Publications

August 1991
Case

Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp.: Commercial Roofing Division (Condensed)

By: Stephen P. Bradley

Keywords: Construction Industry

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May 1975 (Revised October 1980)
Case

Trus Joist Corp.

By: Steven C. Wheelwright

Keywords: Construction Industry

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01 Jun 2011
News

HBS Chapel Earns Gold Certification

In a first for Harvard University, the HBS Class of 1959 Chapel has achieved LEED gold certification for significant reductions in energy and water usage. In fact, the chapel is the first university building in the world to achieve gold status under the existing... View Details

Keywords: Construction of Buildings; Construction of Buildings

16 Jan 2020
News

Helping California Wildfire Victims Rebuild

Source: Timothy Archibald for Forbes Source: Timothy Archibald for Forbes A recent article in Forbes highlights the work of the home-building management startup Homebound, cofounded by CEO Nikki Pechet (MBA 2007). Both cofounders—Pechet and investor Jack Abraham—had... View Details

Keywords: Construction of Buildings; Construction of Buildings

01 Dec 2011
News

Welcome to the Future

Batten Hall, on Western Avenue, is the totally renovated and redesigned building formerly occupied by the PBS television station WGBH. Batten Hall’s top two floors, reserved for HBS, are devoted to 10 curved, modular learning spaces (called “hives”) and other areas... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Construction of Buildings; Construction of Buildings

November 1990 (Revised January 2008)
Case

Regency Plaza

By: William J. Poorvu and Richard E Crum

Designed to examine the process of project management during the development cycle of a luxury condominium building, exploring the issue of how the design, development strategy, project organization, and project personnel are interrelated. More specifically, looks at... View Details

Keywords: Buildings and Facilities; Design; Construction; Housing; Management Practices and Processes; Projects; Luxury; Real Estate Industry

13 May 2019
Research & Ideas

The Unexpected Way Whistleblowers Reduce Government Fraud

Whistleblower complaints against federal contractors can help government agencies drive better deals with those companies—even when the allegations turn out to be unsubstantiated, according to new research. Under the burden of a whistleblower complaint, contractors are... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz; Construction; Construction

September 1982 (Revised August 1985)
Case

Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp.: Commercial Roofing Division (A)

By: Michael E. Porter and John R. Wells

Keywords: Competitive Strategy; Change Management; Construction Industry

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May 2021 (Revised May 2022)
Supplement

Odebrecht's 'Transformation Journey' (B)

By: Lynn S. Paine, Ruth Costas and Pedro Levindo

The case describes the changes in Odebrecht’s board of directors while the company had to file for court-supervised reorganization and cope with an ongoing feud within its founding family, and the new challenges that the Group’s leadership has to face. The changes in... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Misconduct; Corporate Governance; Crisis Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Reputation; Mission and Purpose; Business and Government Relations; Engineering; Family Business; Emerging Markets; Construction Industry; Brazil; Latin America

June 2017
Case

Guillermo Jaime—An Endeavor Entrepreneur

By: Lynda M. Applegate, Sarah Mehta and Aldo Sesia

Guillermo Jaime was the founder and CEO of Mejoramiento Integral Asistido (MIA), a for-profit company providing affordable housing to low-income Mexicans living at the base of the pyramid (BOP). This case tells the story of Jaime and Endeavor, a nonprofit dedicated to... View Details

Keywords: Base Of The Pyramid; Social Capitalism; Housing; Emerging Markets; Social Enterprise; Society; Wealth and Poverty; Social Entrepreneurship; Construction Industry; Mexico

January 1997
Teaching Note

Elevator Service, Incorporated TN

By: David F. Hawkins

Keywords: Construction Industry

February 2014 (Revised April 2014)
Case

Komatsu in China

By: Krishna Palepu, Akiko Kanno and Nobuo Sato

Komatsu built a very successful business in China over the last two decades. But it is now facing rising competition from lower cost domestic Chinese companies which are themselves trying to become global players. Facing the same situation, Caterpillar is implementing... View Details

Keywords: Leading A Global Business; Building A Business In Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Construction Industry; China; Japan

July 2013 (Revised October 2013)
Supplement

United Rentals (B)

By: Jay W. Lorsch and Kathleen Durante

In April 2012, Jenne Britell, the Chairman of the board of directors of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI) was preparing her notes for an upcoming stockholders' meeting. It was a meeting unlike most other meetings she had chaired. Stockholders were about to vote on a... View Details

Keywords: Boards Of Directors; Board Committees; Chairman; Governing and Advisory Boards; Corporate Governance; Construction Industry; North America

March 1990
Supplement

OTISLINE (B)

Provides a brief update about the OTISLINE application and service center concept. Includes discussions of the chairman's perception of the impact of OTISLINE on customer service and the field organization's response to the OTISLINE service. Includes a description of a... View Details

Keywords: Technology; Service Operations; Customer Focus and Relationships; Construction Industry

November 2007 (Revised March 2009)
Case

Allston: Brand vs. Architecture

By: Andre F. Perold, Arthur I Segel and Christopher M. Gordon

Harvard President Lawrence Summers had presided over the final interviews of world-renowned architects being considered for the science complex planned for Harvard's expanded campus in Allston. The selection process had absorbed nine months in 2005 and amplified the... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Brands and Branding; Design; Urban Development; Selection and Staffing; Construction Industry; Boston