Publications

27 Apr 2009
Research & Ideas

Building Businesses in Turbulent Times

Battered by contracting markets and frozen credit, many businesses today are fighting for survival. Indeed, the current global financial crisis provides a mandate for restructuring. But survival is not the... View Details

Keywords: by Staff

February 2023 (Revised February 2024)
Case

Doing Business in Helsinki, Finland

By: Martin A. Sinozich, Lena Duchene, Tonia Labruyere and Daniela Beyersdorfer

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Finland. It highlights Finland's economic transformation in the decades leading up to 2024 in the context of its history, culture, and politics. The case gives an overview of some of the main... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Business and Government Relations; Corporate Strategy; Research and Development; Foreign Direct Investment; Crisis Management; Culture; Environmental Sustainability; International Relations; Food and Beverage Industry; Finland; Europe

July 2010 (Revised June 2012)
Background Note

Note: Regulation of Hedge Fund Managers in the U.K. Before and After the Global Financial Crisis

By: Robert C. Pozen and Melissa Anne Hammerle

This note will examine the regulatory framework for hedge funds in the United Kingdom (UK) before and after the financial crisis of 2008. First, it will discuss European Union (EU)-level regulation that applies to the UK as an EU member state. Second, it will discuss... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Investment Funds; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Laws and Statutes; Business and Government Relations; Financial Services Industry; European Union; United Kingdom

May 2024
Case

Naked Wines: The Profit vs. Growth Decision

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Edward A. Meyer

Nick Devlin faced a difficult strategic decision in October 2022. As the CEO of a UK-based subscription business connecting wine drinkers in the US, UK, and Australia with winemakers from around the world (which one journalist called the “Netflix of Wine”), he had to... View Details

January 1998 (Revised January 2001)
Case

Sealed Air Corporation: Globalization and Corporate Culture (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Karen Wruck

Sealed Air Corp.'s CEO and COO are considering what approach they should take to building a seamless corporate culture worldwide. Anticipating continuing growth and expansion, especially outside the United States, they are concerned with preserving and promoting the... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Expansion; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Policy; Leadership; United States; Europe; Asia

06 Oct 2014
Research & Ideas

Why Businesses Need a Language Strategy

global marketplace, it is imperative for multinational organizations to have clear language strategies. Neeley has coauthored a September Harvard Business Review article with HBS Professor View Details

Keywords: Re: Tsedal Neeley

July–August 2012
Article

A Better Way to Tax U.S. Businesses

By: Mihir Desai

The article argues that U.S. taxation reform should reduce corporate taxes, incorporate an awareness of the global marketplace, and generate revenue-neutral incentives for innovation. According to the article, a reduction in corporate tax rates would be offset by a tax... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Taxation; Globalization; Labor; Innovation and Invention; United States

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25 Jul 2023
Research & Ideas

Could a Business Model Help Big Pharma Save Lives and Profit?

advocates from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently discussed the approach at a seminar hosted by the Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society (BiGS).... View Details

Keywords: by Esther Schrader; Pharmaceutical; Health

04 Feb 2002
Research & Ideas

How To Do Business in Islamic Countries

Islamic finance and an emeritus professor of investment banking at Harvard Business School. Hayes, who continues to travel regularly to Islamic countries for research and consulting, offered advice to HBS... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

January 1998 (Revised April 1998)
Case

Sealed Air Corporation: Globalization and Corporate Culture (B)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Karen Wruck

Sealed Air Corp.'s CEO and COO are considering what approach they should take to building a seamless corporate culture worldwide. Anticipating continuing growth and expansion, especially outside the United States, they are concerned with preserving and promoting the... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Expansion; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Policy; Leadership; United States; Europe; Asia

14 Jun 2013
Talk

Why Business Can Be Good at Solving Social Problems

By: Michael E. Porter

Why do we turn to nonprofits, NGOs and governments to solve society's biggest problems? Michael Porter admits he's biased, as a business school professor, but he wants you to hear his case for letting business try to solve massive problems like climate change and... View Details

Keywords: Creating Shared Value; Strategy; Value Creation; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Profit; Scotland

September 1990
Case

Bain & Co., Inc.: Growing the Business

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

Raises management issues facing Bain & Co. in formulating its future global strategy and implementation of that strategy. View Details

Keywords: Global Strategy; Management; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Strategy; Expansion; Consulting Industry; Service Industry

Find at Harvard

November 2003 (Revised December 2003)
Case

Enabling Business Strategy with IT at the World Bank

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Brian DeLacey

World Bank IT provides services (communications, applications, video conferencing, knowledge sharing, distance learning, information sharing, client commerce, crisis management, etc.) on a global basis to the poorest countries in the globe via satellites. This case... View Details

Keywords: Information Infrastructure; Globalized Economies and Regions; Information Technology; Global Strategy; Business Strategy; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry

06 Oct 2008
Research & Ideas

Updating a Classic: Writing a Great Business Plan

ventures are "born global": They seek to address a global market and attract funding from global investors. Should a business plan be tailored in some way for a View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

March 2005 (Revised March 2006)
Case

Sealed Air Corporation: Globalization and Corporate Culture (A) (Abridged)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Karen Wruck

Sealed Air Corp.'s CEO and COO are considering what approach they should take to building a seamless corporate culture worldwide. Anticipating continuing growth and expansion, especially outside the United States, they are concerned with preserving and promoting the... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Expansion; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Policy; Leadership; United States; Europe; Asia

2017
Working Paper

International Business and Emerging Markets: A Long-Run Perspective

By: Geoffrey Jones

This working paper explores long-run patterns in the strategies of international business in developing countries. There was a massive wave of Western multinational investment in the developing world during the first wave of globalization before the 1920s. The... View Details

Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Developing Countries and Economies; History; Emerging Markets; Problems and Challenges

SSRN

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October 2003 (Revised December 2006)
Case

Corrupt Practices in International Business

By: Rafael M. Di Tella and Robert E. Kennedy

Explores various aspects of corruption in international business. This abridged case contains materials from both Corruption in International Business (A) & (B), but does not include the example "caselets." A rewritten version of earlier cases. View Details

Keywords: Globalized Firms and Management; Crime and Corruption

September 2015
Case

Doing Business in the Philippines

By: Andy Zelleke and Dawn H. Lau

This case provides an overview of some of the opportunities as well as challenges that those who plan to do business in the Philippines may face. It includes a summary of the current economic, political, and social situation in the country, and offers up-to-date... View Details

Keywords: Philippines; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Philippines