Publications

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July–August 2024
Article

Case Study: Are the Right People in the Right Seats?

By: Nitin Nohria

The newly appointed CEO of Highstreet Properties has doubts about several members of the top team she has inherited. She’s trying to drive a turnaround, the company has a complicated matrix structure, and some team members seem opposed to her strategy. She’s debating... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Organizational Structure; Employees; Change Management

02 Oct 2012
First Look

First Look: October 2

years. It analyzes the effects of patent laws and innovation prizes that were designed to promote technical progress. It explores the challenge associated with the changing organizational structure of... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

August 2002
Case

Trilogy University

By: Thomas J. DeLong and Michael Paley

In early 2001, Trilogy Software faced a slowdown in its business, a large number of unsuccessful customer deployments, and an overall weakening in the enterprise software market. In response, the company revamped its business model and restructured the organization.... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Organizational Design; Alignment; Restructuring; Organizational Structure; Change Management; Business Strategy; Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Information Technology Industry

November 2008 (Revised February 2010)
Case

Rebranding at Oliver Wyman Group

By: Robert G. Eccles and Kaitlyn Simpson

Keywords: History; Integration; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Marketing Strategy; Service Operations; Organizational Structure; Organizational Culture; Brands and Branding; Consulting Industry

March 2001 (Revised February 2004)
Case

International Profit Associates

By: Ashish Nanda, Thomas J. DeLong and Monica Mullick

Describes the work environment, systems, and processes that allow International Profit Associates (IPA) to follow a systematic four-step approach to providing advisory service to small business owners. View Details

Keywords: Organizational Structure; Business Processes; Business Model; Consulting Industry

30 Jan 2007
First Look

First Look: January 30, 2007

Geographic Region Author:Mukti Khaire Abstract Most of what organizational scholars know about new industry emergence and entrepreneurship in new industries comes from studies of completely new industries that were born out of... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

July 2025
Case

Greenwood Online: A Fin-Tech Service for Culture and Community (A)

By: James Riley and Bernal Cortés

In 2020, Ryan Glover and Paul Judge launched Greenwood, a fintech startup designed to counter systemic racial discrimination in the American banking ecosystem by offering accessible financial services tailored to Black and Brown communities, but available to all.... View Details

Keywords: Purpose; Identity; Cultural Branding; Impression Management; Organization Behavior; Strategic Alignment; Start-up; Mission and Purpose; Decisions; Marketing Strategy; Organizational Structure; Banking Industry; United States

January 2003 (Revised November 2003)
Case

Merloni Elettrodomestici: The New Century Begins

By: Joseph L. Bower

Merloni Elettrodomestici was founded in 1975. This case traces the evolution of the company's strategy, organization, and management as it becomes the #3 player in Europe (the #1 in Eastern Europe). Issues involve questions of geographic expansion, resource allocation,... View Details

Keywords: Management; Resource Allocation; Organizational Structure; Competitive Strategy; Expansion

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1972
Book

Managing the Multinational Enterprise: Organization of the Firm and Ownership of the Subsidiary

By: John M. Stopford and L. T. Wells Jr.

Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Organizational Structure; Ownership

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February 2010 (Revised December 2010)
Case

Google Inc. (Abridged)

By: Benjamin Edelman and Thomas R. Eisenmann

Describes Google's history, business model, governance structure, corporate culture, and processes for managing innovation. Reviews Google's recent strategic initiatives and the threats it poses to Yahoo, Microsoft, and others. Asks what Google should do next. One... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Corporate Governance; Organizational Culture; Organizational Structure; Competitive Strategy; Search Technology; Web Services Industry

April 2025 (Revised April 2025)
Case

Radical Transformation at Bayer: Dynamic Shared Ownership

By: Boris Groysberg and Gamze Yucaoglu

In 2023, Bill Anderson became CEO of Bayer AG, a 160-year-old life sciences giant looking to strengthen its pharma pipeline, manage debt, and cut through bureaucracy. His bold response: Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO), a radical model replacing traditional hierarchies... View Details

Keywords: Human Resources; Business Strategy; Alignment; Innovation and Management; Organizational Structure; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry

January 2013 (Revised July 2014)
Case

Chorus and Telecom: Building the Boards (A)

By: Boris Groysberg and Sarah L. Abbott

In 2011, Sarah Naudé and Matt Stanley sat down with the chairman of Telecom New Zealand, Wayne Boyd. Telecom, a publicly listed company and the largest telecom provider in New Zealand, was being divided into two publicly traded companies, Chorus, a telecom... View Details

Keywords: Board Of Directors; Women's Empowerment; Governance; Leadership; Selection and Staffing; Organizational Structure; Decision Making; Human Resources; Diversity; Telecommunications Industry; New Zealand

April 2009
Case

SAP AG: Orchestrating the Ecosystem

By: Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani

Business ecosystems require careful orchestration and strategic choices regarding make/buy/partner decisions and membership access. This case examines the strategic and technological issues related to managing SAP's thriving ecosystem of user communities, software... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Organizational Structure; Partners and Partnerships; Business Strategy; Technology Industry

12 Jul 2010
Research & Ideas

Rocket Science Retailing: A Practical Guide

precisely the benefits that will accrue to a retailer from adopting a new technology: This often leads to retailers being reluctant to invest in the new technology. But by structuring your investment as a "call option," if the... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Retail; Auto

July 2019
Case

LaCroix Sparkling Water (Abridged)

By: Tomomichi Amano, Das Narayandas and Kerry Herman

Launched in 1981 as an “all occasion” sparkling water brand, LaCroix Sparkling Water has had a number of ups and downs as a brand. After being purchased by National Beverage in 1996, the brand was repositioned as a new, colorful, fun alternative to the other sparkling... View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Industry Structures; Food and Beverage Industry

Web

2017 Symposium - Race, Gender & Equity

Gianpiero Petriglieri , INSEAD Authenticity in Midair Laura Morgan Roberts , Antioch University Moments of Truth? Authentic Encounters with Realistic Identities Panel: Performance & Appearance Tina Opie , Babson College Hair Penalties and Other View Details

Profile

Mengwen Zhao

in." Expanding beyond specific functions to general management Reflecting on the HBS curriculum, Mengwen says, "The course structure doesn't just give us technical knowledge; it gives us the intuition that informs our business... View Details

Keywords: Consulting; CPG; Healthcare/Biotech

12 Jan 2004
Research & Ideas

Does Your HQ Operation Fit With Corporate Strategy?

Structure and Performance of Corporate Headquarters." Among their findings: Contrary to popular belief, European HQs were smaller than American HQs. And the much-touted "lean and mean" ideal does not necessarily lead to... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

December 2017 (Revised April 2018)
Case

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: Network Strategy 2016

By: Michael E. Porter, Thomas W. Feeley and Toyin J. Okanlawon

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) began as a stand-alone hospital in the heart of downtown Philadelphia in 1855. By 2016 the CHOP Care Network stretched across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the New York metropolitan area, providing a wide range of services... View Details

Keywords: Communication; Health Care and Treatment; Service Delivery; Organizational Structure; Networks; Integration; Strategy; Health Industry; Philadelphia