Publications

20 Apr 2017
Blog Post

Why I Love My Job: Ching Ching Chen On Her Passion For the Music Industry

music, as major players make significant changes to their business model in an effort to adapt to technological changes. We are at a critical inflection point, and the opportunity to shape the direction of the industry inspires me... View Details

Keywords: Entertainment / Media / Sports

13 Mar 2014
Research & Ideas

Can We Get To Where We Need To Go?

together and unlocked private sector innovation and drove growth opportunities for those living in communities located near train stations, she said. What the country needs... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Transportation; Air Transportation; Auto

February 1999
Case

Lifeline Systems, Inc. (B)

By: H. Kent Bowen and Marilyn Matis

In 1997, Lifeline Systems continues to grow its service business to $32 million, 56% of the company's total revenues. More local hospital Lifeline programs turn over their monitoring service to Lifeline Central, expanding the company's subscriber base by 30%. The... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Information Technology; Expansion; Cost Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Partners and Partnerships; Change; Customer Relationship Management; Service Operations; Age; Investment; Health Industry; Technology Industry; Cambridge; Boston

21 Nov 2016
Research & Ideas

It Matters That Your CEO Doesn't Know Much About Sales

planning is a great strategy (a big if), the process often makes it irrelevant to what is happening in sales.” Companies should treat strategic planning as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event,... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

January 2025 (Revised March 2025)
Case

Hunter Point Capital

By: Josh Lerner, John D. Dionne and Srimayi Mylavarapu

In the spring of 2023, Hunter Point Capital faced a pivotal decision that could define its trajectory as a new player in the growing GP stakes business. As the firm neared completion of three high-profile GP stakes investments, consuming nearly a third of its initial... View Details

Keywords: Investment Funds; Business Strategy; Diversification; Expansion; Growth and Development Strategy; Opportunities

01 Mar 2008
News

HBS Records an “Excellent” Year

Fiscal year 2007 “proved to be an excellent financial and operational year for Harvard Business School,” declared CFO Richard Melnick (MBA ’92) in the School’s newly released annual report. He cited continued View Details

Keywords: Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Business Schools & Computer & Management Training

29 May 2007
First Look

First Look: May 29, 2007

Business School Case 707-474 In 2006, newspaper firms in developed markets were severely threatened on three fronts: the growth of online news, online classified advertising, and free newspapers. Schibsted,... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

18 Nov 2014
First Look

First Look: November 18

case examines the dilemmas Hastings faced as he planned the contest, such as whether to use an existing crowdsourcing platform or create his own, what company information to expose, how to protect customer privacy while making internal... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 1997 (Revised May 1998)
Case

ASIMCO: The Alliance Brewing Group

ASIMCO is a direct investment fund with $350 million invested in 17 Chinese joint ventures in the brewing and auto components industries. The CEO must decide whether to invest in distribution to grow the brewing business or to invest in additional manufacturing joint... View Details

Keywords: Production; Distribution; Joint Ventures; Decision Making; Investment Funds; Growth and Development Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; China

Find at Harvard

March 2010 (Revised November 2010)
Case

Pandora Radio: Fire Unprofitable Customers?

By: Willy C. Shih and Halle Alicia Tecco

Pandora Radio is at a crossroads. Founder Tim Westergren has just been told by a well known VC to get rid of his unprofitable customers in order to get his costs down, but Westergren is not sure that such actions are consistent with his company's business model.... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Customer Satisfaction; Music Entertainment; Venture Capital; Profit; Growth and Development Strategy; Consumer Behavior; Internet; Media and Broadcasting Industry

February 1997 (Revised December 1997)
Case

Arbor Health Care Company

By: Myra M. Hart and Stephanie Dodson

A venture-funded start-up runs into trouble when health care reimbursement policies change radically. With the help of its board, the company develops a new strategy, becomes profitable, and makes a public offering. The second wave of changes introduced by Clinton... View Details

Keywords: Industry Structures; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Succession; Business Startups; Transformation; Strategy; Venture Capital; Policy; Initial Public Offering; Health Industry

November 2001
Case

Korea-Tender

By: Das Narayandas and Kate Attea

Korea-Tender is a closed-bidding auction company trying to break even and must select the best opportunity to increase membership and revenue. It can continue its current model with heavy advertising, try to modify its costs, or develop an additional business model... View Details

Keywords: Auctions; Business Model; Advertising; Business Startups; Problems and Challenges; Marketing Strategy; Revenue; Growth and Development Strategy

22 Aug 2019
News

Getting There

(via Bloomberg Technology) (via Bloomberg Technology) In an interview with Bloomberg Technology, Anthony Tan (MBA 2011) and Hooi Ling Tan (MBA 2011), the cofounders of Grab, chronicle the company’s explosive View Details

Keywords: Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation; Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation

June 2011 (Revised January 2013)
Case

Home Essentials: Building a Global Service Business with Local Operations

By: Lynda M. Applegate, William R. Kerr and David Lane

Chris Exline founded Home Essentials, a furniture rental business targeted toward expatriates, in Singapore but rapidly moved the base of operations to Hong Kong. The company was highly successful in Singapore and Hong Kong and then pursued rapid global expansion.... View Details

Keywords: Growth Management; Renting or Rental; Corporate Governance; Global Strategy; Failure; Singapore; Hong Kong

January 2006 (Revised April 2007)
Case

General Electric Healthcare, 2006

By: Tarun Khanna and Elizabeth Raabe

In January 2006, Joe Hogan, head of General Electric (GE) Healthcare Technologies, prepared to step into William Castell's shoes as CEO of GE Healthcare, the world's leading manufacturer of diagnostic imaging equipment. In 2004, former CEO Jeff Immelt acquired Amersham... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Cost vs Benefits; Growth and Development Strategy; Mergers and Acquisitions; Machinery and Machining; Global Range; Multinational Firms and Management; Product Design; Technological Innovation; Expansion; Value Creation; Business Subsidiaries; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

February 2003 (Revised September 2003)
Case

NanoGene Technologies, Inc.

Describes a company during the start-up phase and focuses on the founders' decisions regarding splitting the equity and compensation. Also considers establishing policies and practices that will set the tone for the company as it grows. Discusses a number of specific... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Business or Company Management; Compensation and Benefits; Selection and Staffing; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Culture; Policy; Technology Industry