshall Industries

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport

Confounding predictions that the Internet would "disintermediate" commerce, making "middle man" companies all but obsolete, Marshall Industries, a leading electronics distributor, used the Internet and digital technologies to reinvent itself. Marshall continued to sell... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Supply Chain; Emerging Markets; Customer Focus and Relationships; Distribution Industry; Distribution Industry

July 1988 (Revised July 1989)
Case

Hygiene Industries

By: David E. Bell

Keywords: Health Industry

January 1990 (Revised February 1994)
Case

Photolithography Industry

November 1978 (Revised June 1985)
Case

Hanson Industries (A)

By: William J. Bruns Jr. and Julie H. Hertenstein

Hanson Industries produces and sells an award-winning design ski boot. Describes the company history from founding through July 1978, the product, production processes, marketing strategy, and background information for related cases on budgeting and finance. View Details

Keywords: Product; Marketing Strategy; Production; Finance; Budgets and Budgeting; Consumer Products Industry

Article

Pricing and Production Flexibility: An Empirical Analysis of the U.S. Automotive Industry

By: Antonio Moreno and Christian Terwiesch

We use a detailed data set from the U.S. auto industry spanning from 2002 to 2009 and a variety of econometric methods to characterize the relationship between the availability of production mix flexibility and firms’ use of responsive pricing. We find that production... View Details

Keywords: Empirical Operations Management; Flexibility; Pricing; Automotive Industry; Production; Price; Management; Analysis; Auto Industry; United States