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- December 2018 (Revised June 2021)
- Supplement
Bulb 2017: Launch
By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock
On August 21, 2015, Amit Gudka and Hayden Wood, co-founders of Bulb Ltd. (Bulb) launched a new business to supply energy to the United Kingdom’s 27 million residential homes with a promise of 100% renewable electricity at affordable prices. By the end of March 2017,... View Details
Keywords: Green Energy; Start-up; Launch; Customer Acquisition; Customer Churn; Customer Engagement; Electricity; Resources; Growth Strategy; B-Corp; Entrepreneurial Management; Entrepreneurial Journey; Entrepreneurial Financing; Renewable Energy; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Model; Working Capital; Product Launch; Customers; Growth Management; Business Plan; Decision Making; United Kingdom
Wells, John R., and Benjamin Weinstock. "Bulb 2017: Launch." Harvard Business School Supplement 719-441, December 2018. (Revised June 2021.)
- December 2018 (Revised June 2021)
- Supplement
Bulb 2018: Hypergrowth
By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock
After a wild and volatile year, Bulb, a new entrant in the UK residential energy market, ended March 2018 with 329,171 properties, 1.2% of the total residential energy market). This was 150% ahead of a plan for 130,000 properties and almost ten times the size the... View Details
Keywords: Rapid Growth Stage; Green Energy; Start-up; Customer Acquisition; Customer Churn; Customer Engagement; Electricity; Resources; Growth Strategy; B-Corp; Entrepreneurial Finance; Entrepreneurial Journey; Entrepreneurial Financing; Renewable Energy; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Model; Working Capital; Customers; Growth Management; Finance; Decision Making; United Kingdom
Wells, John R., and Benjamin Weinstock. "Bulb 2018: Hypergrowth." Harvard Business School Supplement 719-442, December 2018. (Revised June 2021.)
- November 2008 (Revised January 2010)
- Case
Stone Finch, Inc.: Young Division, Old Division
By: Richard G. Hamermesh and Elizabeth Collins
CEO Jim Billings wants to attract energetic, entrepreneurial talent to Stone Finch, Inc., which comprises an older division that fabricates products like piping and tanks for water and wastewater processing plants, and a much newer division that develops biochemical... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Behavior; Human Resource Management; Motivation; Business Growth; Motivation and Incentives; Leadership; Business Subsidiaries; Innovation Strategy; Resource Allocation; Organizational Structure; Organizational Culture; Retention; Operations; Recruitment; Integration; Business Growth and Maturation; Mergers and Acquisitions; Growth and Development Strategy; Manufacturing Industry
Hamermesh, Richard G., and Elizabeth Collins. "Stone Finch, Inc.: Young Division, Old Division." Harvard Business School Brief Case 083-214, November 2008. (Revised January 2010.)
- 05 Apr 2004
- What Do You Think?
Should We Brace Ourselves for Another Era of M&A Value Destruction?
approach an acquisition like a conquering hoard, focusing on the numbers while remaining insensitive to the qualities and needs of the human resources being acquired. Carey and Ogden set out to examine the... View Details
Keywords: by James Heskett
- November–December 2020
- Article
Rethinking the On-Demand Workforce
By: Joseph B. Fuller, Manjari Raman, Allison Bailey and Nithya Vaduganathan
As companies struggle with chronic skills shortages and changing labor demographics, a new generation of talent platforms, offering on-demand access to highly trained workers, has begun to help. These platforms include marketplaces for premium expertise (such as Toptal... View Details
Keywords: Talent Acquisition; Platforms; Skilled Labor Recruitment; Gig Economy; Talent and Talent Management; Selection and Staffing; Internet and the Web; Strategy; Digital Platforms
Fuller, Joseph B., Manjari Raman, Allison Bailey, and Nithya Vaduganathan. "Rethinking the On-Demand Workforce." Harvard Business Review 98, no. 6 (November–December 2020): 96–103.
- January 2013
- Case
Brannigan Foods: Strategic Marketing Planning
By: John A. Quelch and James T. Kindley
The soup division at Brannigan Foods contributes over 40% of the firm's revenue. The general manager is concerned that the soup industry is declining and that the soup division shows declining profits and market share, especially among the important baby boomer... View Details
Keywords: United States; Consumer Marketing; Acquisitions; Forecasting; Quantitative Analysis; Risk Management; Decision Making; Budgeting; Supermarkets; Strategic Planning; Demand and Consumers; Marketing Strategy; Food; Resource Allocation; Acquisition; Product Development; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry
Quelch, John A., and James T. Kindley. "Brannigan Foods: Strategic Marketing Planning." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-545, January 2013.
