Publications

26 Jul 2017
Cold Call Podcast

The Revolution in Advertising: From Don Draper to Big Data

Keywords: Re: John A. Deighton; Advertising

January 1991 (Revised November 1994)
Supplement

Black Caucus Groups at Xerox Corp. (B)

Describes the compromise worked out between Xerox and the black caucus groups. The implications of this arrangement for Xerox and black employees over the next 16 years is also described. View Details

Keywords: Agreements and Arrangements; Employee Relationship Management; Race Characteristics; Consumer Products Industry

October 2007 (Revised April 2009)
Case

TH!NK: The Norwegian Electric Car Company

By: Joseph B. Lassiter III and David Kiron

On August 1, 2007, 61-year-old Jan-Olaf Willums' plane was flying along the Greenland coastline on his way back to Norway after intense discussions with several prominent U.S. venture capital investors, among them Kleiner Perkins and Rockport Capital Partners, about... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; Innovation and Invention; Product Launch; Market Entry and Exit; Environmental Sustainability; Pollutants; Auto Industry; Green Technology Industry; Europe; Norway

20 Mar 2017
Book

Why Companies Are Placing Users at the Core of Their Innovation Strategies

number of companies are placing users at the core of their business strategies. Take MUJI, a leading Japanese design retailer, which has created a range of products designed by customers including a car, light fixtures, View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

21 Jul 2010
Research & Ideas

HBS Faculty Debate Financial Reform Legislation

from other productive uses? Will the consumer "protections" and other limitations on bank fees ultimately reduce the availability of credit? Will capital requirements go too far? Will the Volcker... View Details

Keywords: by Staff

February 1995 (Revised July 1995)
Case

Antmobel (A)

In the midst of a sales slump brought on by a recession in Spain, Antmobel's managers are presented with an opportunity to sell a substantial quantity of furniture in Uzbekistan. Management must decide whether the order fits with the company's strategy, capabilities,... View Details

Keywords: Global Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; Uzbekistan; Spain

28 Oct 2008
First Look

First Look: October 28, 2008

platform-based products (applications) and users of such products. We show that the unique equilibrium under platform compatibility leads to higher profits than the symmetric equilibrium under... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

23 Jun 2009
First Look

First Look: June 23

technology, three core principles have emerged that work together to ensure that complementary, interconnected products coexist and compete. These core principles are particularly important when applied to... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

May 2003
Background Note

How to Induce Retailers to Reduce Stockouts?

By: V.G. Narayanan

Describes how the lack of incentive alignment between retailers and their vendors can lead to stockouts. Also describes various means to reduce incentive misalignment and hence stockouts. View Details

Keywords: Motivation and Incentives; Supply Chain Management; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Distribution; Alignment; Business Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry

2010
Working Paper

When Open Architecture Beats Closed: The Entrepreneurial Use of Architectural Knowledge

By: Carliss Y. Baldwin

This paper describes how entrepreneurial firms can use superior architectural knowledge to open up a technical system to gain strategic advantage. The strategy involves, first, identifying "bottlenecks" in the existing system, and then creating a new open architecture... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Investment Return; Growth and Development Strategy; Product Design; Organizational Design; Competitive Advantage; Technology Industry

Read Now

09 Jun 2014
Research & Ideas

The Manager in Red Sneakers

have a few implications for companies. For one thing, brands should take note that the way in which consumers signal status has changed in the last century, and many people these days applaud original View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Consumer Products; Consumer Products; Consumer Products

March 2015 (Revised December 2016)
Case

Evans Food

By: Sunil Gupta

In April 2014, Hector Guerra (GMP 16) was discussing his company's dilemma with his living group of the General Management Program (GMP) at the Harvard Business School. Guerra was Vice President of Operations at Evans Food, a $100 million company, which produced pork... View Details

Keywords: Food; Production; Cost Management; Supply Chain; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

06 May 2002
Research & Ideas

A Toolkit for Customer Innovation

"Listen carefully to what your customers want and then respond with new products that meet or exceed their needs." That mantra has dominated many a business, and it... View Details

Keywords: by Stefan Thomke & Eric Von Hippel

May 1999 (Revised April 2003)
Case

Executive Health Group

Executive Health Group provides in-depth physical exams. Facing stagnant revenues, CEO William Flatley has to reposition his firm, strengthen the brand franchise, and grow share in an increasingly competitive health care environment. View Details

Keywords: Product Positioning; Competition; Health Care and Treatment; Brands and Branding; Health Industry

September 1999 (Revised November 2000)
Case

Swatch Group, The: On Internet Time

By: Luc R. Wathieu, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Cate Reavis

Under the leadership of Nicholas Hayek, the Swatch Group, makers of the Swatch watch, is widely credited with revitalizing the Swiss watch industry by offering a consistent set of brands addressing all segments of the global watch market. New opportunities beyond the... View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Consumer Products Industry

12 Oct 1999
Research & Ideas

Throwing Your Opponent: Strategies for the Internet Age

change their ideas constantly while they are trying to build complex new products and technologies." In addition, by making it possible to "organize businesses in new ways, offer new View Details

Keywords: by Daniel Penrice

September 2004 (Revised December 2005)
Case

Chardonnay Shortage at Mondavi Winery, The

Mondavi Winery is facing a shortage of its Chardonnay wine. This shortage will disrupt its positioning in wine outlets and impact earnings. Allows students to discuss how to communicate such temporary--but financially important--shocks to the capital markets and... View Details

Keywords: Plant-Based Agribusiness; Business Earnings; Production; System Shocks; Capital Markets; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry

August 2010 (Revised August 2011)
Supplement

Erik Peterson at Biometra (D)

By: John J. Gabarro, Thomas J. DeLong and Jevan Soo

Implicitly raises the question of what Peterson should do to extricate himself from his difficulties. Should he resign, go directly to his division's executive vice-president to seek relief, or attempt to clarify the situation within the company? A redisguised and... View Details

Keywords: Employee Relationship Management; Resignation and Termination; Leadership; Management; Product Launch; Problems and Challenges