Publications

Program

Transforming Customer Experiences

Summary Superior customer service can differentiate your business in the marketplace—if you design the right offerings and execute flawlessly. Led by HBS thought leaders who are experts in customer experience management, this program... View Details

17 Apr 2012
First Look

First Look: April 17

theatre and coordinate the independent efforts from across the three theatres. Our perspective is a marked departure from the Shared Value framework, in that we embrace the inherent value of corporate philanthropy (theatre 1) on one end as well as transformational... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

Article

Why Do Intermediaries Divert Search?

By: Andrei Hagiu and Bruno Jullien

We analyze the incentives to divert search for an information intermediary who enables buyers (consumers) to search affiliated sellers (stores). We identify two original motives for diverting search (i.e., inducing consumers to search more than they would like): 1)... View Details

Keywords: Market Intermediation; Search; Two-Sided Markets; Platform Design; Demand and Consumers; Motivation and Incentives; Internet and the Web; Digital Platforms; Distribution Channels; Business Strategy; Retail Industry

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Program

Leading Change and Organizational Renewal

Summary Market-leading organizations must constantly innovate, adjust to new business conditions, and seize opportunities before competitors do. Focused on leading organizational change, this program explores how to create a nimble... View Details

Program

Launching New Ventures

managerial skills needed to make sound investment decisions, manage rapid change, and ensure the success of your new enterprise throughout its lifecycle. Details Conceive, launch, and grow a successful new venture Analyze, prioritize, and determine the feasibility of... View Details

October 2000 (Revised March 2001)
Case

eLance.com: Building a Professional Services Marketplace

By: Lynda M. Applegate and Kristin Kohler

Launched as an eBay for services, eLance promises to leverage the capabilities of the Internet to not only change the way services are bought and sold, but change the fundamental dynamics of the global economy. Building on theories posited in the HBR article by Tim... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Technological Innovation; Job Search; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Web Sites; Information Technology Industry; Service Industry

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March 2000 (Revised April 2004)
Case

VacationSpot.com & Rent-A-Holiday: Negotiating a Trans-Atlantic Merger of Start-Ups

Describes a potential trans-Atlantic merger between two young companies in the Internet space. VacationSpot.com, based in Seattle, and Rent-A-Holiday, based in Brussels, both offer online listings and reservations for independent leisure lodging (i.e., villas,... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Valuation; Internet and the Web; Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Startups; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Travel Industry; United States; Brussels

Web

Degrees, Certifications & Alumni Status | About

Certificate of Completion for self-paced programs Certificate of Participation for real-time, interactive programs Credential of Readiness, a three-course program that offers the possibility of earning undergraduate credit Alumni Status : No Harvard View Details

April 2017 (Revised October 2017)
Case

Wal-Mart Update, 2017

By: David B. Yoffie and Eric Baldwin

In 2017 Wal-Mart was still the world’s largest company, with over $480 billion in annual revenue and operations in 28 countries. Although it had mostly vanquished its rival discount retailers in the U.S., it was struggling to find the right growth strategy. Facing a... View Details

Keywords: E-Commerce Strategy; Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Business Growth and Maturation; Growth and Development Strategy; Global Range; Business Strategy; Corporate Strategy; E-commerce; Retail Industry

Program

PLD Module 5

organization's success. Key Benefits Viewing your leadership approach through a wider lens, you will be better prepared to navigate complex business challenges and future career transitions. PLD Module 5 not only expands your leadership... View Details

23 Jan 2024
Book

More Than Memes: NFTs Could Be the Next Gen Deed for a Digital World

verify ownership—and potentially exchange it—NFTs enable markets to emerge. NFTs have enabled trade in digital images and media files (such as those Ape images we mentioned), as well as new business models around everything from rewards... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Information Technology; Technology; Financial Services

Program

Designing and Executing Corporate Revitalization

Summary Given today's turbulent environment, business leaders are seeking a new path to success for their companies. But while many firms talk about transforming themselves around current trends such as digitization and remote work, most... View Details

April 2005
Case

Handleman Company

By: Janice H. Hammond and Kevin Dolan

Describes the organization and operations of the Handleman Co., an intermediary in the music industry that buys recorded music and resells it to mass retailers such as Wal-Mart. The company provides distribution, inventory management, retail merchandising, and category... View Details

Keywords: Business Organization; Music Entertainment; Cost Management; Growth and Development; Business or Company Management; Distribution Channels; Problems and Challenges; Risk and Uncertainty; Online Technology; Value Creation; Music Industry

10 Mar 2015
First Look

First Look: March 10

Abstract—No abstract available. Publisher's link: http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/international_comparison_6f4a5ffb-82d4-471e-991f-90744f72e677.pdf February 2015 Business Model Innovation: The Organizational Dimension A... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

03 May 2021
Blog Post

Celebrating the First HBS African-American Mother-Daughter Duo

I’ve always admired my mom, Benaree Pratt Wiley, and her courage, and was amazed when I discovered she was one of twenty-eight women out of 800 in Harvard Business School’s Class of 1972. During her tenure, they didn’t even have a... View Details

Web

Technology & Operations Management - Faculty & Research

Related Bird, Yanhua, Jodi L. Short, and Michael W. Toffel. "How Firms Respond to Worker Activism: Evidence from Global Supply Chains." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 25-061, June 2025. Algorithmic Assortment Curation: An... View Details

August 2022
Background Note

Retail Media Networks

By: Eva Ascarza, Ayelet Israeli and Celine Chammas

In 2022, retail media was one of the fastest growing segments in digital advertising. A retail media network (RMN) allows a retailer to use its assets for advertising. Retailers set up an advertising business by allowing marketers to buy advertising space across their... View Details

January 2018 (Revised March 2020)
Case

SAP: Branding in the Digital Age

By: Das Narayandas and Amram Migdal

By 2017, digital, social, and mobile technologies were rapidly changing the way many of SAP’s traditional customers did business over the last decade. In response to this trend, SAP had acquired companies with capabilities in e-commerce, human capital, workforce... View Details

Keywords: Brand Positioning; Marketing; Sales; Brands and Branding; Strategy; Technology Industry