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- All HBS Web (386)
- Faculty Publications (192)
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- All HBS Web (386)
- Faculty Publications (192)
- July 1990 (Revised October 1999)
- Case
Nordstrom: Dissension in the Ranks? (A)
By: Robert L. Simons and Hilary Weston
In 1989, the performance measurement systems and compensation policies of Nordstrom Department Stores unexpectedly came under attack by employees, unions, and government regulators. The case describes the "sales-per-hour" monitoring and compensation system that many... View Details
Keywords: Performance Consistency; Performance Evaluation; Compensation and Benefits; Motivation and Incentives; Labor Unions; Salesforce Management; Retention; Growth and Development; Industrial Products Industry; Utilities Industry
Simons, Robert L., and Hilary Weston. "Nordstrom: Dissension in the Ranks? (A)." Harvard Business School Case 191-002, July 1990. (Revised October 1999.)
- May 2010
- Article
Does Product Market Competition Lead Firms to Decentralize?
By: Nicholas Bloom, Raffaella Sadun and John Van Reenen
There is a widespread sense that over the last two decades firms have been decentralizing decisions to employees further down the managerial hierarchy. Economists have developed a range of theories to account for delegation, but there is less empirical evidence,... View Details
Keywords: Product; Markets; Competition; Business Ventures; Geographic Location; Employees; Research; Programs; Decisions
Bloom, Nicholas, Raffaella Sadun, and John Van Reenen. "Does Product Market Competition Lead Firms to Decentralize?" American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings 100, no. 2 (May 2010): 434–438.
- August 1992
- Case
Johnson & Johnson in the 1990s
Describes the major challenges facing Ralph Larsen, CEO of Johnson & Johnson since 1989, as he strives to maintain the company's decentralized management structure and at the same time keep the company competitive in the 1990s. View Details
Pearson, Andrall E. "Johnson & Johnson in the 1990s." Harvard Business School Case 393-001, August 1992.
- Video
Fadi Ghandour
Fadi Ghandour, founder of Dubai-based courier company Aramex and a leading entrepreneur in the Gulf, describes how he developed a corporate culture at Aramex which decentralized decision-making and encouraged... View Details
- October 2017
- Case
Shift Technologies, Inc.
By: Thomas Eisenmann and Nicole Tempest Keller
In 2017, management at Shift, an online marketplace that uses a “high touch,” concierge approach to buy and sell used cars, was formulating plans for the San Francisco–based startup’s next phase of expansion. One option was to preserve Shift’s current business model... View Details
Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Market Design; Multi-Sided Platforms; Marketplace Matching; Growth and Development Strategy; Decision Choices and Conditions; Auto Industry; Retail Industry; United States
Eisenmann, Thomas, and Nicole Tempest Keller. "Shift Technologies, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 818-002, October 2017.
- March 1953 (Revised August 1985)
- Case
Rose Co.
An accounting executive is appointed plant manager, his first major "line" assignment. The plant is to be operated on a decentralized basis, contrary to the company's other plans. Administrative problems are anticipated. View Details
Hower, Ralph M., and Edmund P. Learned. "Rose Co." Harvard Business School Case 453-002, March 1953. (Revised August 1985.)
- 2011
- Working Paper
The Organization of Firms Across Countries
By: Nicholas Bloom, Raffaella Sadun and John Van Reenen
We argue that social capital as proxied by trust increases aggregate productivity by affecting the organization of firms. To do this we collect new data on the decentralization of investment, hiring, production, and sales decisions from Corporate Headquarters to local... View Details
Keywords: Geographic Location; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Multinational Firms and Management; Organizational Structure; Performance Productivity; Trust; Asia; Europe; United States
Bloom, Nicholas, Raffaella Sadun, and John Van Reenen. "The Organization of Firms Across Countries." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 12-005, August 2011. (Slides from 2008.)
- May 2001 (Revised May 2015)
- Case
Compagnie Lyonnaise de Transport (A)
By: Michael Tushman and Michael J. Roberts
Describes the issues surrounding the funding of a centralized research service that supports two related divisions. The company has a very decentralized and financially driven culture, and the centralized service is used unequally, setting up a conflict. View Details
Keywords: Business Divisions; Organizational Culture; Relationships; Conflict Management; Balance and Stability; Transportation Industry; France
Tushman, Michael, and Michael J. Roberts. "Compagnie Lyonnaise de Transport (A)." Harvard Business School Case 401-040, May 2001. (Revised May 2015.)
- September 2002
- Case
Seattle Public Schools, 1995-2002 (A): The Freedom Agenda
Describes efforts in Seattle Public Schools, under the leadership of Superintendent Joseph Olchefske, to replace the district's centralized budgeting process with school-level budgets. Olchefske's decentralization effort, referred to locally as the Freedom Agenda,... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Management Practices and Processes; Operations; Education; Education Industry; Seattle
Leschly, Stig. "Seattle Public Schools, 1995-2002 (A): The Freedom Agenda." Harvard Business School Case 803-037, September 2002.
- April 1993 (Revised September 1996)
- Case
ABB Deutschland (B)
By: Hugo Uyterhoeven
Focuses in detail on implementing a corporate restructuring program in ABB's German subsidiary. Special attention is given to Germany's unique form of industrial governance. Two major problem areas--power plants and power transformers--are described in detail, as is a... View Details
Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Restructuring; Decision Choices and Conditions; Corporate Governance; Leadership Style; Problems and Challenges; Risk and Uncertainty; Sales; Opportunities; Energy Industry; Germany
Uyterhoeven, Hugo. "ABB Deutschland (B)." Harvard Business School Case 393-131, April 1993. (Revised September 1996.)
