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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(2,389)
- People (7)
- News (235)
- Research (1,910)
- Events (1)
- Multimedia (5)
- Faculty Publications (1,556)
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- 08 Jul 2013
- Research & Ideas
Everything Must Go: A Strategy for Store Liquidation
It's an unhappy yet unavoidable fact: Sometimes, retail chains go out of business. Moreover, even healthy chains periodically must close down some existing stores. When stores have to be liquidated—when "everything must go"—a... View Details
- October 2005
- Case
Kinko's
Over the decades, Kinko's had forged a deep emotional bond with consumers by easing their anxiety and helping them solve pressing document processing problems. By 2003, however, consumer research revealed that a confusing retail experience had eroded some of this good... View Details
- December 2005 (Revised February 2006)
- Case
Migros
By: Forest L. Reinhardt, Vincent Marie Dessain and Anders Sjoman
In October 2005, Urs Riedener, head of marketing at Swiss retailer Migros, is contemplating the company's competitive position. Primarily a retailer for foods and near-foods products, the cooperative Migros, with close to 600 retail outlets in Switzerland (but only... View Details
Keywords: Competitive Advantage; Corporate Governance; Corporate Strategy; Cooperative Ownership; Supply Chain Management; Product Marketing; Environmental Sustainability; Social Enterprise; Business or Company Management; Marketing Strategy; Retail Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Switzerland
- December 1992
- Supplement
Wal-Mart Ventures into Mexico
By: David B. Yoffie and Jonathan Ginns
Introduces Wal-Mart's initial plans to enter the Mexican retail market. Designed for use with Wal-Mart Stores' Discount Operations. View Details
Yoffie, David B., and Jonathan Ginns. "Wal-Mart Ventures into Mexico." Harvard Business School Supplement 793-071, December 1992.
- February 2017 (Revised March 2018)
- Case
BIM: Finding New Ways to Grow
By: Michael Chu and Gamze Yucaoglu
BIM, Turkey’s giant retailer with a hard-discount model for the popular segments, must decide whether to launch a brand-new format challenging the modern supermarkets. Since its founding in 1995, BIM has adhered to a business model based on a relentless focus on costs... View Details
Keywords: Turkey; Decision; Emerging Markets; Private Sector; For-Profit Firms; Business Model; Business Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Growth and Development Strategy; Value Creation; Change Management; Decisions; Growth Management; Retail Industry; Turkey
Chu, Michael, and Gamze Yucaoglu. "BIM: Finding New Ways to Grow." Harvard Business School Case 317-097, February 2017. (Revised March 2018.)
- 2022
- Working Paper
The Effect of Employee Lateness and Absenteeism on Store Performance
By: Caleb Kwon and Ananth Raman
We empirically analyze the effects of employee lateness and absenteeism on store performance by examining 25.5 million employee shift timecards covering more than 100,000 employees across more than 500 U.S. retail grocery store locations over a four year time period.... View Details
Kwon, Caleb, and Ananth Raman. "The Effect of Employee Lateness and Absenteeism on Store Performance." Working Paper, August 2022.
- March 2002 (Revised May 2010)
- Case
Apple Stores
This case reveals the genesis of the Apple Stores, a revolutionary retail concept launched by Ron Johnson, Apple Computer's senior vice president of retail. In January 2002, Apple Computer was at the eve of one of the most stunning commercial successes ever known in... View Details
Keywords: Competitive Advantage; Marketing Channels; Consumer Behavior; Innovation and Invention; Computer Industry; Computer Industry
Wathieu, Luc R., and Kevin Morris. "Apple Stores." Harvard Business School Case 502-063, March 2002. (Revised May 2010.)
- February 2001 (Revised December 2002)
- Case
Marshall Field and the Rise of the Department Store
By: Nancy F. Koehn
Analyzes Marshall Field's efforts to develop a market for mass retailing in late 19th-century Chicago. Examines Chicago's expansion in the 1860s and, within this context, how Field struck out on his own to, build a wholesale and retail business. Concentrates on the... View Details
Keywords: Fluctuation; Industry Growth; Corporate Strategy; Entrepreneurship; Brands and Branding; Society; Distribution Industry; Distribution Industry; Chicago
Koehn, Nancy F. "Marshall Field and the Rise of the Department Store." Harvard Business School Case 801-349, February 2001. (Revised December 2002.)
- August 2010 (Revised November 2010)
- Case
Tesco PLC: Fresh & Easy in the United States
By: John A. Quelch
Tesco, the world's third largest retailer, is facing problems with its launch of a new retail chain in the U.S. View Details
Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Marketing; Market Entry and Exit; Retail Industry; United Kingdom; United States
Quelch, John A. "Tesco PLC: Fresh & Easy in the United States." Harvard Business School Case 511-009, August 2010. (Revised November 2010.)
- 18 Apr 2005
- Research & Ideas
Tips to Reinvent the Department Store
Here's a snapshot of department stores today: Regional brands have all but disappeared; larger players like Federated and May are merging their multi-brand companies, and consolidation continues. Meanwhile, all sorts of retailers from... View Details
- May 1994 (Revised March 2008)
- Case
Barilla SpA (A)
Barilla SpA, an Italian manufacturer that sells to its retailers largely through third-party distributors, experienced widely fluctuating demand patterns from its distributors during the late 1980s. This case describes a proposal to address the problem by implementing... View Details
Keywords: Order Taking and Fulfillment; Logistics; Supply Chain; Technology; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Italy
Hammond, Janice H. "Barilla SpA (A)." Harvard Business School Case 694-046, May 1994. (Revised March 2008.)
