Publications

March 2007 (Revised April 2007)
Case

Fujifilm: A Second Foundation

Fujifilm was the second largest manufacturer of photographic film in the world when digital imaging began to substitute for its core business. In contrast to some photography incumbents, such as Polaroid, Fuji had a relatively successful transition to digital imaging.... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Transition; Mission and Purpose; Globalized Markets and Industries; Opportunities; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

February 2001 (Revised November 2019)
Supplement

Delivery Problems at Arrow Electronics, Inc. (B)

By: Andrew P. McAfee, Frances X. Frei and Kerry Herman

Supplements the (A) case. A rewritten version of an earlier case. View Details

Keywords: Order Taking and Fulfillment; Problems and Challenges; Business Processes; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

June 1999
Teaching Note

Hewlett-Packard: Creating, Running, and Growing an Enduring Company TN

By: H. Kent Bowen and Courtney Purrington

Teaching Note for (9-698-052). View Details

Keywords: Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

March 1992 (Revised May 1992)
Teaching Note

Allegheny Ludlum: Research and Engineering Resource Allocation, Teaching Note

By: Dorothy A. Leonard

Teaching Note for (9-692-027). View Details

Keywords: Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

November 1997 (Revised February 1998)
Case

WESCO Distribution, Inc.

By: Das Narayandas

In 1996, WESCO, a national distributor of electrical equipment and supplies, charted out a growth of 6 to 8 percent in sales, and 12 to 16 percent in profitability over the next five years. The centerpiece of this growth strategy is the National Accounts (NA) program... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Customer Satisfaction; Growth and Development; Growth and Development Strategy; Distribution; Sales; Balance and Stability; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

June 1992 (Revised May 1996)
Case

Xerox Corp.: Leadership Through Quality (B)

Provides an evaluation of the "Leadership Through Quality" effort at Xerox. The assessment includes both negative and positive factors based on extensive interviews and surveys. Based on this assessment, a plan of action is determined and presented which was endorsed... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Quality; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

28 Apr 2023
Cold Call Podcast

Sweden’s Northvolt Electric Battery Maker: A Startup with a Mission

Keywords: Re: George Serafeim; Electronics; Electronics; Electronics; Electronics

06 Apr 2009
Research & Ideas

Cheers to the American Consumer

electronic gizmos dominate Christmas gift sales, and senior citizens find renewed connectivity with far-flung families by going online. Americans know technology adds value to daily life. These traits apply equally to consumers and... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch

04 Dec 2007
First Look

First Look: December 4, 2007

http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=208004 Gome: Bidding for China Paradise Harvard Business School Case 208-002 Gome, China's largest electronics retailer, has the opportunity to acquire China Paradise, the... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

29 Sep 2003
Research & Ideas

Pride Goeth Before a Profit

there are some managers who don't want to take the time to fill out a simple form," he says, "but it really doesn't take that much effort." The electronic reports get to customers up to two weeks faster and save Aetna... View Details

Keywords: by Theodore Kinni

December 2009 (Revised November 2012)
Teaching Note

Philips versus Matsushita: The Competitive Battle Continues (TN)

By: Christopher A. Bartlett

Teaching Note for [910410]. View Details

Keywords: Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

March 1992 (Revised April 2000)
Case

Joline Godfrey and the Polaroid Corporation (A)

By: Linda A. Hill and Nancy A Kamprath

Describes how Joline Godfrey, an intrapreneur at the Polaroid Corp., introduced and developed a project that could help Polaroid move to a more service- as opposed to product-oriented focus. Also depicts the mentor-protege relationship between Godfrey and Gerald... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Rank and Position; Leading Change; Problems and Challenges; Change; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

October 1982
Supplement

Fiber-Optics Industry (F)

By: Michael E. Porter and John R. Wells

Keywords: Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

Find at Harvard

January 1992
Teaching Note

Science Technology Company (1985) TN

By: Thomas R. Piper

Teaching Note for (9-289-040). View Details

Keywords: Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry; United States

January 1992
Teaching Note

Cooper Industries, Inc. TN

By: Thomas R. Piper

Teaching Note for (9-274-116). View Details

Keywords: Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry

September 2022
Case

AllSpice: GitHub for Hardware Engineers

By: Jeffrey J. Bussgang and Mel Martin

AllSpice, a software-as-a-service company that built a GitHub-like revision control tool for hardware engineers, was in the midst of preparing for rapid scale when the 2022 market downturn left them with big decisions to make. Cofounder and CEO Valentina Ratner had to... View Details

Keywords: Scaling; SaaS; Strategy; Marketing; Growth and Development Strategy; Resource Allocation; Customer Focus and Relationships; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry; United States

February 2018
Case

Amazon, Google, and Apple: Smart Speakers and the Battle for the Connected Home

By: Rajiv Lal and Scott Johnson

Amazon, Google, and Apple all offer their own smart speaker. The devices represent each firm's entry point into the connected home market. All three companies come into the space with their own strengths and weaknesses. Who will win? View Details

February 2013 (Revised February 2013)
Case

Wayne Ferrari: iAutomation at a Crossroads

By: Jim Sharpe and Michael Norris

Wayne Ferrari has bridged the gap between being an independent entrepreneur and a "professional manager." After selling his business to a Private Equity (PE) firm, Ferrari takes on the role of CEO and with their support implements a roll-up strategy to attain growth... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Management; Entrepreneurial Organizations; Leveraged Buyouts; Roll-up; Career Planning; Acquisitions; Pricing; Pricing Policies; Pricing Strategy; Pricing Structure; Acquisition; Entrepreneurship; Private Equity; Distribution; Integration; System; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry; United States

October 2012
Supplement

Olympus (B)

By: Jay W. Lorsch, Suraj Srinivasan and Kathleen Durante

This case outlines Michael Woodford's awards and honors, after having been fired from Olympus in October 2011. It discusses the repercussions following an investigation into the fraud and the report that was released thereafter. It also discusses the lawsuit that... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Corporate Governance; Electronics Industry; Electronics Industry; Japan