Publications

September 1998 (Revised March 1999)
Case

Sun Microsystems and the N-tier Architecture

By: Richard L. Nolan and Kelley Porter

Sun Microsystems is a pioneer in networking computing. Sun's servers maintain a large market share and are considered highly scaleable. The case describes the n-tier architecture for building and managing large networks in which thousands of workers and customers are... View Details

Keywords: Information Infrastructure; Information Technology; Technological Innovation; Business Strategy; Innovation Strategy; Information Technology Industry

20 Jul 2009
Research & Ideas

Markets or Communities? The Best Ways to Manage Outside Innovation

Gamble and IBM have learned to do this—others can learn as well. In a similar way there is concern about loss of secrecy. The reality in most industries is that most firms have a reasonably good idea about the core products, services, and... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Technology

18 Feb 2021
Blog Post

SIPs in 2021

experience with skin tone-matching technology and samples; CareTech (Vivek Agrawal, Felicia Hanitio, and Mili Sanwalka), a personalized learning platform for domestic care workers; and Space Factory (Conan Cooper, Cyrus Hessabi, Malory McLemore, and Aaron Yang),... View Details

May 2017 (Revised February 2018)
Supplement

VMware and the Public Cloud (B)

By: Raffaella Sadun and Christine Snively

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Information Infrastructure; Applications and Software; Computer Industry; Computer Industry; Computer Industry

01 Sep 2017
News

City of Dreams

more concrete (sometimes literally) world of doing that affected a great many more people in far more fundamental ways. For the next seven years, he served as an urban development specialist for the Asian Development Bank, working on housing and View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; photographed by Alice Carfrae; Sri Lanka; Construction of Buildings; Construction; Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development; Government

September 1999 (Revised April 2000)
Case

Novell: World's Largest Network Software Company

By: Richard L. Nolan

After phenomenal growth and market leadership in networking, founder and CEO Ray Noorda made a frontal assault on Microsoft's core strengths. In 1994, Noorda spend over $1.5 billion acquiring companies such as WordPerfect to combat Microsoft Word, products such as... View Details

Keywords: Information Infrastructure; Applications and Software; Competition; Internet and the Web; Strategic Planning; Corporate Strategy; Information Technology Industry

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April 1995 (Revised December 1997)
Case

Silicon Graphics, Inc. (A)

By: Marco Iansiti and Ellen Stein

Based on a Silicon Valley company that has developed the capability to compete in a rapidly growing, highly turbulent environment. This capability hinges on its flexible and rapid development process, which the case characterizes in detail. Focuses on the development... View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Information Infrastructure; Product Launch; Managerial Roles; Expansion; Design; Applications and Software; Computer Industry; Computer Industry; California

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June 2010 (Revised December 2013)
Case

Hang Lung Properties and the Chengdu Decision (A)

By: John D. Macomber, Michael Shih-Ta Chen and Keith Chi-Ho Wong

A residential real estate developer competes in a heated auction for a prime retail development site in the interior of China during the 2009 boom. Total project cost might be in excess of $1 billion U.S. for over 4,000,000 square feet of building. Hang Lung Properties... View Details

Keywords: Buildings and Facilities; Decision Choices and Conditions; Investment Return; Geographic Location; Auctions; Bids and Bidding; Infrastructure; Valuation; Real Estate Industry; Chengdu

25 Feb 2025
Blog Post

Alumni Career Journey: Lee Scott (MBA 2023) - Scaling Climate Tech Innovation

What were you doing prior to HBS? What made you decide to go to HBS? Before HBS, I worked on TPG’s impact assessment team, Y Analytics, focused on energy, agriculture, food, and industrial deals. I learned to think deeply about measuring... View Details

March 2003 (Revised January 2004)
Case

CDC Capital Partners: December 2002

By: G. Felda Hardymon, Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

Paul Fletcher, CEO of CDC Capital Partners, a private equity group investing in the world's poorest countries, is wrestling with questions raised by the imminent reorganization of the firm. Previously an arm of the United Kingdom's international aid agency, CDC is... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Investment Portfolio; Privatization; Venture Capital; Business and Government Relations; Emerging Markets; Infrastructure; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry; United Kingdom

March 2005 (Revised August 2007)
Case

Aguas Argentinas: Settling a Dispute

By: Louis T. Wells Jr. and Alexandra de Royere

The French-owned Aguas Argentinas faces a demand from the Argentine government that it renegotiate its concession to operate the Buenos Aires water and sewage services. The company must decide whether to continue with efforts to settle on a new contract or to exercise... View Details

Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment; Contracts; Infrastructure; Privatization; Business and Government Relations; Conflict and Resolution; Business Strategy; Utilities Industry; France; Buenos Aires

01 Oct 2021
Blog Post

Alumni Spotlight: Career Advice from Alums Working in Climate

Morgan Sheil (MBA 2021), Climate and Decarbonization at KKR & Co. "Climate change impacts every industry and every function in every geography globally so there are infinite opportunities for MBAs to work on addressing it. We are... View Details

Keywords: Energy / Cleantech

April 2008
Background Note

Broadband and Video Games: Playing and Winning Together

By: Stephen P. Bradley and Nancy Bartlett

This note examines the relationship between video gaming devices (console, handhelds, mobile and PC) and gaming software development. The impact of broadband, wireless technologies and other innovations are also presented. View Details

Keywords: Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Innovation and Invention; Relationships; Information Infrastructure; Applications and Software; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

November 1999 (Revised April 2002)
Case

International Business Machines Corporation (B)

By: David F. Hawkins

IBM changes pension plan from a defined benefit plan to a cash-balance plan. Teaching purpose: To understand pension accounting. View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Transformation; Business Earnings; Private Sector; Personal Finance; Cash; Information Infrastructure; Taxation; Computer Industry; Computer Industry

March 1991 (Revised July 1993)
Case

Kyocera Corp.

By: John P. Kotter

Examines the three factors critical to this company's remarkable success in the high tech field. The first factor is the founder, Dr. Inamori's powerful leadership. The second is the strong corporate culture or philosophy of the firm. The third element in Kyocera's... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Information Infrastructure; Leadership Style; Management Systems; Management Style; Organizational Culture; Practice; Profit; Planning; Technology Industry; Technology Industry