Publications

October 1988
Case

Pepsi-Cola Fountain Beverage Division: Marketing Organization

By: Frank V. Cespedes

Keywords: Marketing; Marketing Channels; Food and Beverage Industry

November 1987
Case

International Business Machines: Changes in Marketing Organization

By: Frank V. Cespedes

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Marketing; Computer Industry; Computer Industry

November 1990 (Revised November 1991)
Case

Apple Computer (A): Industry, Strategy, and Organization

Explores how the human resource (HR) function at Apple Computer can best support the company's strategy. Provides an overview of the company's history, industry, competitive position, strategy, and organization. Written at a time when the company faces a very... View Details

Keywords: Attitudes; Organizational Culture; Employees; Business Strategy; Computer Industry; United States

August 2006 (Revised May 2007)
Case

Management Levels at Staples (A): Company and Organization

By: David A. Garvin and Lynne Levesque

One of six cases that describe the roles and responsibilities of managers at each of the hierarchical levels of management within the U.S. Stores business unit of Staples, the world's largest office supply company. Together, the cases form a complete integrated... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Leadership; Management Practices and Processes; Managerial Roles; Operations; Performance Effectiveness; Strategic Planning; Perspective; Retail Industry

March 27, 2017
Article

How the Water Industry Learned to Embrace Data

By: Frank V. Cespedes and Amir Peleg

Most current talk about “big data” seems to assume the disintermediation or replacement of physical assets by digital technologies. But a bigger and more impactful trend is the use of online tools to improve physical asset utilization in many traditional off-line... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Analytics and Data Science; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Utilities Industry

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August 1988 (Revised January 1992)
Case

Hewlett-Packard (A): Organizing New Product Sales Channels--1986

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Joseph G. Finegold

Keywords: Sales; Product Launch; Marketing Channels; Computer Industry

28 Aug 2017
Research & Ideas

Should Industry Competitors Cooperate More to Solve World Problems?

Addressing these issues is critical for the future competitiveness of these industries. First, attracting talent to the industry is an important reason why companies might collaborate. Many great View Details

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

09 Jul 2020
Research & Ideas

It’s Time to Reset Decision-Making in Your Organization

James Lemoine, an assistant professor in the Organization and Human Resources Department of the School of Management at the University at Buffalo, have written extensively on VUCA, and argue, “If VUCA is seen as general, unavoidable, and... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg and Sarah Abbott

November 2023
Case

From Imitation to Innovation: Zongshen Industrial Group (Abridged)

By: Willy Shih and Nancy Dai

Like other small shops based in Chongqing, China, Zongshen Industrial Group started by assembling motorcycles from "standard" parts. The quality of its early products was good enough for rural Chinese buyers, though wealthier consumers usually purchased premium... View Details

Keywords: Disruptive Innovation; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Competitive Strategy; Supply Chain; Product Positioning; Manufacturing Industry; Manufacturing Industry; China

03 May 2016
Blog Post

Working With Organizations That Recruit at HBS: An Interview with Renee Pappastratis

Tell us about your role at HBS. As a Recruiting Relations Manager in Career and Professional Development, I engage daily with organizations looking to develop and refine their recruiting strategy at HBS. The View Details

Keywords: Manufacturing; Consumer Products / Retail

November 1987 (Revised January 1988)
Case

Groen: A Dover Industries Company

By: Francis Aguilar

Describes the challenges facing the president of an old-line foodservice and food processing equipment manufacturing company as it attempted to accelerate sales and profit growth through the introduction of innovative products. The introduction of a "revolutionary"... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Labor and Management Relations; Machinery and Machining; Management Style; Management Teams; Performance Efficiency; Technological Innovation; Product Development; Organizational Culture

19 Jul 2013
News

Harvard's Shih on Tesla Motors, U.S. Auto Industry

2010
Chapter

Advance Recovery and the Development of Resilient Organizations and Societies

By: Dutch Leonard and Arnold M. Howitt

Societies face a wide array of significant hazards-ranging from the possibility of natural disasters to industrial accidents to large-scale terrorist incidents. View Details

Keywords: Natural Disasters; Society; Organizations; Growth and Development; National Security; Safety

February 1988
Case

IBM Marketing Organization (A): Changes in Structure

By: Frank V. Cespedes

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Information Technology Industry