Publications

19 Nov 2001
Research & Ideas

Alfred Chandler on the Electronic Century

first-movers in radio were the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), a joint venture of the three leading United States producers of electrical and telecommunications equipment, and the German company Telefunken, a joint venture of the two... View Details

Keywords: by Alfred D. Chandler, Takashi Hikino & Andrew Von Nordenflycht; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing

20 Aug 2001
Research & Ideas

Making an Ally of Uncle Sam

manufacturer like Ford Motor Company. Ford cooperates with its suppliers to design new vehicles even as it negotiates vigorously with them over the terms on which parts will be supplied. By cooperating to develop new cars, Ford and its... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Watkins, Mickey Edwards & Usha Thakrar

12 Aug 2008
First Look

First Look: August 12, 2008

unexpectedly in the midst of chaos brought by the resistance of its staff who feared losing their civil servant status after privatization. Also facing Mao was the forthcoming deregulation of the telecommunication industry on the island... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 May 2012
First Look

First Look: May 1

learning that has received less attention from academics despite popular interest: learning by supplying. Using a detailed panel dataset on supply relationships in the mobile telecommunications industry, we address the following... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

12 Apr 2018
Op-Ed

Op-Ed: The Trouble with Tariffs

likely get more serious. Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker that has effectively been barred from selling into US markets, is now a leading innovator, and through sheer scale and scope of its engineering, is making... View Details

Keywords: by Willy C. Shih; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing

23 Jul 2024
In Practice

The New Rules of Trade with China: Navigating Tariffs, Turmoil, and Opportunities

overseas suppliers. One example is Hasbro, which began sourcing from firms in India, Vietnam, and Mexico in the last five years. Moving existing suppliers out of China. Goertek, a supplier of Google’s Pixel watch, and Foxconn, a View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Manufacturing

29 May 2006
Research & Ideas

Why CEOs Are Not Plug-and-Play

manager's skills. When the telecommunications industry was deregulated and challenged by new entrants, for instance, few former Bell Systems managers were able to successfully transition to the fast-moving, entrepreneurial,... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg, Andrew N. McLean & Nitin Nohria; Employment

May 1998 (Revised October 1998)
Case

Teleswitch (A)

Describes the financing history of Teleswitch, a maker of small digital telephone switches for the wireless/cellular industry. As the case ends, Teleswitch is revisiting its selection of an investment banker for its hoped-for IPO. A rewritten version of an earlier... View Details

Keywords: Initial Public Offering; Investment Banking; Entrepreneurship; Financing and Loans; Wireless Technology; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry

June 1995
Case

Northern Telecom and Tong Guang Electronics (B): Building Success

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Pamela A. Yatsko

This case continues the story of the joint venture in China between Northern Telecom (Nortel) of Canada and Tong Guang Electronics of China. It shows how North Americans learned to operate in a very different cultural environment in China and provides an opportunity to... View Details

Keywords: Mobile and Wireless Technology; Joint Ventures; Change Management; Organizational Culture; Leadership; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Culture; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Canada; China

July 2000 (Revised August 2001)
Case

Telecom Italia Takeover (D): Bernabe's Revenge

By: Michael D. Watkins, James K. Sebenius and Ann Leamon

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Italy

Find at Harvard

June 1995
Supplement

Northern Telecom and Tong Guang Electronics (A2): Getting to Know Each Other

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Pamela A. Yatsko

Reviews subsequent events. View Details

Keywords: Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Canada; China

Find at Harvard

26 Sep 2006
First Look

First Look: September 26, 2006

expenditures for telecommunications and information technology. One option is to hand over management of its telecom and IT networks to its vendors. Explores the pros and cons of such an outsourcing arrangement for a company in an... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

14 Feb 2005
Research & Ideas

The World in Your Palm?

rather by telecommunications carriers. It's the carriers who create design specifications for the manufacturers to meet, and services are largely tied into the carrier's proprietary network. "There are... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

November 2020 (Revised March 2021)
Case

Sercomm: Operating in China Amid COVID-19 and Beyond

By: Prithwiraj Choudhury, Gary P. Pisano and Bonnie Yining Cao

The COVID-19 pandemic had forced a production cut in the factory of Sercomm, one of the world’s major telecom equipment producers, in China. The case explores and highlights the challenges that Chief Executive Officer James Wang faced: How could Sercomm recover and... View Details

Keywords: Emerging Markets; Information Technology; Operations; Management; Health Pandemics; Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; China

October 2000 (Revised January 2001)
Case

Polycom, Inc.: Visualizing Culture

By: Clayton M. Christensen

Polycom is a rapidly growing maker of video conferencing and teleconferencing equipment. Management is attempting to use "natural work groups" as an organizing mechanism, and to build into the culture implicit rules that will cause desired behaviors to be... View Details

Keywords: Communication Technology; Growth Management; Organizational Design; Groups and Teams; Organizational Culture; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry