Publications

December 2007
Background Note

Tools and Tactics for Transformation: Three "Whats" and Three "Hows"

By: James K. Sebenius and Stephen Friedman

Important transformation at Goldman Sachs, where one of the authors was Chairman, required analysis, political leadership, and management in order to fundamentally shift the strategy, people, and culture on a sustainable basis. After describing the actions needed to... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Tactics; Business Strategy; Organizational Culture; Transition; Strategic Planning; Core Relationships; Multinational Firms and Management; Leadership Style; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Private Equity

October 1993 (Revised April 1994)
Case

Jack Welch: General Electric's Revolutionary

By: Joseph L. Bower and Jay Dial

Describes the work of Jack Welch as CEO of General Electric from 1981 to 1992, focusing particularly on his transformation of the company's portfolio through extensive dispositions and acquisitions and the company's culture through a mandated process called "work out."... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Transformation; Investment Portfolio; Leadership Style; Management; Organizational Culture; Personal Development and Career

Bharat N. Anand is the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning at Harvard University, and the Henry R. Byers Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

Professor Anand is an expert in digital strategy, media and... View Details

Keywords: broadcasting; entertainment; information; media; motion pictures; music; publishing industry; sports; television

December 1999 (Revised May 2000)
Case

Morgan Stanley: Becoming a "One-Firm Firm"

By: M. Diane Burton, Thomas J. DeLong and Katherine Lawrence

John Mack, the newly appointed president of Morgan Stanley, feels strongly that the firm needs to change in order to compete in a changing investment banking environment. Mack and his senior team undertake initiatives in order to transform the culture and working style... View Details

Keywords: Human Resources; Goals and Objectives; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Performance Evaluation; Competitive Strategy

June 2012
Case

Perfect Storm over Zurich Airport (A) (Abridged)

By: Michael L. Tushman and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Josef Felder, CEO of Zurich Airport, faces several crises as he tries to transform the Airport from a slow-moving, conflict-ridden, government-owned entity into a privatized, world-class airport. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Leading Change; Crisis Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; State Ownership; Privatization; Air Transportation Industry

September 1992 (Revised January 1994)
Case

Reshaping Apple Computer's Destiny 1992

By: David B. Yoffie and Johanna M. Hurstak

Examines John Sculley's approach toward transforming Apple Computer. Focuses on Sculley's management style, his creation of a new management team, and his efforts to create a professional management system inside Apple. View Details

Keywords: Management Style; Transformation; Management Teams; Management Systems; Computer Industry; California

Find at Harvard

Program

Competing in the Age of AI—Virtual

capabilities that can help your business succeed in today's data-driven environments, you will discover how you can lead your company's transformation into an AI-first leader. Along with learning how to unlock new growth potential, you... View Details

Amy C. Edmondson

Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of... View Details

Keywords: health care; nonprofit industry; professional services; consulting

June 2023 (Revised February 2025)
Case

Doing Business in Lima, Peru

By: Jeffrey T. Polzer, Leonard A. Schlesinger and Max Hancock

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Peru. It highlights Peru's economic transformation in the decades leading up to 2024 in the context of its history, culture, and politics. The case gives an overview of some of the main obstacles... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Business and Government Relations; Corporate Strategy; Mining Industry; Peru; Latin America

Apr 13 2015
Testimonial

Creating Value as an Entrepreneur

16 Apr 2015
News

How Bill Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs Found Success Without Business Training

23 Jul 2019
News

Karen Mills and the case for open banking

October 2014
Background Note

Leader-as-Architect: Alignment

By: Ethan Bernstein, Ryan Raffaelli and Joshua Margolis

Part of a leader's job is to equip the organization to transform inputs into outputs by defining organizational strategy, shaping organizational identity, and then managing four organizational components—formal organizational structure, culture, people, and critical... View Details

Keywords: Organization; Resource Management; Leadership; Business Processes; Design; Organizational Design; Identity; Strategy; Resource Allocation; Strategic Planning; Alignment

Profile

Francesca Ioffreda

summer experience also emphasized the importance of technology in transforming lives, and has reaffirmed my desire to make an impact in the health care space and beyond. View Details

Keywords: Health Care

16 Jun 2014
Research & Ideas

The Unfulfilled Promise of Educational Technology

at scale? That's where technology is so promising." Three Transformations Kim identifies three ways in which technology can transform education: personalization, access, and productivity.... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Education

June 2011
Case

Leaders Who Make a Difference: Sam Palmisano's Smarter IBM: Day 1

By: Joseph L. Bower and Sonja Ellingson Hout

Sam Palmisano explains the moves he made to transform IBM into a faster-growing, more profitable company focused on IT solutions to the problems of companies, cities, and nations. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transformation; Growth and Development Strategy; Business or Company Management; Information Technology Industry

Aug 04 2016
Short Film

Alumni Status and Lifelong Learning

April 2005 (Revised June 2005)
Compilation

Boeing 787: The Dreamliner

By: Richard L. Nolan and Suresh Kotha

Boeing dominated the commercial airline manufacturing business since bringing out the first commercial airline jet airliner. But in 2005, it delivered fewer new planes than its fast-moving competitor, Airbus. Boeing responded by transforming its manufacturing business... View Details

Keywords: Competitive Strategy; Risk Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Air Transportation Industry; Manufacturing Industry; United States

April 2018
Teaching Note

Publicis Groupe 2016: Maurice and the Millennials

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Jonathan Cohen

This Teaching Note assists classroom instructors in teaching HBS case, “Publicis Groupe 2016: Maurice and the Millennials,” (HBS No. 316-127), which describes Levy's efforts to transform the Groupe. View Details

Keywords: Digital; Advertising; Managing Change; Collaboration; Synergies; Integration; Millennials; Innovation ＆ Entrepreneurship; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Information Technology; Change Management; Restructuring; Marketing; Mergers and Acquisitions; Transformation; Innovation and Management; Digital Marketing