Publications
Publications
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- All HBS Web
(437)
- Faculty Publications (203)
- April 2009 (Revised August 2009)
- Case
Linden Lab: Crossing the Chasm
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld
In early 2008, managers at Linden Lab, creator of the virtual world Second Life, faced decisions about the company's growth strategy. Despite profound initial skepticism about demand for a user-generated virtual world that was not a traditional game, Second Life had... View Details
- April 2009 (Revised November 2012)
- Case
Sermo, Inc.
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Lars Peter Christian Nielsen
Sermo operates the leading online professional network for physicians in the United States. Doctors use Sermo free of charge to post surveys regarding diagnostic and treatment concerns and to discuss these concerns, as well as challenges with managing their practices.... View Details
- April 2009 (Revised May 2017)
- Case
Skyhook Wireless
By: Shikhar Ghosh and Thomas R. Eisenmann
Ted Morgan, the founder of Skyhook Wireless just received a call from Steve Jobs of Apple asking for a meeting. Ted must decide how to prepare for a meeting that could finally give Skyhook an anchor customer. Ted and his team have worked for three years to build a new... View Details
- 2008
- Working Paper
Opening Platforms: How, When and Why?
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker and Marshall Van Alstyne
Platform-mediated networks encompass several distinct types of participants, including end users, complementors, platform providers who facilitate users' access to complements, and sponsors who develop platform technologies. Each of these roles can be opened-that... View Details
- Article
Managing Proprietary and Shared Platforms
In a platform-mediated network, users rely on a common platform, provided by one or more intermediaries, that encompasses infrastructure and rules required by users to transact with each other. A fundamental design decision for firms that aspire to develop... View Details
- April 2008 (Revised May 2010)
- Case
Visions of Web 3.0
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and David Andrew Vivero
Explores the Semantic Web, a vision for the next generation of the World Wide Web in which information is stored in machine-readable formats. While the Semantic Web would make information more easily accessible, barriers to its adoption are very high because website... View Details
- March 2008 (Revised August 2009)
- Case
Linden Lab: Opening Second Life
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld
In early 2008, managers in Linden Lab, creator of the virtual world Second Life, faced decisions about the company's strategy. Despite profound initial skepticism about demand for a user-generated virtual world that was not a traditional game, Second Life had achieved... View Details
- October 2007
- Teaching Note
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (TN)
- October 2007
- Module Note
Managing Networked Businesses: Network Mobilization Module
- September 2007
- Teaching Note
Sun Microsystems, Inc.: Web Services Strategy (TN)
- September 2007 (Revised September 2007)
- Teaching Note
RealNetworks Rhapsody (TN)
- August 2007
- Module Note
Managing Networked Businesses: Platform Evolution Module
Offers an overview of conceptual content and pedagogical guidance for instructors using a six-session module, "Platform Evolution," from "Managing Networked Businesses" (MNB), a case-based MBA elective course on platform-mediated networks. The module explores the... View Details
- July 2007 (Revised September 2007)
- Module Note
Managing Networked Businesses: Summary Module
Offers pedagogical guidance for instructors teaching the summary module of Managing Networked Businesses, an elective course described in "Managing Networked Businesses: Course Overview for Educators." Also describes how the module materials can be adapted for use in... View Details
- July 2007 (Revised October 2007)
- Teaching Note
PayPal Merchant Services (TN)
- July 2007 (Revised October 2007)
- Teaching Note
Akamai Technologies (TN)
Keywords: Technology Industry
- July 2007 (Revised March 2008)
- Background Note
Staging Two-Sided Platforms
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Andrei Hagiu
Firms that aspire to develop two-sided platforms face a formidable challenge. Prospective users on each side will not invest in the platform until they are confident there will be enough users on the other side. Traditional strategies for dealing with this... View Details
- June 2007 (Revised September 2007)
- Teaching Note
Atheros Communications (TN)
Keywords: Communications Industry
- June 2007 (Revised August 2007)
- Case
Dressen (Abridged) (A)
By: Thomas R. Piper
John Lynch, CEO of the Dressen Division of Westinghouse, was elated by the proposed leveraged buyout by the private equity firm, Warburg Pincus Ventures. The buyout would rid the division of a 'bad' parent and place the division's destiny in its own hands. A recently... View Details