Betting - Publications - Faculty & Research

01 Mar 2023
News

The Exchange: Micro Management

the next step in growing their business.) These borrowers are already organized in groups, so there’s a community of people that knows them very well. We do a variety of formal and informal interviews to understand who they’d feel comfortable taking a View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles; Finance

26 Jul 2010
Research & Ideas

Yes, You Can Raise Prices in a Downturn

higher prices," says Frank V. Cespedes, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, who spent 12 years running a professional services firm. That's right. Higher prices, not lower. “Competing on price is ultimately a bet on your... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Retail; Consumer Products

Web

Strategy for Entrepreneurs - Course Catalog

and predictions about how a firm can make money by solving a problem that the market has yet to solve. As with any new idea, knowing with certainty if your startup idea will work is impossible. Worse yet, a startup idea is a bet with an... View Details

01 Sep 2014
News

Alumni Achievement Awards 2014

Altiostar Networks, Inc. Dahod outside his Tewksbury, MA, office “The best way to deliver on shareholder value is not to focus on shareholder value. Focus on meeting customer needs and taking care of employees. That leads to success.” A serial entrepreneur with an... View Details

21 Mar 2016
Lessons from the Classroom

When Your Classmate is an NBA Superstar (or Fashion Model, or Movie Actress)

many more products than the average business, and face the challenge of having to manage a large, constantly changing product portfolio.” One solution to that challenge, Elberse says, is for executives to consider a “blockbuster strategy,” making large View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Entertainment & Recreation; Sports; Media & Broadcasting; Education

02 Jan 2007
Research & Ideas

Most Popular Articles of 2006

economy and lower-income consumers. Developing a Strategy for Digital Convergence Technology was getting dull earlier this decade, says David Yoffie. But the sudden arrival of digital convergence has turned the tech world upside down. What are the right View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

01 Dec 1998
News

Year 2000 Computer Problem and You: Disaster for Some, Lessons for All

They're betting that if they don't fix all of their office PCs, the result may be troublesome but not catastrophic. Can I soften the impact on my personal life? You can to some extent. For example, you can check with the manufacturer of... View Details

15 Nov 2017
Research & Ideas

How Does a Social Startup Decide to Commercialize? It May Depend on the Founder's Gender

processes, as well as the challenges and opportunities it presents for individuals and society.” Related Reading: 'Hybrid' Organizations a Difficult Bet for Entrepreneurs What to Do When Your Organization Has Dueling Missions What do you... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

10 May 2017
Research & Ideas

Amazon Web Services Changed the Way VCs Fund Startups

“The benefit is that [today] more firms are being funded,” says Nanda. “In the past, you would be less likely to fund a long-shot bet because it would not be profitable. Now, because it’s so cheap to start companies, you can be willing to... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Banking; Financial Services; Information Technology

15 Aug 2016
Research & Ideas

Black Swans and Big Trends Can Ruin Anyone's Internet Prediction

irony, given its title and topic. I had confidence in the quality of my work, but not enough to bet my job. I canceled publication and forfeited my advance. It was painful to scuttle Speed Trap, but I don’t second guess my decision: I got... View Details

Keywords: by Thomas R. Eisenmann; Technology

20 Nov 2007
First Look

First Look: November 20, 2007

Business School Supplement 508-032 Supplements the (A) case. Purchase this supplement: http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=508032 TiVo 2007: DVRs and Beyond Harvard Business School Case 708-401 Tom Rogers, CEO of TiVo, had placed multiple... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

27 Oct 2016
News

Paying It Forward

something like 800 cases—well, I was dying to do that. And it was a good bet because that was what led me to launch StopLift. Before HBS, I knew nothing about retail.” Almost 14 years later, the Cambridge, Massachusetts—based StopLift now... View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley

18 Jul 2014
News

Team Players

something niche, something trying to push the envelope," she says, "a nimble, all-hands-on-deck, collaborative environment. And in New York." There you have it: Two of Super Bowl XLVIII's MVPs are now free agents. They're rested, and they're ready. And don't View Details

Keywords: Robert S. Benchley; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Arts, Entertainment; Management of Companies and Enterprises; Management

01 Mar 2004
News

Ron Shaich’s Café Society

had taken place between 1950 and 1980. By the 1990s, consumers were seeking products and experiences that made them feel special. We decided to bet on this view of the world and put our beliefs to work at St. Louis Bread Company, which we... View Details

Keywords: Susan Young; Food Services and Drinking Places; Hospitality

01 Dec 2002
News

Mary Callahan Erdoes

questions early and often. Are bonds a good bet for those who want to reduce their reliance on equities? I have a lot of sympathy for those who are just getting into bonds now, but I still believe they should have a position in investors'... View Details

Keywords: Deborah Blagg

15 Jul 2002
Research & Ideas

Going Green Makes Good Business Sense

trade systems would help it adapt more easily to new regulations than its competitors. ("This looked like a better bet maybe five years ago when it made this call than it does today," he allowed.) One last possibility, and a... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

15 May 2013
Research & Ideas

From McRibs to Maseratis: The Power of Scarcity Marketing

the club's "high-end supercars." This doesn't sound like a bargain. But the cost of actually owning one of these cars is mind-boggling. And we're willing to bet that members' attention stays focused on the "supercars"... View Details

Keywords: Re: Michael I. Norton

18 Nov 2010
Research & Ideas

GM’s IPO: Back to the Future

solicitation of interest from sovereign wealth funds alongside traditional buyers. IPOs require a leap of faith from investors who have to bet on a new company. The new GM wants to be just that, a corporation intent on presenting itself... View Details

Keywords: by Staff; Auto

24 Jun 2008
First Look

First Look: June 24, 2008

education networks. We find that portfolio managers place larger bets on firms they are connected to through their network, and perform significantly better on these holdings relative to their non-connected holdings. A replicating... View Details