Publications

20 Aug 2024
Book

Why Competing With Tech Giants Requires Finding Your Own Edge

resources—be it the myriad Amazon product reviews, a rich collection of free videos on YouTube, or Google’s open-source algorithms. Thanks to these tech giants, a significant portion of your ecosystem is already established and readily... View Details

Keywords: by Feng Zhu; Technology; Information Technology

April 1993 (Revised May 1993)
Case

Safeway Manufacturing Division: The Manufacturing Control System (MCS) (A)

Describes a decision that SMD management made to implement an MRP II system in its 38 plants. Raises the issues that needed to be addressed to enable the implementation, and is positioned so the students can develop a detailed implementation plan. View Details

Keywords: Technology; Production; Planning; Manufacturing Industry

May 1990
Case

Frito-Lay, Inc.: From Manufacturing to Operations Strategy

By: David A. Garvin

Keywords: Production; Strategy; Quality; Performance Productivity; Strategic Planning

Find at Harvard

01 Jun 2012
News

A Better World, One Idea at a Time

A dozen budding social entrepreneurs pitched their ideas for innovative products and services during the annual Social Enterprise Conference in February, and four came away with top honors. The sold-out event marked the 13th year of the... View Details

Keywords: contests; awards; cosmetics; Crop Production; Crop Production; Crop Production; Crop Production; Crop Production; Crop Production

April 2005 (Revised March 2006)
Case

Change at Whirlpool Corporation (A)

By: Jan W. Rivkin, Dorothy A. Leonard and Gary Hamel

In 1998, the CEO of Whirlpool Corp. decides to change the company's strategy significantly to escape an increasingly unattractive "stalemate" in the appliance industry. The change he proposes involves a fundamental shift in the company's focus--from manufacturing to... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Change Management; Competitive Advantage; Strategic Planning; Production; Brands and Branding; Management Teams; Consumer Products Industry; United States

September 1999 (Revised October 2006)
Case

MarketSoft

By: Joseph B. Lassiter III and Diana S. Gardner

Greg Erman and Nancy Benovich-Gilby have assembled a team and selected a market for the launch of a high-potential venture based on using an Internet-based service to manage the flow of sales leads between principals and their distribution channel partners. Their... View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Planning; Sales; Management; Internet; Web Services Industry

June 2012 (Revised November 2012)
Case

The Rise of Circuit City Stores, Inc.

By: John R. Wells and Galen Danskin

In fiscal 2000, Circuit City was at the top of its game. The world's leading consumer electronics retailer had delivered record sales and profits for the first year of the new millennium. It was a fitting moment for Richard Sharpe, the CEO of the last 14 years, to step... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Strategic Planning; Competition; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry; North America

22 Jan 2001
Research & Ideas

Control Your Inventory in a World of Lean Retailing

Manufacturers generally classify products in terms of broad product lines, developing a single marketing strategy and production plan for each... View Details

Keywords: by Frederick H. Abernathy, John T. Dunlop, Janice H. Hammond & David Weil; Consumer Products

01 Mar 2004
News

High Brow

Flock (MBA ’00) decided to have a go at. The two Yanks have purchased the North American rights to Truefitt & Hill, a venerable British purveyor of grooming products and the operator of what’s believed to be the world’s oldest barbershop,... View Details

Keywords: men's grooming; Health and Personal Care Stores; Retail Trade

April 2020 (Revised May 2020)
Case

NTT DOCOMO's Race to 5G

By: Juan Alcácer, Horst Melcher and Akiko Kanno

The case, based on extensive interviews with NTT DOCOMO’s technology leaders, focuses on the opportunities and challenges that NTT DOCOMO faces with the launch of infrastructure and services for 5G wireless telecommunication technology. With higher data rates and... View Details

Keywords: 5G; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Product Launch; Strategic Planning; Decision Making; Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Technology Industry

01 Dec 2012
News

Taking Time to Make Time

not productive to sit in a room and try to figure out where you want to be in 10 or 20 years. Instead, think about what you can do in the next year or two to broaden your learning, experiences, and choices. Career View Details

Keywords: Time management

September 2012 (Revised November 2012)
Case

The Fall of Circuit City Stores, Inc.

By: John R. Wells and Galen Danskin

On January 16, 2009, after a dismal holiday season, Circuit City was forced into liquidation. Unable to meet creditors' demands, and with no acquirer in sight, Circuit City began the process of liquidating its remaining 567 U.S. stores. Circuit City had been the leader... View Details

Keywords: Strategic Planning; Competitive Strategy; Leadership; Consumer Products Industry; Consumer Products Industry; North America

01 Jun 1997
News

David M. Hughes

community together in a common purpose. "I'm a big consensus builder," he says, "and I love helping to motivate people." In addition, Hughes served on the HBS Student Association and was production manager for the HBS Show, the School's... View Details

Keywords: Marguerite Rigoglioso

December 1988
Case

Great Lakes Diversified Corp.: The Detroit Plant--1980

By: Roy D. Shapiro

Keywords: Buildings and Facilities; Planning; Production; Strategy; Michigan

Find at Harvard

May 1979 (Revised April 1987)
Case

Great Lakes Diversified Corp.: The Detroit Plant

By: W. Earl Sasser and David C. Rikert

Keywords: Buildings and Facilities; Planning; Production; Strategy; Michigan

Find at Harvard

December 1997 (Revised April 2000)
Case

John Trani's First Year

By: Hugo Uyterhoeven

John Trani is Stanley Works' new CEO. This case describes his philosophy, communications, and actions during his first seven months in office, aiming at a major transformation of strategic postures, organizational structure, and company culture. View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Strategic Planning; Communication; Personal Development and Career; Organizational Culture; Leadership Style; Management Skills; Consumer Products Industry