Publications

November 2015
Case

Wynton Marsalis & Jazz at Lincoln Center

By: Rohit Deshpandé

Under the leadership of artistic director Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) hosts performances and education events year-round for audiences in New York and across the United States. Despite the popularity of JALC's events, however, the U.S. audience for... View Details

Keywords: Nonprofit Organizations; Management; Music Entertainment; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Growth and Development Strategy; Music Industry

21 Nov 2023
Op-Ed

The Beauty Industry: Products for a Healthy Glow or a Compact for Harm?

In my recently published book Deeply Responsible Business, I write about business leaders since the 19th century who have acted responsibly, often by putting the welfare of their communities above the idea of maximizing profits. I make a sharp distinction between... View Details

Keywords: by Geoffrey Jones; Beauty & Cosmetics

April 2009 (Revised May 2010)
Case

Urbi and the City Licensee Managers

By: John D. Macomber and Regina Garcia-Cuellar

A leading low income housing builder in Mexico decides which prospective new local partner best extends its advantages in managing twin production lines of homes and clients. URBI has built substantial competitive advantage in the technology and culture that matches... View Details

Keywords: Mortgages; Government and Politics; Housing; Growth and Development Strategy; Brands and Branding; Market Entry and Exit; Production; Supply Chain; Organizational Culture; Franchise Ownership; Partners and Partnerships; Competitive Advantage; Real Estate Industry; China; India; Mexico; United States

12 Jan 2010
First Look

First Look: Jan. 12

their portfolio of brands. Results show firms shifting display promotions away from smaller revenue brands toward larger ones following periods of poor financial performance. This indicates the behavior is determined by parties above... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

5 Sep 2013
Conference Presentation

The Color of Taste: Selling Food in Clear Packages in the Early-Twentieth-Century United States

By: Ai Hisano

This paper examines the role of color in the marketing and retailing of food products by focusing on the increasingly popular presentation of food in clear packages in the early-twentieth-century United States. In the 1910s, a candy company began using cellophane to... View Details

Keywords: Food; Product Marketing; Food and Beverage Industry

December 2018
Case

The Swedish Academy #MeToo Scandal and the Reputation of the Nobel Prize

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Mats Urde

This case focuses on the potential for “reputational contagion” to the Nobel Prize from a scandal affecting one of its independent network member entities, the Swedish Academy. The latter is responsible for selecting the Nobel Prize in Literature, by appointment of... View Details

Keywords: Nobel Prize; Swedish Academy; Scandal; Reputation; Brands and Branding; Crisis Management

23 Jan 2008
First Look

First Look: January 23, 2008

employed marketing and marketing strategies to diffuse products and brands internationally, despite business, economic, and cultural obstacles to globalization. The process was difficult and complex. The... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

22 May 2024
HBS Case

Banned or Not, TikTok Is a Force Companies Can’t Afford to Ignore

car is the design and the lines of it,” Ghosh says. “As opposed to ‘I'm a car buff who likes to look at racing.’ And you might like the Ferrari, but you also might like it because you have a sensibility for Italy, or brands that are... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Technology

13 May 2014
First Look

First Look: May 13

http://hbr.org/2014/05/making-freemium-work/ar/1 August 2013 Directors & Boards Dynamics of the Board Interview By: McGarvie, Blythe Abstract—You want candidates who meet the requirements of cultural fit, the right skill set, and... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

24 Oct 2018
Sharpening Your Skills

Startup or Established Company? Which Is Best for You?

bad) looks like at scale and possibly a nice brand for your resume. Startups can offer a chance to do all the things that can be either a blessing or a curse depending on your interests. You may miss out on having peers to collaborate... View Details

Keywords: by Julia B. Austin

12 Sep 2023
What Do You Think?

Who Gets the Loudest Voice in DEI Decisions?

statement? Nike’s decision to feature in its ads Colin Kaepernick, an American footballer whose patriotism has been questioned, ultimately resulted in what was described by one observer as a “bold success.” On the other hand, brands like... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

11 Apr 2023
Op-Ed

The First 90 Hours: What New CEOs Should—and Shouldn't—Do to Set the Right Tone

announce a change to the brand name or logo. Everyone’s a marketing expert, and making such a bold move will just give your skeptics and opponents a chance to undermine your authority before you’ve left the starting gate. Don’t hire... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch

27 Sep 2018
Research & Ideas

Religion in the Workplace: What Managers Need to Know

change their dress codes and even their brand identities to accommodate religious garb? Can owners of small, private companies reject customers based on religious convictions? These tricky questions might make anyone squirm with all of... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Food & Beverage; Apparel & Accessories

22 Jan 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, January 22, 2019

historic links with the motion picture industry and benefitting from the so-called “analog revival.” The case explores issues of cultural branding, focusing on how relevance can be built through connections to crowd cultures, communities,... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

October 2023 (Revised January 2024)
Case

McDonald's Board of Directors (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Will Hurwitz

In October 2019, the McDonald’s Corporation board of directors, chaired by Enrique Hernandez, Jr., gathered to learn the results of their outside counsel’s investigation into the conduct of the CEO. On the surface, the iconic fast-food chain was thriving as growing... View Details