Publications

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November 2007
Supplement

Differences at Work: Allie (C)

By: Sandra J. Sucher and Rachel Gordon

In Differences at Work: (C) HBS Case No. 9-408-056 Allie decides not to pursue a sexual harassment charge and instead remedies the situation by transferring to the marketing division in her company. She reflects on how powerless the situation made her feel and how it... View Details

Keywords: Emotions; Ethics; Working Conditions; Rank and Position; Power and Influence

January 1989
Background Note

Managing Information Technology: System Development

By: James I. Cash Jr. and Thomas H. Davenport

Provides an overview of the system development process in large organizations. Describes traditional life cycle approaches as well as more recent methods, e.g., prototyping. The objective is to familiarize students with the terminology and issues involving system... View Details

Keywords: Design; Information Technology; System

January 2005 (Revised March 2005)
Case

WorldCom, Inc.: Two Views

By: David F. Hawkins

Financial analysis is one way to detect WorldCom's fraudulent accounting. This case presents two perspectives of WorldCom: the company as viewed by security analysts and the inside view of the accounting fraud. Also looks at the company's acquisition accounting to... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Risk Management; Crime and Corruption; Accounting

December 2000 (Revised January 2001)
Background Note

Promise of Functional Foods, The

By: Ray A. Goldberg, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Laure Mougeot Stroock

This case presents a definition of functional foods or nutraceuticals (food or food ingredients that could provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients they contain), a description of some of the major obstacles to their commercialization and... View Details

Keywords: Food; Private Sector; Public Sector; Health; Product Development; Production; Commercialization; Food and Beverage Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry

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December 1994
Case

Being There: Sony Corporation and Columbia Pictures

By: Debora L. Spar

In September 1989, Sony Corp. of Japan bid $3.4 billion for Columbia Pictures. It was the highest bid ever by a Japanese company for any U.S. property. The case examines the validity of Sony's objectives in making this purchase, and also the political uproar that the... View Details

Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment; Film Entertainment; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Japan; United States

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February 1999 (Revised March 2001)
Case

Egghead to Egghead.com (A)

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Marie Bell

Over the course of 12 months in 1997 and 1998, Egghead senior management decided to shut down its 180 brick-and-mortar retail stores and move to an electronic store. The case describes the evolution of that process, and the role of its CEO George Orban, and poses... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Internet and the Web; Transformation; Decisions; Corporate Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Market Transactions; Buildings and Facilities; Retail Industry

19 Jul 2010
News

How Mercadona Fixes Retail's 'Last 10 Yards' Problem

03 Jan 2022
News

Xfund Spotlight: Tom Eisenmann of Harvard Business School

14 Jan 2019
News

Bernie Madoff’s Lesson: Beware ‘Just This Once’

24 Feb 2015
Video

Rock 100 Summit

11 Apr 2023
Research & Ideas

Is Amazon a Retailer, a Tech Firm, or a Media Company? How AI Can Help Investors Decide

technique, but that extends to a lot of other parts of the investing world. The human-plus-machine idea is making a big impact in how things are being done. There are things that machines can do that humans don’t have to do. But at the end of the day, in many View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost; Consumer Products; Real Estate; Financial Services; Retail

28 Apr 2020
Blog Post

A Crash Course in Saving a Family Business

Jiyoon Han (MBA 2021) is getting a taste of what it’s like to be a case protagonist—learning how to pivot while measuring unforeseen challenges against new opportunities. When news broke in March about how COVID-19 would affect the... View Details

01 Sep 2023
News

Preparing Global Leaders

Illustration by Davide Bonazzi The importance HBS places on fostering a global perspective among its students, program participants, and faculty members is evident when one looks at the numbers: During the past academic year, 52 percent of HBS View Details

26 Apr 2023
Cold Call Podcast

How Martine Rothblatt Started a Company to Save Her Daughter

Keywords: Re: Debora L. Spar; Pharmaceutical; Medical Devices & Supplies; Health

March 2023 (Revised June 2023)
Teaching Note

Ransomware Attack at Springhill Medical Center

By: Suraj Srinivasan and Li-Kuan (Jason) Ni

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 123-065. In July, 2019, Springhill Medical Center (“SMC”) in Mobile, Alabama fell prey to a malicious ransomware attack that crippled the hospital’s internal network systems and public-facing web page. While the hospital rushed to... View Details

May 2022
Supplement

Maestro Pizza (B): The Competition Awakens

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Fares Khrais

Maestro pizza opened its first store in 2013 after its founder, Khalid Al Omran, recognized an opportunity in Saudi Arabia to offer high quality pizza at affordable prices. The business grew rapidly and under the radar at first, but soon enough caught the attention of... View Details

August 2018
Teaching Note

IguanaFix

By: Frank V. Cespedes and Thomas Eisenmann

Teaching Note for HBS No. 817-056. IguanaFix, based in Argentina, is a platform business that connects consumers with home improvement contractors. The founders are evaluating growth options and an investment offer. The case focuses on scaling issues for a venture... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Marketing; Home Improvement Services; Marketing Management; Scaling; Entrepreneurship; Marketing; Sales; Digital Platforms; Growth and Development Strategy

January 2017
Case

Kada Orthopedics: A Bone of Contention

By: Kevin Schulman and Matt Strickland

Kada Orthopedics is a small implantable orthopedic device manufacturer founded by industry veterans trying to sell stable-technology products to an increasingly cost-conscious healthcare market. Although they have marginally successful product in early 2016, the... View Details

Keywords: Market Design; Growth And Development Strategy; Health Care; Business Startup; Growth and Development; Health Care and Treatment; Medical Specialties; Business Startups; Supply and Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States

May 2014 (Revised June 2014)
Case

Intellectual Property Strategy at North Technology Group—Sailing Downwind

By: Felix Oberholzer-Gee and William W. Fisher III

North Sails is the world's leading sailmaker. The company commands a global market share of more than 50% and is largely responsible for the rapid technological progress in the sailmaking industry over the past 30 years. CEO Tom Whidden needs to consider how to best... View Details

Keywords: Technology; Information Technology; Competitive Advantage; Intellectual Property