Publications

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June 2023
Supplement

Social Media Background Screening at Fama Technologies (B)

By: Joseph Pacelli, Jillian Grennan and Alexis Lefort

Fama Technologies is an online screening company that uses AI to analyze job applicants' publicly available online content for signs of risk and culture fit. The case opens with Ben Mones, founder and CEO, looking to secure funding from venture firms. He is running... View Details

Keywords: Human Resources; Recruitment; Retention; Selection and Staffing; Organizational Culture; Talent and Talent Management; United States

January 2013 (Revised February 2013)
Case

EverTrue: Mobile Technology Development (A)

By: William R. Kerr and Alexis Brownell

Brent Grinna is evaluating different options for the technology development of his start-up's iPhone app, including hiring local programmers, finding a CTO, or outsourcing. He only has a little over two months before he presents his alumni networking app to Brown... View Details

Keywords: Start-up; Mobile App; oDesk; Outsourcing; CTO; Minimum Viable Product; App Development; Business Startups; Decisions; Entrepreneurship; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Intellectual Property; Product Development; Globalization; Technology Industry; Massachusetts; Boston; India

20 Apr 2015
News

IBM Venture With Chinese Stirs Concern

November 2001 (Revised October 2004)
Case

IBM Network Technology (A)

By: Michael L. Tushman and Robert C Wood

An unconventional manager within IBM leads the creation of a business unit with multibillion-dollar potential, winning over customers and nudging the organization to make the changes needed to achieve dramatic growth. This case provides an example of how organizational... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development; Growth and Development Strategy; Leadership; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Change Management; Management Practices and Processes; Business Plan; Organizational Design; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Success; Technology Industry

June 2018
Article

Cost of Experimentation and the Evolution of Venture Capital

By: Michael Ewens, Ramana Nanda and Matthew Rhodes-Kropf

We study how technological shocks to the cost of starting new businesses have led the venture capital model to adapt in fundamental ways over the prior decade. We both document and provide a framework to understand the changes in the investment strategy of VCs in... View Details

Keywords: Innovation; Investing; Abandonment Option; Technological Innovation; Venture Capital; Investment

2017
Working Paper

Cost of Experimentation and the Evolution of Venture Capital

By: Michael Ewens, Ramana Nanda and Matthew Rhodes-Kropf

We study how technological shocks to the cost of starting new businesses have led the venture capital model to adapt in fundamental ways over the prior decade. We both document and provide a framework to understand the changes in the investment strategy of VCs in... View Details

Keywords: Innovation; Investing; Abandonment Option; Technological Innovation; Venture Capital; Entrepreneurship; Investment

SSRN

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19 Feb 2015
Video

Eric Paley, venture capitalist, managing partner at the Founder Collective

August 1997 (Revised November 1998)
Case

Cambridge Technology Partners - 1991 Start Up

By: Paul A. Gompers and Catherine M. Conneely

Jim Sims tries to close the deal to create Cambridge Technology Partners (CTP) in a spin-out from a troubled technology consulting firm. The deal looks tenuous. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Negotiation Deal; Information Technology; Organizations; Information Technology Industry; Information Technology Industry; Cambridge

Find at Harvard

17 Dec 2001
Research & Ideas

Venture Capital: Hot Markets and Current Industry Trends

Although plenty has changed for venture capitalists with the slowing of the economy and market upheavals, there are still plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs and those who fund them, said panelists at the 2001 Harvard Business... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna

September 2017 (Revised March 2018)
Case

Chai Point: Disrupting Chai

By: Shikhar Ghosh, Ramana Nanda and Rachna Tahilyani

Chai Point is India’s largest organized chai retailer. It has missed its target for retail store openings by approximately 25%, goals that are very important to its investors who are also board members. However, it has developed an exciting new internet-based tea... View Details

01 Oct 2021
News

HBS-Harvard Collaboration Fosters New Ventures

Since its founding in 2011, the Harvard Innovation Labs (HIL)—a collaboration between HBS and Harvard University—has nurtured some 2,500 ventures founded by students, alumni, and faculty members from all 13 schools at Harvard. Current... View Details

10 Nov 2008
Research Event

Social Media Leads the Future of Technology

the Internet, to what extent they can capitalize on these transformations remains an open question. HBS professor David Yoffie moderated the session on "The Technology Revolution and its Implications for the Future," with... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

August 2012 (Revised July 2025)
Module Note

Evaluating the Viability of Innovative Technology-Commercializing Ventures

By: Regina E. Herzlinger

This case enables evaluation of innovative health care technologies by those who are not an expert in the technology by introduction of a framework for evaluating technology - commercializing innovation. It is the introductory case for the first of four modules in a... View Details

Keywords: Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Health Industry

June 2024 (Revised December 2024)
Case

Lana Ghanem: Pushing the Boundaries of Health Care Through Venture Capital

By: Joshua D. Margolis and Ahmed Dahawy

Lana Ghanem, managing director of Hikma Ventures, the corporate venture arm of larger pharmaceutical group Hikma, is considering how to grow the venture arm as well as progress her own career. Over the past few years Hikma's executive team had been pressuring the... View Details

Keywords: Business Divisions; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Investment; Corporate Governance; Health Care and Treatment; Leadership Development; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Strategy; Venture Capital; Personal Development and Career; Health Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; Jordan

June 2001 (Revised November 2001)
Case

Lucent Technologies: The Future of the New Ventures Group

Lucent Technologies' New Ventures Group has created innovative ways to commercialize Bell Labs research. The success of this approach now forces the group to evaluate whether to stay inside Bell Labs or become an external venture capitalist group. View Details

Keywords: Communication Technology; Commercialization; Research; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Telecommunications Industry

02 Jan 2016
News

The first venture capitalists: Fin-tech

April 1998
Teaching Note

Materials Technology Corporation TN

By: Clayton M. Christensen

Teaching Note for (9-694-075). View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Market Entry and Exit; Technology; Research; Markets; Marketing Strategy; Product Development