Publications

02 Jan 2008
Research & Ideas

Most Popular Stories 2007

psychologically painful as it is, is the first step to awareness of new opportunities in career and in life, says Harvard Business School's Timothy Butler. In this Q&A and excerpt from his new book, Getting Unstuck, he explains six steps for getting from here to... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

February 2007 (Revised February 2009)
Case

A Differentiation Strategy at ASDA

By: David E. Bell and Nitin Sanghavi

The Wal-Mart CEO has challenged his company to do more to help mankind. The British subsidiary, ASDA, is reviewing its activities in the environment/social arena. View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Trends; Values and Beliefs; Leadership Style; Growth and Development Strategy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Food and Beverage Industry; Retail Industry

20 May 2019
Research & Ideas

Activist CEOs Are Rising Up—and Their Customers Are Listening

When former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced earlier this year he was thinking about running for president of the United States, it wasn’t a new idea. Past CEOs seeking the White House have included Carly Fiorina, Ross Perot, Herman Cain, Steve Forbes, Mitt... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

December 1999 (Revised January 2000)
Case

Agrochemicals at Ciba-Geigy AG (B)

By: Michael L. Tushman, Wendy Smith and Daniel Radov

Focuses on Pierre Urech's efforts to change the division structure at Ciba-Geigy to facilitate the marketing of the new product. Details the relationships Urech cultivates and the strategy he pursues as "product champion." Also describes the restructuring of the... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Innovation Strategy; Innovation and Management; Leadership Development; Leadership Style; Research and Development; Marketing Strategy; Goods and Commodities; Product Development; Pharmaceutical Industry; Switzerland

June 2011 (Revised May 2012)
Case

Reckitt Benckiser: Fast and Focused Innovation

By: Rebecca M. Henderson and Ryan Johnson

Since its 1999 merger Reckitt Benckiser (RB), a global consumer goods company, led by its CEO Bart Becht, RB developed a reputation for rapid product innovation and industry leading profit margins. RB's stated strategy was to focus on its Powerbrands and high growth... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Global Strategy; Innovation Leadership; Leadership Style; Growth and Development Strategy; Brands and Branding; Product Development; Performance Improvement; Commercialization; Consumer Products Industry

06 Jun 2005
Research & Ideas

Don’t Listen to “Yes”

decisions. But conflict does not mean browbeating. In his new book, Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes for an Answer: Managing for Conflict and Consensus (Wharton School Publishing), Roberto describes the toll on organizations when leaders... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

10 Jun 2002
Research & Ideas

Reinventing the Industrial Giant

basically the same things, which forced the two firms to compete for suppliers. 87 Ford and GM also had disparate styles and software, which made it very difficult for suppliers to streamline their systems. To solve these problems, Ford,... View Details

Keywords: by Nitin Nohria, Davis Dyer & Frederick Dalzell; Manufacturing

16 Dec 2002
Lessons from the Classroom

Marrying Distance and Classroom Education

style and personality; it could be language. Language is a barrier. I'm teaching in an executive program right now and the Koreans and the Japanese speak very rarely. It's not that they don't have a lot to contribute, it's that they can... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

May 2024
Supplement

DRSi (B)

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

Pre-Abstract: Instructors should consider the timing of making videos available to students, as they may reveal key case details.

Abstract: In March of 2019, Jen Ransom Fuller purchased DRSi. DRSi, located in Bellevue, Washington, printed and reproduced... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Small Business; Cost vs Benefits; Decisions; Business Education; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Leadership Style; Leading Change; Business or Company Management; Problems and Challenges; Health Pandemics; Selection and Staffing; Employee Relationship Management; Production; Logistics; Safety; Washington (state, US); United States

23 Feb 2010
First Look

First Look: Feb. 23

Theory and Practice, edited by Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana Harvard Business Publishing, 2010 Abstract The idea of a contingency theory of leadership is not novel. In the 1960s several scholars conducted research and proposed such an approach arguing that the View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

August 2022
Case

Air Wars: Deregulating the U.S. Airline Industry

By: Tom Nicholas and James Weber

In the early decades of the twentieth century, the U.S. government assisted in the development of an airline industry by subsidizing the delivery of mail and allowing mail carriers to also fly passengers. Because the government awarded mail routes to the lowest... View Details

April 2023 (Revised April 2024)
Teaching Note

Netflix's Culture: Binge or Cringe?

By: Hubert Joly, Leonard A. Schlesinger, James Barnett and Stacy Straaberg

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 522-096. View Details

02 Jan 2001
Research & Ideas

Gurus in the Garage

Branscomb tries to help people who have worked for her. "I will call venture capitalists for them. There are probably a half-dozen little companies founded by former employees that I have helped get funded." Mike Homer, former general View Details

Keywords: by Dorothy Leonard & Walter Swap

08 Oct 2013
First Look

First Look: October 8

Elberse had the unique opportunity to observe Ferguson's management style in a series of visits and in-depth interviews. In this collaborative explication, she details eight parts of Ferguson's... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

28 Oct 2015
Research & Ideas

A Dedication to Creation: India's Ad Man Ranjan Kapur

fascinated by the old British style of operation. And advertising was seen as a glamorous thing” Kapur discusses his years as a developing ad man and eventual executive chairman of O&M India in a new interview with Sunil Gupta, the... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Advertising

December 1992 (Revised March 1993)
Case

Mark Miller (A)

Describes the career of Mark Miller, who went into his family's motel business as a young man, took over active management, and grew the enterprise to the point where it is a $25 million in revenue, $30 million equity value business. Focuses on a growth acquisition... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Family Business; Decisions; Entrepreneurship; Revenue; Leadership Style; Goals and Objectives; Personal Development and Career