Publications

10 Oct 2011
Research & Ideas

Retailing Revolution: Category Killers on the Brink

square foot have not improved significantly since the depths of the recession—and the decline in ROIC is even more stunning for category killers. “Best Buy and many similar businesses didn't see the bullet... View Details

Keywords: by Rajiv Lal & Jose B. Alvarez; Retail

September 2014 (Revised July 2018)
Case

adidas Group: IT Multi-Sourcing

By: Lynda M. Applegate, Martin Wiener, Carol Saunders and Grandon Gill

This case describes the design and implementation of an IT-multi-sourcing strategy at a large global sportswear company, the adidas Group, which is headquartered in Germany. To help increase the benefits and reduce the risks of its sourcing arrangements, adidas... View Details

Keywords: IT Strategy; Outsourcing; Organizational Structure; Information Technology; Strategy; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Germany

June 2022
Case

Zalando: Becoming the Starting Point for Fashion

By: Antonio Moreno, Leela Nageswaran, Emilie Billaud and Federica Gabrieli

Born in 2008 as a small startup selling flip flops, by mid-2021 Zalando had turned into an online fashion company with an assortment of more than 4,500 international brands, 45 million active customers, and a presence in 23 European markets. An essential component in... View Details

Keywords: Transition; Customer Value and Value Chain; Digital Platforms; Distribution; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Infrastructure; Logistics; Service Operations; Strategy; Business Strategy; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Europe

Web

HBS - The year in Review

plays in addressing the world’s most complex challenges and opportunities. Reimagining management education for the 21st century across all of the School’s educational... View Details

02 Sep 2014
First Look

First Look: September 2

http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/SSRN%20-%20Org%20Sci%20Rewrite%20for%20ssrn_b75b2c22-40f6-430f-be8f-9797e71fe2ea.pdf September 2014 Journal of Economic Perspectives Management Practices,... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

04 Sep 2013
What Do You Think?

How Relevant is Long-Range Strategic Planning?

have to be applied more selectively, depending on such things as the industry, the nature of competition, and the speed with which a particular organization's environment is changing. View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

January 2022 (Revised February 2022)
Case

Envision Group

By: Gunnar Trumbull, Bonnie Yining Cao and Dawn H. Lau

Based in China, Envision was one of the world’s leading Greentech companies. Chief Executive Officer Lei Zhang had set the goal of achieving carbon neutrality across the company’s global operations and supply chain by 2022 and 2028 respectively. As part of its... View Details

Keywords: Green Technology; Climate Change; Emerging Markets; Information Technology; Strategy; Management; Renewable Energy; Energy Policy; Environmental Sustainability; Manufacturing Industry; Auto Industry; Green Technology Industry; Battery Industry; China; United States; Japan; United Kingdom; France

18 Jul 2022
Research & Ideas

After the 'Crypto Crash,' What's Next for Digital Currencies?

coordinate on for mediums of exchange, and a lot of the applications are technological in nature and novel (or at... View Details

Keywords: by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette; Technology; Technology

28 Jul 2009
First Look

First Look: July 28

broad or focused managers, to leverage, to the timing of investment, and finally, to the compensation paid to both external managers and internal... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

February 2023 (Revised February 2024)
Case

Chari: Exploring Fintech in Morocco

By: Karen G. Mills and Ahmed Dahawy

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Morocco. It highlights Morocco’s unique economy where cash remains a dominant player in the market despite global advancements in digitalization. The case also explores the various cultural and... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Cultural Entrepreneurship; Social Entrepreneurship; Business History; Business and Government Relations; Technological Innovation; Distribution Industry; Financial Services Industry; Morocco

August 2002
Case

Trilogy University

By: Thomas J. DeLong and Michael Paley

In early 2001, Trilogy Software faced a slowdown in its business, a large number of unsuccessful customer deployments, and an overall weakening in the enterprise software market. In response, the company revamped its business model and restructured the organization.... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Organizational Design; Alignment; Restructuring; Organizational Structure; Change Management; Business Strategy; Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Information Technology Industry

Web

Case Development - Faculty & Research

purpose and may arise as the result of a past relationship with an executive, a former student, or from a professor’s interest in exploring with a company’s management team a... View Details

17 Apr 2007
First Look

First Look: April 17, 2007

Cheddar's built its stores, rather than its traditional approach of sale and leaseback. As he considers the issue, Fojtasek must decide how to price the new stock, how to structure the deal to limit his... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

March 2018 (Revised July 2018)
Case

Cadre

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann, Scott Duke Kominers and David Lane

Late in 2017, CEO Ryan Williams and his team debated whether Cadre should become not only a technology-enabled investment manager, but also an online trading exchange providing high levels of liquidity for investors in commercial real estate (CRE) equity. Cadre was a... View Details

Keywords: ＂Cadre,＂; Entrepreneurship; Market Design; Digital Platforms; Strategy; Internet and the Web; Private Equity; Financial Services Industry; Real Estate Industry; United States

15 Mar 2016
First Look

March 15, 2016

new products and businesses. The three-box framework makes leading innovation easier because it gives leaders a simple vocabulary and set of... View Details

Web

HBS - The year in Review

Venture Competition Turns 25 Celebrating a quarter century of innovation and entrepreneurship, the New Venture Competition in March featured 20 student View Details

February 2000 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Boston.com

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Jon K Rust

How aggressively should an incumbent move when developing an online business that threatens its core product? With Internet competitors taking direct aim at the traditional print newspaper business model, the Boston Globe fought back with its own web initiative,... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Decision Making; Change Management; Internet and the Web; Customer Relationship Management; Competitive Strategy; Information Technology Industry; Information Technology Industry; United States

November 1991 (Revised April 1994)
Case

Taco Bell Corp.

By: Leonard A. Schlesinger and Roger H. Hallowell

John Martin, Taco Bell CEO, brings the company into line with its competitors through incremental change during the 1980s. In the early 1990s, he adopts breakthrough approaches to improve service levels while reducing prices, providing a distinct competitive advantage.... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Food; Competitive Advantage; Innovation and Management; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States