Publications

October 1981 (Revised August 1985)
Case

Vicks Health Care Division: Project Scorpio (C)

Reveals that the new products executives have decided to recommend national expansion. They have to develop a justification and preliminary marketing plan. Emphasizes consumer and trade promotion options. Students have to complete a five-year projected P&L statement. View Details

Keywords: Product Positioning; Health Care and Treatment; Product Launch; Health Industry

May 2025
Teaching Note

Boutiqaat: Influencing Retail in MENA

By: Juan Alcacer and Noor Al Qadhi

Boutiqaat, a Kuwait-based e-commerce platform, scaled an influencer-driven beauty retail model across MENA and now faces critical strategic choices about offline expansion and globalization. Founded in 2015, Boutiqaat combined social commerce, localized logistics, and... View Details

Keywords: Emerging Markets; Digital Strategy; Growth and Development; Expansion; Global Strategy; Distribution Channels; Business Model; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Kuwait; Saudi Arabia; Middle East; North Africa

February 2011 (Revised November 2012)
Case

Aquion Energy

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and David Kiron

Leaders at Aquion Energy, a Pittsburgh-based battery start-up, are deciding on a market entry strategy. Should they pursue the large but unproven grid utility market or a smaller, but higher margin market? View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Production; Business Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Innovation Strategy; Disruptive Innovation; Market Entry and Exit; Performance Capacity; Energy Industry

February 2014
Teaching Note

A.P. Møller–Maersk Group: Evaluating Strategic Talent Management Initiatives

By: Boris Groysberg, Sarah L. Abbott and Robin Abrahams

This teaching note is an accompaniment to the case, A.P. Møller–Maersk Group: Evaluating Strategic Talent Management Initiatives. The case reviews the talent management issues being discussed at Maersk Group, a global conglomerate with large shipping and oil & gas... View Details

Keywords: Retention; Human Capital; Human Resources; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Management Practices and Processes; Shipping Industry; Shipping Industry; Denmark

Srikant M. Datar became the eleventh dean of Harvard Business School on 1 January 2021. During his tenure as a faculty member, he served as Senior Associate Dean for University Affairs (including Faculty Chair of the Harvard Innovation Lab), for Research, for... View Details

Keywords: accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry; accounting industry

09 Jul 2018
Research & Ideas

Overcoming the Challenges of Selling Brand New Technology (Hey, Need a 3-D Printer?)

startup figuring out how to market a 3-D printer. “You should approach a product launch as an organizational process, and start with the buyers, not the product” Although 3-D printers have been around since... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Industrial Products; Industrial Products; Industrial Products; Industrial Products; Industrial Products; Industrial Products; Industrial Products; Industrial Products

March 2007 (Revised August 2009)
Case

Will RacingThePlanet Ltd. Reach the Finish Line?

Mary Gadams, founder and CEO of RacingThePlanet is facing one of the many logistical crises that her young Hong Kong-based venture faces as it stages its popular 4Deserts(tm) adventure marathon series in Atacama Chile, Gobi Desert Mongolia, Sahara Desert Egypt, and... View Details

Keywords: Global Range; Business or Company Management; Logistics; Entrepreneurship; Globalization; Sports Industry; Sports Industry; Hong Kong; Egypt; Mongolia; Chile; Antarctica

September 1990 (Revised June 1991)
Case

Otis Elevator Co.: China Joint Venture (A)

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

Examines Otis's market entry strategy in China through a joint venture with Tianjin Elevator Works. The teaching objective is a basic evaluation of a joint venture in a developing country. May be used with Otis Elevator Co.: China Joint Venture (B1), (B2), and (D). View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Developing Countries and Economies; Global Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Construction Industry; Construction Industry; China

2000
Book

Merchants to Multinationals

By: Geoffrey Jones

This book examines the evolution of multinational trading companies from the eighteenth century to the present day. During the Industrial Revolution, British merchants established overseas branches which became major trade intermediaries, and later engaged in foreign... View Details

Keywords: Competency and Skills; Trade; Foreign Direct Investment; Multinational Firms and Management; Corporate Governance; Growth and Development; Human Resources; Information Management; Relationships; Corporate Strategy; Africa; Asia; Latin America

October 1991 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Becton Dickinson & Company: VACUTAINER Systems Division (Condensed)

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Frank V. Cespedes

Becton Dickinson, a phenomenally successful company with an 80% market share in the blood collection needles and syringes market faces a change in the customer buying environment (cost containment pressures at hospitals). This forces a reevaluation of the company's... View Details

Keywords: Business Divisions; Customer Satisfaction; Demand and Consumers; Market Participation; Distribution Channels; Success; Corporate Strategy; Value Creation; Health Industry

13 May 2010
Working Paper Summaries

Just Say No to Wall Street: Putting A Stop to the Earnings Game

Keywords: by Joseph Fuller & Michael C. Jensen; Financial Services

March 1975 (Revised April 1985)
Case

L'eggs Products, Inc. (Condensed)

Describes designing an advertising or promotion program to sustain the momentum on L'eggs successful market entry. View Details

Keywords: Market Entry and Exit; Advertising Campaigns; Consumer Products Industry

December 1999 (Revised March 2000)
Case

Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

By: Ray A. Goldberg, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Cate Reavis

In the fall of 1999, Kumio Egashira, president of Ajinomoto, a 90-year old, Japan-based processed foods and specialty chemicals company, and his team of senior executives were deciding how to globally maximize the synergies that existed between their food and amino... View Details

Keywords: Management Teams; Food; Chemicals; Globalization; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Japan

January 2008 (Revised August 2012)
Case

Retail Sales of Health Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Grady Clouse

The BCBS of Florida is contemplating whether to enter the consumer-driven health care market and if so, whether to target such groups—and individuals—and in which of its geographic markets, and how. View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Nonprofit Organizations; Strategy; Insurance; Insurance Industry; Florida

Research Summary

Overview

By: Michael W. Toffel

My research examines how companies manage environmental issues, occupational safety, and working conditions in global supply chains. More recently, I have also begun researching the drivers and implications of CEO activism, where organizational leaders speak out on... View Details

June 2008
Article

Current State of Fellowship Hiring: Is a Universal Match Necessary? Is It Possible?

By: Christopher D. Harner, Anil S. Ranawat, Muriel Niederle, Alvin E. Roth, Peter J. Stern, Shepard R. Hurwitz, William Levine, G. Paul DeRosa and Serena S. Hu

Currently, approximately ninety percent of the six hundred twenty graduating orthopaedic residents are planning on entering a post-graduate fellowship. Since January of 2005, two of the largest fellowship match programs, Sports Medicine and Spine Surgery, were... View Details

Keywords: Medical Specialties; Recruitment; Selection and Staffing; Employment; Market Timing; Marketplace Matching; Health Industry