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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(3,914)
- People (16)
- News (905)
- Research (2,468)
- Events (27)
- Multimedia (47)
- Faculty Publications (1,847)
- November 2022
- Background Note
The Future of E-Commerce: Lessons from the Livestream Wars in China
By: Ayelet Israeli, Jeremy Yang and Billy Chan
This note explores the emerging multi-billion dollar commerce trend of livestream commerce. Livestream commerce is the sale of goods or services directly to consumers via live shows on digital platforms (such as social media or e-commerce platforms). It is a form of... View Details
Keywords: Retail; Retailing; E-commerce; E-Commerce Strategy; Ecommerce; Channels Of Distribution; Marketing Communication; Livestream Commerce; Marketing; Marketing Channels; Marketing Strategy; Advertising; Brands and Branding; Media; Consumer Behavior; Social Media; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; China; United States; United Kingdom
Israeli, Ayelet, Jeremy Yang, and Billy Chan. "The Future of E-Commerce: Lessons from the Livestream Wars in China." Harvard Business School Background Note 523-055, November 2022.
- January 2018
- Supplement
Jumia Nigeria PowerPoint Supplement
Founded in 2012, Jumia Nigeria, a startup effort by Germany-based Rocket Internet, aimed to become an African Amazon. The company entered the nascent market and immediately enjoyed an uptick in consumer spending fueled by the strength of Nigeria’s oil-based economy. By... View Details
- July–August 2023
- Article
Demand Learning and Pricing for Varying Assortments
By: Kris Ferreira and Emily Mower
Problem Definition: We consider the problem of demand learning and pricing for retailers who offer assortments of substitutable products that change frequently, e.g., due to limited inventory, perishable or time-sensitive products, or the retailer’s desire to... View Details
Keywords: Experiments; Pricing And Revenue Management; Retailing; Demand Estimation; Pricing Algorithm; Marketing; Price; Demand and Consumers; Mathematical Methods
Ferreira, Kris, and Emily Mower. "Demand Learning and Pricing for Varying Assortments." Manufacturing & Service Operations Management 25, no. 4 (July–August 2023): 1227–1244. (Finalist, Practice-Based Research Competition, MSOM (2021) and Finalist, Revenue Management & Pricing Section Practice Award, INFORMS (2019).)
- April 2019
- Case
Afterpay U.S.: The Omnichannel Dilemma
By: Antonio Moreno, Donald Ngwe and George Gonzalez
In 2018, Nick Molnar, the founder of the Australia-based online payment service Afterpay began its expansion to the U.S. market. The service had gained a loyal following in Australia by enabling customers to pay for online purchases through four interest-free... View Details
Keywords: Omnichannel Retail; Multi-sided Platforms; Value Creation; Business Model Innovation; Fintech; Digital Marketing; Disruptive Innovation; Business Startups; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Organization; For-Profit Firms; Change Management; Customer Value and Value Chain; Customer Relationship Management; Customer Satisfaction; Financing and Loans; Microfinance; Global Strategy; Marketing Channels; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Digital Platforms; Product Development; Supply Chain Management; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Networks; Network Effects; Internet and the Web; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States; Australia
Moreno, Antonio, Donald Ngwe, and George Gonzalez. "Afterpay U.S.: The Omnichannel Dilemma." Harvard Business School Case 519-086, April 2019.
- September 2020
- Supplement
Commonwealth Joe: January 2020 Update from CEO Robert Peck
By: Alexander J. MacKay
At the end of 2016, the leadership team of Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters—Robert Peck, Chase Damiano, and Jeremy Martin—had begun an ambitious retail expansion strategy in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for their specialty coffee business. That October, they... View Details
Keywords: Cold Brew Coffee; Specialty Coffee; On-premise Coffee Market; Retail Expansion Strategy; Entrepreneurship; Business Model; Brands and Branding; Expansion; Strategy; Decision Making; Retail Industry; Retail Industry
MacKay, Alexander J. "Commonwealth Joe: January 2020 Update from CEO Robert Peck." Harvard Business School Multimedia/Video Supplement 721-851, September 2020. (Link to Supplement.)
- 2019
- Working Paper
The Effect of Payment Choices on Online Retail: Evidence from the 2016 Indian Demonetization
By: Chaithanya Bandi, Antonio Moreno, Donald Ngwe and Zhiji Xu
The Indian banknote demonetization in 2016 was one of the most significant international events of that year. Overnight, 86% of Indian currency in circulation was declared invalid unless exchanged for new bills. The sudden and unexpected demonetization constituted a... View Details
Keywords: Cash On Delivery; Online Retail; Product Returns; Payment Methods; Digitization; Emerging Markets; Currency; Internet and the Web; Demand and Consumers; Retail Industry; India
Bandi, Chaithanya, Antonio Moreno, Donald Ngwe, and Zhiji Xu. "The Effect of Payment Choices on Online Retail: Evidence from the 2016 Indian Demonetization." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 19-123, June 2019.
