Differentiation - Publications - Faculty & Research

01 Feb 1998
News

New Releases

The Differentiated Network by Nitin Nohria and Sumantra Ghoshal (Jossey-Bass Publishers) The key to building an effective multinational corporation (MNC) is organizing its various parts as a differentiated... View Details

Keywords: Judith A. Ross

15 Jul 2002
Research & Ideas

Going Green Makes Good Business Sense

long-run competitive advantage.— Forest L. Reinhardt One method managers try is to differentiate their products, environmentally speaking, and transfer the additional costs to customers. Star-Kist Foods, a Heinz company, tried this with... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

Web

Mastering Consulting and Advisory Skills - Course Catalog

mindsets, MCAS aims to differentiate students from the pack and prime them for impact from Day 1. This course addresses a growing demand within both HBS and the consulting firms many HBS students join after graduation. It was created by... View Details

22 Sep 2003
Research & Ideas

When Protestors Knock at Your Door

are, and often to differentiate among different groups—examining, for example, which are more reasonable, which might want to work with the firm, and so on. Then, it's useful to plot out lines of complete disagreement and possible... View Details

Keywords: by Cynthia Churchwell

24 Feb 2014
Research & Ideas

Busting Six Myths About Customer Loyalty Programs

There are three ways to differentiate in retailing: location, location, and location. The problem is that as markets mature, location becomes less potent as a competitive advantage because the consumer has a growing abundance of... View Details

Keywords: by Marcel Corstjens & Rajiv Lal; Retail; Consumer Products

01 Mar 2004
News

Protecting against the Erosion of Brand Value

and sell books.” What’s at work here is commoditization, a process that results in companies being unable to profitably differentiate their products and services. “The specter of commoditization sends chills down every executive’s spine —... View Details

Keywords: Publishing Industries (except Internet); Information

15 Oct 2015
Blog Post

Why We Recruit: Medallia

true differentiator is the authenticity of our people and, by extension, our culture. Is there anything else you would like to share with fellow recruiters or those who are new to recruiting with HBS? It is a pleasure to work with HBS and... View Details

Keywords: Technology

01 Dec 2018
News

Lighting the Way

to believe that all things are possible and that your assets can be key differentiators in a sea of overachievers,” she says. “Determine what anchors you and leverage what sets you apart, and then go boldly into your future with... View Details

01 Dec 2011
News

Faculty Books

organizational performance is substantial and quantifiable. An effective business culture can account for up to half of the performance differential between organizations in the same business. Drawing on field research and case studies,... View Details

Keywords: Utilities

Profile

Jason Sanders

Applying business lessons to medicine On a personal level, the case method has "systemized my thinking," says Jason. "I've learned to be more precise in my differential diagnosis. On a broader level, I've become very... View Details

01 Dec 2013
News

HBX: Expanding Our Reach

intended to enhance rather than compete with or substitute for current offerings. Finally, the platform will be built on a robust and self-sustaining economic model. “We are committed to leveraging technology to develop highly View Details

Keywords: online learning; curriculum; News, Library, Internet, and Other Services; Information

22 Sep 2009
First Look

First Look: September 22

quality, firms differentiate through choosing different business models; and (iv) low-quality firms are generally more prone to opening some of their technologies than firms with high-quality products. Download the paper:... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

27 Jul 2011
Research & Ideas

Customer Loyalty Programs That Work

"massive availability of real estate" have made location differentiation a moot point. Retailers looking to differentiate on selection have fared no better, considering that the latest Coach bag... View Details

Keywords: by Maggie Starvish; Retail

11 Dec 2006
Research & Ideas

Fixing Price Tag Confusion

than product categories, the key element to consider is the product life cycle and the stage at which you are in the differentiation game. When innovation and differentiation [highlight] new details that... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Retail

Profile

Rawiah Abdallah

with local students on various projects. "We consulted with a solar-heating system provider on how to differentiate themselves and get brand recognition," Rawiah says. Returning to Africa For both her summer internship and her... View Details

16 Jul 2024
Research & Ideas

Weighing Digital Tradeoffs in Private Equity

added Suraj Srinivasan, the Philip J. Stomberg Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. “Pursuing a digital strategy is an especially valuable source of differentiated value creation by PE funds.” Yet digital... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Financial Services

14 Jan 2016
Blog Post

Liberal Arts Major Pursues an MBA

easier to do when you come to HBS with a unique background. Your story naturally differentiates itself in interviews. Don’t lose that independence. Celebrate it. Own it. And look forward to where it will lead you in business school and in... View Details

07 Nov 2005
What Do You Think?

Is Less Becoming More?

the cause. F. Chircu helped frame the discussion by writing that "When producers want to differentiate themselves, up to a point the safest and quickest way . . . is to add features or increase product complexity. . . . Choice... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Consumer Products

05 Aug 2002
Research & Ideas

Are Consumers the Cure for Broken Health Insurance?

far-reaching. First, the number and variety of investment choices skyrocketed, as new mutual fund companies rushed into the market with creative, differentiated offerings. Today, according to Institutional Investor, more than 90 percent... View Details

Keywords: by Regina E. Herzlinger

Profile

Jonathan Assayag

Player two years in a row. More importantly, he says, "My school is still competing in the competition today, and the robotics program has become a key differentiator against the public high schools in the region." Jonathan... View Details

Publications