Publications

05 Sep 2014
Blog Post

CPD on the Road in Manila

I recently visited Manila to meet with organizations regarding recruitment of MBA students and alumni. The Philippines is a vibrant market for business professionals and youth is a key part of the allure of... View Details

Keywords: Consumer Products / Retail; Consumer Products / Retail; Consumer Products / Retail

February 5, 2009
Comment

In Praise of Marketing

By: John A. Quelch

Many dismiss marketing as manipulative, deceptive, and intrusive. Marketing, they argue, focuses too much of our attention on material consumption. More recently, Benjamin Barber, in his 2007 book Consumed, claims that marketing is "sucking up the air from every other... View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Consumer Loyalty; Local Vs. Global Branding; Multi-national Brands; Misleading and Fraudulent Advertising; Customer Value and Value Chain; Customer Satisfaction; Globalized Economies and Regions; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Multinational Firms and Management; Globalized Markets and Industries; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Product Positioning

Read Now

January 2006
Article

Are Perks Purely Managerial Excess?

By: Raghuram G. Rajan and Julie Wulf

A widespread view is that executive perks exemplify agency problems--they are a route through which managers misappropriate a firm's surplus. Accordingly, firms with high free cash flow, operating in industries with limited investment prospects, should offer more... View Details

Keywords: Problems and Challenges; Cash Flow; Business or Company Management; Situation or Environment; Performance Productivity; Investment; Executive Compensation

Find at Harvard

Read Now

May 2005
Supplement

Otis Elevator: An Interview with Ari Bousbib (video)

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Brian DeLacey

CEO Ari Bousbib talks about how IT is transforming Otis and the practical challenges they are overcoming. Visibly demonstrates what appropriate CEO involvement is in an IT-enabled business transformation. View Details

Keywords: Management Teams; Information Technology; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Leading Change; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry

August 1985
Case

CML Group, Inc.: Going Public (C)

By: William A. Sahlman

Contains a description of some issues confronting management of CML Group. They have decided to go public, have selected an underwriting team, and must make final decisions about the size, composition and pricing of the issue. Because stock prices have fallen since the... View Details

Keywords: Initial Public Offering; Going Public; Problems and Challenges; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry

17 Jul 2012
First Look

First Look: July 17

conquering Paris or New York. Read the article: http://hbr.org/2012/07/the-growth-opportunity-that-lies-next-door/ar/ Working PapersSelection, Reallocation, and Spillover: Identifying the Sources of Gains from Multinational View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

24 Jan 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research: January 24, 2017

By: Kerr, William R., and Ufuk Akcigit Abstract—We build a tractable growth model where multi-product incumbents invest in internal innovations to improve their existing products, while new entrants and... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

June 1982
Supplement

Hartmann Luggage, Video

By: John A. Quelch

The company president describes current strategy, and the decisions made in response to the problems. View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Business Strategy; Consumer Products Industry

26 Jan 2009
Research & Ideas

Where is Home for the Global Firm?

example, the fragmentation of production around the world, distribution outlets worldwide, and research and development facilities that capitalize on local talent pools. But we... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

October 1999 (Revised October 2000)
Case

Coca-Cola Company (A), The

By: David F. Hawkins

In order to fully appreciate Coca-Cola's profitability, financial risk, and operating risk, Jane Wilson, a security analyst, is considering preparing a consolidated financial statement for Coca-Cola analyzing Coca-Cola Enterprises as a fully consolidated entity. View Details

Keywords: Accounting Audits; Financial Statements; Business Earnings; History; Private Sector; Business Units; Consolidation; Organizations; Operations; Private Ownership; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry

February 1998 (Revised October 1998)
Background Note

Note on New Drug Development in the United States

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Ashok Nimgade

An overview of the new drug development process in the United States, using the migraine drug Imitrex as an illustrative example. View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Research and Development; Health; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

September 1990 (Revised January 1992)
Case

Procter & Gamble Japan (A)

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

Ten years after entering Japan, P&G had accumulated over $250 million in operating losses on declining annual sales of $120 million by 1983. The decision facing the president of P&G International: exit, retrench or rebuild the operation? Ironically, the initial entry... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Change Management; Profit; Market Entry and Exit; Market Participation; Sales; Competition; Technology; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Japan

August 2003 (Revised December 2004)
Case

Peninsula Community Foundation

By: James E. Austin, Jane Wei-Skillern and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld

After leading the Peninsula Community Foundation (PCF) through a period of tremendous growth, its president, Sterling Speirn, is facing the prospect of a decline in the foundation's asset base for the first time in the foundation's history. In addition, the fact that... View Details

Keywords: Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Product Positioning; Planning; Alliances; Opportunities; Nonprofit Organizations; Valuation; Financial Services Industry

March 1990 (Revised May 1993)
Case

Pennzoil Co.

Focuses on Pennzoil's motor oil business. Designed to address the business strategy issues of how a firm chooses its scope to create competitive advantage in its core business. "Scope" can be broadly defined to include vertical scope (forward and backward integration),... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Competitive Advantage; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry

30 Jun 2009
First Look

First Look: June 30

paper from SSRN ($5): http://papers.nber.org/papers/w15023 Variation in Experience and Team Familiarity: Evidence from Indian Software Services Authors:Robert S. Huckman and Bradley R. Staats Abstract In... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

June 1992 (Revised March 1993)
Case

Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. 1990

By: Timothy A. Luehrman

The CFO of Fleetwood Enterprises is considering whether to recommend a large share repurchase to the board of directors. Fleetwood's core businesses, manufactured housing and recreational vehicles, are very sensitive to business cycles and oil prices. Following Iraq's... View Details

Keywords: Business Cycles; Capital Structure; Stock Shares; Price; Crisis Management; Production; Manufacturing Industry; Iraq; Kuwait