- March 2011
- Article
The New M&A Playbook
By: Clayton M. Christensen, Richard Alton, Curtis Rising and Andrew Waldeck
Companies spend more than $2 trillion on acquisitions every year, yet the M&A failure rate is between 70% and 90%. Executives can dramatically increase their odds of success, the authors argue, if they understand how to select targets, how much to pay for them, and... View Details
Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Model; Disruptive Innovation; Growth and Development Strategy; Integration
Christensen, Clayton M., Richard Alton, Curtis Rising, and Andrew Waldeck. "The New M&A Playbook." Harvard Business Review 89, no. 3 (March 2011).
- February 2004
- Case
Succession Capital Corporation
In 2003, a small buyout company in Canada was deciding which company to purchase next. This case explores the challenges facing a young entrepreneur in the process of selecting a new acquisition when financial and human resources are constrained. View Details
Hecht, Peter A., and Irfhan Rawji. "Succession Capital Corporation." Harvard Business School Case 204-117, February 2004.
- June 30, 2021
- Article
Rosabeth Moss Kanter: Let Employees Take the Lead on ESG
Companies that don’t give rank-and-file workers a central role in their environmental, social and governance (ESG) work are making a mistake. They risk alienating values-oriented employees who question company practices, and they miss a big opportunity for employee... View Details
Keywords: ESG; ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Performance; Leaders; Talent Acquisition; Talent Retention; Engagement; Organizations; Environmental Sustainability; Social Issues; Employees; Leadership; Talent and Talent Management
Kanter, Rosabeth M. "Rosabeth Moss Kanter: Let Employees Take the Lead on ESG." Wall Street Journal (online) (June 30, 2021).
- March 1991 (Revised August 1994)
- Case
Berkshire Partners
Berkshire Partners is a limited partnership engaged in the acquisition of companies valued between $25 million and $250 million. The purpose of the case is to examine the resources of the firm and discuss the firm's competitive advantage vis-a-vis other types of... View Details
Keywords: Working Capital; Partners and Partnerships; Competitive Advantage; Acquisition; Corporate Finance
Montgomery, Cynthia A. "Berkshire Partners." Harvard Business School Case 391-091, March 1991. (Revised August 1994.)
- October 2003 (Revised December 2003)
- Case
Orange Imagineering
By: Joseph B. Lassiter III and Todd H Thedinga
As a proven entrepreneur, Rich Miner has been successful in the start-up world. Now, following the acquisition of his start-up, he has established a corporate R&D/venture operation in America to serve as the "eyes and ears" of his European parent company, Orange... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Research and Development; Business Startups; Acquisition; Telecommunications Industry; United States; Europe
Lassiter, Joseph B., III, and Todd H Thedinga. "Orange Imagineering." Harvard Business School Case 804-048, October 2003. (Revised December 2003.)
- September 2019 (Revised December 2019)
- Case
Google: To TVC or Not to TVC?
By: William R. Kerr and Carl Kreitzberg
In late 2018, evidence emerged that many of Google’s temporary help agency workers, vendors, and independent contractors (“TVCs”) were unhappy with the company. TVCs, who reportedly made up 49.95% of Google’s 170,000-person global workforce, had raised concerns of... View Details
Keywords: Workforce; Independent Contractors; Talent Management; Silicon Valley; Google; Employee Attitude; Employee Compensation; Employee Engagement; Future Of Work; Innovation; Innovation And Strategy; Inequality; Talent Acquisition; Labor; Talent and Talent Management; Strategy; Technological Innovation; Employees; Attitudes; Innovation and Management; Human Resources; Equality and Inequality; Information Technology Industry; United States; San Francisco
Kerr, William R., and Carl Kreitzberg. "Google: To TVC or Not to TVC?" Harvard Business School Case 820-048, September 2019. (Revised December 2019.)
