Publications

June 2023 (Revised January 2024)
Case

Chipmaking in the Desert: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's Global Expansion

By: William C. Kirby and Noah B. Truwit

On December 6, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) Executive Chairman Mark Liu outlined the company’s ambitious plans to invest $40 billion to build semiconductor manufacturing plants in Phoenix. The event also celebrated the... View Details

Keywords: Geopolitical Units; Government and Politics; Government Legislation; Expansion; Market Entry and Exit; Semiconductor Industry; Taiwan; United States

09 Dec 2009
News

Meet the White House Manufacturing Czar

Keywords: Manufacturing; Manufacturing

January 1991 (Revised April 1995)
Case

Cooper Industries' Corporate Strategy (A)

By: David J. Collis

Describes the development of a successful corporate strategy based on the acquisition and subsequent consolidation of low-technology manufacturing companies. Starting with a company history and discussion of current business segments, the case goes on to detail the... View Details

Keywords: Value Creation; Corporate Strategy; Acquisition; Manufacturing Industry

February 1994 (Revised April 1995)
Case

Asahi Glass Co.: Diversification Strategy

By: David J. Collis

Describes the history and diversification strategy of the Japanese manufacturer Asahi Glass Co. The company has diversified through internal growth, acquisition, and joint ventures from its origin in flat glass to a broad glass-materials, chemical, and electronics... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Joint Ventures; Diversification; Expansion; Vertical Integration; Manufacturing Industry; Japan

Program

Driving Digital Strategy

advantage of the opportunities presented by digital transformation Learn how new technologies are impacting business Make digital transformation a key part of your organization's strategy Create and manage the capabilities that drive... View Details

10 Nov 2003
Research & Ideas

Globalization: The Strategy of Differences

acquisitions to build up scale because, for the leading global competitors, an R&D-to-sales ratio of at least 8 percent represented a significant source of scale economies. But he also implemented a production strategy that was... View Details

Keywords: by Pankaj Ghemawat

March 2004 (Revised September 2005)
Case

Newell Rubbermaid: Strategy in Transition

By: Cynthia A. Montgomery, Rhonda Kaufman and Carole Winkler

Describes the transformation of a company's corporate-level strategy. Begins by laying out the strategy that brought the Newell Co. stunning success for nearly three decades. The highly integrated, internally consistent strategy was tailored for manufacturing and... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Corporate Strategy; Transformation; Problems and Challenges; Acquisition; Product Development; Brands and Branding; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; United States

23 Aug 2004
Research & Ideas

Strategy for Small Fish

The art of business today seems to be the ability to influence resources your company doesn't own—resources such as the production scheduling of manufacturing partners, the packaging requirements of distribution partners, and the... View Details

Keywords: by Marco Iansiti & Roy Levien

Teaching Interest

Strategy and Technology

By: Andy Wu

The Strategy and Technology elective course explores the unique aspects of creating effective strategies for technology-intensive businesses.

What strategies win in markets with network effects?
How can technology be... View Details

June 2023
Teaching Note

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited: Global Leadership in Chipmaking

By: William C. Kirby and Noah B. Truwit

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 321-126. The general purpose of this case is to explore the evolving nature of business relations across the Taiwan strait, focusing on the prominence of Taiwan's high-tech industry. After the legendary founder of Taiwan Semiconductor... View Details

Keywords: Geopolitical Units; Government and Politics; Competition; Production; Disruption; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Taiwan; Taiwan Strait; China

21 Sep 2023
News

How Smaller Manufacturers Can Upgrade Their Tech

06 Mar 2006
Research & Ideas

Four Strategies for Making Concessions

Richard E. Walton and Robert B. McKersie's book A Behavioral Theory of Labor Negotiations: An Analysis of a Social Interaction System (ILR Press, 1991). The head of a manufacturing firm was preparing to initiate talks with the leadership... View Details

Keywords: by Deepak Malhotra

Social Strategies That Work

Over a billion people use social platforms on the Internet, making them the most frequently visited category of sites. Some platforms, such as eHarmony, MeetUp, and Twitter, allow us to connect to strangers. eHarmony alone is estimated to account for one in six new... View Details

Web

Strategy & IT - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

HBS ISC Strategy Strategy Strategy Explained Business Strategy Creating a Successful Strategy Corporate View Details

September 1993
Supplement

Manufacturing at ALZA: The Right Prescription? (C)

By: Dorothy A. Leonard

ALZA, a drug delivery company, considers marketing its own and other companies' products. The primary issue is whether to build an internal sales force focused on a few niche markets, to finance a sales force through alliances, or to acquire a marketing company. View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Product Marketing; Alliances; Research and Development; Salesforce Management; Business Strategy; Pharmaceutical Industry

Find at Harvard

06 Aug 2018
Research & Ideas

Supersmart Manufacturing Tools are Lowering Prices on TVs, Bulbs, and Solar Panels

polesnoy As technology commoditization begins speeding up again, it’s a great time to be a consumer in search of a state-of-the-art flat panel TVs, but less comfortable for manufacturers hoping to make a profit. That’s according to recent... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Manufacturing; Manufacturing

February 2005 (Revised April 2011)
Case

Haier's U.S. Refrigerator Strategy

By: Pankaj Ghemawat, Thomas M. Hout and Jordan I. Siegel

Haier, the first Chinese consumer durable brand in the United States, succeeded in the compact refrigerator, freezer, and air conditioner markets and then built a U.S. factory to enter the full-size market. Issues include the value of a local entrepreneur to the Asian... View Details

Keywords: Factories, Labs, and Plants; Global Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Brands and Branding; Market Entry and Exit; Competitive Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; China; United States