Publications

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

January 2015 (Revised January 2017)
Case

Curriculum Associates: Turning the Page from Tradition to Innovation

By: John J-H Kim and Christine S. An

Set in Fall 2014, the traditional textbook publishing industry is being transformed by technological innovations and new student achievement standards. This case chronicles how Rob Waldron, CEO, and his team bring Curriculum Associates (CA), a traditional supplemental... View Details

Keywords: Education Technology; SaaS; Turnaround; Textbook Publishing; Innovation; Sales Cycle; HR Strategy; Privately-funded Businesses; Sustainable Growth; Product Development Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Technological Innovation; Competitive Advantage; Publishing Industry

30 Jan 2019
What Do You Think?

Who Will Measure up to These Two Remarkable Leaders?

Summing Up: Which Schools Will Produce the Next Generation of Transformative Leaders? This month’s column featured two leaders who were able to build organizations that literally transformed the mutual fund... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Air Transportation; Financial Services

October 2007 (Revised August 2009)
Case

Perfect Storm over Zurich Airport (A)

By: Michael L. Tushman and David Kiron

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

13 Feb 2006
Research & Ideas

Turning High Potential into Real Reward

Professor Joseph B. Lassiter III's research explores entrepreneurial marketing in high-potential ventures. He describes entrepreneurial marketing as a mindset and a process, one that involves gathering specific evidence that convinces a specific group of individuals to... View Details

Keywords: Re: Joseph B. Lassiter; Consumer Products

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

01 Jun 2020
News

Prognosis

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

April 2001 (Revised April 2002)
Case

Liz Claiborne China

By: Joseph L. Bower, Sonja Ellingson Hout and Fred Young

A new country manager builds the Shanghai office of Liz Claiborne into a powerful sourcing organization using local talent. She explains the nuts and bolts of transforming the office. View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Transformation; Selection and Staffing; Leadership; Managerial Roles; Market Entry and Exit; Fashion Industry; China

October 2002 (Revised February 2003)
Case

Administrative Data Project (A)

By: Lynda M. Applegate and Donald E. Heller

Encourages analysis of the implementation of a large technical infrastructure and process transformation project within a university setting. Enables an instructor to teach change management, leadership, and technical project management skills. View Details

Keywords: Teaching; Change Management; Management Practices and Processes; Transformation; Learning; Competency and Skills; Leadership Development; Non-Governmental Organizations; Education Industry

12 Nov 2014
Op-Ed

A Challenge to the New Congress: Pass Housing Finance Reform

single security for both Fannie and Freddie. Now we must "get there" before inertia gains even more momentum. The new Congress must recommit itself to drafting legislation that will transform housing finance in the twenty-first... View Details

Keywords: by Nicolas Retsinas & Rob Couch; Construction; Real Estate

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

October 2017
Supplement

Turnaround at Norsk Gjenvinning (B)

By: George Serafeim

The case describes the impact of Norsk Gjenvinning's (NG) transformation efforts on reducing corruption and non-compliance within the Norwegian waste management industry. View Details

Keywords: Change Leadership; Governance; Compliance; Waste Management; Environmental Impact; Social Responsibility; Industry Regulation; Regulatory Enforcement; Change Management; Crime and Corruption; Governance Compliance; Wastes and Waste Processing; Norway

23 Oct 2013 - 24 Oct 2013
Conference Presentation

Key Drivers for Inner City Growth

By: Michael E. Porter

Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) annual ecomonic summit. The 2013 theme: Transforming Urban Ecologies, What Works for Cities View Details

Keywords: Development Economics; Industry Clusters; Strategy; Urban Development; Ohio

Read Now

The former head of the Small Business Administration and current Harvard professor says data sharing can be transformational for banks. View Details

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

06 Aug 2018
News

Business Books to Watch in August

25 Apr 2014
Video

Bill Sahlman - Making A Difference

May 1997
Supplement

Francisco de Narvaez at Tia

By: Linda A. Hill and Mara Willard

Harvard Business School students question Francisco de Narvaez about his family store, Tia, from the late 1980s to the present, as he attempts to transform it from a family-owned business into a market-driven, professionally-run global company. View Details

Keywords: Globalized Firms and Management; Family Business; Transformation