Customer Focus - Publications - Faculty & Research

20 Nov 2000
Research & Ideas

Moving from Supply Chains to Supply Networks

successful firms. Some firms have completely changed the competitive dynamics of their industries because of the kind of competitive advantage they've been able to gain in the supply chain. Wal-Mart, of course, is the obvious one. The impact of their ability to get... View Details

Keywords: by Staff

01 Jun 1999
News

Q & A: Pat Russo - Focused on the Future at Lucent Technologies

Fortune magazine's "Fifty Most Powerful Women in American Business." Why has Lucent performed so well since its divestiture from AT&T? We have been growing globally faster than our markets. Our ability to focus on the hottest growth... View Details

16 Dec 2014
First Look

First Look: December 16

nudge," in which people are evaluated jointly rather than separately regarding their future performance. Evaluators are more likely to focus on individual performance in joint than in separate evaluation and on group stereotypes in... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Web

LGBTQ+ Pride Month | Baker Library

"Diversity Spotlight" feature, where you can filter for U.S. start-ups founded and led by LGBTQ+ individuals. Review Capital IQ Pro 's LGBTQ market map, which consists of companies that provide products or services to LGBTQ communities or have a significant number of... View Details

28 Sep 2015
Research & Ideas

Six Lessons from Mobile Money Ventures in Developing Countries

money service, Oi Paggo, but ultimately decided to re-launch the service under a different model. Regulations that are too strict can stifle innovation. In Sri Lanka, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) initially required all mobile money View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Financial Services; Telecommunications

04 May 2020
Research & Ideas

Predictions, Prophets, and Restarting Your Business

awareness of cybersecurity issues. Combined with the ability to block ads, the growing costs of acquiring customers online, the experience of “Zoombombing,” and controls on consumer data by EU regulators and others, it’s unclear how much... View Details

Keywords: by Frank V. Cespedes

February 2009 (Revised April 2011)
Case

Mistry Architects (A)

By: Amy C. Edmondson, Robert G. Eccles and Mona Sinha

Describes an architecture firm founded and run by a husband and wife team, Sharukh and Renu Mistry, that emphasizes "green" building. The firm presents an unusual mix of projects-spanning the spectrum from larger corporate projects to small private homes. The mix also... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Customer Focus and Relationships; Design; Housing; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Community Relations; Environmental Sustainability; Nonprofit Organizations; Conflict and Resolution

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01 Dec 2000
News

Core Values Keep Airline Flying High

procedures, boost innovation, and keep costs down while retaining a high degree of teamwork, communication, and coordination across functions. While its top-ranked customer service ratings have established its reputation as the "nice"... View Details

Keywords: Margie Kelley; Air Transportation; Transportation

25 Aug 2022
News

Case Study: Sound Check

similar opportunity. Best to have an intense focus and evolve your software in a rapid fashion. It is very common for software companies to start with smaller customers and work their way up. While it is... View Details

Keywords: Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

29 Jan 2013
First Look

First Look: Jan. 29

on the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and growth in host countries, particularly developing countries. It provides a broad overview, with a focus on two elements that have recently become particularly important, (1)... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

10 Oct 2018
Blog Post

6 Lessons Learned from a Summer of Entrepreneurship

As an unknown liquid dripped down my head and onto my face, I tried to keep my composure and continue our customer interview in Central Park. Melissa, my co-founder, helped me wipe my face as I wrapped up the interview. Our first day... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship

February 2022
Teaching Note

AptDeco: Circular Economy Furniture Marketplace

By: Ayelet Israeli

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 521-069. AptDeco, a used furniture marketplace, was growing rapidly in the tri-state area. The co-founders were confident that the business model, financial position, and unit economics positioned AptDeco for scaling in the massive $120... View Details

Keywords: E-Commerce Strategy; Mobile; Word-of-Mouth; Word Of Mouth; Word-of-mouth Marketing; Internet Marketing; Growth Strategy; Platform; Platforms; Two Sided Markets; Two-sided Market; Two-sided Marketplace; Two-Sided Markets; Two-sided Network; Black Entrepreneurs; Black Leadership; African Americans; African-American Protagonist; Circular; Peer-to-peer Markets; Furniture Industry; Growth Hacking; Monetization Strategy; Growth Management; Marketing Strategy; Entrepreneurship; Digital Platforms; Marketing Channels; Digital Marketing; Consumer Behavior; Acquisition; Retention; Growth and Development Strategy; Customer Focus and Relationships; Expansion; Brands and Branding; E-commerce; Retail Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Technology Industry; Web Services Industry; United States; North America; New York (city, NY); New York (state, US)

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17 Aug 2010
First Look

First Look: August 17

trading and investing being particularly controversial. We focus on the role of banks in the private equity market. We show that bank-affiliated private equity groups accounted for a significant share of the private equity activity and... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

12 Oct 1999
Research & Ideas

Confronting the Challenges that Face Bricks-and-Mortar Stores

can print out customized shopping lists complete with recipes, coupons, and suggestions for replenishment purchases. Retailers can tailor their services in any number of ways using the available technology--if they View Details

Keywords: by Raymond Burke; Retail

Web

Past Projects | Social Enterprise | Harvard Business School

Eligibility & Criteria Awards How to Apply Past Projects New York City Urban Innovation Roadmap - "Pilot: New York City" Spring 2023 | Focus : Urban Economic Development; Technology; Ecosystem Strategy Team: Zoe Zabor Description: In... View Details

22 Sep 2014
Op-Ed

Online Banks Fill Funding Needs for Small Business

scale, these alternative players have the potential to fundamentally change the way in which small businesses access capital, creating greater competition, price transparency, and a better customer experience. Emerging online players are... View Details

Keywords: by Karen Mills; Banking; Financial Services

04 Oct 2004
Research & Ideas

Start to Measure Your E-commerce Success

potential payoffs of e-commerce investments. Measuring returns on e-commerce projects can be a daunting challenge. Predicting customer behavior is difficult, because using the Web to do business is still relatively new to many businesses... View Details

Keywords: by Marc J. Epstein

22 Feb 2010
Op-Ed

Tragedy at Toyota: How Not to Lead in Crisis

subject himself to intense questioning by regulators and the media. Then he should make a personal commitment to every Toyota customer to repair the damage, including buying back defective cars. 7: Go on offense; View Details

Keywords: by William George; Auto

01 Mar 2014
News

Faculty and Alumni Books for March 2014

a short, traditional text with a living website and cover such fundamental topics as accounting and tax, mortgages, capital markets, REITs and more. It also addresses the 2008 financial crisis and its impact on the real-estate profession. View Details

01 Mar 2006
News

Faculty Books

developing innovative products and services. He discusses the full range of activities required: learning about customer needs; managing experimentation and problem-solving; product-development process design and improvement; and... View Details

Keywords: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

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