- 2005
- Book
Renewing Unilever: Transformation and Tradition
By: Geoffrey Jones
This book examines the history of Unilever over the last half century. Managing such a firm in the era of globalization posed enormous challenges. The book covers the company's strategies and provides compelling evidence of its decision-making, marketing, brand... View Details
Keywords: Business History; Decision Making; Organizational Culture; Globalization; Transformation; Human Resources; Business Strategy; Brands and Branding; Innovation and Invention; Consumer Products Industry
Jones, Geoffrey. Renewing Unilever: Transformation and Tradition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
- Article
Four Ways to Build a Productive Sales Culture
By: Frank V. Cespedes and Steven Maughan
This article distinguishes sales efficiency (SE) initiatives (e.g., CRM, training, and KPI dashboards) from sales optimization (SO) decisions (e.g., aligning sales tasks with business strategy, customer selection, and deployment of sales resources across... View Details
- May 2004 (Revised April 2005)
- Case
Prudential Securities
By: Boris Groysberg, Paul M. Healy and Amanda Cowen
Prudential Insurance Co. attempted to diversify into financial services by building an investment banking franchise. Prudential's initial foray into the industry was its acquisition of The Bache Group in 1982. In 2000, the company decided to exit investment banking.... View Details
Keywords: Investment Banking; Corporate Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Diversification; Mergers and Acquisitions; Financial Services Industry; Insurance Industry
Groysberg, Boris, Paul M. Healy, and Amanda Cowen. "Prudential Securities." Harvard Business School Case 104-008, May 2004. (Revised April 2005.)
- 02 Apr 2001
- Research & Ideas
Not All M&As Are Alike—and That Matters
however. The thousands of deals that academics, consultants, and businesspeople lump together as mergers and acquisitions actually represent very different strategic activities. Acquisitions occur for five... View Details
Keywords: by Joseph L. Bower
- January 2014 (Revised May 2015)
- Case
Yahoo: Both Sides of the Stamped Deal
By: Jeffrey J. Bussgang and Lisa C. Mazzanti
In 2012, Marissa Mayer became the CEO of Yahoo!, a tech giant with a tumultuous past. When Mayer tries to reinvigorate the company, she hires Jacqueline Reses, who has a private equity background, to head both human resources and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). As part... View Details
Keywords: Mobile App; Acquisition-hire; Exit Strategy; Start-up; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Mergers and Acquisitions; Human Resources; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Product Development; Technology Industry; Sunnyvale; New York (city, NY)
Bussgang, Jeffrey J., and Lisa C. Mazzanti. "Yahoo: Both Sides of the Stamped Deal." Harvard Business School Case 814-051, January 2014. (Revised May 2015.)
- January 2014 (Revised January 2014)
- Case
Henry Schein: Doing Well by Doing Good?
By: Rebecca Henderson, Raffaella Sadun, Aldo Sesia and Russell Eisenstat
Henry Schein Inc., a distributor of supplies to dentist, physician, and veterinary practices, had sales approaching $9 billion and employed nearly 16,000 people. The company had experienced impressive growth under the leadership of Stanley Bergman and his executive... View Details
Keywords: Leadership Development; Strategy Execution; Performance Management; Corporate Culture; Social Responsibility; Mergers & Acquisitions; Joint Ventures; Partnerships; Health Care Industry; Healthcare Logistics Industry; Competitive Advantage; Strategy; Leadership; Global Strategy; Selection and Staffing; Management Style; Organizational Culture; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Health Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; China; Europe; United States
Henderson, Rebecca, Raffaella Sadun, Aldo Sesia, and Russell Eisenstat. "Henry Schein: Doing Well by Doing Good?" Harvard Business School Case 714-450, January 2014. (Revised January 2014.)
- May 2008 (Revised October 2010)
- Case
Tribune Company, 2007
By: Timothy A. Luehrman and Eric Seth Gordon
This case describes the proposed acquisition of Tribune Company by Sam Zell in 2007. Tribune Company is one of the largest newspapers and broadcasting companies in the United States. Zell's proposed acquisition is unusual in several respects. It is two-tiered, employs... View Details
Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Financial Markets; Employee Stock Ownership Plan; Negotiation Offer; Journalism and News Industry; Publishing Industry
Luehrman, Timothy A., and Eric Seth Gordon. "Tribune Company, 2007." Harvard Business School Case 208-148, May 2008. (Revised October 2010.)
- July–August 2014
- Article
Sustainability in the Boardroom: Lessons from Nike's Playbook
By: Lynn S. Paine
One surprising role of Nike's corporate responsibility committee is to provide support for innovation. More and more companies recognize the importance of corporate responsibility to their long-term success—and yet the matter gets short shrift in most boardrooms,... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Governance; Corporate Accountability; Globalized Firms and Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Sports Industry
Paine, Lynn S. "Sustainability in the Boardroom: Lessons from Nike's Playbook." Harvard Business Review 92, nos. 7/8 (July–August 2014): 87–94.