Publications

November 2003 (Revised March 2004)
Case

Can Florida Orange Growers Survive Globalization?

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Hal Hogan

Florida Citrus Department has to deal with increasing competition from Brazil. What position should the industry take on its existing tariff? Who benefits? Who loses? View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Trade; Price; Globalized Markets and Industries; Goods and Commodities; Competition; Competitive Strategy

Web

Chinese Competition and Emerging Technologies - A Chronicle of the China Trade

of the China Trade Introduction Doing Business with China Augustine Heard & Co. The Canton Trade Commodities & Currencies Treaty Ports & Compradors Clippers & Steamships Exploring Trade Links Chinese Competition Expatriate Traders... View Details

December 2007 (Revised March 2013)
Case

Queensland Sugar Limited

By: David E. Bell and Mary L. Shelman

Until industry deregulation in 2006, Queensland Sugar ran Australia's single desk marketing system for raw sugar exports. Since deregulation, eight of the ten Queensland sugar millers have elected to continue collective marketing through QSL. However, several millers... View Details

Keywords: Plant-Based Agribusiness; Goods and Commodities; Trade; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Competition; Marketing Strategy; Supply Chain; Network Effects; Supply and Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Australia

October 1994
Background Note

Note on Crude Oil and Crude Oil Derivatives Markets

By: Andre F. Perold, Wai Lee and Kuljot Singh

Briefly describes the crude oil markets and common derivatives contracts written on oil. The contracts are oil forward and futures contracts, and over-the-counter oil price swaps. View Details

Keywords: Non-Renewable Energy; Futures and Commodity Futures; Credit Derivatives and Swaps; Contracts; Energy Industry

25 Aug 2022
News

Full Stream Ahead

stands out as the rare commodity that remains as lucrative in the good times as the bad, since we don’t switch off the radio—or stop watching the films or TV shows that license music and generate revenues—when the economy sours. The last... View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Arts, Entertainment

01 Aug 2006
First Look

First Look: August 1, 2006

We find evidence consistent with a shift toward a commodity relationship and an increased reliance on business-getting. Specifically, we find some evidence of a disappearance of the midsized firm and strong evidence of a rise in the... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

21 Jul 2006
Op-Ed

Enron Jury Sent the Right Message

behavior could possibly arise, lie many examples of highly innovative management: the successful intermediation of the natural gas market, the "gas bank" created by Jeff Skilling, the development of standardized commodity... View Details

Keywords: by Malcolm S. Salter

29 Aug 2016
Blog Post

First Year at HBS: A Foundation for Business

money" 6. Oil: collapsing commodity prices 7. Greece: bailout deal and ATM withdrawal limits 8. Mega Corporate M&A: (Dow/DuPont, Pfizer/Allergen, AB InBev/SABMiller, etc.) 9. McDonald: rolling out the all-day breakfast menu ... View Details

01 Dec 2008
News

Lesson from the Fall

affairs. Enron’s approach to compensation and incentives included many perverse features, such as encouraging growth over profitability and rewarding employees for closing commodity deals and power-generation projects without concrete... View Details

Keywords: Malcolm S. Salter; Oil and Gas Extraction; Mining; Electric Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution; Utilities

June 2022 (Revised October 2022)
Background Note

Digital Commerce and Delivery: Preparing Food and Retail Value Chains for a 50-50 World

By: William R. Kerr, Daniel O'Connor, Paige Boehmcke and Will Ensor

Increasing digitalization of grocery retail and quick commerce reveals insights about managing complex supply chains at scale and shifting revenue streams from product sales to data monetization. How are the roles of retailers changing? What happens if marginal cost... View Details

Keywords: Grocery Delivery; Grocery; Digitalization; Fulfillment; Delivery; Supply Chain; Disruption; Food; Supply Chain Management; Market Design; Trends; Value Creation; Goods and Commodities; Customer Value and Value Chain; Digital Transformation; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States; China