Publications

Web

John H. McArthur | About

John H. McArthur 1934—2019 John H. McArthur, a member of the Harvard Business School community for more than six decades—as student (MBA 1959 and DBA 1963), as faculty member (beginning in 1962), as Dean (from 1980 to 1995), and as Dean... View Details

05 May 2008
Research & Ideas

Connecting with Consumers Using Deep Metaphors

Gerald Zaltman, an emeritus professor at Harvard Business School, and Lindsay Zaltman, managing director of Olson Zaltman Associates, a research and consulting firm, believe that deep insights from consumers are essential for brands that... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Consumer Products

June 1991 (Revised October 1991)
Case

General Electric: Reg Jones and Jack Welch

By: Francis Aguilar and Christopher A. Bartlett

When GE's retiring Reginald Jones turned the job of CEO over to Jack Welch on April 1, 1981, the Wall Street Journal reported that GE had "decided to replace a legend with a live wire." Some wondered if the young dynamo could fill the elder statesman's very large... View Details

Keywords: Management Teams; Business or Company Management; Change Management; Leading Change; Restructuring; Investment; Strategic Planning; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Management Succession

01 Apr 2008
First Look

First Look: April 1, 2008

especially as the government did not want a rate hike that could potentially hinder economic growth and increase its already large fiscal debt burden. Purchase this case: http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=708017 View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

13 Nov 2006
Research & Ideas

Science Business: What Happened to Biotech?

"anatomy," has created poor conditions for a science-based business to flower. "The sector has indiscriminately borrowed business models, organizational strategies, and approaches from other... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Biotechnology

17 Oct 2006
First Look

First Look: October 17, 2006

Activism in Sovereign Debt: "Vulture" Tactics or Market Backbone Harvard Business School Case 706-057 The role of distressed debt funds, also known as "vulture funds," in sovereign debt View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

12 Apr 2011
First Look

First Look: April 12

and real estate markets, putting it in danger of defaulting on its debt and having to restructure under a U.K. Scheme of Arrangement. Purchase this case:http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/211026-PDF-ENG H Partners and Six Flags Robin... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

18 Feb 2021
Blog Post

SIPs in 2021

The fourth year of Harvard Business School’s Short Intensive Programs (SIPs) came during a month of national upheaval and under the ever-darkening cloud of the global pandemic. So perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that one course, held... View Details

29 Aug 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, August 29

Waves No abstract available. Purchase this case: https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/product/816063-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School Case 410-139 Managing the Client Portfolio The German country managing partner of a global law firm must... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

July 2011 (Revised August 2011)
Supplement

Renewing GE: The Africa Project (B)

By: David A. Thomas and Stephanie J. Creary

This case continues the story of the evolution of GE's business initiatives Africa. Between November 2010 and March 2011 several significant structural changes and leadership appointments were announced at GE, which reflected the company's commitment to global growth... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Restructuring; Multinational Firms and Management; Developing Countries and Economies; Consumer Products Industry; Hong Kong; Africa; Republic of Ireland

September 2017
Case

Tencent

By: John R. Wells and Gabriel Ellsworth

Tencent had undergone many transformations since it was founded in 1998 as a simple messaging service. In 2017, it was the largest online games provider in China with a wide range of game types, China’s largest social networking service provider with several of the... View Details