- January 1973 (Revised September 1990)
- Case
Carrefour S.A.
Involves a very rapidly growing retail chain that is financing itself in an unusual (and at first glance) risky fashion. View Details
Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Financing and Loans; Risk and Uncertainty; Retail Industry
Fruhan, William E., Jr. "Carrefour S.A." Harvard Business School Case 273-099, January 1973. (Revised September 1990.)
- Research Summary
Research Questions
By: Anita Elberse
One overarching question drives my research: What are effective marketing strategies for managers in creative industries?
I focus on three sub-questions:
- How can managers in creative industries effectively manage products and product... View Details
- July 1999 (Revised June 2000)
- Case
Edward Jones
By: Michael E. Porter and Gregory C. Bond
Edward Jones is a leading, highly profitable retail brokerage firm with a unique strategy very different from those of its rivals. The case describes Jones's activities and allows a rich discussion of its positioning choices, supporting activities, and tradeoffs. Jones... View Details
Keywords: Financial Institutions; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Business Strategy; Competition; Competitive Strategy; Banking Industry; Banking Industry
Porter, Michael E., and Gregory C. Bond. "Edward Jones." Harvard Business School Case 700-009, July 1999. (Revised June 2000.)
- September 2023 (Revised May 2025)
- Teaching Note
On
By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Karolin Frankenberger, Sascha Mader, Jordan Mitchell and Karen Elterman
Teaching Note for "On," HBS Case No. 723-430. On is a premium performance running shoe company founded in Switzerland in 2010. The company rapidly gained traction through its unique CloudTec cushioning technology, its innovative midsole plate called the Speedboard, and... View Details
Keywords: Brands and Branding; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Startups; Business Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Customer Focus and Relationships; Customer Satisfaction; Digital Marketing; Disruptive Innovation; Distribution Channels; Entrepreneurship; Environmental Sustainability; Global Strategy; Initial Public Offering; Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Marketing Strategy; Product Design; Product Development; Product Marketing; Social Media; Strategy; Supply Chain Management; Technological Innovation; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Retail Industry; Sports Industry; Europe; Germany; Switzerland; United States
- September 2023 (Revised August 2025)
- Supplement
On
By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Karolin Frankenberger, Sascha Mader, Jordan Mitchell and Karen Elterman
Slides to support the teaching of the On case, 723-430. On is a premium performance running shoe company founded in Switzerland in 2010. The company rapidly gained traction through its unique CloudTec cushioning technology, its innovative midsole plate called the... View Details
Keywords: Brands and Branding; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Startups; Business Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Customer Focus and Relationships; Customer Satisfaction; Digital Marketing; Disruptive Innovation; Distribution Channels; Entrepreneurship; Environmental Sustainability; Global Strategy; Initial Public Offering; Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Marketing Strategy; Product Design; Product Development; Product Marketing; Social Media; Strategy; Supply Chain Management; Technological Innovation; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Europe; Germany; Switzerland; United States
- November 2018 (Revised December 2018)
- Case
CalSTRS Takes on Gun Violence
By: Vikram S Gandhi and Caitlin Reimers
In Spring of 2018, Chris Ailman, CIO of the $200 billion pension plan for California public school teachers (CalSTRS) was mandated by his board to “prioritize engagement with makers and retailers of firearms in California” following a series of gun-related tragedies in... View Details
Keywords: Pension Funds; Pension Plan; Asset Allocation; Screening; ESG; Gun Violence; Business and Government Relations; Values and Beliefs; Education Industry; California; United States
Gandhi, Vikram S., and Caitlin Reimers. "CalSTRS Takes on Gun Violence." Harvard Business School Case 819-079, November 2018. (Revised December 2018.)
- March 2000 (Revised May 2000)
- Case
Spec's Music (A)
By: John A. Davis and Susan Harmeling
Presents the story of a music retailer in Miami which started in the late 1940s, grew throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and went public in 1985 before experiencing a deep industry crisis in the mid-1990s. At issue in 1996 is whether the company should attempt to sell... View Details
Keywords: History; Family Business; Business Exit or Shutdown; Decision Choices and Conditions; Management Succession; Entrepreneurship; Crisis Management; Performance Improvement; Music Industry; Miami
Davis, John A., and Susan Harmeling. "Spec's Music (A)." Harvard Business School Case 800-336, March 2000. (Revised May 2000.)
- December 2010
- Case
Leadership, Culture, and Transition at lululemon
By: Michael Tushman, Ruth Page and Tom Ryder
The case examines leadership and organizational change within a strong culture context through a multimedia study of lululemon, a specialty retailer of high-end athletic apparel. Video segments trace the company's history from its founding in 1998 as a single retail... View Details
Keywords: Leading Change; Organizational Culture; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Change Management; Transition; Growth Management; Management Teams; Organizational Structure; Governing and Advisory Boards; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Vancouver; United States
Tushman, Michael, Ruth Page, and Tom Ryder. "Leadership, Culture, and Transition at lululemon." Harvard Business School Multimedia/Video Case 410-705, December 2010.
- December 2015
- Article
Does Planning Regulation Protect Independent Retailers?
By: Raffaella Sadun
Regulations aimed at curbing the entry of large retail stores have been introduced in many countries to protect independent retailers. Analyzing a planning reform launched in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, I show that independent retailers were actually harmed by the... View Details
Sadun, Raffaella. "Does Planning Regulation Protect Independent Retailers?" Review of Economics and Statistics 97, no. 5 (December 2015): 983–1001.