- October 1994 (Revised November 1995)
- Case
N.V. Philips Electronics - Currency Hedging Policies
By: Richard F. Meyer
Describes Philips Electronics' policies and problems relating to foreign exchange risk and hedging. Explains centralization versus decentralization of currency hedging, economic role versus transaction role, the difficulties of capturing the necessary information... View Details
Keywords: Business Divisions; Currency Exchange Rate; International Finance; Globalization; Policy; Information Management; Management; Problems and Challenges; Risk and Uncertainty
Meyer, Richard F. "N.V. Philips Electronics - Currency Hedging Policies." Harvard Business School Case 295-055, October 1994. (Revised November 1995.)
- April 1984
- Supplement
Johnson & Johnson (B): Hospital Services, James Burke, Video
By: Francis Aguilar
James Burke, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, discusses the decision to establish a hospital services company. The problem is that this new unit, created to serve 14 Johnson & Johnson companies, runs counter to the corporate culture where autonomy and... View Details
Keywords: Business Startups; Decision Making; Organizational Culture; Problems and Challenges; Health Industry
Aguilar, Francis. "Johnson & Johnson (B): Hospital Services, James Burke, Video." Harvard Business School Video Supplement 884-527, April 1984.
- 2010
- Working Paper
Does Product Market Competition Lead Firms To Decentralize?
By: Nicholas Bloom, Raffaella Sadun and John Van Reenen
There is a widespread sense that over the last two decades firms have been decentralizing decisions to employees further down the managerial hierarchy. Economists have developed a range of theories to account for delegation, but there is less empirical evidence,... View Details
Keywords: Decision Making; Employees; Managerial Roles; Organizational Structure; Competitive Strategy; Asia; Europe; North America
Bloom, Nicholas, Raffaella Sadun, and John Van Reenen. "Does Product Market Competition Lead Firms To Decentralize?" Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 10-052, January 2010. (forthcoming in: American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings.)
- 28 Jan 2010
- Working Paper Summaries
Does Product Market Competition Lead Firms To Decentralize?
- 2015
- Working Paper
On the Increasing Centralization of US Money and Credit
By: Amar Bhidé
My current work on the debt market liquidity (Bhidé 2015) and antecedent book (Bhidé 2010) critiques the de facto centralization of credit extension in the U.S. This essay examines how the increased centralization of credit maps into a decline in the decentralized... View Details
Bhidé, Amar. "On the Increasing Centralization of US Money and Credit." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-022, June 2015.
- December 2009 (Revised January 2010)
- Case
Managing Talent at Bertelsmann AG (A)
By: Boris Groysberg, Nitin Nohria, Mark Maletz and Kerry Herman
Bertelsmann's EVP HR Immanuel Hermreck and his team were focused on four key HR issues. Three of these were somewhat discreet: improving Bertelsmann's employer brand; managing Bertelsmann talent across the firm's decentralized businesses; and ensuring early... View Details
Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Recruitment; Retention; Selection and Staffing; Leadership Development; Strategic Planning; Competitive Advantage; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Germany
Groysberg, Boris, Nitin Nohria, Mark Maletz, and Kerry Herman. "Managing Talent at Bertelsmann AG (A)." Harvard Business School Case 410-010, December 2009. (Revised January 2010.)
- June 1992 (Revised March 2006)
- Case
Concordia Casting Company
Describes five years of development in a centralized data processing activity serving a highly decentralized corporation. Data processing manager discovers that a major software system conversion is a full year behind schedule, and subsequently makes several managerial... View Details
Keywords: Analytics and Data Science; Applications and Software; System; Information Technology; Change Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Leadership Style; Leading Change; Human Resources; Conflict and Resolution; Supply Chain Management; Accounting; Auto Industry
McFarlan, F. Warren. "Concordia Casting Company." Harvard Business School Case 192-151, June 1992. (Revised March 2006.)
- October 1997 (Revised July 1998)
- Case
Cultivating Capabilities to Innovate: Booz.Allen & Hamilton
By: Clayton M. Christensen and Bret J. Baird
Describes the efforts of the president of Booz.Allen, a major consulting firm, to understand and improve the way that products, services, and processes are developed and deployed throughout the firm. Proactive management of these processes proves very difficult because... View Details
Keywords: Change Management; Innovation and Management; Management Teams; Service Operations; Organizational Culture; Customer Focus and Relationships; Decision Making; Consulting Industry
Christensen, Clayton M., and Bret J. Baird. "Cultivating Capabilities to Innovate: Booz.Allen & Hamilton." Harvard Business School Case 698-027, October 1997. (Revised July 1998.)
- June 1982 (Revised May 1995)
- Case
Ellis Manufacturing Co.
By: Roy D. Shapiro
Ellis finds itself in a weakening competitive position largely due to the lack of rationalization in its plants. Driven by a strong traditionally decentralized sales organization, Ellis finds that all plants want control over all product lines. As a result, overall... View Details
Keywords: Factories, Labs, and Plants; Cost; Analytics and Data Science; Brands and Branding; Performance Capacity; Competitive Strategy; Construction Industry
Shapiro, Roy D. "Ellis Manufacturing Co." Harvard Business School Case 682-103, June 1982. (Revised May 1995.)
- January 1988 (Revised February 1991)
- Case
Intercon Japan
Describes the many international sourcing initiatives in a multinational connector manufacturing company from the standpoint of an independent and very successful subsidiary in Japan. Students can explore the conflicts inherent in the situation and thus the more... View Details
Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Multinational Firms and Management; Supply Chain Management; Manufacturing Industry; Japan
Mishina, Kazuhiro. "Intercon Japan." Harvard Business School Case 688-056, January 1988. (Revised February 1991.)