- October 2022
- Supplement
Framebridge (A): Pitch Deck Supplement
By: Rembrand Koning and Alicia Dadlani
Early pitch deck. This document is a supplement to Framebridge (A): Reimagining Custom Framing 723-352. View Details
Keywords: Startup; Robotics; Framing; Retail; Business Startups; Business Strategy; Entrepreneurship; Consumer Products Industry; United States; District of Columbia; Kentucky
Koning, Rembrand, and Alicia Dadlani. "Framebridge (A): Pitch Deck Supplement." Harvard Business School Supplement 723-376, October 2022.
- 24 Mar 2021
- News
Outsider-Insider Named CEO of Amazon Web Services
Photo via LinkedIn Photo via LinkedIn On March 23, recently appointed Amazon CEO Andy Jassy (MBA 1997) named Adam Selipsky (MBA 1993) head of Amazon Web Services (AWS), a $50 billion business that contributes more than half of Amazon’s total income. For the past five... View Details
- October 2016 (Revised April 2018)
- Case
JCPenney: Back in Business
By: Elie Ofek, K. Shelette Stewart and Christine Snively
In 2016, JCPenney was in the midst of a multi-year turnaround after coming dangerously close to bankruptcy. Under CEO Marvin Ellison, the company had identified three strategic objectives—a focus on omnichannel, private label goods, and increasing revenue per... View Details
Keywords: Retail; Customer Management; Omnichannel; Turnarounds; Private Label; Promotions; Marketing Strategy; Brands and Branding; Customer Relationship Management; Goals and Objectives; Competition; Retail Industry; United States
Ofek, Elie, K. Shelette Stewart, and Christine Snively. "JCPenney: Back in Business." Harvard Business School Case 517-037, October 2016. (Revised April 2018.)
- May 2019 (Revised July 2019)
- Case
Walmart's Workforce of the Future
By: William R. Kerr and Jordan Bach-Lombardo
Faced with intense competition from Amazon, Walmart began a transformation of its operations and workforce in 2015. The goal was to create an omnichannel retail experience for customers that seamlessly joined online and offline shopping. This case explores Walmart's... View Details
Keywords: Walmart; Managing The Future Of Work; Workforce; Automation; Ecommerce; Omnichannel Retail; Operations; Transformation; Employees; Training; Information Technology; Infrastructure; Disruption; Competitive Strategy; E-commerce; Information Infrastructure; Retail Industry
Kerr, William R., and Jordan Bach-Lombardo. "Walmart's Workforce of the Future." Harvard Business School Case 819-042, May 2019. (Revised July 2019.)
- Article
Integration of Online and Offline Channels in Retail: The Impact of Sharing Reliable Inventory Availability Information
By: Santiago Gallino and Antonio Moreno
Using a proprietary data set, we analyze the impact of the implementation of a “buy-online, pick-up-in-store” (BOPS) project. The implementation of this project is associated with a reduction in online sales and an increase in store sales and traffic. These results can... View Details
Keywords: Retail Operations; Inventory Availability; Empirical Operations Management; Business Analytics; Online Retail; Ecommerce; Operations; Management; Distribution Channels; Consumer Behavior; E-commerce; Retail Industry
Gallino, Santiago, and Antonio Moreno. "Integration of Online and Offline Channels in Retail: The Impact of Sharing Reliable Inventory Availability Information." Management Science 60, no. 6 (June 2014): 1434–1451. (Finalist of Management Science Best Paper award in Operations Management.)
- February 2017 (Revised March 2017)
- Case
Link REIT
By: Siddharth Yog
Publicly listed in November 2005, Link REIT was the first real estate investment trust (REIT) in Hong Kong after the Hong Kong government decided to privatize a portfolio of community shopping malls, car parks, and fresh produce markets. Run by CEO George Hongchoy, the... View Details
Keywords: Hong Kong; REIT; Real Estate; Retail; Government; China; Housing; Public Company; Strategic Planning; Expansion; Public Equity; Real Estate Industry; Hong Kong; China
Yog, Siddharth. "Link REIT." Harvard Business School Case 217-056, February 2017. (Revised March 2017.)
- May 2020
- Case
Trust Merchant Bank
By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Pippa Tubman Armerding, Dilyana Karadzhova Botha and Salim Dewji
Trust Merchant Bank (TMB), a leading bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), needs to decide whether to enter the soon-to-be-liberalized insurance industry. Since its founding in 2004, TMB has played a pivotal role in reshaping the DRC banking landscape by... View Details
Keywords: Retail Banking; Financial Services; Financial Inclusion; Turnaround; Fintech; Banks and Banking; Financial Condition; Insurance; Corporate Strategy; Expansion; Business Model; Family Business; Entrepreneurship; Information Technology; Monopoly; Banking Industry; Insurance Industry; Africa; Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Pippa Tubman Armerding, Dilyana Karadzhova Botha, and Salim Dewji. "Trust Merchant Bank." Harvard Business School Case 720-449, May 2020.
