Publications

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27 Jul 2021
Video

Aroon Purie

Aroon Purie, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India Today, describes diversifying first into different magazine variations by launching regional editions of India Today, Business Today, men’s health, and moving into women’s lifestyle magazines and acquiring... View Details

June 2013 (Revised July 2017)
Case

Angus Cartwright IV

By: Kenneth J. Hatten, William J. Poorvu, Howard H. Stevenson, Arthur I Segel and John H. Vogel, Jr.

Judy and John DeRight, looking to diversify their investment portfolios, have retained Angus Cartwright, Jr. to identify prospective real estate acquisitions. Mr. Cartwright has four potential properties that he feels merit an in-depth financial analysis. The case... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Cash Flow; Investment Return; Investment Portfolio; Taxation; Balanced Scorecard; Valuation

March 1982 (Revised June 1986)
Background Note

Note on Diversification as a Strategy

By: Michael E. Porter and Malcolm S. Salter

Presents a discussion of corporate diversification. Covers historical background, the concept of strategy for a diversified company, and concepts of value creation. View Details

Keywords: Diversification; Strategy; Value Creation

18 Nov 2019
Video

Adi Godrej

Adi Godrej, Chair of the India-based diversified business group Godrej Group, describes the way... View Details

January 1994 (Revised November 2002)
Case

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

By: Stephen P. Bradley and Pankaj Ghemawat

Focuses on the evolution of Wal-Mart's remarkably successful discount operations and describes the company's more recent attempts to diversify into other businesses. The company has entered the warehouse club industry with its Sam's Clubs and the grocery business with... View Details

Keywords: Stocks; Price; Marketing Channels; Competitive Strategy; Diversification; Information Technology

04 Feb 2020
Video

Rahul Bajaj

Rahul Bajaj, who was Chair of the diversified business group Bajaj Group, describes how a government minister in India approached him for a favor, which he refused.

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October 2022
Case

Pricing at Echosec Systems

By: Elie Ofek, Marco Bertini, Annelena Lobb and Alexis Lefort

This case follows the evolution of pricing strategy at Echosec Systems, a Canadian open source intelligence firm. The case provides information on pricing as the company grows and diversifies its product offerings. View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Product Positioning; Price; Product Development; Information Industry; Canada; United States

04 Feb 2020
Video

Rahmi M. Koç

Rahmi Koç, former Chair of Koç Holding, a large diversified business group in Turkey, describes his cautious approach to international expansion, using the U.S. appliance market as his example.

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01 Nov 2019
Video

José Alejandro Cortés

José Alejandro Cortés, President of the Colombia-based diversified business group Grupo Bolìvar, discusses the responsibilities of corporations beyond serving shareholders, especially serving the poor and the... View Details

June 1973 (Revised July 1982)
Case

Textron, Inc.

By: Norman A. Berg

Covers the historical development, current business, management philosophies, corporate strategy, and the nature and role of the corporate headquarters in managing the highly diversified operations. Based on Textron, Inc. (A). View Details

Keywords: History; Management Style; Business or Company Management; Corporate Strategy; Business Headquarters; Operations

21 Jan 2021
Video

José Alejandro Cortés

José Alejandro Cortés, President of the Colombia-based diversified business group Grupo Bolìvar, describes the evolution of the business, the significant role that his family plays, and how succession is handled. View Details

June 1975 (Revised September 2004)
Case

Angus Cartwright III

By: Kenneth J. Hatten, William J. Poorvu, Howard H. Stevenson, Arthur I. Segel and John H. Vogel, Jr.

Keywords: Acquisition; Cash Flow; Investment Return; Investment Portfolio; Taxation; Balanced Scorecard; Valuation

March 1998 (Revised May 2007)
Case

Tyco International

By: Cynthia A. Montgomery, Robert E. Kennedy, Lisa J. Chadderdon and Hal Hogan

Tyco, a diversified U.S. conglomerate, has grown rapidly for more than 20 years. This case examines Tyco's acquisition strategy as well as its internal control systems. View Details

Keywords: Business Conglomerates; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Corporate Strategy; Business or Company Management; Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Strategy; Manufacturing Industry; United States

Video

Mohammed Al Barwani

Mohammed Al Barwani, founder of the Oman-based diversified group MB Holding Company, shares his advice to young entrepreneurs starting a business, including the need for simplicity.

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November 1978 (Revised January 1983)
Case

Vick International Division: Tom McGuire

Explores the ways in which International Division management uses formal management systems in carrying out its roles in the management processes of one division of a diversified drug company. View Details

Keywords: Globalized Firms and Management; Business Divisions; Management Systems; Pharmaceutical Industry

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2015
Working Paper

Business Groups Exist in Developed Markets Also: Britain Since 1850

By: Geoffrey Jones

Diversified business groups are well-known phenomena in emerging markets, both today and historically. This is often explained by the prevalence of institutional voids or the nature of government-business relations. It is typically assumed that such groups were much... View Details

Keywords: Business Groups; Business History; Economic History; Conglomerates; Entrepreneurship; Globalization; Management; Organizations; United Kingdom

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05 Feb 2020
Video

Keshub Mahindra

Keshub Mahindra, who was Chair of the India-based diversified business group Mahindra and Mahindra, explains why he believed that businesses must be involved in development in India: “How many villages have no water?” View Details

November 2020 (Revised March 2021)
Case

Amazon: Cult or Culture?

By: Boris Groysberg, Sarah L. Abbott and Tricia Gregg

Amazon was one of the first entrants in e-commerce. Under the leadership of founder Jeff Bezos, Amazon had expanded beyond books to manufacturing and selling a wide range of products and services globally. Bezos had built a customer-centric culture that permeated all... View Details

Keywords: Culture; Technology Companies; Retail; Human Resource Practices; Growth; Founder; Leadership; Organizational Culture; Growth Management; Information Technology; Human Resources; Talent and Talent Management; Retail Industry; Technology Industry