Publications

August 1990 (Revised February 1991)
Case

Whirlpool Corp.

By: Michael Y. Yoshino and Sarah D. Hall

Examines the company's global strategy and potential acquisition of Philips' major domestic appliance operations in Europe in light of increasing trends toward globilization in the major appliance industry. Allows discussions weighing the advantages and risks of... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Joint Ventures; Global Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Risk and Uncertainty; Opportunities; Competitive Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; Europe

20 Aug 2020
Blog Post

“Business as Usual, In a Different Way” – Creating an Impactful Remote Internship at Actis

For Nikki Mason, Rachael Henley, and their team at Actis, it was never a matter of if they should continue their Global Summer Associate Programme in 2020, but how they would... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital / Private Equity; Other Financial Services

Article

Innovation: Location Matters

By: M. E. Porter and Scott Stern

Innovation has become the defining challenge for global competitiveness. To manage it well, companies must harness the power of location in creating and commercialiazing new ideas. View Details

Keywords: Innovation and Invention; Geographic Location

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January 2009 (Revised March 2010)
Case

LeBron James

By: Anita Elberse and Jeff McCall

In 2005, to the astonishment of many sports industry insiders, superstar basketball player LeBron James fired his agent and established his own firm, LRMR, to handle all aspects of his business ventures and marketing activities and named his childhood friend Maverick... View Details

Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Compensation and Benefits; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Sports; Sports Industry

December 2014 (Revised July 2016)
Case

HEINEKEN—Brewing a Better World

By: Forest L. Reinhardt, José Alvarez, Tonia Junker and Daniela Beyersdorfer

The Dutch company HEINEKEN, one of the leading global brewers known for its brands like Heineken, Amstel, and Desperados and for its award-winning marketing campaigns, seeks to closely integrate its long-term sustainability "Brewing a Better World" approach into its... View Details

Keywords: Beer/brewing Industry; Sustainability; Local Sourcing; Corporate Strategy; Global Strategy; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Supply Chain Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Food and Beverage Industry

April 2014
Teaching Plan

Beidahuang

By: Ray A. Goldberg and David Lane

This teaching plan is designed to support the teaching of Beidahuang, HBS No. 914-412, rev. March 2014. Beidahuang is a major new Chinese player in global grain trading that in 2013 is seeking access to grain both to help assure China's food security and in pursuit of... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Sourcing; Beidahuang; S; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Supply Chain Management; Trade; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Brazil; China

22 Nov 2019
Video

Merrill J. Fernando

Merrill Fernando, founder of Sri Lanka's largest and most global tea brand, Dilmah, discussed the importance of establishing local brands.

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Producing Prosperity: Why America Needs a Manufacturing Renaissance

For years—even decades—in response to intensifying global competition, American companies decided to outsource their manufacturing operations in order to reduce costs. But we are now seeing the alarming long-term effect of those choices: in... View Details

January 1996 (Revised September 1997)
Case

Scott Paper Company

By: Stuart C. Gilson and Jeremy Cott

A professional turnaround manager attempts to implement a massive global downsizing program at the world's largest producer of consumer tissue products. The plan involves laying off almost one third of the company's 34,000 hourly and salaried employees and dramatically... View Details

Keywords: Assets; Global Strategy; Resignation and Termination; Goals and Objectives; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Sales; Value Creation; Pulp and Paper Industry

20 Sep 2012
Research & Ideas

US Competitiveness at Risk

Editor's note: When did America's declining global competitiveness begin? One starting spot might be 2008, the last year the country topped the... View Details

Keywords: Re: Michael E. Porter & Jan W. Rivkin

February 2009 (Revised March 2009)
Case

Publicis Groupe 2009: Toward a Digital Transformation

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Matthew Bird

After a series of acquisitions, Maurice Levy, the Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, had created the fourth largest marketing and communications company in the world. His next major challenge was managing the firm's digital transformation. In December 2006, the... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Transformation; Financial Crisis; Globalized Firms and Management; Leading Change; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Expansion; Information Technology; Advertising Industry; Communications Industry

Career Coach

Jessica Mbaeliachi

to the Board of Directors, and key Enterprise Level strategic initiatives. She previously served as the company’s Head View Details

Keywords: Emerging Markets; Health Care

26 Apr 2010
Research & Ideas

When Other Companies Compete Like Crazy, Dare to Be Different

studies on companies including Microsoft, Sony, and Intel, and consults with consumer marketing companies in the area of innovation. She also... View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Gilbert

December 2003 (Revised April 2004)
Case

Blockbuster Inc. & Technological Substitution (B): Confronting New Digital Formats

Investigates how the rise of digital video formats threatens to make videocassette technology obsolete; how this technological substitution might alter the economics and structure of the video rental and retail industries; and how Blockbuster Inc., the industry leader,... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Decisions; Technological Innovation; Competition; Change Management; Motion Pictures and Video Industry; Motion Pictures and Video Industry

July 1984 (Revised April 1997)
Case

British Airways

By: John A. Quelch

British Airways (BA) has recently introduced a global advertising campaign. The development of the campaign and its implementation are discussed. BA and advertising agency executives must renew the campaign and resolve issues pertaining to its future direction. View Details

Keywords: Air Transportation; Globalization; Advertising Campaigns; Air Transportation Industry; England

Luis M. Viceira

Luis M. Viceira is the George E. Bates Professor in the Finance Unit and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. His research, course development, and teaching focus on the areas of investment management... View Details

Keywords: banking; education industry; financial services; nonprofit industry; retail financial services

August 2002 (Revised February 2005)
Case

Gillette Company (B): Leadership for Change

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and James Weber

Describes the actions and behavior of a new CEO in his first days and weeks as he sets expectations for his top management team and introduces processes and disciplines to begin the turnaround of a global consumer products company. View Details

Keywords: Business Strategy; Policy; Change Management; Leading Change; Motivation and Incentives; Strategic Planning; Retail Industry

January 2021
Case

Egon Zehnder: Beyond Search?

By: Ashish Nanda and Margaret Cross

In 2019, Egon Zehnder chair Jill Ader and CEO Edilson Camara faced a critical question: how should the global executive search firm approach its burgeoning advisory service offering? Since 2003, the firm’s advisory practice had grown as a conglomeration of grassroots... View Details

Keywords: Professional Services Firms; Executive Search Firms; Professionalism; Partnership; Executive Coaching; Leadership Development; Expansion; Decision Making; Strategy; Switzerland; London