Publications

March 2020 (Revised July 2022)
Case

Levi Strauss (A): A Pioneer Lost in the Wilderness

By: Joshua Margolis, Ashish Nanda, Margaret Cross, Imran Manji and Bismah Rahmat

In 2011, newly appointed CEO Chip Bergh needed to urgently turn around the iconic but floundering denim apparel firm, Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) Famous for its blue jeans, LS&Co. had suffered a decline in revenue of 29% from $6.8 billion in 1997 to $4.8 billion in... View Details

Keywords: Turnarounds; Transformation; Strategy; Decision Choices and Conditions; Decision Making; Strategic Planning; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Product Marketing; Apparel and Accessories Industry

February 2010
Supplement

Marketing Analysis Toolkit: Market Size and Market Share Analysis (CW)

By: Thomas J. Steenburgh and Jill Avery

This Excel worksheet contains sample problems, prebuilt Excel models to run market sizing and market share analyses, and charts and graphs which help visualize the results. It is designed to accompany Marketing Analysis Tookit: Market Size and Market Share Analysis.... View Details

Keywords: Mathematical Methods; Marketing Strategy; Decisions; Strategic Planning; Market Participation; Sales; Forecasting and Prediction; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques

March 1986 (Revised November 1990)
Case

Valerie Morgan

By: Howard H. Stevenson

Presents interviews and conversations with a woman who recently started a publishing house. Primarily concerns her immediate future regarding harvesting options: IPO, sell out, step up to chairman, venture capital, etc. Also deals with the excitement and thrill of... View Details

Keywords: Interactive Communication; Decision Choices and Conditions; Entrepreneurship; Cash; Initial Public Offering; Business or Company Management; Strategic Planning; Publishing Industry

05 May 2003
Research & Ideas

Sharing the Responsibility of Corporate Governance

an executive officer of a for-profit corporation? Is it the same standard you use when making decisions in your personal life? If not, how does it differ and why?" The board should ask candidates to describe situations in which they... View Details

Keywords: by Carla Tishler

Web

War & Peace: The Lessons of History for Leadership, Strategy, Negotiation & Humanity - Course Catalog

human condition-as well as our approach to leadership, strategy, negotiation and policy. More specifically, we will: Draw lessons for leadership, strategy, negotiation, and policy from cases where decision making occurs in contexts... View Details

01 Jun 2009
News

Alumni Books

market-segmentation scheme for reconfiguring your offerings to reduce costs while delivering new value to customers; lessening innovation risks with strategic experiments and alliances with customers; and appealing to increasingly... View Details

Keywords: Publishing Industries (except Internet); Information

February 2000 (Revised May 2001)
Case

eBricks.com

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann

eBricks.com is developing an online marketplace for construction materials. The start-up company faces two decisions: 1) whether to merge with BluelineOnline.com, a firm providing project management solutions for the construction industry; and 2) whether to develop an... View Details

Keywords: Strategic Planning; Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Marketplace Matching; Decision Choices and Conditions; Business Startups; Construction Industry

February 2001
Case

ALWAYSi

By: Paul A. Gompers and Sergio Rattner

Anthony Soohoo, COO at ALWAYSi, an independent film distributor, is preparing projections for the company. Soohoo must decide which revenue streams the company should pursue. The firm is faced with a variety of attractive opportunities. View Details

Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Business Strategy; Revenue; Film Entertainment; Strategic Planning; Business Startups; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

Find at Harvard

2002
Casebook

General Management: Processes and Action: Text and Cases

By: David A. Garvin

Keywords: General Management; Learning Organizations; Implementation; Management; Cases; Strategic Planning; Decision Making; Change Management; Leadership Style; Organizational Culture

Find at Harvard

October 2003 (Revised January 2004)
Case

Global Farmer and the Future of Soybean Production, The

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Kevin M. Allison

Three farmers from three different countries are looking at the global soybean system and how to position themselves in the future. View Details

Keywords: Animal-Based Agribusiness; Trade; Globalized Markets and Industries; Food; Strategic Planning; Forecasting and Prediction; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

31 Oct 2004
Research & Ideas

The New CEO’s Wrong Message

circumstances in which the harm done by moving forward with a major strategic decision that the CEO considers a serious mistake—a large acquisition, say—is greater than the harm done by issuing orders. But,... View Details

Keywords: by Michael E. Porter, Jay W. Lorsch & Nitin Nohria

01 Feb 2013
News

Growth Strategy Has Double Bottom Line

thing for our investors, our conservation partners, and our employees. One has to make tough judgment calls and strategic decisions and figure out how aggressive to be in negotiations. But the principle of... View Details

Keywords: Louisa Rigali; Forestry and Logging; Agriculture; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles; Finance

30 Mar 2015
Research & Ideas

Managing the Family Business: Preparing to Sell

the family business. The portrait of the business would also typically represent more than 90 percent of the owners' wealth. “If this transition is not managed well, the family has a higher risk of losing its wealth through bad investment View Details

Keywords: by Jonathan Pellegrin; Food & Beverage; Retail

Web

Private Equity Finance - Course Catalog

many of the decisions taken by PE firms have a direct parallel to the strategic and financial decisions taken by companies more broadly and by other types of investors. The... View Details

17 Nov 2011
Sharpening Your Skills

Sharpening Your Skills: Organizational Design

managers gain influence in their organizations to become strategic decision makers. Key concepts include: Many organizations have functional experts who have deep knowledge but lack influence. They can... View Details

Keywords: Re: Ranjay Gulati & Raffaella Sadun

Web

U.S. Healthcare Strategy - Course Catalog

structured around key topics in business strategy, such as industry analysis, strategic positioning, and decisions regarding the boundaries of the firm (e.g. mergers and acquisitions). Each topic includes... View Details

Profile

Claire Freidman

Creative Industries" class, where we studied strategic decisions at a wide variety of entertainment companies. Another professor on campus, Henry McGee, came from a career at HBO, and was invaluable in... View Details

Keywords: Entertainment / Media; Investment Management / Hedge Fund; Technology

November 2001
Case

Gold Kist Inc.

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Stephanie Oestreich

An oversupply of poultry causes a major decrease in margins for the company and the industry. How does the only cooperative in the industry respond to short-term and long-term economic pressures? View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Economics; Profit; Consumer Behavior; Supply and Industry; Strategic Planning; Business Strategy