Publications

13 Dec 2011
First Look

First Look: Dec. 13

PublicationsAdding Bricks to Clicks: Predicting the Patterns of Cross-Channel Elasticities over Time Authors:Jill Avery, Thomas J. Steenburgh, John Deighton, and Mary Caravella Publication:Journal of Marketing (forthcoming) Abstract In... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Web

Publications - Institute For Strategy And Competitiveness

Utilizing time-driven activity-based costing to determine open radical cystectomy and ileal conduit surgical episode cost drivers by Janet Baack Kukreja, M.D., M.P.H.a,b, Mohamed A. Seif, M.D.a, Marissa W. Mery, M.D.c, James View Details

August 2019
Case

The Allstate Corporation, 2019

By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock

In July 2019, Allstate, the United States’ number-three property and casualty (P/C) insurer, released its second-quarter earnings, which reported first-half revenues of $22.1 billion, up 11.4% year-over-year. Shareholders cheered the top-line growth, but P/C premiums... View Details

Keywords: Insurance Companies; Strategic Analysis; Strategic Change; Insurance; Strategy; Strategic Planning; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Competitive Strategy; Insurance Industry; North America

June 2014
Supplement

Intuit Inc.: Project AgriNova PowerPoint Supplement

In late 2008, a team from Intuit's office in Bangalore, India, is evaluating an opportunity to launch a new venture that would use SMS to deliver crop price information to farmers in India. The case describes the structure of Indian agriculture and the problems... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Venturing; Entrepreneurship; Research; Business Ventures; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Information Technology Industry; Bangalore

December 2021 (Revised January 2023)
Case

Katerra (A)

By: Lindsay N. Hyde, Thomas R. Eisenmann and Tom Quinn

In April 2020, Katerra executives struggled with a series of decisions that would determine the fate of one of the best-funded construction startups in history. Katerra was founded in 2015 by technology-industry executive Michael Marks and commercial real estate... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Entrepreneurship; Failure; Construction; Real Estate Industry; Technology Industry; United States

September 2006 (Revised October 2007)
Module Note

Platform-Mediated Networks: Definitions and Core Concepts

Defines platform-mediated networks and introduces concepts central to their study. First, it defines networks and network effects; explains how network effects influence users' willingness-to-pay for network access; describes factors that determine the strength of... View Details

Keywords: Consumer Behavior; Network Effects; Digital Platforms; Information Technology; Information Infrastructure; Digital Platforms

July 2000 (Revised October 2000)
Case

Petstore.com

Petstore.com is one of four contenders for leadership in the highly competitive online pet supply business. Petstore.com faces decisions regarding potential merger partners and how to brand its service within the website managed by its ultimate merger partner,... View Details

Keywords: Competition; Internet and the Web; Mergers and Acquisitions; Partners and Partnerships; Internet and the Web; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Retail Industry

June 2014
Teaching Note

Intuit Inc.: Project AgriNova

By: Thomas Eisenmann

In late 2008, a team from Intuit's office in Bangalore, India, is evaluating an opportunity to launch a new venture that would use SMS to deliver crop price information to farmers in India. The case describes the structure of Indian agriculture and the problems... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Venturing; Entrepreneurship; Research; Business Ventures; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Information Technology Industry; Bangalore

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

Keywords: Governance Controls; Digital Platforms; Infrastructure; Competition; Cooperation; Information Infrastructure

Find at Harvard

2021
Book

Why Startups Fail: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success

Why Startups Fail explores entrepreneurial failure, examining its predictable patterns, how to avoid them, and how to cope when failure does occur. Part I looks at three common failure patterns for early-stage startups, illustrating each with an anchor case... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Failure; Success; Framework

Web

Indoor Spaces | About

of Nathaniel de Rothschild (MBA 1971) and is named in honor of his classmate Franklin R. Anderson (MBA 1971). Bricklin Classroom The Dan Bricklin Classroom, located inside Aldrich Hall, was named by the... View Details

December 2000
Background Note

Online Retailers

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alastair Brown

Describes online retailers, companies that use the Internet to sell physical goods. Defines online retailers and describes different ways to categorize them. Explores their economic model and value proposition for consumers in comparison with offline retailers. Next,... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Internet; Retail Industry

Web

Entrepreneurial Management Curriculum - Faculty & Research

2026 Q3Q4 3.0 Field Course: Go to Market Sales Playbook Field Study Lou Shipley Spring 2026 Q4 1.5 Field Course: Ideation and Prototyping for Innovation Thomas Eisenmann , Shai Bernstein Fall 2025 Q1Q2 3.0... View Details

Web

Advisory Board - Entrepreneurship

from Harvard Business School and a BS from Kansas State University. He and his wife, Sandra, reside in Brookline with their four children. Thomas Eisenmann (MBA 1983), Harvard Business School. View Details

01 Jun 2023
News

Pet Project

that demand payment for product placement and by wholesalers who are slow to pay. If Katie pursues this direction, she needs senior team members with the experience to navigate this challenging path and investors who can offer good... View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint; Miscellaneous Store Retailers; Retail Trade; Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, and Book Stores; Retail Trade

Web

HBR Classics - Alumni

HBR CLASSICS Through the years, a number of Harvard Business Review articles written by Harvard Business School faculty and others have risen to “classics” status – articles that are so groundbreaking in their scope or elemental in their... View Details

December 2010 (Revised November 2014)
Case

Steven Carpenter at Cake Financial

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld

After investing $9 million of venture capital, Cake Financial had failed to reach critical mass. In early 2010 Cake's assets were sold and the company was dissolved. Founded in 2006, the San Francisco-based Internet company allowed users to monitor their investments... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Business or Company Management; Business Model; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Strategy; Internet; Financial Services Industry; Web Services Industry

August 2014
Teaching Plan

The Huffington Post

In February 2010, management of the Huffington Post, a fast-growing but not-yet-profitable Internet newspaper that aggregates blog posts from unpaid contributors and excerpts of stories originally published by other news sites, faces a number of decisions about its... View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Newspapers; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Journalism and News Industry

March 2020
Case

Aereo

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Jacey Taft

Aereo aimed to disrupt television program distribution by providing consumers access to local broadcast TV programming using offsite antennas, cloud-based DVRs, and an Internet connection. With Aereo, consumers could “cut the cord” and avoid the high cost of a cable TV... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Failure; Lawsuits and Litigation; Internet and the Web; Media; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States