Publications

February 2024 (Revised May 2025)
Case

Doing Business in Medellín, Colombia

By: Nori Gerardo Lietz, Leonard A. Schlesinger and Karina Souza

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Colombia. It highlights Colombia's economic transformation in the decades leading up to 2024 in the context of its history, culture, and politics. The case gives an overview of some of the main... View Details

Keywords: History; Economics; Crime and Corruption; Business and Government Relations; Food and Beverage Industry; Colombia; Medellín; South America

August 2008
Case

Du Pont: The Birth of the Modern Multidivisional Corporation

By: Richard S. Tedlow and David Ruben

Du Pont's realization in 1921 that its "U-form" corporate structure was ill-suited to its new diversification strategy led to a pioneering new kind of organization—the "M" or multidivisional form—that has been called the most important innovation of capitalism in the... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Innovation and Invention; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Structure; Alignment; Corporate Strategy

February 2003 (Revised March 2003)
Case

Large Scale Change at The WSSC

By: Amy C. Edmondson and Corey B. Hajim

Describes the organizational transformation occurring at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), a public utility. Faced with the possibility of privatization after decades of providing service in the absence of competition or performance pressures, the... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Mission and Purpose; Change Management; Restructuring; Privatization; Resignation and Termination; Utilities Industry

April 2020 (Revised November 2020)
Case

Ping An: Pioneering the New Model of ‘Technology-driven Finance’

By: Feng Zhu, Anthony K. Woo and Nancy Hua Dai

In mid-December 2018, Peter Ma, Chairman and CEO of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. was considering whether the company should grow a fifth ecosystem of Smart City Services. Established in 1988, Ping An was one of the top 10 global financial... View Details

Keywords: Business Ecosystems; Fintech; Finance; Information Technology; Business Model; Expansion; Competitive Strategy; Financial Services Industry; Technology Industry

May 2021
Teaching Note

From Globalization to Dual Digital Transformation: CEO Thierry Breton Leading Atos Into 'Digital Shockwaves'

By: Tsedal Neeley

Teaching Note for HBS Case Nos. 419-027 and 419-046. Thierry Breton, chairman and CEO of IT company Atos, faces a pivotal juncture. After spending eight intense years scaling the company globally to over 100,000 employees in 70 countries, he sees digital shockwaves... View Details

Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Transformation; Strategy; Disruption; Employees; Competency and Skills; Training; Organizational Culture; Digital Transformation; Information Technology Industry

Research Summary

Overview

Paul is primarily interested in studying explainable machine learning (ML), digital transformation, and data science operations. He works on research that explores how stakeholders within organizations can use machine learning to make better decisions. In particular,... View Details

February 2007 (Revised August 2007)
Case

St. HOPE Academy: The Expansion Decision

St. HOPE is faced with a decision concerning whether or not to expand from Sacramento to New York City. While charter schools are its largest area of activity, founder Kevin Johnson believes that all of St. HOPE's other activities--economic development, civic... View Details

Keywords: Education; Entrepreneurship; Geographic Location; Urban Scope; Adaptation; Expansion; Sacramento; New York (city, NY)

Find at Harvard

03 Aug 2022
News

How Will Amazon Approach U.S. Primary Care?

09 Dec 2016
Video

Digital Innovation and Transformation: Goggles Not Required

October 2020 (Revised July 2023)
Case

UCK Partners: Gong Cha

By: Victoria Ivashina and Sangyun Lee

In the Spring of 2017, Soomin Kim, Founding Partner of UCK Partners, and his team were debating the potential exit of UCK Partner’s investment in Gong Cha Korea, the sole local franchisor of the premium milk tea brand that they proprietarily sourced three years ago.... View Details

Keywords: Exit; Strategic Decision Making; Private Equity; Investment; Strategy; Investment Return; Decision Making; Bids and Bidding

June 1991 (Revised April 1993)
Case

General Electric: Jack Welch's Second Wave (A)

By: Christopher A. Bartlett

By the mid 1980's Jack Welch had completely transformed General Electric with more than 300 divestitures and acquisitions since the beginning of the decade. Welch insisted that his business units be number one or number two in their markets, and have the strength of... View Details

Keywords: Business Conglomerates; Transformation; Employee Relationship Management; Planning; Corporate Strategy

Web

Live from Klarman Hall - Alumni

and occupations, impacting organizations across diverse industries and at a global level. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projects that approximately 1.1 billion jobs will undergo significant View Details

19 Nov 2015
Blog Post

Why We Recruit: Education Pioneers

organizations and the HBS resume database, and reach out to them virtually. Given the mission-driven work we do, it’s important to EP that we learn more about each interested student’s passion for transforming education in addition to... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit / Government

July 2018
Teaching Note

Verizon 2018

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Jonathan Cohen

Teaching Note for HBS No. 318-114. In 2018, CEO Lowell McAdam led efforts to transform Verizon through digital innovation, media acquisitions and integration, and changes to the company culture. He sought to manage change at the company as growth in traditional areas... View Details

Keywords: Change; Change Leadership; Change Management; Innovation; Digital; Management; Leading Change; Innovation and Management; Acquisition; Integration; Organizational Culture; Telecommunications Industry; Media and Broadcasting Industry; United States

March 2014 (Revised December 2014)
Case

Vision 2020: Takeda and the Vaccine Business

By: John A. Quelch and Margaret L. Rodriguez

In 2014, Yasuchika Hasegawa was orchestrating the transformation of Takeda from a Japanese pharmaceutical company with a global footprint into a global company with a Japanese heritage. A 33-year veteran of Takeda, Hasegawa-san was appointed president of Takeda in 2003... View Details

Keywords: Health Care; Global; NGO; Public Health; Japan; GSK; Vaccine; Supply Chain; Market Entry; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Trade; Market Entry and Exit; Global Strategy; Health Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry

15 Sep 2020
News

Is Happiness at Work Really Attainable?

April 2013
Case

Luca de Meo at Volkswagen Group

By: Linda A. Hill and Dana M. Teppert

Luca de Meo, chief marketing officer of Volkswagen Group, reflects on his time leading the marketing department at Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand. In particular, he thinks about the environmental sustainability initiative launched by marketing called "Think Blue" and... View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Sustainability; Branding; Leadership; Change Management; Environmental Sustainability; Auto Industry; Germany