Publications

August 2008 (Revised October 2011)
Case

The Redgrove Axial Workshop

By: Michel Anteby and Mikell Hyman

Marc Fontaine, a new manager at a global manufacturing concern, is on a fast-track to a senior managerial position. One morning, in a storage room, he discovers some ornamental artifacts made with the same materials used for official production. He suspects workers... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Managerial Roles; Production; Groups and Teams; Behavior

October 2003 (Revised January 2016)
Exercise

The BCPC Internet Strategy Team: An Exercise

By: Amy C. Edmondson and Laura Feldman

This short fictional case forms the basis of a team decision-making exercise. The case, inspired by a real decision facing a major telecommunications company, describes a cross-functional management team convened by the CEO for the purpose of developing a... View Details

Keywords: Groups and Teams; Decision Making; Risk and Uncertainty; Information Management; Perspective; Product Launch; Internet and the Web; Knowledge Sharing; Telecommunications Industry

08 Jul 2013
Research & Ideas

Everything Must Go: A Strategy for Store Liquidation

the birth and midlife phases of business products and ideas," Raman observes. "We don't spend enough time thinking about the death or liquidation of businesses. What drew us to this problem is that death, or the process of... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Retail

08 Jul 2021

MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences Virtual Event

Join us for a virtual event with program faculty, Admissions staff, students and alumni to learn more about Harvard's MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences program. Prospective students must have an undergraduate degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical... View Details

William B. Rayburn

Rayburn went from service station operator to CEO in a 35-year career with Snap-On. He presided over Snap-On’s impressive growth period achieving 52% market share, becoming the world’s largest independent manufacturer and distributor of small hand tools. Under his... View Details

Keywords: Fabricated Goods

Ray W. MacDonald

MacDonald presided over Burroughs during a dramatic growth period for the computer industry in the 1970s, and Burroughs’ products for electronic data processing and financial accounting systems were among those enjoying prosperity... View Details

Keywords: Computers & Electronics

James A. Gray, Jr.

Through his advertising efforts, Gray was able to return Camel to its position as the best selling cigarette brand. In 1939, Gray greatly improved R. J. Reynolds’ leaf operations by installing vacuum conditioners, which eliminated the use of sweathouses. Gray also... View Details

Keywords: Food & Tobacco

April 2010
Case

Globalization at Komatsu

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

The case captures the challenges Komatsu, the second largest manufacturer of the earth moving equipment faced during the past five decades as it sought to globalize its operations. By 2007, it had become the second largest manufacturer of the earth moving equipment... View Details

Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Distribution Channels; Production; Organizational Culture; Networks; Partners and Partnerships; Manufacturing Industry; Japan

March 1974 (Revised June 1995)
Case

First National City Bank Operating Group (B)

By: Jay W. Lorsch

Growth in demands on the bank's "back office" required a totally new approach to management. New stress on systems orientation, objectives, measurement, process design and control has resulted in lower costs, fewer people, and higher quality. Also resulted in fear,... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Transition; Banks and Banking; Management Practices and Processes; Managerial Roles; Production; Outcome or Result; Banking Industry