Publications

September 1991 (Revised November 1997)
Case

Gillette's Launch of Sensor

By: Pankaj Ghemawat and Benjamin C. Esty

The introduction of the Sensor Shaving System, one of the biggest product launches ever, forced Gillette to reevaluate its strategy in its shaving and non-shaving business. It had to decide whether to go ahead with the launch and if so, at what scale. Permits analysis... View Details

Keywords: Product Launch; Technological Innovation; Innovation Strategy; Business Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Measurement and Metrics; Consumer Products Industry

April 1991 (Revised October 1993)
Case

Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (A)

By: David J. Collis

Describes the pet food industry in the mid-eighties prior to the breakout of a major competitive battle as manufacturers fight for share. Illustrates how when there are benefits to play in multiple markets, competitors will take action in one market to preserve their... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Forecasting and Prediction; Financial Markets; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Ownership Stake; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

April 1991 (Revised April 1992)
Case

Hospital Sector in 1992

Examines the major issues facing the hospital sector in 1992. The environment surrounding the industry is one of great uncertainty and rapid change, and involves significant public policy questions. Describes recent trends, issues and new types of competitors that... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Nonprofit Organizations; Competition; Health Care and Treatment; Policy; Change; Health Industry; United States

04 Nov 2014
News

Why do American CEOs make twice as much as German CEOs?

26 Feb 2010
News

Admit it: You're in denial

12 Feb 2025
Video

The wealth gap: Rethinking equity ownership in modern business

Service Productivity Management

Here is an in-depth guide to the most powerful available benchmarking technique for improving service organization performance — Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The book outlines DEA as a benchmarking technique, identifies high cost service units, isolates... View Details

Other Article

What Do We Know About Variance in Accounting Profitability?

By: Anita M. McGahan and Michael E. Porter

In this paper, we analyze the variance of accounting profitability among a broad cross-section of firms in the American economy from 1981 to 1994. The purpose of the analysis is to identify the importance of year, industry, corporate-parent, and business-specific... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; United States

Web

PhD Programs - Doctoral

Business Economics The doctoral program in Business Economics, which includes Finance and Applied Economics tracks, provides scholars with rigorous training in economic theory and a particular focus on economic analysis as it applies to... View Details

May 2013
Case

Altius Golf and the Fighter Brand

By: Robert J. Dolan and Sunru Yong

Altius Golf is the clear leader in the golf ball market despite a long-term decline in the number of golfers and a drop in sales following the financial crisis. The firm has maintained its position by introducing generations of advanced, super-premium golf balls that... View Details

Keywords: Governing and Advisory Boards; Competitive Advantage; Decision Choices and Conditions; Distribution Channels; Sports; Financial Crisis; Brands and Branding; Segmentation; Sports Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

July 1998 (Revised March 1999)
Case

Social Security Reform

Examines various approaches to pension reform. Examines the current Social Security system in the United States, pension reform in other countries, and the leading approaches to reform. Concludes with analysis of three questions: 1) would returns be higher in a private... View Details

Keywords: Privatization; Retirement; Welfare or Wellbeing; Government and Politics; Public Administration Industry; United States

2006
Article

Schumpeter's Plea: Historical Methods in the Study of Entrepreneurship

By: Rohit Daniel Wadhwani and Geoffrey Jones

This paper outlines the case for why and how historical methods are important to the study of entrepreneurship. We show that research in entrepreneurship has displayed declining attention to historical context since the field first emerged in the 1940s. We discuss why... View Details

Keywords: History; Research; Entrepreneurship

May 2012
Course Overview Note

Managing Stakeholders with Corporate Social Responsibility

By: Christopher Marquis and Laura Velez Villa

This note articulates the ways in which strong stakeholder-company relationships developed through corporate social responsibility initiatives and other types of social strategies deliver bottom line benefits. The analysis follows stakeholder logic models connecting... View Details

Keywords: Business And Society; Social Responsibility; Stakeholder Management; Government And Business; Philanthropy; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Revenue

20 Jan 2012
News

Students on Immersion Experience Program Present Findings to Malaysian Prime Minister

March 2021
Case

Wearable Technology

By: Andy Wu, Jacob Chouinard and Christie Klauberg

Wearable electronics were endpoint devices designed to be worn, sense the human body and interact with the environment around the wearer, connecting humans to the Internet of Things. Wearable technology received a great deal of attention in the past decade and reached... View Details

Keywords: Wearables; Internet Of Things; Technological Innovation; Product Development; Technology Adoption; Analysis

November 1983 (Revised May 1984)
Case

Duke Power Co.: Affirmative Action (A)

Presents the dilemmas faced by the executive vice president of construction who is committed to pursuing affirmative action goals but is required by the financial condition of the company to lay off one-third of its construction workforce, which contains many recently... View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Selection and Staffing; Ethics; Utilities Industry

March 1996
Case

African Communications Group

Describes the opportunities that confront the African Communications Group, an entrepreneurial organization that plans to introduce a wireless pay-phone system in Tanzania. Provides a foundation for the analysis of value creation and of value capture. The possibility... View Details

Keywords: Value Creation; Competition; Entrepreneurship; Forecasting and Prediction; Wireless Technology; Telecommunications Industry; Tanzania