Publications
Publications
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- All HBS Web
(415)
- Faculty Publications (41)
- March 2014 (Revised April 2014)
- Supplement
China Vanke (B)
By: Lynn S. Paine, John Macomber and Keith Chi-ho Wong
The case describes Vanke's response to the decisions posed in the A1, A2, and A3 cases and asks whether Vanke should expand its strategic scope by defining itself as an "urban facilities provider" rather than a "residential housing developer." The management team is... View Details
- July–August 2013
- Article
Building Sustainable Cities
By: John D. Macomber
By 2050 the number of people living in cities will have nearly doubled, to 6 billion, and the problems created by this rampant urbanization are among the most important challenges of our time. Of all resource-management issues, the author argues, water, electricity,... View Details
- February 2013 (Revised February 2014)
- Case
Phu My Hung
By: John Macomber and Dawn H. Lau
Privately held city development promoters decide whether to partner on next phase or go it alone in a 20-year, 4000-acre project. Set outside of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, this decades-long project led by two Taiwanese families reshaped and built the economic... View Details
- February 2012 (Revised September 2013)
- Case
Edward Lundberg and the Rockville Building: Energy Efficiency Finance in Commercial Real Estate
By: John D. Macomber and Frederik Nellemann
A commercial landlord analyzes options for funding and accomplishing energy efficiency retrofit. The situation is complicated by lease terms and uncertain effectiveness of the intervention. Students must grapple with obstacles including changing energy prices,... View Details
- Article
The Role of Finance and Private Investment in Developing Sustainable Cities
By: John D. Macomber
Three trends will drive urban investment, development, and entrepreneurship in the next two decades. This article provides tools to identify the situations and circumstances that will be most favorable for private sector involvement in consideration of these trends.... View Details
Keywords: Trends; Demographics; Private Sector; Investment; City; Infrastructure; Opportunities; Urban Development
- February 2011 (Revised September 2013)
- Case
Sarvajal: Water for All
By: John D. Macomber and Mona Sinha
Entrepreneur wrestles with business model using SMS and RFID technology, franchising, and leasing to rapidly grow off-the-grid water purification business without subsidies. The company seeks to provide potable water services to rural and urban India where the public... View Details
- January 2011
- Case
Masdar and Tianjin: Eco-Cities
By: John D. Macomber
Compares Masdar City and Tianjin Eco-City, two high profile "sustainable cities." Each showcases technological and financial innovation. Is it real? Is it replicable and defensible? The case is intended to introduce main concepts and tradeoffs with respect to rapid... View Details
- February 2010 (Revised June 2014)
- Supplement
CityCenter (C): Turmoil and Choices
By: John D. Macomber
"CityCenter (C)" follows the (A) and (B) cases chronologically. The (C) case explores the decisions facing MGM MIRAGE following a lawsuit by partner Dubai World and suspension of Dubai World's cash contributions to the project in early 2009. Issues include the... View Details
- February 2010 (Revised May 2010)
- Case
Bardhaman (A): Shrachi and the West Bengal Housing Board
By: John D. Macomber and Viraal Balsari
A real estate developer decides whether to enter into a public private partnership with the government of West Bengal to develop a township on farmland. The decisions include whether to expand operations from the company's base in Kolkata to Bardhaman, 100 km away;... View Details
- July 2009 (Revised June 2011)
- Case
Dharavi: Developing Asia's Largest Slum (A)
By: Lakshmi Iyer, John D. Macomber and Namrata Arora
Maharashtra state is accepting bids to redevelop Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia. A real estate developer assesses the risks and tenders a bid. The bid conditions include providing new free housing to tens of thousands of slum dwellers, which is anticipated to be... View Details
- April 2009
- Case
Young Presidents' Organization
By: Mikolaj Jan Piskorski, John D. Macomber and David Chen
The board of Young Presidents' Organization needs to decide on the future of its Networks Initiative, designed to connect its geographically dispersed membership base through 60 different interest-based networks. So far, one half of these networks have been considered... View Details
- January 2009 (Revised June 2014)
- Supplement
CityCenter (B): Economics and Delivery
By: A. Eugene Kohn, John D. Macomber and Ben Creo
Bill Smith is informed by his general contractor that a key component of the Aria Resort is going to be delayed. Aria is the centerpiece of CityCenter: a $9 billion complex and a bet-the-firm decision for MGM Mirage. Smith must make a decision as to whether to force... View Details
- Article
Colorblindness and Diversity: Conflicting Goals in Decisions Influenced by Race
By: Michael I. Norton, Joseph A. Vandello, Andrew Biga and John M. Darley
- March 2004 (Revised April 2004)
- Background Note
Seeing What's on Red Auerbach's Mind
Analysis of an interview with Red Auerbach, HBR No. 87201. Alan M. Webber, who conducted the interview, probed for the lessons that Auerbach has learned from a long and productive career coaching and managing the Boston Celtics, a professional basketball team in the... View Details
- 2003
- Conference Paper
Follow the Money: What Really Drives Technology Innovation in Construction
By: John D. Macomber
Technology enthusiasts, academics, and software companies remain concerned about the slow pace of innovation in the construction industry. Tools are widely available that seem to provide eminently sensible and clearly apparent improvement to the process of design and... View Details
- October 1999 (Revised February 2000)
- Case
Steinway & Sons: Buying a Legend (A)
It is 1995 and Steinway & Sons has just been purchased by two young entrepreneurs. For 140 years, Steinway has held the reputation for making the finest quality grand pianos in the world. The past 25 years have proven to be a challenge, however. First, the company has... View Details
- September 1994
- Case
Marks & Spencer: Sir Richard Greenbury's Quiet Revolution
By: Joseph L. Bower and John B. Matthews Jr.
Marks & Spencer (M&S) is one of the world's greatest companies. In 1994, its management was chosen the most admired in Europe by 637 peers. The case explores how Sir Richard Greenbury, appointed the new chairman of the company in 1991, transformed his inheritance into... View Details
- June 1990 (Revised November 1991)
- Case
Morality and Consequences
Consists mainly of excerpts from Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill. Mill explains what utilitarianism is and gives his rationale for accepting it as a moral philosophy. View Details
- March 1969 (Revised January 2000)
- Case
Industrial Products, Inc.
By: Joseph L. Bower and John W. Rosenblum
Involves the decision of whether to construct a new plant in another part of the country for a line of fire protection equipment. Capital funds set aside for the construction are blocked by Fireguard's continued record of substantial operating losses and divisional... View Details
- Teaching Interest
Cities, Structures, and Climate Shocks
By: John D. Macomber
This course is about building sustainable and resilient cities, future proofing real estate and infrastructure assets, and examining how businesses and investors find opportunities in climate adaptation.
The world faces substantial challenges in the face of... View Details