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- All HBS Web
(379)
- News (26)
- Research (332)
- Multimedia (2)
- Faculty Publications (305)
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- 14 Jun 2010
- Research & Ideas
The Hard Work of Measuring Social Impact
of Nonprofit Organizations in June, a joint executive education program presented by the HBS Social Enterprise Initiative, Harvard's Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations, and the Harvard Kennedy School. He will co-chair the HBS... View Details
Keywords: by Julia Hanna
- June 2023 (Revised January 2024)
- Case
Communities In Schools (Atlanta): Innovating a College Program
By: V. Kasturi Rangan, Lynda M. Applegate and Alexis Lefort
Frank Brown, CIS of Atlanta's new Black CEO, was keen to extend CIS's well-honed case management in schools program to youth in college. Founded 50 years ago by Bill Milliken, CIS, a network of 110 affiliates, had built a strong program of assisting and supporting... View Details
Rangan, V. Kasturi, Lynda M. Applegate, and Alexis Lefort. "Communities In Schools (Atlanta): Innovating a College Program." Harvard Business School Case 823-070, June 2023. (Revised January 2024.)
- 09 Jun 2015
- First Look
First Look: June 9, 2015
Aligning Strategy and Sales By: Cespedes, Frank V. Abstract— Much current opinion asserts that strategy is less important (and may, in fact, be an impediment) in an era of constant change. This publication... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
- July 8, 2022
- Article
How to Conduct a Great Performance Review
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Dissatisfaction with performance appraisals is pervasive, but they remain an essential managerial responsibility. The purpose of performance reviews is two-fold: an accurate and actionable evaluation of performance, and then development of that person’s skills in line... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "How to Conduct a Great Performance Review." Harvard Business Review (website) (July 8, 2022).
- Article
Sales Methodologies and Selling
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Sales methodologies play an important role. A common approach in a sales force allows for consistency, dissemination of best practices, acceleration of learning, and it helps the firm to scale because management then has common metrics to monitor and evaluate. However,... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "Sales Methodologies and Selling." Top Sales Magazine (November 2019), 26–27.
- 2021
- Book
Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World That Never Stops Changing
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Selling is changing, but the impact on sales of megatrends like ecommerce, big data, and AI is often misunderstood and not supported by empirical data. Managers who fail to separate fact from hype will make decisions based on bad assumptions and, in a competitive... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World That Never Stops Changing. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2021.
- January 2013
- Case
Andrew Ryan at VC Brakes
By: Frank V. Cespedes and Sunru Yong
An aftermarket brake component manufacturer, VC Brakes, is bought out by a global automotive parts corporation after the 2008 financial crisis. Unlike its previous parent company, the new owner attempts to change VC Brakes' autocratic management style and... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Culture; Quality Management; Crisis Management; Human Resource Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Quality; Change Management; Leading Change; Restructuring; Management Practices and Processes; Problems and Challenges; Auto Industry
Cespedes, Frank V., and Sunru Yong. "Andrew Ryan at VC Brakes." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-552, January 2013.
- March 1994 (Revised March 1995)
- Case
Astra/Merck Group
By: Frank V. Cespedes and Marie Bell
Astra/Merck (A/M), originally a joint venture of AB Astra and Merck & Co., is preparing to be an independent company in 1993. Since the company does not engage in basic research and development of drugs, it is essentially a distribution organization. Fundamental to... View Details
Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Marketing Strategy; Distribution; Performance Evaluation; Research and Development; Risk and Uncertainty; Sales; Competitive Strategy; Pharmaceutical Industry
Cespedes, Frank V., and Marie Bell. "Astra/Merck Group." Harvard Business School Case 594-045, March 1994. (Revised March 1995.)
- May 18, 2020
- Other Article
Media Bias? But Not What You Think It Is
By: Frank V. Cespedes
The media are often accused of political bias. But news outlets reflect many political beliefs in a fragmented media environment. However, an almost across-the-board bias is how news media talk about digital business, and the pandemic has exacerbated that bias, which... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "Media Bias? But Not What You Think It Is." Medium (May 18, 2020).
- July 2024
- Article
AI, ROI, and Sales Productivity
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Artificial intelligence (AI) is now a loose term for many different things and at the peak of its hype curve. So managers hitch-their-pitch to the term in arguing for resources. But like any technology, its business value depends upon actionable use cases embraced by... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "AI, ROI, and Sales Productivity." Top Sales Magazine (July 2024), 12–13.
- July 2017
- Case
Magpie: Developing and Using Buyer Personas
By: Frank V. Cespedes
The founders of a start-up platform for publishers have developed preliminary personas of target customers and are evaluating the implications for initial target buyers, messaging, and marketing programs. The case is useful for discussing the process of developing... View Details
Keywords: Buying Process; Marketing; Sales; Distribution Channels; Segmentation; Entrepreneurship; Social Media; Consumer Products Industry; Fashion Industry; United States
Cespedes, Frank V. "Magpie: Developing and Using Buyer Personas." Harvard Business School Case 818-013, July 2017.
