Publications

Teaching Interest

Changing the Game: Negotiation and Competitive Decision Making

By: Guhan Subramanian

High-stakes business negotiations challenge your wits, your confidence, and your capacity for clear reasoning under intense pressure. Changing the Game leverages the latest research to your advantage, helping you prepare for complex... View Details

May 2007
Case

Demand and Supply Forecasting at Air Products - Electronics Specialty Materials

Explores the process and inputs behind financial and operational forecasting in the Electronic Specialty Materials unit at Air Products and Chemicals, a global chemical company. The protagonist, John Goldberg, grapples with how to better integrate the two forecasting... View Details

Keywords: Demand and Consumers; Operations; Forecasting and Prediction; Supply and Industry; Finance; Chemical Industry

November 2012
Article

Are You Ready for the 'Hardest Question'?

By: James K. Sebenius

Negotiation preparation entails assessing each side's interests and no-deal options, imagining possible agreements, factoring in personality and culture, thinking through moves and possible countermoves, and so forth. Yet standard preparation often neglects the... View Details

Keywords: Tactics; Hard Bargaining; Negotiation

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March 2014
Teaching Note

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.: Safety, Environment and Health

By: John A. Quelch

In January 2014, Gary Bald, senior vice president of Safety, Environment and Health at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCL), prepared for a review meeting with the company's chief executive, Adam Goldstein, and chairman, Richard Fain. Prior to joining RCL in 2006, Bald... View Details

Keywords: Health Care; Public Health; Cruising; Cruise Lines; Royal Caribbean; Safety; Security; Biodefense; Epidemic; Norovirus; Fire Safety; Crew; Environmental Protection; Innovation; Ship Design; Vacation; Recreation

Clubs

Sustainability Club

Keywords: Sustainability

August 2023
Supplement

Reimagining Hindustan Unilever (B)

By: Sunil Gupta and Rachna Tahilyani

In April 2023, as the CEO and MD of Hindustan Unilever (HUL), India’s largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firm, prepared to hand over the firm’s reins to his successor, he proudly reflected on the last decade. His quest to digitally transform HUL into an... View Details

Keywords: Experimentation; Digital Transformation; Digital Strategy; Leading Change; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Business Strategy; Marketing; Performance; Competition; E-commerce; Consumer Behavior; Transformation; Distribution; Decisions; Consumer Products Industry; Asia; India

2022
Other Unpublished Work

Got 'Critical Minerals'? Hooray! But Be Careful

By: Louis T. Wells

When a country has “critical minerals,” certain issues require special attention in the country’s mining legislation or while negotiating contracts with potential mining investors. As well, to obtain maximum benefit the government should prepare for negotiations with... View Details

Keywords: Critical Minerals; Foreign Direct Investment; International Relations; Mining Industry

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March 1990 (Revised January 1997)
Case

ROLM: The SIGMA Introduction

By: V. Kasturi Rangan

ROLM's product development manager, Bob Lundy, has to prepare a detailed plan for launching a new product, code named SIGMA. The new product, though outstanding in features, has the potential to drastically affect ROLM's fortunes because it is incompatible with its... View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Marketing Strategy; Product Launch; Product Development; Strategic Planning

Find at Harvard

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

November 2006 (Revised September 2007)
Case

The Bollingers: Negotiating with Wal-Mart (A)

By: James K. Sebenius and Ellen Knebel

Describes the negotiations by Howard and Marilyn Bollinger over supplying a new product line to Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer. The (A) case outlines the Bollingers' development of their product, the Wallpockett, documents their negotiation preparation for... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Product Development; Supply Chain; Problems and Challenges; Retail Industry

February 2014 (Revised June 2014)
Case

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.: Safety, Environment and Health

By: John A. Quelch and Margaret L. Rodriguez

In January 2014, Gary Bald, senior vice president of Safety, Environment and Health at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCL), prepared for a review meeting with the company's chief executive, Adam Goldstein, and chairman, Richard Fain. Prior to joining RCL in 2006, Bald... View Details

01 Mar 2021
News

How to Step In as an Interim Manager

24 Sep 2010
News

Something for the weekend

August 2019
Case

Huawei and the U.S.-China Trade War

By: Elie Ofek and John Masko

In 2019, Chinese smartphone maker and telecommunications empire Huawei was preparing to launch its new flagship smartphone series, the Mate 30. After years of explosive growth, the previous 18 months had been a challenge for the company. In early 2018, Huawei’s planned... View Details

Keywords: Trade; Global Strategy; International Relations; National Security; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Information Infrastructure; Volatility; Adaptation; Telecommunications Industry; China; United States; European Union

30 Jun 2016
Blog Post

4 Ways I've Changed at HBS

There are certain things you come to business school expecting to learn and certain ways you expect you’ll change. Over the course of my first year at HBS, I’ve learned how to prepare a balance sheet and negotiate a job offer—but I’ve... View Details

January 2000 (Revised April 2000)
Case

AsiaMail.com: What's in a Name?

By: Myra M. Hart and Sharon Peyus

Three founders of an international Internet company (e-mail-based marketing) struggle with naming the company. As they prepare to invest more than $10 million of first-round venture funding in advertising and marketing, they search for a name that will have power and... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Venture Capital; Brands and Branding; Internet and the Web; Entrepreneurship; Advertising; Marketing; Information Technology Industry; Service Industry; Asia

Find at Harvard

February 1997 (Revised December 2012)
Case

Jim Sharpe: Extrusion Technology, Inc. (B)

By: H. Kent Bowen and Barbara Feinberg

Jim Sharpe, 11 years after receiving his MBA from Harvard and working for others, has finally become his own boss and 100% owner of manufacturer of aluminum extrusions. After 10 months of an unfunded search, he acquires the business in an LBO and prepares to face his... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Entrepreneurship; Business Ventures; Business or Company Management; Competency and Skills; Management Teams; Risk and Uncertainty; Manufacturing Industry; United States