Publications

August 2002 (Revised December 2002)
Case

AOL Europe vs. Freeserve (A)

By: David B. Yoffie and Mary Kwak

AOL Europe must decide how to respond to Freeserve, a free Internet Service Provider (ISP) that has signed up 1.6 million British customers in its first six months. After becoming the leading ISP in the United States, AOL has formed a joint venture with Bertelsmann to... View Details

Keywords: Competition; Internet; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; France; Germany; United Kingdom; United States

January 2002 (Revised April 2002)
Case

Space Data Corporation

By: Alan D. MacCormack and Jay Wynn

Space Data Corp. plans to partner with the U.S. National Weather Service to place transceivers on weather balloons and thereby create a national mobile communications network. The company is in the late development stages and is planning to launch a regional test that... View Details

Keywords: Wireless Technology; Business Startups; Business Processes; Adaptation; Partners and Partnerships; Opportunities; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; United States

January 1999 (Revised November 1999)
Case

Metapath Software: September 1997

By: G. Felda Hardymon and Bill Wasik

In September 1997, John Hansen called together his board to debate an interesting choice that his company had to make. Hansen--the CEO of Metapath Software, a provider of software and services to wireless carriers--had two offers to describe. The first was an offer to... View Details

Keywords: Private Ownership; Mergers and Acquisitions; Private Equity; Decision Choices and Conditions; Governing and Advisory Boards; Management Teams; Stocks; Public Ownership; Negotiation Deal; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry

October 2018
Case

Zenefits Board of Directors (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Will Hurwitz

In early 2018, the time seemed right for Zenefits investor and director Lars Dalgaard to reflect on whether Zenefits had the right board of directors to shepherd the company through its next stages of growth. For the company whose name combined the words “benefits,”... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Business Model; Corporate Accountability; Governing and Advisory Boards; Corporate Governance; Crisis Management; Entrepreneurship; Human Resources; Leadership; Risk Management; Venture Capital; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; United States; California

October 2017 (Revised April 2024)
Case

Snap Inc. Goes Public (A)

By: Lynn Sharp Paine and Will Hurwitz

Snap Inc.’s chairman must decide how to address investor concerns about the company’s unprecedented plans to issue only non-voting shares in its upcoming IPO. The case is set in early 2017 following the public availability of Snap’s IPO filing with the U.S. Securities... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Capital Structure; Corporate Accountability; Governing and Advisory Boards; Corporate Governance; Going Public; Business and Shareholder Relations; Leadership; Management; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Venture Capital; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; United States; California

21 Jun 2011
First Look

First Look: June 21

telecommunications to tobacco and soft drinks. The dangers of excessive market concentration are greater in finance, however, because of the systemic importance of credit to the economy and the now widely held belief that governments must... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Apr 2001
News

K.O. Chia: The Voice of Experience

A seasoned mentor who can stand behind a novice entrepreneur is a valuable asset for anyone attempting a start-up, but especially for those who are now launching ventures in Asia’s complicated business environment. K.O. Chia believes that in a new enterprise, the... View Details

Keywords: Alejandro Reyes; Hewlitt-Packard; Apple; Telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications

February 2017 (Revised February 2018)
Case

Frank Baker: Siris Capital Group and Titan Systems

By: Steven Rogers and Derrick Collins

Private equity firm, Siris Capital Group, must decide if they should raise their offer to take Titan Telecom private by acquiring its publicly traded stock. Siris’ decision to pay a premium for Titan must be made in the context of their unique (and somewhat complex)... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Leveraged Buyouts; Mergers and Acquisitions; Private Equity; Mobile Technology; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; United States

January 2014 (Revised March 2015)
Technical Note

The Market Power of Platform-Mediated Networks

By: Benjamin Edelman

This note provides criteria to evaluate the power of a platform-mediated network. For a company considering building such a network or an investor considering funding such an effort, this analysis reveals the scope and desirability of the opportunity. Meanwhile, for a... View Details

Keywords: Intermediaries; Platforms; Platform Strategy; Business Model; Agreements and Arrangements; Distribution Channels; Networks; Technology Platform; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry

14 Aug 2007
First Look

First Look: August 14, 2007

Telephone Company, formed by a consortium of private equity firms, has made a public tender offer for Denmark's leading telecommunications company, TDC. TDC's board of directors approved the take-private transaction, and 88% of... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

October 2018
Supplement

Zenefits Board of Directors (B)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Will Hurwitz

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Business Model; Corporate Accountability; Governing and Advisory Boards; Corporate Governance; Crisis Management; Entrepreneurship; Human Resources; Leadership; Risk Management; Venture Capital; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; United States; California

June 2013
Background Note

Mobilizing an Online Business

By: Peter Coles and Benjamin Edelman

Entrepreneurs starting online businesses often need to mobilize multiple sets of users or customers, each of whom hesitates to participate unless others join also. This case presents several challenges with similar structure. View Details

Keywords: Mobilization Strategy; Network Effects; Platforms; Internet; Entrepreneurship; Strategy; Two-Sided Platforms; Technology Adoption; Innovation Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry

01 Jun 1997
News

Competition and Strategy Unit at HBS Sets Pace In Its Field

(edited with Nolan and Jerry Hausman), Globalization, Technology, and Competition, examines changes driven by the integration of computers and telecommunications in the 1990s. The pair's research is the basis of two new MBA electives,... View Details

Keywords: Susan Young

1998
Chapter

The Converging Worlds of Telecommunications, Computing and Entertainment

By: David J. Collis, Stephen P. Bradley and P. William Bane Jr.

Keywords: Communication Technology; Information Technology; Entertainment; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry

1998
Chapter

The Converging Worlds of Telecommunications, Computing, and Entertainment

By: P. W. Bane, S. P. Bradley and D. J. Collins

Keywords: Communication Technology; Information Technology; Entertainment; Trends; Transition; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry

21 Nov 2013
News

Case Study: BlackBerry and Thorsten Heins

[Editor's note: Since this case study was posted, two faculty members have also offered their insight to the BlackBerry situation. Read their comments below and keep the conversation going!] BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins was hired in January 2012 with the mission of... View Details

Keywords: Telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications

29 Jan 2010
News

Thoughts on the iPad

Keywords: Bhaskar Chakravorti, Karim Lakhani, Daniel Snow, & Stefan Thomke; Telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications

01 Dec 1999
News

The Way You See It

that telecommunications also enable "the emergence and success of complex organizations with large-scale integration and interdependence." Most significant innovation for business Computer technology View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons. Data collection by Ericka Webb.

October 1988
Case

Digital Communications, Inc.: Encoder Device Division

Explores the issues surrounding the determination of the product cost of a subassembly in a firm that has never had to determine subassembly costs. Asks students to change the cost system by adding allocation bases and developing a step-down allocation process. View Details

Keywords: Cost Accounting; Resource Allocation; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Telecommunications Industry