- February 2022
- Teaching Note
Magrabi: Fulfilling the Vision for the Future
By: John Beshears
Teaching Note for “Magrabi: Fulfilling the Vision for the Future” (Harvard Business School Case No. 920-009). View Details
- Article
Organizational Emplacement as a Response to Digital Threat: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores
By: Ryan Raffaelli and Ryann Noe
This study reveals how incumbent actors leverage physical place as source of differentiation in response to the threat of digital commoditization. Through a longitudinal, qualitative analysis of the U.S. independent bookselling industry from 1995 to 2019, we outline... View Details
Keywords: Retail; Place Making; Bookstores; Industry Evolution; Digital; Commoditization; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Adaptation; Business Strategy; Digital Transformation; E-commerce; Distribution Channels; Civil Society or Community; Value Creation; Retail Industry
Raffaelli, Ryan, and Ryann Noe. "Organizational Emplacement as a Response to Digital Threat: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores." Administrative Science Quarterly (in press). (Pre-published online May 3, 2025.)
- March 2016 (Revised May 2018)
- Case
ASOS PLC
By: John R. Wells and Gabriel Ellsworth
Launched in 2000, ASOS was one of the world’s largest online fashion specialists in 2018. Focusing on young consumers aged 16–25 years, the company offered over 85,000 items on its websites, many times more than the largest fashion stores, and added several thousand... View Details
Keywords: ASOS; AsSeenOnScreen; Online Fashion; Online Apparel; Nick Beighton; Nick Robertson; E-commerce; E-Commerce Strategy; Online Retail; Multichannel Retailing; Omnichannel; Social Media; Marketplaces; Shipping; Advertising; Digital Marketing; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Startups; For-Profit Firms; Customer Focus and Relationships; Age; Gender; Currency Exchange Rate; Profit; Revenue; Geography; Geographic Scope; Global Range; Global Strategy; Globalized Firms and Management; Globalized Markets and Industries; Business History; Selection and Staffing; Journals and Magazines; Human Capital; Business or Company Management; Crisis Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Management Succession; Brands and Branding; Marketing Channels; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Product Positioning; Social Marketing; Media; Distribution; Distribution Channels; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Infrastructure; Logistics; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Strategy; Adaptation; Business Strategy; Competition; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Expansion; Vertical Integration; Segmentation; Internet and the Web; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United Kingdom; England; London
Wells, John R., and Gabriel Ellsworth. "ASOS PLC." Harvard Business School Case 716-449, March 2016. (Revised May 2018.)
- May 2016
- Case
The Inexorable Rise of Walmart? 1988—2016
By: John R. Wells and Gabriel Ellsworth
In October 2015, Walmart surprised investors by announcing that it expected flat sales growth for 2015 and growth of only 3% to 4% over the coming three years. Profits would also fall due to significant investments in people and technology. The company’s stock price... View Details
Keywords: Asda; Costco; David Glass; Convenience Stores; Discount Retailing; Dollar Stores; Doug McMillon; E-commerce; Online Retail; General Merchandise; Grocery; Lee Scott; Mike Duke; Multichannel Retailing; Omnichannel; Neighborhood Market; Sam Walton; Sam's Club; Store Formats; Supercenter; Supermarket; Warehouse Clubs; Merchandising; Walmart; Wal-Mart; Globalized Firms and Management; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Units; Business Divisions; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Organization; For-Profit Firms; Film Entertainment; Television Entertainment; Banks and Banking; Price; Profit; Revenue; Food; Global Range; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Global Strategy; Business History; Compensation and Benefits; Employees; Human Capital; Labor Unions; Wages; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Management Succession; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Distribution; Supply Chain; Supply Chain Management; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Labor and Management Relations; Strategy; Adaptation; Business Strategy; Competition; Competitive Advantage; Diversification; Expansion; Segmentation; Information Technology; Internet; Mobile Technology; Online Technology; Web; Web Sites; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States; Arkansas; Bentonville
Wells, John R., and Gabriel Ellsworth. "The Inexorable Rise of Walmart? 1988—2016." Harvard Business School Case 716-426, May 2016.
- May 2017
- Teaching Note
The Container Store
By: Tatiana Sandino and Kyle Thomas
“The Container Store” teaching note describes how the case can be taught to MBA or executive education students who are interested in developing a strong culture, implementing strategy, and managing growth. The authors wrote the case for teaching MBA courses such as... View Details
- 28 Nov 2015
- News
All I Want for Christmas Is Chocolate Brussels Sprouts
- February 2021
- Case
A Cultural Transformation at Southeastern Grocers
By: Suraj Srinivasan, Jonah S. Goldberg and Joseph A. Paul
When Anthony Hucker, the CEO of Southeastern Grocers (SEG), took over in that role in July 2017, the company was in dire financial and operational condition and was headed towards bankruptcy. SEG, the fifth largest grocery chain in the U.S. in early 2021, operated... View Details
Keywords: Business Transformation; Strategy Execution; Retail; Organizational Culture; Transformation; Growth and Development Strategy; Performance; Success; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States; Florida
Srinivasan, Suraj, Jonah S. Goldberg, and Joseph A. Paul. "A Cultural Transformation at Southeastern Grocers." Harvard Business School Case 121-049, February 2021.