Publications

August 1985
Supplement

Benetton Factory Tour--Ponzano, Italy, Video

By: James L. Heskett

Shows the flow of products through Benetton's Ponzano factory, including its use of subcontractors. Includes information about Benetton's manufacturing, logistics, and retailing strategies. View Details

Keywords: Factories, Labs, and Plants; Logistics; Product; Production; Strategy; Italy

June 2024
Supplement

Zeswitz Music (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 July of 2013, Randy Shayler (HBS, 2012) acquired Zeswitz Music, a musical instrument rental company based in Reading,... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Customer Focus and Relationships; Business Strategy; Revenue; Marketing; Music Industry; Retail Industry

September 1994
Case

Otis Elevator Company: China Joint Venture (B-2)

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

Asks the students to evaluate the challenges a company faced in the summer of 1989 in the light of great political uncertainties. A rewritten version of an earlier case. View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Risk and Uncertainty; Business Strategy; Government and Politics; Globalization; Construction Industry; Manufacturing Industry; China

01 Oct 2001
News

HBS Alumnae Chart Career Choices and Transitions

develop effective strategies for building new leadership roles in business and nonprofit organizations. Many participants, whose careers had diverged from more traditional View Details

Keywords: Laura Singleton; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services; Professional Services

April 2024
Supplement

RHI Magnesita (B): Brick by Brick—Diversification?

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, David M Wagner, Oliver Gassmann and Jordan Mitchell

In Part A, as of April 2017, Austria’s RHI, a backward integrated refractory company is still within the midst of merging with the next biggest competitor, Brazil’s Magnesita, while weighing options for future growth. Should the company pursue organic growth options... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Growth and Development Strategy; Diversification

March 2018
Teaching Note

Adaptive Platform Trials: The Clinical Trial of the Future?

By: Ariel D. Stern and Sarah Mehta

This teaching note provides guidance and recommendations for teaching HBS Case No. 618-025, entitled “Adaptive Platform Trials: The Clinical Trial of the Future?” View Details

Keywords: Clinical Trials; Drug Trials; Drug Testing; Cancer Trials; Glioblastoma; Platform Trials; Adaptive Trials; Adaptive Platform Trials; Health Testing and Trials; Health Care and Treatment; Business Strategy; Health Industry; United States

December 2000
Case

Drug Wars, The: Pfizer's Hostile Bid for Warner-Lambert in 1999

By: Stephen P. Bradley and Matthew Sandoval

Describes Pfizer's hostile bid for Warner-Lambert in the fall of 1999. Allows for an evaluation of the possible synergies created and poses the question as to whether Pfizer will pay too much. View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Bids and Bidding; Competitive Strategy; Valuation

September 2016
Case

Generali: Paving the Way for CEE Expansion

By: Dante Roscini and Emer Maloney

Generali was one of Italy’s largest companies and one of Europe’s largest insurers and had for decades been at the center of the web of cross-shareholding that has characterized the opaque brand of old Italian capitalism. This bred sub-par returns while serving to... View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Transformation; Insurance; Emerging Markets; Negotiation Deal; Business and Shareholder Relations; Expansion; Business Strategy; Insurance Industry; Italy; Europe

May 2014
Article

Clear and Present Danger: Planning and New Venture Survival amid Political and Civil Violence

By: Shon R. Hiatt and Wesley Sine

Although entrepreneurs constitute a key economic driving force for many countries, they often face unstable environments due to violence and civil unrest. Yet, we know very little about how environments characterized by high levels of political and civil violence... View Details

Keywords: Conflict; Violence; Political Turmoil; Civil Unrest; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Government and Politics; Balance and Stability; Crime and Corruption; Business Strategy; Planning; Colombia

Read Now

June 1995 (Revised November 1996)
Case

Northern Telecom and Tong Guang Electronics (C): Future Challenges

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Pamela A. Yatsko

This case considers the future challenges facing the Northern Telecom joint venture in China with Tong Guang Electronics. Asks how well the start-up and transition have been managed and whether the right foundation has been laid for the future. View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Growth Management; Business Startups; Change Management; Transition; Corporate Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Electronics Industry; Canada; China

January 2011 (Revised November 2014)
Case

Mochi Media

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Amit Jain

In late 2009, the management of Mochi Media, a venture-backed startup, must decide how to invest scarce resources to achieve continued growth. Mochi has developed a three-sided platform, connecting Flash game developers, sites that aggregate these games, and... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Business Startups; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Network Effects; Multi-Sided Platforms; Partners and Partnerships; Competition

January 1985 (Revised June 1993)
Case

Turner Construction Co.

By: Frank V. Cespedes

In June, 1984, a vice president at Turner Construction Co. must decide whether to approve a construction project being considered by one of Turner's territorial offices and how to manage that territory general manager's apparent reluctance to pursue another account... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Structure; Projects; Market Entry and Exit; Integration; Contracts; Marketing Strategy; Sales; Business or Company Management; Business Offices; Geographic Location; Construction Industry

15 Dec 2015
News

The Year in Ideas 2015

From social media to the grocery store to the corner office and all the way to the stratosphere, the research and entrepreneurial adventures HBS faculty, doctoral students and alumni undertook this year have changed the way we understand and operate in the View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna, Christine Lejeune, Dan Morrell, and April White

18 Feb 2014
News

Stick with Plan A

redefine the concept of banking and financial access in the future." Ezuza is preparing to launch its service after six years of business development, putting partnerships together and building the technology platform. "To some people,... View Details

Keywords: Robert S. Benchley; Waleed Iskandar (MBA 1993); Telecommunications

November 2001
Background Note

Poison Pill, The

By: Guhan Subramanian

This case presents the history of the "poison pill" as an antitakeover defense. It includes excerpts from the crucial case of Moran vs. Household International. View Details

Keywords: History; Strategy; Acquisition; United States; Europe

01 Jun 2012
News

Good as Our Word

for KBRA as early as 2008; in his mind, Moody’s, Fitch, and S&P sold their souls to win business in the short run. KBRA would, says Becker, “value integrity above everything else.” The case begins in April 2010, as Fons, Kroll’s EVP, is... View Details

Keywords: Maggie Starvish; Bond rating; Securities, Commodities, and Other Financial Investments; Finance

25 Aug 2014
News

Starbucks Reinvented

Keywords: cases; Food and Beverage Stores; Retail Trade

October 2004 (Revised March 2005)
Case

Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd

By: David E. Bell and Hal Hogan

Bright Dairy has been growing rapidly since becoming a public company. The Chinese market for milk products is still wide open. What should it be doing to make sure it captures a significant share of the potential market? View Details

Keywords: Distribution; Marketing Strategy; Growth and Development; Public Ownership; Emerging Markets; Business Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; China