Publications

March 2002 (Revised October 2002)
Case

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/Fleet Financial Group Sponsorship of Monet in the 20th Century

By: Stephen A. Greyser and David Crockett

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Fleet Financial Group's sponsored the Monet in the 20th Century exhibition, the world's largest, in 1998. The case chronicles the solicitation of a large corporate sponsor, as well as the growth and development of their... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit Organizations; Finance; Product Development; For-Profit Firms; Partners and Partnerships; Arts; Brands and Branding; Innovation and Invention; Fine Arts Industry; Financial Services Industry; Massachusetts

August 2019
Case

The Allstate Corporation, 2019

By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock

In July 2019, Allstate, the United States’ number-three property and casualty (P/C) insurer, released its second-quarter earnings, which reported first-half revenues of $22.1 billion, up 11.4% year-over-year. Shareholders cheered the top-line growth, but P/C premiums... View Details

Keywords: Insurance Companies; Strategic Analysis; Strategic Change; Insurance; Strategy; Strategic Planning; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Competitive Strategy; Insurance Industry; North America

21 Mar 2014
Blog Post

East Asia MBA Market Update

Over the past several months I have engaged with organizations across East Asia regarding job opportunities for MBA candidates. While economic growth has slowed in the region, the job market is still good overall for MBA graduates and... View Details

Keywords: Consumer Products / Retail; Consumer Products / Retail

June 2001 (Revised March 2002)
Case

Ducati

Focuses on the turnaround and strategic repositioning of Ducati, an Italian maker of high-end sport motorcycles, and describes the current concerns with the growth prospects of the company. Federico Minoli, the CEO and strategic mind behind the turnaround, knew that... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Product Positioning; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Motorcycle Industry

Web

Faculty & Advisors | MBA

Alexion Pharmaceuticals from 2017-2019. At Biogen, Paul oversaw rapid growth in the company as it expanded it's products and pipeline. During his tenure as CFO, Biogen grew total return to shareholders at a... View Details

June 2024
Teaching Note

Beamery: Using Skills and AI to Modernize HR

By: Boris Groysberg, David Lane, Susan Pinckney and Alexis Lefort

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 424-004. Unicorn human relationships startup Beamery evaluates it growth versus depth strategy as its strategic partners and customers could become future competitors in a quickly changing AI based human resources and talent management... View Details

January 2025
Teaching Note

Vytal: Packaging-as-a-Service

By: George Serafeim, Michael W. Toffel and Stacy Straaberg

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 124-007. The Germany-based startup Vytal operated the largest digital-native reusable packaging-as-a-service network globally, having raised nearly €15 million, established a large network of restaurant partners, and prevented the use of... View Details

14 Jun 2011
First Look

First Look: June 14

PublicationsThe Paradox of Excellence Authors:Thomas J. DeLong and Sara DeLong Publication:Harvard Business Review 89, no. 6 (June 2011) Abstract Why is it that so many smart, ambitious professionals are less productive and satisfied... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 1999 (Revised November 2003)
Case

Fresh Connections

Mary Alice McKenzie is facing numerous issues in growing her Vermont-based fresh-prepared foods business. She must address immediate operational problems--such as bottlenecks and capital equipment decisions--as well as decide on a long-term strategic position. This... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Production; Food and Beverage Industry; Vermont

10 Jul 2023
In Practice

The Harvard Business School Faculty Summer Reader 2023

attributes like aesthetics from products that shape consumer-brand interactions. Finally, let me share a book that has touched my soul—The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. This is a science-fiction masterpiece exploring humanity's quest... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

11 Jun 2013
First Look

First Look: June 11

Publisher's link: http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/13-068_42cdee88-4440-43f0-a719-c00ef875c7fe.pdf 2006 Journal of Economic Perspectives The Growth of Finance By: Greenwood, Robin, and David S. Scharfstein Abstract—The U.S.... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

2019
Working Paper

Who Drives Digital Innovation? Evidence from the U.S. Medical Device Industry

By: Cirrus Foroughi and Ariel Dora Stern

Does the large-scale technological change that is characteristic of an industry-wide digital transformation entrench industry leaders or enable the rise of new entrants? We offer a novel approach to this question by studying the medical device industry, a unique... View Details

Keywords: Innovation; Medical Devices; Digitization; Medical Technology; Technological Innovation; Applications and Software; Market Entry and Exit; Industry Growth; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States

Read Now

November 2005 (Revised March 2006)
Case

Genentech - Capacity Planning

By: Daniel C. Snow, Steven C. Wheelwright and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld

While facilitating a complex clinical approval process over the next two to three years for a family of new cancer drugs, Genentech must develop a long-term capacity plan for a major class of new cancer products. Adding to the complexity and uncertainty is the fact... View Details

Keywords: Factories, Labs, and Plants; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Style; Management Teams; Time Management; Product; Product Development; Business Processes; Performance Capacity; Planning; Risk and Uncertainty; Complexity; Pharmaceutical Industry

10 Mar 2015
Research & Ideas

The Surprising Winners and Losers in the Retail Revolution

sell these products online, in the store, or both, and how? Take lighting as an example. Home Depot asked: How do we best help customers with their lighting needs? What knowledge, products, and services do they need and in what form? What... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Retail

January 2023 (Revised January 2024)
Case

Digital Transformation at Tata Steel

By: Krishna Palepu, Das Narayandas, Radhika Kak and Rachna Tahilyani

T.V. Narendran, CEO of Tata Steel, India’s oldest steel manufacturing firm, had taken concrete business and cultural transformation steps to future-ready the firm since taking over in 2013. He had deleveraged and instilled financial discipline, acquired new businesses,... View Details

Keywords: Digital Transformation; Digital Strategy; Change Management; Growth and Development Strategy; E-commerce; Steel Industry; Asia; India

March 1974 (Revised June 1996)
Case

First National City Bank Operating Group (A)

By: Jay W. Lorsch

Growth in the banking field has produced new demands on the "back office." Traditional management practices in check processing and paper handling operations have resulted in ten years of cost increases and quality loss. New manager of the operating group faces an... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transition; Banks and Banking; Management Practices and Processes; Managerial Roles; Production; Banking Industry

September 1993 (Revised December 1997)
Case

Loctite Corp.: International Distribution

By: John A. Quelch

Loctite Corp., dissatisfied with the sales growth achieved by its independent distributor in Hong Kong, is considering whether to find a new distributor or acquire a controlling interest in a wholly owned subsidiary covering Hong Kong and possibly other markets.... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Marketing; Distribution Channels; Globalization; Market Participation; Industrial Products Industry; Hong Kong

October 2019 (Revised August 2020)
Case

Souqalmal: The Choice Is Yours (A)

By: V.G. Narayanan and Alpana Thapar

This case describes how Ambareen Musa, Founder and CEO of Souqalmal, a Dubai-based online comparison aggregator of banking and insurance products launched her business in 2011 and rapidly grew it over next couple of years. However, by 2017, the Mauritian entrepreneur... View Details

Keywords: Unit Economics; Finance; Accounting; Competitive Strategy; Financial Statements; Insurance Industry; Middle East