Publications

15 Dec 2020
Working Paper Summaries

Biased Sampling of Early Users and the Direction of Startup Innovation

Keywords: by Ruiqing Cao, Rembrand Koning, and Ramana Nanda

17 Jul 2015
News

Why Integrated Reporting Makes Sense

January 1994 (Revised March 1995)
Case

De Passe Entertainment and Creative Partners

By: Linda A. Hill

After 24 years at Motown Industries, Hollywood executive Suzanne de Passe has decided to go out on her own to start two new businesses. The case describes de Passe's career from her beginning as Berry Gordy's assistant at Motown Records to her presidency of Gordy/de... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Entrepreneurship; Partners and Partnerships; Business or Company Management; Entertainment; Personal Development and Career; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Music Industry; California

Find at Harvard

Research Summary

Research Interests

Research interests are focused on issues of innovation and productivity as they relate to improved outcomes in biotechnology and pharmaceutical R and D. These span topics from decision-making, organizational structure and communication, to the development of novel... View Details

May 2003
Module Note

Building Capabilities for Experimentation, Learning, and Prototyping

By: Stefan H. Thomke

Describes the conceptual foundations and pedagogy for a module on managing experimentation, learning, and prototyping in the development of products and services. Can also be used as part of a more general course on Managing Technology and Innovation. Shows how... View Details

Keywords: Service Delivery; Product Development; Learning; Technological Innovation; Information Technology; Management

31 Jul 2017
Working Paper Summaries

In Pursuit of Everyday Creativity

Keywords: by Teresa M. Amabile

12 Apr 2007
Working Paper Summaries

From Manufacturing to Design: An Essay on the Work of Kim B. Clark

Keywords: by Sylvain Lenfle & Carliss Y. Baldwin; Manufacturing

July 1997
Case

Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities (TIPS)

Explores the development of a new product offering based on the first issuance of "real" bonds in the United States. Looks at a specific organization's efforts to position itself to profit from this market development. Follows naturally from a case on nominal bonds. View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Bonds; Inflation and Deflation; United States

February 1999 (Revised June 2000)
Case

Cimetrics Technology (A-1)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Jose Royo

Jim Lee, president of Cimetrics (a young, fast growing, software start-up) is reevaluating his small company's geographically dispersed product development model. To take advantage of talented low-cost labor in Russia, the company has relied on two software engineering... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Applications and Software; Business or Company Management; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Human Resources; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Labor and Management Relations; Product Development; Performance Evaluation; Information Technology Industry; Russia; Canada; United States

20 Jan 2010
First Look

First Look: Jan. 20

benefits from outsourcing the use of intellectual property increases. We also examine how the variability of payoffs to effort affects the optimal way the owner of the intellectual property uses it. Download the paper: http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/07-100.pdf Does... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

September 2009 (Revised August 2012)
Case

Novasys Medical

By: Richard G. Hamermesh and Lauren Barley

Novasys has developed a new medical device and procedure for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence that is cheaper and can be performed in doctors' offices. In spite of FDA approval, the American Medical Association has been unwilling to approve the... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Policy; Health Care and Treatment; Health Disorders; Product Development; Business and Government Relations; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States

July 2024 (Revised January 2025)
Case

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors: Bringing Systematic Investment to Philanthropy

By: Lauren Cohen, Hao Gao, Alexander Bischoff and Sophia Pan

Melissa Berman, CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), evaluated her client’s philanthropy project and its mediocre performance. RPA was a segment of the Rockefeller Family Office’s Philanthropy Department, becoming an independent charity in 2002. Consistently... View Details

November 2006 (Revised September 2007)
Case

The Bollingers: Negotiating with Wal-Mart (A)

By: James K. Sebenius and Ellen Knebel

Describes the negotiations by Howard and Marilyn Bollinger over supplying a new product line to Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer. The (A) case outlines the Bollingers' development of their product, the Wallpockett, documents their negotiation preparation for... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Product Development; Supply Chain; Problems and Challenges; Retail Industry

September 2020 (Revised November 2020)
Case

d.light

By: Michael Chu, Krishna G. Palepu and Dilyana Karadzhova Botha

Kenyan off-grid-solar pioneer d.light can power entire homes in rural Africa but must now decide how to fund the growth of its asset-heavy business model. Ned Tozun and Sam Goldman founded d.light in 2006 to transform lives through solar solutions enabling access to... View Details

Keywords: Alternative Energy; Business Model; Capital; Emerging Markets; Expansion; Financial Strategy; Renewable Energy; Strategy; Social Entrepreneurship; Energy Industry; Africa; Kenya; India

Das Narayandas is the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Technology degree in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB), a Post-Graduate... View Details

Keywords: beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products; beauty products

February 2010 (Revised March 2013)
Case

Zynga (A)

By: Mikolaj Jan Piskorski and David Chen

In January 2010 Mark Pincus is deciding how to double the number of Zynga games' players to 500 million without sacrificing profitability. These ambitious growth plans required changes to product, corporate strategy, and customer acquisition and retention. With regard... View Details

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Decision Choices and Conditions; Growth and Development Strategy; Distribution Channels; Product Development; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Corporate Strategy; Video Game Industry

September 2014
Case

FormPrint Ortho500

By: Frank V. Cespedes and Alisa Zalosh

The Senior Vice President of FormPrint's Medical Products business unit is considering issues raised by the upcoming introduction of a new 3D printing system, the Ortho500, which could print custom exoskeletal orthopedic splints, braces, and casts that conformed to a... View Details

Keywords: B2B Marketing; Technological Innovation; Market Entry and Exit; Marketing Strategy; Distribution Channels; Product Development; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

November 1996 (Revised February 1997)
Case

Farmington Fresh: Growers Changing Produce Distribution

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Don Daniels

Opening up of Asian markets for U.S. produce provided an opportunity for large-scale producers to develop their own packing house and airline to ship their product to Asian markets. Teaching Purpose: How do farmers take a proactive strategy in reaching global produce... View Details

Keywords: Distribution; Global Strategy; Air Transportation; Asia; United States