Keywords: Tencent; Tencent Holdings; WeChat; Social Networking; Social Networks; Gaming; Gaming Industry; Video Games; Computer Games; Mobile Gaming; Portals; Payments; Mobile Payments; O2O; Online-to-offline; E-commerce; Messaging; Subscription Model; Freemium; Mobile App Industry; Smartphone; PC; Monetization Strategy; Antitrust; Streaming; Cloud Computing; Artificial Intelligence; Big Data; Alibaba; Facebook; JD.com; Tesla; Bundling; Synergies; Digital Strategy; Imitation; Licensing; Agility; Entry Barriers; Online Platforms; Advertising; Digital Marketing; Business Ventures; Acquisition; Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Conglomerates; Business Units; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Organization; For-Profit Firms; Joint Ventures; Restructuring; Communication; Communication Technology; Blogs; Interactive Communication; Interpersonal Communication; Entertainment; Film Entertainment; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Music Entertainment; Investment; Investment Portfolio; Price; Profit; Revenue; Geographic Scope; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Global Strategy; Multinational Firms and Management; Globalized Markets and Industries; Business History; Innovation Strategy; Technological Innovation; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Product Positioning; Social Marketing; Network Effects; Emerging Markets; Market Entry and Exit; Digital Platforms; Industry Growth; Monopoly; Media; Distribution Channels; Product Development; Service Delivery; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Structure; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Business and Government Relations; Groups and Teams; Networks; Opportunities; Social and Collaborative Networks; Strategy; Adaptation; Business Strategy; Commercialization; Competition; Competitive Advantage; Competitive Strategy; Cooperation; Corporate Strategy; Diversification; Expansion; Horizontal Integration; Vertical Integration; Segmentation; Information Technology; Internet and the Web; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Internet and the Web; Applications and Software; Information Infrastructure; Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Value Creation; Communications Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Financial Services Industry; Information Industry; Information Technology Industry; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Motion Pictures and Video Industry; Music Industry; Service Industry; Technology Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Video Game Industry; Web Services Industry; Asia; China; Canton (province, China)

November 2012 (Revised August 2014)
Case

Cisco in 2012: Reorganizing for Efficiency and Flexibility

By: Ranjay Gulati, Alison Berkley Wagonfeld and Luciana Silvestri

In 2012, Cisco was under intense pressure to show results: growth in its core business was decelerating and a number of exploratory ventures and acquisitions had not proven as profitable as expected. CEO John Chambers vowed to restore the company's health in a way that... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Restructuring; Adaptation; Performance Efficiency; Emerging Markets; Information Technology Industry

May 2018
Teaching Note

Mubadala and EBX: To X or to X It?

By: Nori Gerardo Lietz and Sayiddah Fatima McCree

On April 3, 2013, Hani Barhoush and Oscar Fahlgren of Mubadala Capital (“Mubadala”) considered how to salvage Mubadala’s $2 billion preferred equity investment of a 5.63% stake in the EBX Group. At the time, EBX was the holding company of a myriad of subsidiaries and... View Details

Keywords: Bankruptcy; Cross Border; Negotiations; UAE; Oil And Gas; Finance; Strategy; Negotiation; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Private Equity; Restructuring; Energy Industry; Real Estate Industry; Shipping Industry; Financial Services Industry; Banking Industry; Brazil; Middle East

23 Apr 2008
Op-Ed

The Gap in the U.S. Treasury Recommendations

The U.S. Treasury recommendations for restructuring the nation's system of financial regulation are an important start in the process of strengthening the United States financial system. The proposal is to be commended for some of its... View Details

Keywords: by Dwight Crane; Banking; Construction; Real Estate; Financial Services

25 Sep 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, September 25, 2018

find that changes in the local business landscape is a leading indicator of housing price changes and that the entry of Starbucks (and coffee shops more generally) into a neighborhood predicts gentrification. Each additional Starbucks... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

01 Aug 1998
News

High Honors

Ralph M. Barford (MBA '52) Frank Batten (MBA '52) David J. Dunn (MBA '61) Ann M. Fudge (MBA '77) Ellen R. Marram (MBA '70) Robert F. McDermott (MBA '50) Martin V. Marshall (MBA '47, DCS '53), Henry R. Byers Professor of Business... View Details

June 1997 (Revised February 2012)
Case

The Union Carbide Deal (Abridged)

By: Thomas J. DeLong

On November 3, 1986, after a three-hour board of directors meeting, Union Carbide decided to accept First Boston's proposal to embark on a $2.5 billion recapitalization program. Jameson and his associates' efforts had paid off. Jameson had reason to be excited: He had... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Capital Structure; Investment Banking; Financial Strategy; Partners and Partnerships; Competition; Financial Services Industry