Publications

22 Jul 2019
Book

How to Be a Digital Platform Leader

All of the most valuable firms in the world today are platforms, starting with Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon. But platforms do not evolve in predictable ways, and there is a lot that managers and entrepreneurs can learn about past, present, and future platform... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

02 Jun 2014
Research & Ideas

Secrets to a Successful Social Media Strategy

Why are people so drawn to social media? The question long haunted Mikolaj "Misiek" Piskorski and eventually led to his new book, A Social Strategy: How We Profit from Social Media. Drawing from years of research dating back to before Facebook, the book offers an... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

March 1986 (Revised October 1990)
Supplement

Peter Browning and Continental White Cap (B)

Describes the new divisional vice president's decisions and strategies in his first full year of management there. His influence style and tactics are demonstrated. View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Management Teams

01 Jul 2019
Research & Ideas

The Airbnb Lesson for Startups? Success Takes More Than Technology

Investors riding the wave of technology public offerings have been waiting for a powerhouse debut from Airbnb, which logged its 500 millionth customer booking in March. After all, the home-sharing giant isn’t your typical unicorn. Unlike some of its Silicon Valley... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost; Travel; Tourism

15 Apr 2023
Conference Presentation

Autonomous Systems

By: Hise O. Gibson, Rob Wittman, Brandon Tseng, Nini Hamrick and Tim Booher

Autonomous systems have been on the front lines and front pages in the war in Ukraine, yet there are many unanswered questions regarding their future role and capabilities. Currently, these systems are employed in myriad use cases in logistics, intelligence, and... View Details

Keywords: War; Technology Adoption

17 Feb 2021
Research & Ideas

Pandemic Self-Care for CEOs: Rituals, Running, and Cognitive Restructuring

A year of COVID-19 limbo has turned the notion of self-care into a mainstream pursuit. After all, with the pandemic’s end on the distant horizon, we all just need to hang in there a little longer—even CEOs. Earlier this month, we looked at the worries occupying the... View Details

Keywords: by Gamze D. Yucaoglu, Robin Abrahams, and Boris Groysberg

June 2015
Article

Does Google Leverage Market Power Through Tying and Bundling?

By: Benjamin Edelman

I examine Google's pattern and practice of tying to leverage its dominance into new sectors. In particular, I show how Google used these tactics to enter numerous markets, to compel usage of its services, and often to dominate competing offerings. I explore the... View Details

Keywords: Competition; Antitrust; Google; Tying; Bundling; Competitive Strategy; Search Technology; Law; Information Technology Industry; Advertising Industry

Find at Harvard

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02 Oct 2006
Research & Ideas

Negotiating in Three Dimensions

Tactics, deal design, and set-up are three crucial components of the most effective negotiations. Yet many negotiators focus only on the tactical part, running the risk of undermining their own best interests. How can you negotiate more... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

May 2001 (Revised March 2008)
Case

"To hell with the future, let's get on with the past." George Mitchell in North Ireland

By: James K. Sebenius and Daniel F. Curran

Examines the strategies and tactics used by U.S. negotiator George Mitchell during his two-year tenure as chairman of the all-party talks in Northern Ireland. His efforts culminated in the signing of the historic Good Friday Accords. View Details

Keywords: Policy; International Relations; Managerial Roles; Negotiation Tactics; Strategy; Northern Ireland

May 2019
Case

Elon Musk's Big Bets Update, 2019

By: David B. Yoffie and Daniel Fisher

This short case provides an update to Elon Musk's strategy and tactical moves with Tesla, Solar City, and SpaceX from 2016-2019. View Details

December 2003
Case

George Mitchell in Northern Ireland (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Daniel F. Curran

Examines the strategies and tactics that U.S. negotiator George Mitchell used during his two-year tenure as chairman of the all-party talks in Northern Ireland. His efforts culminated in the signing of the historic Good Friday Accords. A revised version of an earlier... View Details

Keywords: Policy; International Relations; Agreements and Arrangements; Negotiation Tactics; Northern Ireland; United States

February 2010 (Revised September 2011)
Case

Roche's Acquisition of Genentech

By: Carliss Y. Baldwin, Bo Becker and Vincent Marie Dessain

Franz Humer, CEO of the Roche Group, must decide whether to mount a hostile tender offer for the publicly-owned shares of Roche's biotechnology subsidiary, Genentech. The case provides opportunities to analyze Roche's strategy with respect to Genentech, the pros and... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Subsidiaries; Negotiation Offer; Organizational Culture; Corporate Strategy; Biotechnology Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; Switzerland

December 2010
Supplement

Everything or Nothing: Martti Ahtisaari and the Aceh Negotiations (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Alex Green

Describes Martti Ahtisaari's negotiating strategies and tactics along with the results of his efforts to end the decades-long conflict between Acehnese insurgents and the Indonesian government that had claimed thousands of lives. View Details

Keywords: Government and Politics; Agreements and Arrangements; Negotiation Tactics; Conflict of Interests; Strategy; Indonesia

September 1992 (Revised November 1997)
Case

DHL Worldwide Express

By: John A. Quelch

The worldwide sales and marketing manager must determine the degree to which pricing strategy and tactics should be standardized or left to the discretion of the DHL subsidiary in each country. View Details

Keywords: Governance; Business Subsidiaries; Price; Marketing Strategy; Multinational Firms and Management; Sales; Shipping Industry

December 2013
Course Overview Note

Digital Marketing Strategy

By: Thales Teixeira

Digital Marketing Strategy is the process by which firms employ, either partially or exclusively, digital tools, techniques, and tactics to create value for customers. View Details

Keywords: Digital Marketing; Brands And Branding; Marketing

December 1989 (Revised June 2003)
Case

Bayside

By: William J. Poorvu and Richard Ellis Crum

Explores the issues associated with leasing office space in a softening market from the perspective of a young leasing agent. Addresses market and lease analysis, negotiating tactics and strategy, and management of a financial partnership. View Details

Keywords: Management; Partners and Partnerships; Negotiation Tactics; Markets; Business Strategy; Leasing; Corporate Finance; Real Estate Industry

14 May 2015
Working Paper Summaries

Humblebragging: A Distinct-and Ineffective-Self-Presentation Strategy

Keywords: by Ovul Sezer, Francesca Gino & Michael I. Norton

13 Jul 2015
Research & Ideas

‘Humblebragging’ is a Bad Strategy, Especially in a Job Interview

If you've spent any time on Twitter, then you're probably familiar with the "humblebrag"—a brag veiled in a complaint, so as to sound less blatantly like a brag. Here's an example from the Twitter account of Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary: They just... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

May 1995 (Revised September 1997)
Case

Internationalizing the Cola Wars (A): The Battle for China and Asian Markets

By: David B. Yoffie

Analyzes the strategies pursued by Coke and Pepsi in the emerging Asian soft drink market. Analyzes the tactical battle of the cola giants in China specifically. View Details

Keywords: Trade; Emerging Markets; Corporate Strategy; Competition; Globalized Firms and Management; Food and Beverage Industry; China; Asia