Publications

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January 1990 (Revised October 1993)
Case

Monsanto's March into Biotechnology (A)

By: Gary P. Pisano

Very early in the history of biotechnology (about 1979), Monsanto made a major commitment to move into this field. This case recounts the history from the point of view of the eminent scientist hired to head up corporate R&D. He took Monsanto from a very traditional... View Details

Keywords: History; Transition; Biotechnology Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry

27 Feb 2012
Research & Ideas

When Researchers Cheat (Just a Little)

Leslie K. John is keenly aware of the pressure researchers feel to get results. When her graduate studies in behavioral decision research didn't produce significant findings that led to publication in a prestigious journal, John felt... View Details

Keywords: by Katie Johnston; Education

19 Jun 2014
News

Turning "Black Gold" to Green

he developed a fascination with market transformation—how to change a market, create demand, decrease prices, and increase industry's capabilities. "It was the mindset I took to HBS," he says. "In each of my... View Details

Keywords: Ralph Ranalli; Oil and Gas Extraction; Mining

September 2023
Article

A Pull versus Push Framework for Reputation

By: Jillian J. Jordan

Reputation is a powerful driver of human behavior. Reputation systems incentivize 'actors' to take reputation-enhancing actions, and 'evaluators' to reward actors with positive reputations by preferentially cooperating with them. This article proposes a reputation... View Details

Keywords: Reputation; Behavior; Game Theory

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Article

Buyer-Initiated vs. Seller-Initiated Information Revelation

Sales presentations are the core of the selling process where salespeople provide information to prospects. One challenge is that the amount of information available to be potentially communicated may exceed salespeople's ability to communicate or customers' ability to... View Details

Keywords: Information; Quality; Marketing Communications; Game Theory; Sales

08 Jun 2010
First Look

First Look: June 8

results translate to specific predictions on how the change in homogeneity will affect firm behavior. This paper's predictions can also serve more generally as a test for the theory View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

27 Apr 2009
Research & Ideas

Building Businesses in Turbulent Times

uncertainty and risk. The only difference today is that uncertainty and risk are not just tied to the business opportunity you are pursuing—you also must identify and manage risk that is tied to the global economy. Q: How should today's economy View Details

Keywords: by Staff

16 Nov 2021
Blog Post

How HBS Supported My Career Transitions During and After Graduation

Mike Anders (MBA 2020) grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC. After attending Northwestern University, he began a career in tech working for a legal services startup in Chicago called Envoy Global. He moved to San Francisco after HBS... View Details

February 2021 (Revised April 2021)
Case

Board Director Dilemmas—Back the SPAC?

By: Suraj Srinivasan, David G. Fubini and Amram Migdal

This case focuses on a board director of a diversified holding company. The firm’s longtime CEO had always exhibited a cautious, methodical approach to growth. Now, the CEO is raising the idea of joining with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) to spin off... View Details

Keywords: Board Director; Strategy; Change Management; Decision Making

26 Jun 2000
Research & Ideas

Three Countries, Three Choices in Post-Soviet Eurasia

theoretical frameworks of international political economy (IPE) to date have not adequately recognized nationalism's real sway. (See sidebar, "Dueling Theories of... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

03 Jun 2015
What Do You Think?

Is the Time Right for Self-Management?

company's vision." Charlie Efford added that "The key to self-management becoming embedded is changing the mindset of the management team. Most corporations haven't made this shift." Denis... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Retail

12 Aug 2013
Research & Ideas

‘Hybrid’ Organizations a Difficult Bet for Entrepreneurs

Consider two organizations with the same noble purpose: to solve the problem of poor eyesight in developing countries. The first, the Centre for Vision in the Developing World, follows a traditional nonprofit model, soliciting donations... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

29 Jan 2019
Research & Ideas

'Green Bonds' May Be Our Best Bet for Environmental Damage Control

Municipalities have been selling bonds to pay for public works projects—fire stations, parking garages,sewage treatment systems—for 200 years. It’s only in the past decade or so, however, that they’ve been selling them with an extra perk: helping the environment. In... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Energy; Utilities; Construction; Green Technology; Public Administration

2007
Working Paper

Deferred Acceptance Algorithms: History, Theory, Practice, and Open Questions

By: Alvin E. Roth

The deferred acceptance algorithm proposed by Gale and Shapley (1962) has had a profound influence on market design, both directly, by being adapted into practical matching mechanisms, and, indirectly, by raising new theoretical questions. Deferred acceptance... View Details

Keywords: Education; Marketplace Matching; Market Design; Mathematical Methods; Theory; Practice

January 2022
Background Note

Residual Income Valuation Model

By: Charles C.Y. Wang and Albert Shin

This note explains the residual income valuation model (RIM), how it relates to "traditional" valuation models, the intuition behind its use, and empirical research related to its value relevance. RIM is theoretically equivalent to the dividend discount model and the... View Details

Keywords: Residual Income Valuation; Valuation; Research; Theory; Measurement and Metrics; Performance; Financial Management; Business Strategy

February 2000 (Revised April 2000)
Case

RadioShack

By: V. Kasturi Rangan, Youngme E. Moon and Marie Bell

Outlines the transformation of RadioShack stores from a parts and accessories business to a provider of high bandwidth Internet access. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Marketing Strategy; Risk and Uncertainty; Internet