Publications

07 Jun 2019
Book

Are You a Digital Manager?

trustworthy. New technologies do help, but there is still no substitute for face-to-face interactions. It’s a human reality we all need to thoughtfully build into our work processes. There is a leader at a major automaker who realized there was no way his company could... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

March 2017 (Revised February 2025)
Case

Edwin Land: The Art and Science of Innovation

By: Tom Nicholas, Christopher T. Stanton and Matthew G. Preble

Throughout the second half of the 20th century, Polaroid first invented—and then continuously reinvented—the field of instant photography. Under the leadership of its mercurial founder Edwin Land, the company regularly released new instant cameras and films, often... View Details

Keywords: Instant Photography; Company History; Change Management; Disruption; Forecasting and Prediction; Entrepreneurship; Business History; Innovation Strategy; Disruptive Innovation; Innovation and Management; Intellectual Property; Patents; Product Marketing; Brands and Branding; Product Launch; Product Development; Chemical Industry; Consumer Products Industry; United States

24 Nov 2008
Research & Ideas

Harvard Business School Discusses Future of the MBA

For the school that so boldly launched the MBA 100 years ago and went on to become the bluest of blue-chip brands in business education, it seemed only fitting that Harvard Business School should mark its centennial year by examining the... View Details

Keywords: by Roger Thompson & HBS Bulletin; Education

24 Jul 2006
Research & Ideas

How Kayak Users Built a New Industry

the dynamics of these types of markets, and to plan their business strategies accordingly." In this interview, Baldwin discusses the research and its implications for entrepreneurs who would like to become their own user innovators.... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Entertainment & Recreation

June 2010 (Revised January 2012)
Case

Blue Man Group: Creativity, Life and Surviving an Economic Meltdown

In 2008, Blue Man Group's three co-founders are facing the prospect of losing not just a business but a way of life they have built together. The case follows the story of Chris Wink, Matt Goldman, and Phil Stanton as they pursue their creative passion and build the... View Details

Keywords: Arts; Financial Crisis; Entrepreneurship; Crisis Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Brands and Branding; Personal Development and Career; Creativity; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

29 Oct 2008
Research & Ideas

The Next Marketing Challenge: Selling to ’Simplifiers’

Editor's Note: Harvard Business School professor John Quelch writes a blog on marketing issues, called Marketing Know: How, for Harvard Business Online. It is reprinted on HBS Working Knowledge. Watch out for a new brand of consumer in... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch; Retail; Consumer Products; Entertainment & Recreation

August 1997 (Revised March 1998)
Case

Unilever's Butter-Beater: Innovation for Global Diversity

By: Clayton M. Christensen and Jorg Zobel

Unilever, one of the world's largest food product manufacturers, has achieved impressive growth in Europe, primarily by acquiring local food companies. Initially Unilever allowed each acquired company to manage its own product development in a way that was tailored to... View Details

Keywords: Growth Management; Brands and Branding; Product Development; Mergers and Acquisitions; Local Range; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Marketing Strategy; Multinational Firms and Management; Innovation and Management; Food; Conflict Management; Food and Beverage Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Europe

07 Apr 2003
What Do You Think?

Should Global Business Initiatives Be Devalued?

national brand? Who's responsible for a country's national brand? To what extent is it an important factor in determining the general success of global business initiatives? If it plays a critical role, to what degree should the world's business leaders be involved in... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

28 Aug 2017
Research & Ideas

Should Industry Competitors Cooperate More to Solve World Problems?

performance on business-relevant ESG issues based on a firm’s industry membership has a positive association with future financial performance. A company’s efforts to improve its social impact could result in cost savings, increased brand... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Financial Services; Manufacturing; Agriculture & Agribusiness; Mining

24 Jan 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research: January 24, 2017

https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=52104 forthcoming Strategic Management Journal Elevating Repositioning Costs: Strategy Dynamics and Competitive Interactions By: Menon, Anoop R., and Dennis Yao Abstract—This paper proposes... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

February 2006
Case

Bumble and bumble: Building a Successful Business in Beauty and Fashion

By: Nancy F. Koehn and Erica Helms

Explores the creation and subsequent rise of Bumble and bumble, a trend-setting hair-care company. Analyzes the vision and achievements of the founding entrepreneur, Michael Gordon, and charts the evolution of the company within the $230 billion global beauty industry.... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Brands and Branding; Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Strategy; Financial Condition; Business Growth and Maturation; Success; Distribution; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Fashion Industry

January 2021
Supplement

Bespoken Spirits: Disrupting Distilling

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Daniel Fisher

On October 7, 2020, Bespoken Spirits publicly announced it had received $2.6 million of seed funding for its “sustainable maturation process,” a process that could produce award-winning whiskeys in just days rather than years using a novel technology and data science. ... View Details

Keywords: Business Ventures; Business Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Disruption; Entrepreneurship; Environmental Sustainability; Cash Flow; Disruptive Innovation; Innovation Strategy; Brands and Branding; Business Model; Consumer Products Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Service Industry; United States; California