Publications

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April 2021
Case

Codecademy: Where to Next?

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Max Mailman and Sarah Ascherman

In March 2020, Zach Sims, co-founder and CEO of online education platform Codecademy, prepared for a meeting with his Chief of Staff Kunal Ahuja to discuss the company’s goals. Codecademy billed itself as the largest online resource for computer science literacy and... View Details

Keywords: Monetization Strategy; Business Model; Change Management; Venture Capital; Leading Change; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Management Teams; Marketing Channels; Product Marketing; Network Effects; Product Development; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Strategic Planning; Internet and the Web; Digital Platforms; United States

08 Aug 2018
Blog Post

Hands-on Experience in Hospitality

Before I came to HBS, I worked in consulting. I knew that I wanted a different experience for my summer and looked at multiple leadership development programs. One stood out: Marriott’s Management Acceleration Program. With Marriott, I’m... View Details

Keywords: Hospitality

16 Dec 2013
HBS Case

D’O: Making a Michelin-Starred Restaurant Affordable

the restaurant, failing to fill seats nightly, starts operating at a loss. But then there's D'O, a restaurant in Cornaredo, Italy, that opened in 2003 and received a Michelin star only one year later. Under the leadership of chef and... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel & Joanie Tobin; Food & Beverage

18 Jun 2001
Lessons from the Classroom

Why Leaders Need Great Books

Moral Leader is not likely to help students run numbers or do brand management when they leave HBS, he admitted. But intense discussions about the often-conflicting demands of leadership do leave a mark. As... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

02 Aug 2022
Blog Post

From HBS to Cutting-Edge Tech

and would require a lot of business development and strategic planning. I convinced the executive leadership to let me spend a year in the business team. I made significant contributions while serving as a bridge between the siloed... View Details

November 2011 (Revised June 2013)
Case

Natura Cosméticos, S.A.

Rodolfo Guttilla, Director of Corporate Affairs for Natura Cosméticos S.A. (Natura), prepared for a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss the future of integrated reporting at Natura. A cosmetics company with a strong brand, robust growth in international and... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Integrated Corporate Reporting; Decision Making; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Brazil

15 Nov 2018
Blog Post

Valuing an MBA: Beyond Dollars and “Sense"

Weekday mornings, in a discussion group composed of a math teacher, beauty product strategist, and a pro-athlete-turned-investor, I tackled over a hundred watershed corporate decisions, ranging from optimizing operations at a... View Details

03 Jan 2016
Research & Ideas

NFL Black Monday: How Much Do Coaches Really Matter?

turns out that these research findings hold value not only for football teams, but for any organization that depends on leadership for success. An empirical study of coaching ability In 2009, scholars Tim R. Holcomb, R. Michael Holmes... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg & Abhijit Naik; Sports

27 Jun 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, June 27

relating to political legitimacy and legal authority. The module note was written for students in the first-year course Leadership and Corporate Accountability. Purchase this case:https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/product/317065-PDF-ENG... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

30 Jan 2007
First Look

First Look: January 30, 2007

http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/07-050.pdf Cases & Course MaterialsNone this week. PublicationsTrue North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership Author:William W. George Publication:San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007 Abstract Based on... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

06 Nov 2019
News

Making Purpose a Central Part of a New Capitalism

September 2006 (Revised February 2007)
Case

Friendster (A)

By: Mikolaj Jan Piskorski and Carin-Isabel Knoop

In January 2006, the president of Friendster needs to choose between two strategic options to revive the company. Friendster started the social networking industry in 2003, but has been overtaken by MySpace and Facebook. The two options are: 1) offer new features to... View Details

Keywords: Value Creation; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Social and Collaborative Networks; Brands and Branding; Service Industry

November 1993 (Revised September 2018)
Case

Rudi Gassner and the Executive Committee of BMG International (A)

By: Linda Hill and Katherine Seger Weber

Explores the roles of CEO Rudi Gassner and the 9-person executive committee in leading BMG International. BMG International is the international music subsidiary of Bertlesmann, a German company that is the second-largest media conglomerate in the world. Describes a... View Details

Keywords: Managerial Roles; Management Teams; Decision Making; Business Plan; Growth and Development Strategy; Global Strategy; Leadership Style; Organizational Culture; Business Subsidiaries; Business Conglomerates; Cost Management; Change Management; Music Industry; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Germany

05 Nov 2021
Op-Ed

Is the Business World Finally Ready for the Wisdom of Shibusawa?

Eiichi Shibusawa continues to gain influence in Japan—even though he died almost a century ago. Japan’s government announced earlier this year that the 19th century business leader would be the face on 10,000 yen ($90) bank notes—the highest value denomination in... View Details

Keywords: by Geoffrey Jones and Rei Morimoto; Financial Services; Retail

08 Oct 2008
Research & Ideas

Book Excerpt: A Sense of Urgency

an open-minded and approachable person in a more powerful position who can take the lead. Certainly we need to be prudent. But in a more rapidly changing world, finding opportunities in crises probably reduces your overall risk. To Learn More: Watch a video of John... View Details

Keywords: by John P. Kotter

August 2019 (Revised April 2020)
Case

Transforming Hindustan Unilever

By: Krishna G. Palepu and Rachna Tahilyani

In October 2013, when Sanjiv Mehta had taken over the reins of Unilever’s business in India and the larger South Asia region, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) had been going through a difficult time. Caught in the midst of a weakening economy, falling consumer spending, and... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Leading Change; Performance Improvement; Consumer Products Industry; India