Publications

04 Oct 2007
What Do You Think?

Has Managerial Capitalism Peaked?

organizations with too much debt, requiring significant cost reductions and related layoffs? As a result of these developments, will CEOs and the power of the executive be brought back into balance with that of owners? Or is this just the latest View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett

04 Jun 2007
Research & Ideas

Is Health Care Making You Better—or Dead?

Kaiser Permanente in California, which started out as a very innovative, customer-focused institution that at some point "lost its soul," as you write. What does the Kaiser story tell us? A: It tells us that it would be great if... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Health

01 Apr 2022
Blog Post

Climate Stories Episode #3: Keith Kinch, BlocPower

development efforts. “Anything worth doing is hard. It’s a journey that I enjoy.” – BlocPower General Manager Keith Kinch General Manager Keith Kinch first met CEO Donnel Baird almost two decades ago. Together, they launched their... View Details

November 2004 (Revised September 2019)
Background Note

The U.S. Health Club Industry in 2004

By: John R. Wells, Gabriel Ellsworth and Benjamin Weinstock

In 2004, the $16.8 billion U.S. health club industry continued its strong record of growth. There were almost 27,000 health clubs in the United States, up from 6,700 two decades earlier, and these clubs claimed 41 million members, over 14% of the U.S. population.... View Details

Keywords: Health Clubs; Fitness; Gyms; Chain; Weight Loss; Obesity; Exercise; Personal Training; Bally Total Fitness; 24 Hour Fitness; YMCA; Gold's Gym; Curves; Franchise; Franchising; Subscription; Promotional Sales; Promotions; Fixed Costs; Body; Accrual Accounting; Revenue Recognition; Buildings and Facilities; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; For-Profit Firms; Trends; Customers; Demographics; Age; Income; Private Equity; Financing and Loans; Profit; Revenue; Geographic Scope; Multinational Firms and Management; Health; Nutrition; Business History; Employees; Retention; Human Capital; Working Conditions; Contracts; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Markets; Demand and Consumers; Supply and Industry; Industry Growth; Industry Structures; Operations; Service Operations; Franchise Ownership; Private Ownership; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Sales; Salesforce Management; Situation or Environment; Opportunities; Nonprofit Organizations; Welfare; Sports; Strategy; Business Strategy; Competition; Competitive Strategy; Consolidation; Corporate Strategy; Customization and Personalization; Expansion; Segmentation; Hardware; Health Industry; United States

30 Sep 2015
News

Looking to Rwanda’s Future

sustainable economy.” To date, Goldstein has made eight trips to Rwanda with his wife, Kaia Miller Goldstein, an economic development consultant who serves on Kagame’s Presidential Advisory Council with HBS Professor Michael Porter, a... View Details

21 Jan 2013
Research & Ideas

Altruistic Capital: Harnessing Your Employees’ Intrinsic Goodwill

economist, Ashraf developed the idea of altruistic capital while conducting experimental field research for various global nonprofit organizations. But she believes that her findings on the subject will yield important lessons for the... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

01 Sep 2003
News

These Are the Good Old Days

the Bulletin about her experiences as an executive, a woman, a mother, and a New Yorker. In doing so, she shed light on some major social and business developments that have shaped — and been enriched by — the lives and careers of her... View Details

Keywords: Susan Young; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

20 Dec 2022
News

Singing to the Corn

where he served as vice president of business development, among other roles, and led development of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino outside Tulsa, Oklahoma. After five years he made the jump to government, serving as the first at-large... View Details

05 Oct 2021
Blog Post

First-Gen Voices: Eric Westphal on Tapping into the Global Alumni Network & Making a Difference Across Borders

During the pandemic and the disruption in business worldwide, the HBS Career & Professional Development team made an appeal to alumni and recruiting partners that resulted in nearly 1,000 new full-time and internship opportunities for... View Details

February 2017
Case

Clear Channel (A): The Rise, 1972–2003

By: John R. Wells and Gabriel Ellsworth

At the end of 2003, Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a diversified media group with revenues of $8.9 billion, could claim leadership positions in all three of its main businesses. Clear Channel Broadcasting was the largest radio-station operator in the world, with... View Details

Keywords: Clear Channel; Clear Channel Outdoor; Radio; Outdoor Advertising; Concert Industry; Lowry Mays; Federal Communications Commission; Regulation; Regulations; Regulatory Environment; JCDecaux; Media; Growth Management; Consolidation; Competitive Strategy; Fair Value Accounting; Advertising; Acquisition; Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Growth and Maturation; For-Profit Firms; Entertainment; Music Entertainment; Television Entertainment; Public Equity; Profit; Revenue; Geographic Scope; Multinational Firms and Management; Government Legislation; Business History; Laws and Statutes; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Marketing Channels; Industry Structures; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Sales; Opportunities; Strategy; Adaptation; Business Strategy; Commercialization; Competition; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy; Diversification; Expansion; Wireless Technology; Valuation; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Advertising Industry; Music Industry; United States; Texas

26 Jan 2004
Research & Ideas

How Women Can Get More Venture Capital

Women-owned businesses are just as financially strong and creditworthy as the average U.S. firm, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Women's Business Research. Yet women struggle more than men to acquire equity capital. Why? According to a 1999 survey,... View Details

Keywords: by Mallory Stark & Martha Lagace

01 Jun 2014
News

Ready for Takeoff

finance ministry, a more organized congress, and greater budgetary discipline. Soon, the inflation rate began to tumble from highs in the thousands to single digits—a rate carefully watched from 2003 to 2011 by Brazil's then–central bank... View Details

Keywords: Dan Morrell; Air Transportation; Transportation

01 Dec 2004
News

Retirement's Changing Face

for alumni approaching retirement: Cut back work hours gradually, develop outside interests, and consider serving in local or state government. “You can run for office, make a contribution, and not give up your retirement. MBAs have been... View Details

Keywords: Personal Services

December 2009 (Revised July 2013)
Case

Iris Running Crane: December 2009

By: Matthew Rhodes-Kropf, Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

Iris Running Crane, an MBA candidate, must choose among three different job offers in private equity. One is with a top-tier megafund buyout operation; the second with a geographically focused mid-market fund; and the third with a one-time top-tier fund that is trying... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Private Equity; Compensation and Benefits; Job Offer; Personal Development and Career; Financial Services Industry

December 1998 (Revised May 2000)
Case

Lebenthal and Co., Inc.

By: Thomas J. DeLong and Susan Harmeling

Lebenthal and Co. has prospered in the bond business since 1924. Alexandra Lebenthal, granddaughter of the founders, has stepped up to lead the firm. She faces many challenges as the nature of the financial services business changes in dramatic ways. Can this firm... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Talent and Talent Management; Bonds; Leadership Development; Service Operations; Problems and Challenges; Competition; Financial Services Industry

Find at Harvard

01 Mar 2013
News

A Healthy Profit

then relatively obscure field of microfinance. As the head of ACCION International, a global microfinance organization, Chu helped develop microfinance into a global weapon against poverty while establishing it as a legitimate component... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services; Health, Social Assistance

May 2024
Case

Naked Wines: The Profit vs. Growth Decision

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Edward A. Meyer

Nick Devlin faced a difficult strategic decision in October 2022. As the CEO of a UK-based subscription business connecting wine drinkers in the US, UK, and Australia with winemakers from around the world (which one journalist called the “Netflix of Wine”), he had to... View Details