Publications

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March 2024 (Revised February 2025)
Case

Doing Business in Buenos Aires, Argentina

By: Joseph B. Fuller, Alan D. MacCormack, Nori Gerardo Lietz, Leonard A. Schlesinger, Karina Souza and Zeke Gillman

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Argentina. It highlights Argentina's economic and political transformation in the decades leading up to 2024. The case gives an overview of some of the main obstacles faced by businesses operating... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Business and Government Relations; Corporate Strategy; Transformation; Economy; Air Transportation; Air Transportation Industry; Transportation Industry; Argentina; Latin America; Buenos Aires

July 1984 (Revised April 1997)
Case

British Airways

By: John A. Quelch

British Airways (BA) has recently introduced a global advertising campaign. The development of the campaign and its implementation are discussed. BA and advertising agency executives must renew the campaign and resolve issues pertaining to its future direction. View Details

Keywords: Air Transportation; Globalization; Advertising Campaigns; Air Transportation Industry; England

October 2019 (Revised June 2020)
Supplement

Airbus vs. Boeing (G): New Planes and Upgrades (2011)

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Karen Elterman

This case describes the first commercial flight of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner in 2011, three years after originally planned, as well as the first commercial flight of Airbus' superjumbo, the A380, in 2007. It also describes the companies' current endeavors in 2011,... View Details

Keywords: Airbus; Boeing; Product Development; Air Transportation; Projects; Competition; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry

01 Mar 2017
News

3-Minute Briefing: Wick Moorman (MBA 1989)

When I stepped down from Norfolk Southern after 45 years, I absolutely did not plan to take another job. I said no to Amtrak. Then they called again. I negotiated hard, obviously, for compensation. I’m making a dollar a year. . . . I think passenger rail View Details

Keywords: April White

02 May 2016
News

Can Brian Shortsleeve Fix the MBTA’s Budget Woes?

The Boston Globe has a long feature on Brian Shortsleeve (MBA 2001), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) new chief administrator. The piece notes Shortsleeve’s challenge: $5.5 billion in debt and a $7 billion... View Details

April 2016
Teaching Note

HNA Group: Global Excellence with Chinese Characteristics

By: William C. Kirby and Joycelyn W. Eby

This teaching note is designed to support the teaching of HBS case number 316-013, "HNA Group: Global Excellence with Chinese Characteristics." View Details

Keywords: Corporate Culture; Airline Industry; China; Cross-cultural Adaptation; Air Transportation; Business Conglomerates; Globalization; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Air Transportation Industry; China

Praised by his employees at American, Smith led the passenger transport revolution in the airline industry. Under Smith’s guidance, American became the first airline to use the popular DC-3 planes in 1936, allowing the carrier to turn its... View Details

Keywords: Transportation

01 Dec 2022
News

Flying High

Subramanian and Pelet, on the runway with Aero (Courtesy Uma Subramanian) Subramanian and Pelet, on the runway with Aero (Courtesy Uma Subramanian) When Uma Subramanian (MBA 2008) joined Aero Technologies as CEO in March 2019, the company was “just a kernel of an... View Details

Keywords: April White; aviation; airlines; entrepreneurship; leadership; innovation; Air Transportation; Air Transportation

25 Aug 2022
News

In My Humble Opinion: Road Tested

industry. “The transportation industry is very transaction-intensive,” Gregg observes. “A driver might work for a different employer for each and every load—so there’s a lot of opportunity for friction.” The company’s products include... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; trucking; leadership; fintech; career

October 2019
Supplement

Airbus vs. Boeing (I): Airbus Introduces the A350 (2015)

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Karen Elterman

This case describes the introduction of Airbus’ A350XWB (Xtra Wide Body) in 2015. It also describes Airbus and Boeing’s current endeavors in 2015, including Airbus’ development of the A330neo (new engine option) , Boeing’s work on the 737 MAX, and Boeing’s announcement... View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Air Transportation; Projects; Competition; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry; United States; Europe

August 2023 (Revised September 2023)
Case

T.G.S. Transportation: Battery Electric or Hydrogen?

By: Willy C. Shih

Peter Schneider, the President of T.G.S. Transportation, Inc., faced a choice. His company operated drayage trucks that moved containerized cargo between the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland to customers across the State of California, with a focus on the... View Details

Keywords: Decarbonization; Clean Technology; Energy; Energy Policy; Renewable Energy; Environmental Sustainability; Truck Transportation; Transportation Industry; United States; California

June 2002
Case

Tale of Two Airlines in the Network Age: Or Why the Spirit of King George III Is Alive and Well!

By: F. Warren McFarlan

Describes an airline service incident that ought not to have happened in the network age. Inadequate use of available technology creates service problems. A rewritten version of an earlier case. View Details

Keywords: Air Transportation; Information Management; Information Technology; Service Delivery; Problems and Challenges; Air Transportation Industry

01 Sep 2013
News

Who Are We?

and Pepsi aren't comfortable with this. "But if they have any brains, they're going to get into this for real," Birnbaum says. "Because it is happening." —DM TRANSPORTATION Matthew Moore and Jessica Le Roy Moore Union Pacific Railroad... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Julia Hanna; Dan Morrell; social media,; Twitter; SodaStream; consulting; consultant; CEO; farming; Rail Transportation; Rail Transportation; Rail Transportation; Rail Transportation; Rail Transportation; Rail Transportation; Rail Transportation

December 2019 (Revised June 2020)
Case

The New LAX: Ready for Takeoff?

By: Boris Groysberg, Kerry Herman and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Chair of LAX Board Sean Burton and LAX CEO Deborah Flint have made progress on streamlining and modernizing LAX's complex capital projects ($12 billion worth) while reorganizing and retooling Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA) staff resources, management processes, and... View Details

Keywords: Leadership And Change Management; Leadership; Change Management; Performance Improvement; Strategic Planning; Air Transportation; Outcome or Result; Air Transportation Industry; Los Angeles

July 2005 (Revised June 2006)
Case

Ryanair Holdings plc

Examines the valuation of an Irish airline that reported its first decline in net income in 2004 and saw a 30% stock price drop on the news. Ryanair is a low-cost, low-fare airline headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, operating over 200 routes in 20 countries. The company... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; International Accounting; Analysis; Valuation; Air Transportation; Forecasting and Prediction; Finance; Air Transportation Industry; Dublin

August 1994
Case

Southwest Airlines: 1993 (Abridged Update)

By: James L. Heskett

Southwest Airlines management is faced with increasing competition. It must decide which of several route extensions provide the appropriate competitive response while preserving the internal culture that has made the airline so successful. View Details

Keywords: Air Transportation; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Management Teams; Organizational Culture; Air Transportation Industry

1996
Chapter

The Mexican Toll Roads Program

By: Willis Emmons

Keywords: Infrastructure; Transportation; Taxation; Programs; Transportation Industry; Mexico