Publications

Profile

Marla Malcolm Beck

that characterized her life’s journey, Beck already knew she wanted to start a company. “I always knew business and the language of business,” Beck said. “And I always had the ability to gather people together and get... View Details

01 Mar 2010
News

Money Matters

you with a stinging rebuke. When informed that his demand for a 30 percent annual return was unrealistic, despite assurances to the contrary from his bank’s investment adviser, the retiree groused: “If you guys from Harvard Business... View Details

Keywords: Roger Thompson; Finance

October 2001 (Revised March 2003)
Case

Exxel Group, The: March 2001

By: Josh Lerner and Alberto Ballve

The Exxel Group, a leading Latin American buyout fund, faces a challenge when deciding whether and how to exit its largest investment. The capital markets are very weak, precluding an initial public offering. Undertaking a trade sale of the firm, however, proves to be... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Private Equity; Leveraged Buyouts; Capital Markets; Investment Funds; Financial Strategy; Financial Services Industry; Latin America

November 1993
Case

FCB and Publicis (C): The German-Led Network

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Pamela A. Yatsko

After U.S.-based Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB) and Publicis of France established an international advertising alliance in May 1988, alliance leaders set out to merge offices in Europe. They were confronted with a particularly tricky situation in Germany, which, if... View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Alliances; Globalized Firms and Management; Partners and Partnerships; Advertising; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Diversity; Communications Industry; Advertising Industry; France; Germany; United States; Europe

December 1980 (Revised December 1984)
Case

Hudepohl Brewing Co.

By: Malcolm S. Salter

Presents the problem of how an established regional brewer can survive the onslaught of national breweries, some of which are being cross-subsidized by diversified parent companies. Requires detailed analysis of what operations are profitable and unprofitable for... View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Profit; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Industry Growth; Private Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Competition; Diversification

March 1969 (Revised January 2000)
Case

Industrial Products, Inc.

By: Joseph L. Bower and John W. Rosenblum

Involves the decision of whether to construct a new plant in another part of the country for a line of fire protection equipment. Capital funds set aside for the construction are blocked by Fireguard's continued record of substantial operating losses and divisional... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Capital; Construction; Financing and Loans; Expansion; Business Earnings; Markets; Product; Manufacturing Industry

Find at Harvard

June 2001
Supplement

GE's Early Dispute Resolution Initiative (B)

By: Michael A. Wheeler and Gillian Morris

Early Dispute Resolution (EDR) has proved successful at GE. Yet, when Michael McIlwrath, new counsel at an Italian subsidiary, attempted to translate it to his company, problems arose. He had to gain internal acceptance, and explain the concept of early mediation to a... View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Globalization; Lawsuits and Litigation; Organizational Culture; Performance Effectiveness; Problems and Challenges; Conflict of Interests; Complexity; Italy; New York (state, US)

April 1994 (Revised January 1995)
Case

StarKist (A)

By: Richard H.K. Vietor and Forest L. Reinhardt

Set in April 1990, this case focuses on H.J. Heinz and its subsidiary, StarKist, the largest producer of canned tuna in the United States. During the 1980s, the public became increasingly concerned about tuna fishing practices that killed dolphins. StarKist was the... View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Decision Choices and Conditions; Laws and Statutes; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Environmental Sustainability; Competition; Mexico; United States

2025
Working Paper

When Where Watt: Harnessing the Value of Time and Location for Renewable Electricity Generation

By: Vishrut Rana, Christian Kaps and Serguei Netessine

Problem definition: Investments in renewable energy have surged worldwide in recent years, with over $2 trillion spent globally on clean energy. This surge was driven by growing policy support, concerns about energy security, and, most importantly, the cost... View Details

Keywords: Wind Power; Electricity Distribution; Renewable Energy; Profit; Investment Return; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Geographic Location; Revenue; Energy Industry; Utilities Industry

SSRN

September 2013
Case

Advanced Leadership Pathways: David Weinstein and Write the World

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Juliane Calingo Schwetz and Patricia Bissett Higgins

David Weinstein, a lawyer and former Chief Administrative Officer of mutual fund giant Fidelity Investments, launched Write the World, a proprietary online platform that included a writing curriculum, essay prompts in distinct subject matter, and access to expert... View Details

Keywords: Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Expansion; Social Entrepreneurship; Education; Business Startups; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving

29 Aug 2024
Blog Post

Leni Peterson R. (MS/MBA 2023): Solving Big Problems Through Entrepreneurship

at Mawa Modular – a startup designing modular shelters for refugees in Jordan – I discovered that innovative business models can be as impactful as product design. This experience solidified my desire to join a program that would equip me... View Details

01 Jan 2008
News

Anand G. Mahindra, MBA 1981

Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business, by David Mamet “My penchant is for building brands that find a place in the customer’s mind and for developing businesses that live or die by how well they connect with the consumer.”... View Details

01 Jun 2018
News

Floor It

the experience of businesses including Keurig, Peloton, and Rent the Runway to develop more effective strategies to engage and educate patients about precision medicine, the need for genetic testing, and the importance of sharing that... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; illustration by Mengxin Li

15 Aug 2006
First Look

First Look: August 15, 2006

direction. Teaching Purpose: To explore a model of building affordable housing and the challenge of implementing it in different communities. Purchase this case: http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=303130 PublicationsNew View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Apr 1997
News

Manager's Notebook

at the 128 Venture Group, a forum in suburban Boston where businesspeople meet monthly to make contacts and form partnerships. The meetings are attended by a range of professionals seeking a variety of View Details

Keywords: Judith Ross

19 Aug 2015
Research & Ideas

Codeacademy’s Delicate Work of Adding Monetization Without Crushing Mission

administration in the Entrepreneurial Management unit at Harvard Business School and a general partner at Flybridge Capital. He closely studies the startup environment and draws from his experience as a View Details

Keywords: Re: Jeffrey J. Bussgang; Technology

November 2024 (Revised April 2025)
Case

Cheerful Music

By: Shunyuan Zhang, Feng Zhu and Nancy Hua Dai

Established by Snow Jiang in 2019 in Shenzhen, China, Cheerful Music was a record label company that had created many hit songs in China. “Yi Xiao Jiang Hu,” its most famous hit song, gained billions of views on social media platforms in China and overseas as the... View Details

Keywords: Generative Ai; Music Entertainment; Global Strategy; Business Model; AI and Machine Learning; Market Entry and Exit; Music Industry; China; United Kingdom; London

February 2024
Case

More than Optics: Olympus's Vision to Become a Leading Global MedTech Company

By: David J. Collis and Haisley Wert

In August 2022, CEO Yasuo Takeuchi reflected on Olympus Corporation’s recent transformation from being known as a Japanese consumer camera company to becoming a leading global medical technology (MedTech) company. Over the past dozen years, Takeuchi and prior... View Details

Keywords: Global Human Resource Management; Medical Technology; Corporate Strategy; Transformation; Globalization; Business Model; Leading Change; Organizational Structure; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Japan; United States