Publications

13 Aug 2018
Blog Post

Following My Dream: Launching a Venture

solving last mile delivery to cryptocurrencies, but finally decided to make employees happier and healthier by creating the first fully-automated, free-standing smoothie machine for offices. It combines my passion with my skillset.... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship

September 2004
Article

Capital Controls: A Political Economy Approach

By: Laura Alfaro

This paper examines the economic consequences of political conflicts that arise when countries implement capital controls. In an overlapping-generations model, agents vote on whether to open or close an economy to capital flows. The young (workers) receive income from... View Details

Keywords: Economy; Voting; Conflict of Interests; Capital; Government and Politics; Wages; Saving; Forecasting and Prediction

April 1991 (Revised October 1993)
Case

Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (A)

By: David J. Collis

Describes the pet food industry in the mid-eighties prior to the breakout of a major competitive battle as manufacturers fight for share. Illustrates how when there are benefits to play in multiple markets, competitors will take action in one market to preserve their... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Forecasting and Prediction; Financial Markets; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Ownership Stake; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

April 2022 (Revised April 2023)
Case

Highland Park Wood Co. (Abridged)

By: David E. Bell

A major home builder wishes to purchase lumber (Southern pine). The builder wants delivery in six months but prefers to lock-in the price near current rates. The lumber wholesaler must decide on a pricing and sourcing strategy. Examples include: 1) buy & hold, 2) wait... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Goods and Commodities; Futures and Commodity Futures; Price; Forest Products Industry; Construction Industry

October 2010
Supplement

Belco Global Foods: Spreadsheet Supplement (CW)

By: C. Fritz Foley and Matthew Johnson

This case introduces students to the fundamental issues that managers face when deciding what international trade finance terms to use when transacting with other firms. In late 2009, Pam Arnold, the Head of Global Credit at Belco Global Foods must decide which trade... View Details

Keywords: Customers; Decisions; Trade; Financial Strategy; Governance Compliance; Managerial Roles; Market Transactions

September 2005 (Revised May 2007)
Case

OuterLink Corporation (A)

By: Josh Lerner and Brenda Chia

Zero Stage Capital is addressing a troubled investment in OuterLink Corp., which has a capital deficit of $30 million and was written off by all but one of its investors as a victim of the technology bubble. The venture organization must decide whether to shutter the... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Decisions; Venture Capital; Private Equity; Price Bubble; Investment; Financial Services Industry

February 2001
Case

Bang Networks, Inc.

By: Paul A. Gompers and Sergio Rattner

Bob Rosin, president and CEO of Bang Networks, must decide how much debt financing to take on. The company is a raw start-up and is considering taking on $10 million in debt. The firm has six offers and needs to identify the best one. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Restructuring; Decisions; Borrowing and Debt; Venture Capital

01 Mar 2008
News

Negotiating with Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, sold $315.6 billion worth of goods in 2006. With its single-minded focus on “EDLP” (everyday low prices) and the power to make or break suppliers, a partnership with Wal-Mart is either the Holy... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; General Merchandise Stores; Retail Trade

23 Jun 2003
Research & Ideas

Psychology, Pathology, and the CEO

financial and strategic decision making. But along the way, I also noted another important aspect of this leadership task, a related line of effort that seemed to go largely unnoticed and unstudied by observers but that was just as vital... View Details

Keywords: by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Profile

James Reinhart

and culture stay in place as we on-board these new people? How do you ensure the integrity of the hiring process, set the right bar, make the right decisions on people when you are hiring so quickly? And how... View Details

26 Mar 2020
Blog Post

The Road Untraveled: VC Perspectives on COVID-19

hearing from leading investors on managing through these turbulent times. There is a lot of uncertainty, and sentiment will likely continue to evolve over the coming weeks and months. Hopefully, listeners will continue to come back for future episodes to hear best... View Details

01 Sep 2007
News

In Brief

counter basic assumptions. Several HBS professors consider the cost to organizations when dissent does not or cannot surface, and suggest ways to make sure it does. To the Rescue. In India, there’s no such thing as calling 911 in an... View Details

Keywords: Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

01 Jun 2002
News

Small Club, Big Impact

Photo: Justin A. Knight Africa Business Conference cochairs George Osawaye and Ngassam Ngnoumen (both MBA '02) and a team of student organizers began planning for the March event last August. They couldn't be more pleased with the... View Details

February 2004 (Revised April 2005)
Exercise

Necessary Evils: A Diagnostic Exercise

By: Joshua D. Margolis and Andrew Molinsky

Central to the work of leaders and professionals are tasks that entail harming one party to deliver benefits or advance valued and worthy goals. Sometimes a person must, as part of his or her job, perform an act that causes emotional, material, or physical harm to... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Leadership; Problems and Challenges; Ethics; Management Skills

1983
Chapter

Analyzing Competitors: Predicting Competitor Behavior and Formulating Offensive and Defensive Strategy

By: M. E. Porter

Keywords: Competitive Strategy; Forecasting and Prediction; Behavior

Article

Present Bias Causes and Then Dissipates Auto-enrollment Savings Effects

By: John Beshears, James J. Choi, David Laibson and Peter Maxted

Present bias causes procrastination, which leads households to stick with auto-enrollment defaults. However, present bias also engenders overconsumption. Separation from each employer generates a rollover of 401(k) balances to an individual retirement account (IRA)... View Details

Keywords: Present Bias; Procrastination; Personal Finance; Decision Making; Social Psychology; Retirement

Read Now

October 2013 (Revised May 2016)
Case

Ilva Steel Taranto: Providing and Polluting (A)

By: Lena G. Goldberg, Vincent Dessain, Ottavia Pesce and Karol Misztal

Nearly 27,000 people depended on Ilva Steel Taranto, the largest steel-making plant in Europe, for their livelihoods, but the plant's pollution fouled the environment and increased the incidence of tumors, respiratory illnesses, and deaths. In July 2012, faced with a... View Details

Keywords: Safety; Pollutants; Business Exit or Shutdown; Health; Decision Making; Steel Industry; Europe

2009
Article

The Harvard Economic Service and the Problems of Forecasting

By: Walter Friedman

Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Higher Education; Problems and Challenges; Economics

January 2006
Case

Negotiating for the Motion Picture Association of America and the Motion Picture Association: Jack Valenti (A)

By: James K. Sebenius, Ellen Knebel and Erin Egan

Summarizes the background and career highlights of Jack Valenti, longtime head of the Motion Picture Association of America and the Motion Picture Association. Sets up three difficult negotiation challenges facing Valenti over a rating system for movies, the financial... View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Film Entertainment; Television Entertainment; Negotiation; Problems and Challenges; United States