Publications

April 2008 (Revised September 2008)
Case

Shareholder Activists at Friendly Ice Cream (A)

By: Fabrizio Ferri, V.G. Narayanan and James Weber

Two activist investors, one a founder and one a hedge-fund manager, seek to improve board oversight at a chain restaurant company. Prestley Blake founded Friendly Ice Cream in 1935 with his brother, and the two created a chain of full-service restaurants. In 1979 they... View Details

Keywords: Investment Activism; Governing and Advisory Boards; Lawsuits and Litigation; Business or Company Management; Business and Shareholder Relations; Conflict of Interests; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

15 Mar 2021
Blog Post

Be Unapologetically Yourself: Interview with Singer-Songwriter and Banking Strategist Andrea Mendoza

Ironman and he brings that identity to work,” Mendoza shared. “This creates opportunity for others to do the same and as a leader within the organization I can set an example as well.” Mendoza knows that not... View Details

March 2014
Case

Babcock International Plc

By: John R. Wells and Galen Danskin

In 2013, Babcock International Plc (Babcock) was the largest engineering services provider in the UK with sales of over £3 billion. Under the leadership of CEO Peter Rogers, Babcock had grown revenues and profits nearly tenfold over the previous decade as it benefited... View Details

Keywords: Strategic Change; Strategy And Leadership; Diversification; United Kingdom; Military; Nuclear Power; Nuclear; Engineering And Construction; Conglomerates; Strategic Planning; Competitive Strategy; Global Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Construction Industry; Energy Industry; United Kingdom

03 Feb 2016
Research & Ideas

The State of Customer Service Leadership

still hold true. But a great deal of research over the past 20 years or so have put a lot of meat on those bones. As one example, we’ve come to learn more about creating the high-trust environment that leads to engaged employees who... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Aisner; Retail

Research Summary

Overview

By: Ethan C. Rouen

Relying on empirical archival methodologies—as well as techniques in data science—to develop and structure new sources of data by which to approach questions of looming disclosure changes, Professor Rouen has focused on one of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s... View Details

23 Jul 2001
Research & Ideas

How Relationships are Building Biotech

how seismic events in industry—such as the founding, merger, and dissolution of companies—have a ripple effect on the opportunities available to individuals. What Higgins has done recently, though, is to get at what she calls a... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace & Mallory Stark

14 Dec 2021
Op-Ed

To Change Your Company's Culture, Don't Start by Trying to Change the Culture

Culture change is probably on your leadership agenda. You may want (or feel forced) to create a post-pandemic culture, or become more collaborative, innovative, or aggressive. But most companies fail in this because they try to change... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Beer

19 May 2009
First Look

First Look: May 19, 2009

Peter Barge, CEO of the newly created Corporate Solutions Group of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), is executing a restructuring of the U.S. corporate real estate services division that will enable the company to... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

16 Jun 2015
Blog Post

Military Alumna Reflects on Time at HBS

schools that winter. Nothing came close to how I was welcomed and my service was appreciated at HBS. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study at HBS - an opportunity that I am still grateful for to... View Details

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

10 Sep 2020
Blog Post

Founding a Company at the Intersection of Medicine and Technology

surgical robotics to treat lung cancer, the intersection of medicine and technology was a deep interest of his prior to HBS. He is now the Founder and CEO of Alife Health, which uses machine learning to help assess the healthiest embryo... View Details

08 Jan 2007
Research & Ideas

Who Rises to Power in American Business?

"outsiders," such as Elizabeth Arden, created their own road to success, overcoming significant odds. The new book Paths to Power: How Insiders and Outsiders Shaped American Business Leadership explores the demographics of... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

16 Aug 2011
First Look

First Look: August 16

unavailable at this time. Book: http://www.cambridge.org/aus/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521192194 The Consequences of Entrepreneurial Finance: Evidence from Angel Financings Authors:William R. Kerr, Josh Lerner, and Antoinette... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

26 Mar 2019
Blog Post

SEI25 Series: Misan Rewane, MBA 2013, CEO, WAVE

a social enterprise. Misan is the cofounder and CEO of WAVE (West Africa Vocational Education), an organization dedicated to tackling youth unemployment in West Africa. What motivated you to pursue a career path in the social sector? My... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit / Government; Entrepreneurship

June 2018 (Revised July 2023)
Case

John Chambers, Cisco, and China: Upgrading a Golden Shield

By: Geoffrey Jones and Emily Grandjean

This case examines the role of Cisco led by John Chambers in facilitating web filtering in China. It begins by tracing the origins of Cisco as a pioneer of networking equipment. John Chambers, who had worked as a sales manager at IBM and Wang Laboratories, joined Cisco... View Details

Keywords: Cisco; Internet and the Web; Governance Controls; Ethics; Rights; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Technology Industry; China