Publications

August 2010 (Revised January 2013)
Case

Urban Water Partners (A)

By: Karthik Ramanna, George Serafeim and Aldo Sesia

The case explores a new business venture to bring clean water to residents of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who otherwise cannot afford it. Management has enough money to get the company through August 2010 but needs more capital thereafter. An HBS alumnus is interested in... View Details

Keywords: Accrual Accounting; Financial Statements; Business Startups; Social Entrepreneurship; Investment; Performance Evaluation; Dar es Salaam; Massachusetts

15 Feb 2022
Book

When Working Harder Doesn’t Work, Time to Reinvent Your Career

fluid intelligence wanes, crystallized intelligence—a different kind of thinking marked by synthesizing and sharing knowledge—grows, writes Brooks, a professor of Management Practice at HBS. He points to Johann Sebastian Bach, a musical... View Details

Keywords: by Avery Forman

Web

Skydeck - Alumni

Join a Startup Investor and entrepreneur Gus Bessalel (MBA 1988) on how to look before you leap Love and Money Insights from the dating world with professional matchmaker Rachel Greenwald (MBA 1993) Soldier On Newport News Mayor Phillip... View Details

March 2025
Case

Harvey: AI for Lawyers

By: Suraj Srinivasan, Charles Krumholz and Radhika Kak

In early 2025, Winston Weinberg and Gabe Pereyra, co-founders of Harvey AI, reflected on the company’s meteoric rise as a pioneer in AI-powered legal technology. Since its founding in 2022, Harvey had transformed how lawyers approached research, drafting, and document... View Details

Keywords: Innovation Strategy; Business Startups; AI and Machine Learning; Technological Innovation; Growth and Development Strategy; Product Positioning; Legal Services Industry; Technology Industry; New York (city, NY); San Francisco; London

Career Coach

Kelsey Holland

If you’re looking to launch or join a startup, Kelsey can help! Kelsey’s worked in a variety of roles ranging from product manager to corporate venture investor to co-founder during her 8.5 years working prior to HBS. She has extensive... View Details

Web

Student Journey - Entrepreneurship

Management 102 Blavatnik Fellowship (Apply as EC) What competitions are available? New Venture Competition , President’s Innovation Challenge , SEAS i3 Innovation Challenge , HBS Clubs’ pitch events How do I find a job at a startup?... View Details

16 May 2023
In Practice

After Silicon Valley Bank's Flameout, What's Next for Entrepreneurs?

stabilized, First Republic’s weakness, which prompted a hasty sale to JPMorgan Chase, portends continued headwinds for startups seeking investors. Julia Austin: Take stock on how to manage in times of crisis... View Details

Keywords: by Avery Forman; Technology; Financial Services

January 1998 (Revised March 1998)
Case

Staples (C)

By: Myra M. Hart, Marco Iansiti and Barbara Feinberg

The search for appropriate hardware and software to support the launch of a new large-scale retail operation forces the management team to define their goals at a very detailed level and to make all underlying assumptions explicit. View Details

Keywords: Goals and Objectives; Information Infrastructure; Applications and Software; Business Startups; Management Teams; Retail Industry

June 1995 (Revised November 1996)
Case

Northern Telecom and Tong Guang Electronics (C): Future Challenges

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Pamela A. Yatsko

This case considers the future challenges facing the Northern Telecom joint venture in China with Tong Guang Electronics. Asks how well the start-up and transition have been managed and whether the right foundation has been laid for the future. View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Growth Management; Business Startups; Change Management; Transition; Corporate Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Electronics Industry; Canada; China

November 2012
Case

Edison Schools, Inc.

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Lauren Barley

Edison Schools, Inc., a pioneer in the for-profit management of public schools, demonstrates the challenges and opportunities related to private sector involvement in the delivery of a public good. Follows the organization from its start-up through its initial public... View Details

Keywords: Charter Schools; Conflict of Interests; Initial Public Offering; For-Profit Firms; Public Sector; Market Entry and Exit; Education; Business Startups; Education Industry

17 Jan 2023
In Practice

8 Trends to Watch in 2023

As 2023 begins, businesses and employees face an uncertain economy and labor market, as the twin dilemmas of inflation and interest rates weigh on forecasts. Harvard Business School faculty share the top trends that they believe will shape the workplace and markets... View Details

Keywords: by Avery Forman

01 Dec 2023
News

Wide Horizon

There were three critical events that led John Rodakis (MBA 1997) to form the nonprofit N of One in 2014 and ultimately dedicate his life to surfacing breakthrough autism research. The first occurred on Thanksgiving of 2012. He had driven about four hours with his wife... View Details

Keywords: Dan Morrell; Photos by Sarah Wilson

Profile

Ruzwana Bashir

fulfilled that entrepreneurial dream before she turned 30. As founder and CEO of Peek, Bashir has gotten the full startup experience in a short time. With Peek.com she is already disrupting the $100 billion global activities market.... View Details

11 Nov 2014
First Look

First Look: November 11

organizations, Kaplan and Haas identify five common mistakes when managers attempt to cut health care costs. The mistakes are triggered, primarily, by working from the line-item expense categories on P&Ls, rather than clinically based... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

June 2020
Teaching Note

Catalant's Operating System for the Future of Work

By: Christopher Stanton, William R. Kerr, James Palano and Kendall Smith

This case touches on the topics of project-based work, agile methodology, and skill and talent management through Catalant's evolution as a company. Catalant’s journey to becoming a software platform and talent marketplace provides context for students to explore new... View Details

Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Transformation; Business Startups

Career Coach

Madison Whitt

from large tech companies like SpaceX and Apple to small startups to management consulting firms. She’s excited to help with interview preparation, resume and cover letter reviews, and networking. Employment... View Details

Web

Technology & Innovation - Faculty & Research

dataset of firms from the U.S. and seven European countries we study the impact of ICT on worker autonomy, plant manager autonomy, and span of control. Consistent with the theory, we find that better information technologies (Enterprise... View Details

September 2000 (Revised March 2006)
Case

ZOOTS--The Cleaner Cleaner

By: Myra M. Hart and Sharon Peyus

A successful entrepreneur (retailing) starts a new venture in dry cleaning. The case focuses on transferable models, skills, and knowledge from one venture to the next. Areas of emphasis are: managing growth, challenges of operations, financing, and competitive moves. View Details

Keywords: Growth Management; Competitive Strategy; Operations; Knowledge Dissemination; Business Startups; Corporate Finance; Service Industry; Retail Industry

April 2025
Supplement

Allbirds: Decarbonizing Fashion PowerPoint Supplement

By: Michael W. Toffel, Ken Pucker and Stacy Straaberg

The Allbirds: Decarbonizing Fashion (A) case introduces Allbirds as a footwear startup not only focused on simple design, comfort, and sustainable natural materials but on decarbonizing the wider fashion industry. Background material highlights the growing... View Details

Keywords: Decarbonization; Climate Impact; Environmental Strategy; Innovation; Product Design; Supply Chain Management; Innovation Strategy; Innovation and Management; Product Development; Climate Change; Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Fashion Industry; United States; California