Publications

25 Sep 2000
Research & Ideas

More Than the Sum of Its Parts: The Impact of Modularity on the Computer Industry

a problem of nightmarish proportions [because of] the growing complexity of the systems and the interdependent structure of their designs. Each new computer system had to be designed from the ground up, and... View Details

Keywords: by Staff; Computer; Consumer Products; Technology

December 1999 (Revised November 2001)
Background Note

Note on Private Equity Securities, A

By: G. Felda Hardymon and Josh Lerner

Provides an overview of the primary securities used in private equity, their structures, and the economic motivation behind their designs. View Details

Keywords: Design; Private Equity; Debt Securities; Industry Structures; Motivation and Incentives

November 2003 (Revised July 2006)
Case

STAR 2003

By: Thomas R. Piper

A shift in strategy from broadcasting standardized programs throughout its footprint to localized programming necessitates a review of STAR's organizational structure. Growing complexity and a need for local responsiveness point toward adoption of a country-based... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Strategy; Organizational Structure; Management Teams; Decision Choices and Conditions; Organizational Design; Complexity; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Service Industry

01 Oct 2000
News

Hawes Hall Groundbreaking

School graduates on every continent, there is such potential for this institution to make a real difference in the world. Our family is proud to be able to play a small role in helping to make that difference." Three stories high with approximately 50,000 square feet... View Details

Keywords: Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Educational Services

01 Feb 2002
News

Replicating Toyota's Success

itself is also unique. Rather than adopting the first good idea, workers create iterative, structured experiments to test hypotheses and foster continuous learning. The result is a workforce that can explore problems independently, an... View Details

Keywords: Machinery Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers; Retail Trade

01 Jun 2004
News

New MBA Leadership Course

“The discussions forced us to think about complicated issues,” he adds, noting that there was never a right or wrong answer. “It gave us a systematic approach to thinking about difficult situations.” That’s exactly what the thirteen-member faculty View Details

Keywords: HBS; LCA; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

Web

Peek into Business | MBA

a software engineer designing solutions to a content creator building their brand. What Do Jobs in Business Look Like? Discover the diverse range of careers in business, from entry level positions to dream roles. What Skills Are... View Details

01 Dec 2005
News

Baker’s back

architect Robert A.M. Stern, several preservationists, and Skanska USA, the construction manager. The School’s internal structure of an executive committee and fifteen subcommittees also provided clear direction. “This was a terrific... View Details

Keywords: Susan Young; Construction of Buildings; Construction; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

01 Dec 2008
News

The CEO and the Functions of Leadership

standards can be treated as part of setting direction. Coordination: Organizational structure defines how individuals in the organization are grouped into units, and how these units coordinate with each other. Processes such as the... View Details

December 1994 (Revised March 1996)
Case

Ciba Consumer Pharmaceuticals' Acutrim: Challenges and Opportunities in Today's Diet Industry

By: Nancy F. Koehn and Rebecca Voorheis

Since its introduction in 1983, Acutrim has been a major player in the U.S. appetite suppressant market and in the broader diet industry. This case focuses on the strategic, regulatory, marketing, and financial challenges this product and the rapidly changing diet... View Details

Keywords: Product Marketing; Market Design; Industry Structures; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Opportunities; Food and Beverage Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

02 Oct 2012
First Look

First Look: October 2

years. It analyzes the effects of patent laws and innovation prizes that were designed to promote technical progress. It explores the challenge associated with the changing organizational structure of... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

19 Nov 2018
Sharpening Your Skills

E-Santa: Is Retail Ready for Digital Christmas?

Banning Big Box Stores Can Hurt Local Retailers Research shows how regulations designed to protect independent retailers from big box competition may backfire. Empathy: The Brand Equity of Retail Retailers can offer great product... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Retail

Profile

Stephanie Atiase

Stephanie applied to HBS, deferring her admission to work at Ernst & Young and acquire her CPA. "The thing about the Harvard MBA,” Stephanie says, “is that you're challenged every day. This place is as representative of the real business world as it gets.... View Details

April 2006 (Revised July 2006)
Case

Managing National Intelligence (A): Before 9/11

By: Jan W. Rivkin, Michael Roberto and Erika Ferlins

Examines the management of national intelligence prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Describes the actions taken by a variety of government agencies, including the FBI, the CIA, the FAA, and the Department of Defense, to detect and deter such attacks. View Details

Keywords: War; National Security; Organizational Design; Organizational Structure; Crisis Management; Management Systems; Public Administration Industry; United States

Find at Harvard

01 Sep 2011
News

HBS Moves Ahead with Curriculum Innovations

won’t make our students country experts, but we can make them better prepared to operate in a globalized world. Module Three is designed to integrate what students have learned throughout the first year. We’re going to do that in the... View Details

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

2009
Book

High Commitment, High Performance: How to Build a Resilient Organization for Sustained Advantage

By: Michael Beer

Integrating knowledge from strategic management, performance management, and organization design, strategic human resource expert and Harvard Business School Professor Michael Beer outlines what the high-commitment, high-performance organization looks like and provides... View Details

Keywords: Human Resources; Leadership; Management; Goals and Objectives; Organizational Culture; Organizational Design; Organizational Structure; Performance; Practice; Business Strategy; System