- August 15, 2022
- Article
Preparing Sales for a Changing Economy: Part 2: Getting More from Your Training Spending
By: Frank V. Cespedes
A previous article discussed changing business development requirements and some implications. This article discusses three areas that are fundamental to getting ROI from training initiatives and how engagement between Sales and L&D professionals, completed by smart... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "Preparing Sales for a Changing Economy: Part 2: Getting More from Your Training Spending." TrainingIndustry.com (August 15, 2022).
- November 1986 (Revised June 1987)
- Case
Fieldcrest Division of Fieldcrest Mills, Inc.: Compensation System for Field Sales Representatives
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Focuses on the compensation plan for Fieldcrest sales representatives. Management is reviewing the structure of the plan and must decide how to establish compensation goals and guidelines for the following year so that sales efforts are allocated among products and/or... View Details
Cespedes, Frank V. "Fieldcrest Division of Fieldcrest Mills, Inc.: Compensation System for Field Sales Representatives." Harvard Business School Case 587-097, November 1986. (Revised June 1987.)
- June 2013
- Case
Ron Ventura at Mitchell Memorial Hospital
By: Frank V. Cespedes and Heide Abelli
Mitchell Memorial Hospital is a 750-bed regional academic medical center in Ohio. Andy Prescott, Chief of the Cardiovascular Center, is reviewing the performance evaluations of his star vascular surgeon Ron Ventura. The evaluations, the result of a 360-degree... View Details
Keywords: Performance Expectations; Conflict Management; Behavior; Groups and Teams; Organizational Culture; Resignation and Termination; Health Care and Treatment; Performance Evaluation; Health Industry; Ohio
Cespedes, Frank V., and Heide Abelli. "Ron Ventura at Mitchell Memorial Hospital." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-572, June 2013.
- July 2017
- Article
The Four Stages to Becoming an Excellent Front-Line Sales Manager
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Sales occupations account for more than 10% of the total U.S. labor force, and that official estimate is almost certainly low: In an increasingly service economy, many people who do business development for a living are not listed as “sales” for reporting purposes.... View Details
Keywords: Salesforce Management
Cespedes, Frank V. "The Four Stages to Becoming an Excellent Front-Line Sales Manager." Quotable (July 2017).
- September 2014
- Case
FormPrint Ortho500
By: Frank V. Cespedes and Alisa Zalosh
The Senior Vice President of FormPrint's Medical Products business unit is considering issues raised by the upcoming introduction of a new 3D printing system, the Ortho500, which could print custom exoskeletal orthopedic splints, braces, and casts that conformed to a... View Details
Keywords: B2B Marketing; Technological Innovation; Market Entry and Exit; Marketing Strategy; Distribution Channels; Product Development; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry
Cespedes, Frank V., and Alisa Zalosh. "FormPrint Ortho500." Harvard Business School Brief Case 915-535, September 2014.
- May 1990 (Revised October 1993)
- Case
Cooper Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Traces the 12-year career of a pharmaceutical salesperson, Bob Marsh, from recruitment to termination. Mr. Marsh has had an uneven career with Cooper Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPI) and, after a probationary period, is asked to resign. Following his termination, a number... View Details
Keywords: Decision Making; Resignation and Termination; Personal Development and Career; Problems and Challenges; Core Relationships
Cespedes, Frank V. "Cooper Pharmaceuticals, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 590-111, May 1990. (Revised October 1993.)
- March 2014 (Revised September 2015)
- Case
Clef Company: Turnover
By: Frank V. Cespedes
The Clef case focuses on the issue of turnover in a firm's sales force. Students must analyze the factors contributing to turnover as well as the role of the field sales force in Clef's profitable business strategy. Among other things, the Clef case illustrates that... View Details
Keywords: Sales; Marketing; Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Performance Evaluation; Retail Industry; Consumer Products Industry; United States
Cespedes, Frank V. "Clef Company: Turnover." Harvard Business School Case 814-100, March 2014. (Revised September 2015.)
- January 2023 (Revised January 2023)
- Case
Belden and Digital Transformation: From Product Sales to Solutions Sales
By: Frank V. Cespedes and Amy Klopfenstein
This case concerns the industrial automation division at Belden, a hardware manufacturer. While Belden historically sold products such as cables, wires, and other networking devices, EVP of Industrial Automation Ashish Chand recognized that IT vendors were entering the... View Details
Keywords: Implementation; Sales Cycle; Digital Transformation; Sales; Product Positioning; Business Model; Market Entry and Exit; Customer Focus and Relationships; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Supply and Industry; Technology Industry; North America; United States
Cespedes, Frank V., and Amy Klopfenstein. "Belden and Digital Transformation: From Product Sales to Solutions Sales." Harvard Business School Case 823-002, January 2023. (Revised January 2023.)
- May 2023
- Article
Where Sales Technology (Really) Helps
By: Frank V. Cespedes
Interest in Sales Enablement (SE), the catch-all term for attempts to increase sales productivity with AI and other technologies, is driven by multiple factors. One is the declining costs of the tools. Also, selling is now data-hungry work and not just in tech sectors.... View Details