Publications

24 Apr 2014
News

Taking direct action in a time of crisis

Scott Smith (MBA 1991), CEO of Cellect Technologies, talks about how he introduced his oil-spill-cleaning product to customers after the BP disaster in Louisiana (Published April 2014) View Details

September 2024 (Revised November 2024)
Case

Carrie Wang: Choosing Between the Family Firm and the Family Spirit

By: Lauren Cohen, Fei Wu and Sophia Pan

Carrie Wang, Investment Head of the Wang’s single-family office, contemplated her next career steps. As one of the first businessmen who had risen from China’s industrial rise, her father had grown his wealth to a considerable level, eventually requesting that his... View Details

Keywords: Family Office; Investment; Interests Of Consumers; Family Business; Business Growth and Maturation; Financial Management; Financial Strategy; Financial Markets; Investment Portfolio; Investment Return; Private Equity; Customer Relationship Management; Interests; Reputation; Real Estate Industry; China

September 2005 (Revised March 2007)
Case

Lifefont: The Case for RetailDriver

Examines how Lifefont (pseudonym), a multidivisional consumer packages goods company, develops a system to manage and measure the impact of promotional events in retail outlets. View Details

Keywords: Framework; Change Management; Compensation and Benefits; Cost vs Benefits; Growth Management; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Customer Relationship Management; Product Marketing; Salesforce Management; Advertising; Management Systems; Information Technology; Retail Industry

January 2002 (Revised October 2005)
Case

General Electric Medical Systems 2002

By: Tarun Khanna and James Weber

Discusses one of General Electric's flagship divisions--the world's leading provider of medical diagnostic imaging equipment. Provides an opportunity to examine a multinational confronting massive technological and demographic changes around the world. Genomics has... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Business Model; Change Management; Multinational Firms and Management; Genetics; Customer Value and Value Chain; Age; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; China; United States

04 Feb 2021
Research & Ideas

Inside CEOs' Pandemic Worries: Uncertainty, Employees, and Kids

the pandemic’s suddenness caught many without sufficient ready cash. A real estate CEO noted: “We had ongoing construction and needed to pay our contractors but were not sure that we would receive payments as planned from our customers... View Details

Keywords: by Gamze D. Yucaoglu, Robin Abrahams, and Boris Groysberg

06 May 2015
Research & Ideas

A Flood of Picassos Threatens to Water Down the Art Market

customers and auction houses set for themselves that are influenced by those educators." Those prices anchors will still be in place to a degree because Marina Picasso's collection, after all, still carries her grandfather's legacy... View Details

06 May 2015
What Do You Think?

Are You Ready for Personalized Predictive Analytics?

remote surveillance of the performance of these products. Predictive analysis applied to humans is now one of the hottest concepts to come along. It is being made possible by a system of customer loyalty programs, big data, and cloud... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

13 Jan 2014
Research & Ideas

How Government Can Restore the Faith of Citizens

research , Buell and Norton had experimented with customer satisfaction in travel and dating websites. They found that when these sites visually showed the effort being exerted by the site during searches or transactions, View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

13 Jun 2005
Research & Ideas

Rescuing Products with Stealth Positioning

its market penetration—like that of rivals Microsoft (with the Xbox) and Nintendo (with the GameCube)—has been limited by a narrow customer base of mostly males in their late teens and twenties. Sony's goal is to make the PlayStation a... View Details

Keywords: by Youngme Moon

Web

Trade Cards - The Art of American Advertising

might use the same card design to feature their products, while firms with larger advertising budgets could order custom designs. Trade cards had to both entice customers and provide them with useful... View Details

17 Aug 2015
News

The Play Alchemist

NGOs, on the ground. In addition, the company is releasing a new app, called Plus, that will increase customer engagement by tracking everything from production to distribution of the product they’ve sponsored. If they choose, the View Details

Keywords: Constantine von Hoffman

26 Jan 2004
Research & Ideas

What Developing-World Companies Teach Us About Innovation

countries generally lack a solid technology base of trained scientists and world-class research universities. 2. Companies in developing countries must manage to eke out a profit while serving customers with low disposable income; per... View Details

Keywords: by Donald N. Sull, Alejandro Ruelas-Gossi & Martin Escobari

12 PM – 1 PM EDT, 30 Sep 2014
Webinars: Trending@HBS

Building a Global Brand: Why You Aren't Buying Venezuelan Chocolate

Building a Global Brand: Why you arent buying Venezuelan chocolate The next wave of global challengers will be firms from emergent market countries like Brazil, China, and India. Who are these companies and what are the barriers they are trying to overcome? View Details

10 Apr 2006
Research & Ideas

American Auto’s Troubled Road

plus only if consumers accept them. As an example, he cites an instance when GM and Ford customers rejected upgrades in the rear suspensions of Camaros and Mustangs because aficionados liked the feel of their "ride" just the way... View Details

Keywords: by Garry Emmons; Manufacturing; Transportation; Auto

2008
Book

Borrowing to Live: Consumer and Mortgage Credit Revisited

By: Nicolas P. Retsinas and Eric S. Belsky

Keywords: Borrowing and Debt; Customers; Credit; Mortgages

Find at Harvard

May 1998 (Revised September 1999)
Background Note

Note on Managed Care

By: Richard M.J. Bohmer

Presents an overview of managed care. Describes the relationship between provider and insurance companies, examines the implications for consumers, and discusses financial arrangements and operational characteristics commonly observed in the industry. Also provides a... View Details

Keywords: Customers; Insurance; Health Care and Treatment; Service Operations; Relationships; Insurance Industry

June 2011 (Revised August 2011)
Case

Colgate-Palmolive: Staying Ahead in Oral Care

By: Rebecca M. Henderson and Ryan Johnson

In 2011, Colgate-Palmolive (Colgate) was the global leader in oral care, with a dominant market share lead in toothpaste and a growing presence in toothbrushes and mouthwash. However, the firm faced stiff competition with perennial rivals P&G increasing their focus on... View Details

Keywords: Innovation Strategy; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Distribution Channels; Relationships; Competition; Competitive Advantage; Customization and Personalization; Health Industry