Publications

Research Summary

Globalization & Corporate Transformation in India

By: Nitin Nohria

Political and economic reforms in India, which started in 1992, have led to a dramatic transformation of Indian companies. The first decade of this transformation focused on improving operational efficiency to rival world class competitors. Having proved to themselves... View Details

06 Feb 2014
News

Online Education Has a Loneliness Problem. Can Harvard Fix It?

13 May 2013
Blog Post

Learning about the science in beauty

classes at Sephora University, I jumped at the chance. Over the course of 4 days, I learned about topics like why skin ages and how chemicals like retinoids and peptides can help undo damage as well as speed... View Details

Keywords: Consulting; Consumer Products / Retail

27 May 2011
News

Professor Rob Kaplan Addresses MBA Oath

December 1997 (Revised March 1998)
Case

Mid Ocean Limited: Trading Catastrophe Index Options

By: Kenneth A. Froot and Markus Mullarkey

An insurance industry executive must evaluate the potential of a set of newly-offered catastrophe insurance derivatives. The background addresses the roles of traditional reinsurance and securitization efforts in providing risk transfer and risk financing in the "cat"... View Details

Keywords: Commodity Market; Derivatives; Insurance; Capital Markets; Natural Disasters; Risk Management; Financial Management; Financial Strategy; Performance Evaluation; Insurance Industry; Bermuda

June 2003 (Revised October 2003)
Case

An Ancient Fable

By: Ashish Nanda

This case presents a thinly disguised account of Andersen's collapse, followed by a tightening of the oversight of audit firms. It raises questions on who lost and who gained, as well as the long-term implications of the changes for the accounting profession and... View Details

Keywords: Accounting Audits; Consulting Industry

October 1981 (Revised June 1985)
Case

Vicks Health Care Division: Project Scorpio (B1)

To be handed out during class discussion of the (B) case. Reveals that Vicks developed a second name and advertising positioning. Presents results of copy testing, and further test market results. Students have to choose between the two names and positionings, as well... View Details

Keywords: Product Positioning; Health Care and Treatment; Product Launch; Health Industry

24 Sep 2013
News

Harvard Business School Names First Blavatnik Fellows in Life Science Entrepreneurship

April 2020 (Revised July 2020)
Case

Amazon in China and India

By: Krishna G. Palepu and Kairavi Dey

Amazon has been unsuccessful in its efforts to develop a business in China. Even though Amazon was an early entrant into China’s e-commerce space, its domestic rivals, especially Alibaba, created innovative business models uniquely suited for the conditions in China. ... View Details

Keywords: Global Strategy; Multinational Firms and Management; Emerging Markets; Business Strategy; Expansion; Business Model; Retail Industry; China; India; United States

05 Apr 2016
News

The Leadership Quality that Truly Separates Disney's Bob Iger From his Peers

08 Jan 2015
Blog Post

Job Search Days at HBS

HBS places a high priority on academics and the communal learning benefits of the case method, so in an effort to support the school’s mission, students are not allowed to miss classes for recruiting... View Details

01 Jul 2012
News

Winning friends in new places

April 2009
Case

Merck: Managing Vioxx (A)

By: Robert L. Simons, Kathryn Rosenberg and Natalie Kindred

This two-class case series allows students to stand in the shoes of CEO Ray Gilmartin during the unfolding stages of a reputational crisis. Merck's mission statement claims to "put patients first," but the company is widely criticized for putting profit before patient... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Crisis Management; Reputation; Decision Choices and Conditions; Customers; Business or Company Management; Cost vs Benefits; Corporate Accountability; Business and Shareholder Relations; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Customer Focus and Relationships; Pharmaceutical Industry

August 2004 (Revised August 2006)
Background Note

Reading the Material

By: Sandra J. Sucher

This note is intended to aid students preparing for The Moral Leader course. Given the unique nature of the materials used in the course (history, literature, biography, autobiography, plays, philosophical extracts), a different approach to reading is required for... View Details

Keywords: Education