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17 Jun 2017
Research & Ideas

Amazon, Whole Foods Deal a Big Win for Consumers

Source: 400tmax Editor's Note. Online retailing behemoth Amazon announced June 16 that it would acquire upscale grocery chain Whole Foods Market in a deal valued at more than $13 billion. Though the company has dabbled with the idea of a brick-and-mortar footprint in... View Details

Keywords: by Jose Alvarez and Len Schlesinger; Retail

2008
Dictionary Entry

Total Factor Productivity

By: Diego Comin

Total Factor Productivity (TFP) is the portion of output not explained by the amount of inputs used in production. The following definition describes the measurement and importance of TFP for growth, fluctuations and development as well as likely future directions of... View Details

Keywords: Business Cycles; Economic Growth; Measurement and Metrics; Production; Performance Productivity; Research

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17 Jan 2023
Book

Good Companies Commit Crimes, But Great Leaders Can Prevent Them

Tsao, both of whom held senior positions in the US Department of Justice’s criminal division and now are Harvard Law School lecturers. It explores the topics through cases such as Wells Fargo’s creation of thousands of fake accounts, and... View Details

Keywords: by Lane Lambert

2022
Book

From Strength to Strength: Finding Meaning, Success, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life

By: Arthur C. Brooks

Many of us assume that the more successful we are, the less susceptible we become to the sense of professional and social irrelevance that often accompanies aging. But the truth is, the greater our achievements and our attachment to them, the more we notice our... View Details

Keywords: Aging; Meaning In Life; Purpose; Personal Development and Career; Success; Happiness; Satisfaction

April 1983 (Revised June 2003)
Case

Shouldice Hospital Limited

By: James L. Heskett

Various proposals are set forth for expanding the capacity of the hospital. In assessing them, serious consideration has to be given to the culture of the organization and the importance of preserving it in a service delivery system. In addition to issues of capacity... View Details

Keywords: Expansion; Health Care and Treatment; Performance Capacity; Organizational Culture; Service Delivery; Growth Management; Strategic Planning; Quality; Social Enterprise; Health Industry; Canada

April 2009 (Revised May 2009)
Case

Oprah Winfrey

By: Nancy F. Koehn, Erica Helms, Katherine Miller and Rachel Wilcox

The case explores the entrepreneurial journey of Oprah Winfrey, examining how she built an audience for one of the most successful television shows in history; how she created the company, Harpo Productions, that produces that show as well as other media offerings; how... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Entrepreneurship; Leadership; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Personal Development and Career; Strategy; Media and Broadcasting Industry; United States

06 Aug 2012
Research & Ideas

Strategic Intelligence: Adapt or Die

corporate strategy, Wells has learned that the seeds of failure are often planted years before they sprout, and only by overcoming complacency and constantly adapting to the changing competitive environment can companies prosper in the... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

August 2013 (Revised July 2024)
Case

Amazon in 2024

By: Sunil Gupta and Margaret L. Rodriguez

Amazon launched its website in July 1995 to sell books online and by 2020 it has grown to become a digital giant with over $280 billion in annual sales. A large part of its growth came from expanding into a variety of businesses that some see as unrelated. Has it... View Details

Keywords: Platforms; Complements; Showrooming; Ecosystem; Growth Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Network Effects; Internet and the Web; Business Model; Competitive Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Digital Platforms; Retail Industry; Publishing Industry

October 2023
Case

India: Will the Giant Emerge?

By: Christian Ketels and Radhika Kak

The case describes India's economic development trajectory, with a specific focus on the last few years under the Modi administration. It provides insights into the current economic profile and competitiveness of the country. The case enables students to identify the... View Details

Keywords: Competitiveness; Public Policy; Economic Growth; Growth and Development; Developing Countries and Economies; Opportunities; Government Administration; India

March 2002 (Revised September 2005)
Case

Robert Mondavi and the Wine Industry

Examines the competitive challenges facing Robert Mondavi as the wine industry begins to consolidate globally. Mondavi faces challenges from foreign competitors entering the U.S. market as well as diversified global alcoholic beverage companies entering the wine... View Details

Keywords: Plant-Based Agribusiness; Competitive Strategy; Globalized Markets and Industries; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

November 2021 (Revised November 2023)
Background Note

Legal Analysis: Fiduciary Duties for Managers

By: J.S. Nelson and Trevor Fetter

This note describes the essential legal responsibilities of managers and company directors toward investors and other parties. These include basic fiduciary duties of loyalty, obedience, good faith and care, as well as duties that relate to... View Details

Keywords: Fiduciary Duty; Managerial Roles; Legal Liability

2019
Casebook

Private Equity: A Casebook

By: Paul A. Gompers, Victoria Ivashina and Richard S. Ruback

This book is a collection of cases and notes that have been used in Private Equity Finance, an advanced corporate finance course offered in the second year of the Harvard Business School’s MBA curriculum, over several years. Our goal is to provide detailed insight into... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Value Creation; Cases

16 May 2000
Research & Ideas

The Simple Economics of Open Source

when they derive a net benefit from the work, with net benefit based on both immediate and delayed rewards. Immediate rewards include monetary compensation, as well as the opportunity to fix a bug or customize a program for their own... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Technology

April 2017 (Revised March 2024)
Case

Making Target the Target: Boycotts and Corporate Political Activity

By: Nien-hê Hsieh and Victor Wu

Through the challenges facing Target, the case examines ways in which corporations can become involved in political and legislative debates and processes, ranging from campaign contributions to lobbying to political activism. In 2016, Target CEO Brian Cornell must... View Details

2016
Book

Why They Do It: Inside the Mind of the White-Collar Criminal

By: Eugene F. Soltes

From the financial fraudsters of Enron, to the embezzlers at Tyco, to the Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, the failings of corporate titans are regular fixtures in the news. But what drives wealthy and powerful people to white-collar crime? I draw from extensive personal... View Details

Keywords: Crime and Corruption; Corporate Finance

January 2009 (Revised March 2010)
Case

LeBron James

By: Anita Elberse and Jeff McCall

In 2005, to the astonishment of many sports industry insiders, superstar basketball player LeBron James fired his agent and established his own firm, LRMR, to handle all aspects of his business ventures and marketing activities and named his childhood friend Maverick... View Details

Keywords: Talent and Talent Management; Compensation and Benefits; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Sports; Sports Industry

October 1995 (Revised September 2021)
Case

Cambridge Consulting Group: Bob Anderson

By: Jay W. Lorsch and John J. Gabarro

Describes the situation facing the head of a rapidly growing industry-focused group within a consulting company. Highlights the dilemmas of being a "producing manager" (i.e., a professional who has both individual production as well as management responsibilities).... View Details

Keywords: Management; Managerial Roles; Agency Theory; Consulting Industry