Publications

October 2022
Supplement

Henkel: Building a Winning Culture (C)

By: Robert L. Simons and Carolyn Deller

This three-page case is the second update to Henkel: Building a Winning Culture (A). In this supplement, dated 2015, managers discuss the problems that are emerging with the company’s performance management system and offer several potential solutions that students can... View Details

Keywords: Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Problems and Challenges

October 1992 (Revised May 1993)
Background Note

Diversity in Accounting Principles: A Problem, a Strategic Imperative, or a Strategic Opportunity?

By: William J. Bruns Jr.

Provides an introduction to the diversity of generally accepted accounting principles. An example shows how financial reports in one firm could differ depending on accounting methods and principles selected. Presents arguments that this may be a problem, an imperative... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Problems and Challenges; Strategy; Opportunities

1989
Other Unpublished Work

HBS Instructor's Guide to The Defense Management Challenge: See professor for copy

By: J. Ronald Fox

Keywords: National Security; Management; Problems and Challenges

24 Jun 2013
Research & Ideas

Is Your iPhone Turning You Into a Wimp?

What kind of a device are you using to read this article? And what does your body posture look like? Are you hunching over a smartphone screen, arms tightly at your side? Are you slouching over an iPad or laptop? Or are you stretched out comfortably in an office chair,... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Technology; Consumer Products

28 Apr 2011
Working Paper Summaries

When Smaller Menus are Better: Variability in Menu-Setting Ability and 401(k) Plans

Keywords: by David Goldreich & Hanna Halaburda

January 2, 2020
Article

Medicare for All or Public Option: Can Either Heal Health Care?

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Wallace

The United States has serious health care problems: More than 27 million uninsured people, costs that are growing faster than income, and a staggering $37 trillion of unfunded liabilities in the Medicare program. Perhaps most alarming: The US ranks lowest among... View Details

Keywords: Healthcare; Public Option; Medicare; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Cost Management; Problems and Challenges; United States

Article

Administrative Costs Associated with Physician Billing and Insurance-Related Activities at an Academic Health Care System

By: Phillip Tseng, Robert S. Kaplan, Barak D. Richman, Mahek A. Shah and Kevin A. Schulman

The federal government mandated adoption of certified electronic health record systems (EHR), at least in part, to reduce administrative costs for physicians. This study used time-driven activity-based costing to determine the administrative costs associated with... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Cost Management; Insurance; Problems and Challenges

May 2009
Article

Lobbies and Technology Diffusion

By: Diego Comin and Bart Hobijn

This paper explores whether lobbies slow down technology diffusion. To answer this question, we exploit the differential effect of various institutional attributes that should affect the costs of erecting barriers when the new technology has a technologically close... View Details

Keywords: Technology Adoption; Cost; Problems and Challenges; Knowledge Dissemination; Competition

November 1998 (Revised June 2001)
Case

Global Beer

Two young American entrepreneurs working in Japan have rapidly established an importing business to take advantage of new regulations permitting microbrewers and brewpubs. Options for further growth include an international brewpub franchise, alliances with Japanese... View Details

Keywords: Trade; Problems and Challenges; Business Startups; Globalized Markets and Industries; Food and Beverage Industry; Japan; United States

15 Feb 2008
Working Paper Summaries

Embracing Commitment and Performance: CEOs and Practices Used to Manage Paradox

Keywords: by Tobias Fredberg, Michael Beer, Russell Eisenstat, Nathaniel Foote & Flemming Norrgren

August 1985
Case

CML Group, Inc.: Going Public (C)

By: William A. Sahlman

Contains a description of some issues confronting management of CML Group. They have decided to go public, have selected an underwriting team, and must make final decisions about the size, composition and pricing of the issue. Because stock prices have fallen since the... View Details

Keywords: Initial Public Offering; Going Public; Problems and Challenges; Consumer Products Industry; Retail Industry

Spring 2021
Article

Building Cities' Collaborative Muscle

By: Jorrit De Jong, Amy C. Edmondson, Mark Moore, Hannah Riley-Bowles, Jan Rivkin, Eva Flavia Martínez Orbegozo and Santiago Pulido-Gomez

The most pressing social problems facing cities today require multiagency and cross-sector solutions. We offer tools and techniques to facilitate the process of diagnosing and solving problems by breaking down silos to build up cities. View Details

Keywords: Collaboration; Cross-sector Collaboration; City; Governance; Problems and Challenges; Cooperation

April 11, 2010
Article

Solving Jobs Crisis Won't Be a Quick Fix

By: William W. George

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Problems and Challenges

December 2001 (Revised April 2003)
Case

Delays at Logan Airport

By: V.G. Narayanan and George Batta

Logan Airport is facing mounting delays for flights landings and takeoffs, especially in inclement weather. An additional runway and peak-period pricing are two alternatives being considered. View Details

Keywords: Price; Problems and Challenges; Decision Making; Mathematical Methods; Air Transportation Industry; Service Industry; Boston

2019
Working Paper

Intelligent Artificiality: Algorithmic Microfoundations for Strategic Problem Solving

By: Mihnea Moldoveanu

This paper introduces algorithmic micro-foundations for formulating and solving strategic problems. It shows how the languages and disciplines of theoretical computer science, “artificial intelligence,” and computational complexity theory can be used to devise a set of... View Details

Keywords: Problems and Challenges; Analysis; Strategy; Framework; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Mathematical Methods

June 2018
Supplement

Knowledge Sharing at REMA 1000 (B)

By: Tatiana Sandino and Olivia Hull

Supplement to HBS No. 118-007, "Knowledge Sharing at REMA 1000 (A)." Chief Human Resources Officer Tore Høylie was proud of REMA 1000 (REMA)’s strong employee engagement with Workplace, Facebook’s corporate social media platform; however, some users complained that the... View Details

Keywords: Social Network; Enterprise Social Media; Facebook; Workplace; Social and Collaborative Networks; Communication Technology; Problems and Challenges; Social Media; Retail Industry; Norway

1982
Book

Managing Business-Government Relations: Cases and Notes on Business-Government Problems

By: J. Ronald Fox

Keywords: Management; Business Ventures; Government and Politics; Relationships; Information; Cases; Problems and Challenges

August 2010 (Revised July 2011)
Supplement

Erik Peterson at Biometra (C)

By: John J. Gabarro, Thomas J. DeLong and Jevan Soo

Describes the outcome of Erik Peterson's meetings over the course of two days with a number of senior executives from the parent company. Students should have read the (A) and (B) cases. The (C) case may be assigned with the (D) case. A redisguised and updated version... View Details

Keywords: Conferences; Leadership; Management; Product Launch; Problems and Challenges

November 2007 (Revised May 2008)
Case

Creativity under the Gun at Litmus Corporation

By: Teresa M. Amabile and Yana Litovsky

Teaches students to diagnose the circumstances under which time pressure can facilitate or hinder creativity. A team's creative "genius", Miles Grady, who previously conceptualized a revolutionary material for an important new product, must now significantly change... View Details

Keywords: Situation or Environment; Creativity; Innovation and Management; Problems and Challenges