Publications

October 1994
Case

H.E. Butt Grocery Company: A Leader in ECR Implementation

By: James L. McKenney, Richard L. Nolan, Theodore H. Clark and David Croson

Keywords: Supply Chain Management; Strategy

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Research Summary

Overview

By: Antonio Moreno

Professor Moreno’s research explores how digital technologies are reshaping operational processes, with a particular focus on retail and service industries. His early work examined omnichannel retail—the integration of online and offline channels to create seamless... View Details

Keywords: Omnichannel; Omni-channel; Omnichannel Retail; Omnichannel Retailing; Retail; Operations; Supply Chain Management; Digital Transformation; Digital Strategy; Retail Industry; Technology Industry; Service Industry; Europe; Spain; Latin America

March 2012 (Revised January 2015)
Case

Leadership at Echoing Green (A)

By: Julie Battilana, Thomas DeLong and James Weber

Keywords: Leadership

02 Sep 2019
What Do You Think?

Are Overlooked Forces Shielding the US from Severe Economic Downturns?

peterhowell Summing Up: Is the Current US Economic Expansion Primarily in the Hands of the Fed? New applications of technology and the expansion of the service economy may contribute to prolonged economic expansion. But they represent just two of many other influences.... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Service

December 2011
Teaching Note

Bergerac Systems: The Challenge of Backward Integration (Brief Case)

By: David A. Garvin and Sunru Yong

Teaching Note for Product # 4381 View Details

Keywords: Financial Analysis; Manufacturing Strategy; Strategy; Production; Analysis; Supply Chain Management; Vertical Integration; Finance

01 Jun 2015
News

The End of Cows?

When Senior Lecturer José B. Alvarez was the CEO of Stop & Shop, he heard a recurring complaint from customers: The meat quality, they said, seemed to vary by the day. That’s the nature of meat: Nobody in the supply View Details

Keywords: Jason Feifer; Food and Beverage Stores; Retail Trade; Scientific Research and Development Services

September 2015
Teaching Note

Sustainability at IKEA Group

By: Michael W. Toffel

Can IKEA Group double its global sales within a decade by expending in emerging markets while implementing on its ambitious sustainability strategy that included focusing on raw material sourcing and suppliers’ production processes? The case focuses on IKEA Group’s... View Details

Keywords: Supply Chain Management; Emerging Markets; Environmental Sustainability; Globalized Markets and Industries; Consumer Products Industry

April 2014
Teaching Plan

Beidahuang

By: Ray A. Goldberg and David Lane

This teaching plan is designed to support the teaching of Beidahuang, HBS No. 914-412, rev. March 2014. Beidahuang is a major new Chinese player in global grain trading that in 2013 is seeking access to grain both to help assure China's food security and in pursuit of... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Sourcing; Beidahuang; S; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Supply Chain Management; Trade; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Brazil; China

Fast Answer

Sustainability in CPG and Retail

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October 2024
Background Note

Outsourcing Primer

By: Willy C. Shih

This note provides some background on one of the key resource allocation decisions managers make as they develop and produce products and services: what should they do with the walls of their own firm, and what they should depend upon suppliers or contractors to... View Details

Keywords: Outsourcing; Offshoring And Outsourcing; Production; Product Development; Resource Allocation; Supply Chain Management; Manufacturing Industry; United States; Asia

January 2011 (Revised December 2014)
Teaching Note

Aspen Skiing Company (A), (B), (C), and (D)

By: Michael W. Toffel and Stephanie van Sice

Teaching Note for 611002, 611003, 611018, and 611019. Associated with Video Supplement 615704 and PowerPoint Supplement 615042. View Details

Keywords: Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Tourism Industry

September 2007
Case

Vendor Compliance at Geoffrey Ryans (A)

Geoffrey Ryans, a regional department store, faced two major issues relating to its retail furniture line: a large percentage of stock received from East Asian vendors was not in sellable condition, and furniture pieces had high customer return rates. Discusses... View Details

Keywords: Quality; Supply Chain; Retail Industry; East Asia

March 1990 (Revised October 1990)
Case

Liz Claiborne, Inc. and Ruentex Industries Ltd.

Describes Liz Claiborne, Inc.'s manufacturing and marketing strategy and details the significance of its supplier selection strategy. It begins to describe the company's relationship with Ruentex Industries Ltd., its largest supplier of piece goods. When used with... View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Supply Chain Management; Relationships; Cooperation; Apparel and Accessories Industry

October 2017 (Revised April 2018)
Case

Improving Worker Safety in the Era of Machine Learning (A)

By: Michael W. Toffel, Dan Levy, Jose Ramon Morales Arilla and Matthew S. Johnson

Managers make predictions all the time: How fast will my markets grow? How much inventory do I need? How intensively should I monitor my suppliers? Which potential customers will be most responsive to a particular marketing campaign? Which job candidates should I... View Details

Keywords: Machine Learning; Policy Implementation; Empirical Research; Inspection; Occupational Safety; Occupational Health; Regulation; Analysis; Forecasting and Prediction; Policy; Operations; Supply Chain Management; Safety; Manufacturing Industry; Construction Industry; United States

2002
Chapter

Cooperative Customer Management: Is There Strategic Potential for a New Relationship between Retail and Industry?

By: Christian H.M. Ketels, Dirk Seifert and Alexander Kracklauer

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Cooperation; Supply Chain Management; Retail Industry; Manufacturing Industry

01 Jun 2022
News

Eyes in the Skies

after analyzing supply chains and integrating geospatial intelligence with AI-driven analysis at companies such as IHS Markit, DigitalGlobe, and CAPE Analytics. With satellites scoping the same terrestrial... View Details

Keywords: Alexander Gelfand

October 1995 (Revised April 1997)
Case

Apparel Exports and the Indian Economy

By: Ananth Raman

Indian apparel exports are enjoying considerable success in the international markets. However, the future is uncertain owing to impending technological, regulatory, and market changes. This case explores the long lead times for sourcing apparel from India and provides... View Details

Keywords: Working Capital; Supply Chain Management; Supply and Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; India