Publications

January 2008 (Revised January 2010)
Background Note

Finding Information for Industry Analysis

By: Jan W. Rivkin and Ann Cullen

This note provides detailed instructions on finding resources for conducting industry analysis, with a special focus on resources available at Harvard Business School. It allows students to transition from doing a Five Forces analysis on the basis of a case, where all... View Details

Keywords: Information; Five Forces Framework; Research; Competitive Strategy; Internet

19 May 2022
Blog Post

HKS Policy Analysis Exercise Showcase

For MPP and joint MBA/MPP students, the Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) is the culmination of the Harvard Kennedy School experience. In fact, many of our MPP graduates consider it to be one of the highlights of their HKS education. During... View Details

February 2010
Background Note

Marketing Analysis Toolkit: Market Size and Market Share Analysis

By: Thomas J. Steenburgh and Jill Avery

Marketers frequently need to estimate the size of their markets—both for existing products so that sales forecasts can be developed and for new products so that market opportunities can be assessed. This toolkit enables students to size a market and generate a sales... View Details

Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Marketing Strategy; Markets; Demand and Consumers; Size; Strategic Planning; Sales

July 2010
Supplement

Marketing Analysis Toolkit: Pricing and Profitability Analysis (CW)

By: Thomas J. Steenburgh and Jill Avery

Pricing is one of the most difficult decisions marketers make and the one with the most direct and immediate impact on the firm's financial position. This toolkit will introduce the fundamental terminology and calculations associated with pricing and profitability... View Details

Keywords: Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Marketing Strategy; Decisions; Strategic Planning; Price; Partners and Partnerships; Cost; Demand and Consumers; Revenue; Profit; Mathematical Methods; Measurement and Metrics

September 2015
Technical Note

FIELD 2: Situation Analysis

By: Jill Avery

In this note, we present a method, the 5 C's Analysis, for collecting and analyzing information about the internal and external environments that firms face. This analysis will enable you to develop design ideas for a new product or service for your Global Partner that... View Details

Keywords: Design Thinking; Innovation; Market Research; Marketing; Customers

1986
Chapter

Strategic Cost Analysis

By: Robert S. Kaplan

Keywords: Cost Accounting; Strategy

November 1980 (Revised December 1982)
Background Note

Cost Systems Analysis

January 2006
Tutorial

Alternative Choice Decisions Analysis

By: David F. Hawkins, V.G. Narayanan, Jacob Cohen and Michele Jurgens

Shows how managers use information on costs and revenues to decide between possible alternative courses of action. Presents two case examples of differential cost analysis. The first, a make or buy decision, examines two alternatives in which only costs vary. The... View Details

Keywords: Cost; Profit; Revenue; Information; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Problems and Challenges; Conflict and Resolution

September 1997
Background Note

Note on Political Risk Analysis

By: Debora L. Spar

Describes the emergence and subsequent decline of the political risk analysis industry. Discusses what political risk means for multinational firms and various ways in which firms have tried to analyze and grapple with these risks. View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Foreign Direct Investment; Government and Politics

August 2020 (Revised December 2020)
Background Note

A Note on Ethical Analysis

By: Nien-hê Hsieh

To engage in ethical analysis is to answer such questions as “What is the right thing to do?” “What does it mean to be a good person?” “How should I live my life?” Ethical analysis, on its own, is often not adequate for doing the right thing or being a good... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Framework; Decision Making; Prejudice and Bias

February 1999 (Revised March 1999)
Exercise

Investment Analysis Exercises

By: Dwight B. Crane and Penny Joseph

To teach present value analysis. View Details

Keywords: Investment

August 2005 (Revised March 2006)
Exercise

Data Analysis Exercise

By: Frances X. Frei

Keywords: Operations; Service Delivery; Management

February 1992
Case

Negotiation Analysis Consultants

By: Paul A. Vatter

Keywords: Negotiation

December 1995 (Revised July 1997)
Background Note

Breakeven Analysis (Abridged)

By: Arthur Schleifer Jr.

April 1995
Background Note

Growth Rate Analysis

By: David F. Hawkins

Keywords: Growth and Development

February 2004 (Revised November 2012)
Exercise

Capital Investment Analysis

By: Dwight B. Crane and Josh Lerner

Teaches techniques of evaluating investment alternatives. A rewritten version of an earlier exercise. View Details

Keywords: Financial Management; Investment Return

October 1995 (Revised January 1997)
Background Note

Stonehaven, Inc.: Analysis

By: H. Kent Bowen and Roy D. Shapiro

1983
Article

Cost-Benefit Analysis Defended

By: Dutch Leonard and Richard Zeckhauser

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Mathematical Methods