Publications

April 2003
Case

Sunk Costs: The Plan to Dump the Brent Spar (A)

This case explores the conflict between Shell Oil and Greenpeace over Shell's plans to sink the aging Brent Spar oil platform in the North Atlantic. It details the tactics Greenpeace employed and examines Shell's responses. View Details

Keywords: Alliances; Crisis Management; Environmental Sustainability; Mining Industry; Energy Industry; North America

March 2011 (Revised March 2021)
Teaching Note

Terror at the Taj Bombay: Customer-Centric Leadership

By: Rohit Deshpande

Teaching Note for 511703. View Details

Keywords: Safety; Organizations; Crisis Management; Customer Focus and Relationships; Brands and Branding

October 2010 (Revised January 2011)
Case

Toyota Recalls (A): Hitting the Skids

By: John A. Quelch, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Ryan Johnson

In the fall of 2009, Toyota Motor Corporation, once revered for its commitment to quality and reliability, faced a highly publicized series of recalls in the United States representing approximately a year's worth of sales in one of its most important markets. While... View Details

Keywords: Communication Strategy; Crisis Management; Brands and Branding; Quality; Public Opinion; Auto Industry; Japan; United States

02 Jul 2012
Research & Ideas

Why Good Deeds Invite Bad Publicity

concludes Oberholzer-Gee. In other words, at least when it comes to oil spills, the goodwill "insurance policies" weren't worth the paper they were written on. Lessons Learned One lesson to take away from the findings is that managing... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Energy

2013
Article

The Medical Response to the Boston Marathon Bombings

By: Dutch Leonard and Arnold M. Howitt

Several factors combined in the aftermath of the bombings to facilitate the delivery of medical care. The authors highlight 10 elements of the emergency medical response that saved dozens of lives in Boston. View Details

Keywords: Boston Marathon Bombing; Emergency Medical Response; Health Care and Treatment; Crisis Management; Boston

October 1997 (Revised January 2008)
Case

Asda (A)

By: Michael Beer and James Weber

In the mid-1980s, Asda was one of the most successful retail companies in the United Kingdom. By 1991, the chain of 200 grocery stores had a lack of direction, a demoralized workforce, declining profits, rising debt, collapsing stock price, and was facing bankruptcy.... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Crisis Management; Management Teams; Business Strategy; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United Kingdom

September 1992 (Revised October 1995)
Case

Exxon: Communications After Valdez

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Nancy Langford

Focuses on the communications in the period immediately following the March 24, 1989 Alaska oil spill caused by the Exxon Valdez. Includes the text of Exxon Chairman Rawl's "open letter" in an April 3 newspaper advertisment. Addresses the timing and content of... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Communication; Crisis Management; Marketing Communications

October 1989
Case

Exxon Corp.: Trouble at Valdez

Discusses the events leading to and repercussions following the 11 million gallon oil spill in Prince William Sound off the Alaskan coast. This was the largest spill in U.S. history. Examines the response to the spill by Exxon management, government agencies, and... View Details

Keywords: Natural Environment; Crisis Management; Energy Sources; Shipping Industry; Energy Industry; Alaska

Web

Challenges and Opportunities in the Restaurant Industry - Course Catalog

distinguish trends from fads, what drives their selection of menu items and how they manage their supply chain. Crisis Management. We’ll consider the critical issue of food safety and the View Details

21 Jun 2016
News

Rescuing Families from ISIS-Led Genocide

In August, 2014, a horrific ISIS attack on Yazidi towns in Northern Iraq created a humanitarian crisis that Canadian executive Michel Aziza (MBA 1991) couldn’t ignore. “This is the latest chapter in a long history of persecution for the... View Details

01 Feb 2002
News

Q&A: Wrestling with the Unthinkable

business; last October, he was named chairman and CEO of Marsh Crisis Consulting, a unit of Marsh & McLennan that provides a full range of services to corporate clients to help them avoid, plan for, and View Details

Keywords: counterterrorism; terrorism; National Security and International Affairs; Government

26 Feb 2020
News

Phoenix Rising

of fresh orange juice. For the last 18 years, Arhodidis worked for Eurobank, one of the country’s four systemic banks. When he left last July, he was a member of the executive board and a general manager in charge of global markets,... View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint

26 Feb 2021
News

Latinx on Boards; High-Tech Reforestation

representation on private and public boards. “Our goal is to get 21 Latino placements on boards in 2021,” says Lulu Curiel (MBA 2010) , president of Ivy Advisors, who organized and hosted the webinars with Melissa Hart (MBA 2017), senior finance View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley

01 Sep 2010
News

The Natural World

middle of the night wondering how I was going to get my job done,” recalled Tercek. “That never happened to me at Goldman Sachs.” Tercek has found that “a mission-driven nonprofit is harder to manage than you think,” in part because of... View Details

Keywords: Conservation; Securities, Commodities, and Other Financial Investments; Finance

Web

Collections | Working Knowledge

post-retirement strategies. Data and Technology Exploring how AI and tech reshape industries, drive social impact, and equip leaders with skills for responsible innovation. Leadership Leadership insights on team strategy, empowering women, View Details

16 Jul 2024
Op-Ed

Corporate Boards Are Failing in Their No. 1 Duty

Boeing CEO has focused on short-term earnings, increasingly at the expense of franchise value and safety. Will the company’s new CEO have the courage to return Boeing to its former position as the world leader in aviation? Wells Fargo: Wells Fargo sailed through the... View Details

Keywords: by Bill George

17 Dec 2020
Research & Ideas

The 10 Most Popular Stories of 2020

Harvard Business School experts how the pandemic might change business practices. Here’s what they had to say. 7 Leadership Principles for Managing in the Time of Coronavirus Leaders managing their... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

May 2002 (Revised May 2003)
Case

Sa Sa Cosmetics

By: David E. Bell and Iris T. Li

Sa Sa Cosmetics has had spectacular success as a low-price retailer of branded cosmetics. But recently, growth has slackened. What are the causes? This case describes recent strategic initiatives and provides market research data to aid the students in diagnosis. View Details

Keywords: Crisis Management; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Distribution; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Fashion Industry