Publications

SSRN

Read Now

Teaching Interest

Digital Marketing Strategy

By: John A. Deighton

When the tools of marketing change, strategies change too. The focus of this course is on firms trying to navigate the transition from offline to online market-making and strategy development. Our concern is primarily with corporations that have products and... View Details

August 2010
Case

Flash Memory, Inc.

By: William E. Fruhan and Craig Stephenson

The CFO of Flash Memory, Inc. prepares the company's investing and financing plans for the next three years. Flash Memory is a small firm that specializes in the design and manufacture of solid state drives (SSDs) and memory modules for the computer and electronics... View Details

Keywords: Forecasting; Financial Management; Cash Flow; Forecasting and Prediction; Capital Budgeting; Computer Industry; Electronics Industry; United States

July 2009 (Revised May 2010)
Case

Pfizer: Letter from the Chairman (A)

By: Robert L. Simons and Natalie Kindred

This case explores maximizing shareholder value as a goal in executive decision making. Over a period of nine years, three different Pfizer CEOs make critical decisions intended to increase shareholder value. But the results are disappointing. To allow students to... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Corporate Accountability; Corporate Governance; Annual Reports; Business and Shareholder Relations; Value Creation; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

June 2013
Teaching Plan

The K-Dow Petrochemicals Joint Venture

By: Guhan Subramanian and Charlotte Krontiris

This case follows a two-part deal involving Dow Chemicals: Dow's ill-fated joint venture with the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, the failure of which nearly scuttled Dow's simultaneous acquisition of Rohm & Haas. Focusing on Dow CEO Andrew Liveris, this case examines... View Details

Keywords: Dow Chemicals; Kuwait; Financial Crisis; Negotiation Process; Joint Ventures; Corporate Disclosure; Acquisition; Chemical Industry; Kuwait

Program

Changing the Game

career decisions Who Should Attend Executives who engage in activities such as business development, strategic alliances and business partnerships, dispute resolution and consensus building, procurement and... View Details

February 2010 (Revised March 2013)
Case

Zynga (A)

By: Mikolaj Jan Piskorski and David Chen

In January 2010 Mark Pincus is deciding how to double the number of Zynga games' players to 500 million without sacrificing profitability. These ambitious growth plans required changes to product, corporate strategy, and customer acquisition and retention. With regard... View Details

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Decision Choices and Conditions; Growth and Development Strategy; Distribution Channels; Product Development; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Corporate Strategy; Video Game Industry

April 1998 (Revised November 1999)
Case

Hamilton Financial Investments: A Franchise Built on Trust

By: Robert L. Simons and Antonio Davila

Provides a vehicle for students to evaluate risk management in the fast-paced mutual funds industry. A new risk manager has been hired to install new management controls and procedures. A series of decisions will determine how much business and franchise risk the... View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Management Teams; Managerial Roles; Forecasting and Prediction; Investment Funds; Performance Evaluation; Corporate Strategy; Change Management; Financial Services Industry; Banking Industry

12 Sep 2016
Research & Ideas

What Brands Can Do to Monitor Factory Conditions of Suppliers

Published in this month’s issue of Strategic Management Journal, the researchers examined data on how many violations different teams exposed at the same factory—which, all things being equal, was an indication of a more effective audit.... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

Program

Creating Brand Value

Expand your brand's profitably Develop an effective brand portfolio strategy Manage brand risk Leverage a brand as a significant corporate asset Determine the value of a brand Invest in brands and evaluate the ROI of branding Build... View Details

Career Coach

Rich Schneider

as a part-time faculty member focusing on strategy; and HBS as a career coach. He primarily works with people who are interested in transitioning their careers most typically those who are exploring moving into consulting and corporate... View Details

Keywords: Consulting; Consumer Products; Health Care; Manufacturing; Sports

05 Feb 2014
Research & Ideas

Can Putin Score Olympic Gold?

time zone difference between the United States and London. A five- to eight-hour difference meant events during the day could be recorded and edited in time to broadcast during primetime. While some criticized the network for not airing events live, the View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Sports; Advertising

December 2008 (Revised February 2011)
Case

Evan Williams: From Blogger to Odeo (A)

By: Noam T. Wasserman and Louis-Philippe Maurice

For several months, founder-CEO Evan Williams has felt trapped, unable to control Odeo and its strategic direction. He longs for the "simple" days of Blogger, the previous venture he had co-founded. Although his Blogger experiences had included a major blow-up with his... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Startups; Decision Choices and Conditions; Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; Information Technology Industry

06 Aug 2019
Working Paper Summaries

Field-Level Paradox and the Co-Evolution of an Entrepreneurial Vision

Keywords: by Ryan Raffaelli and Richard DeJordy; Manufacturing

May 2020
Case

Big Boom Beverages: Fight or Flight?

By: Stephen A. Greyser and William Ellet

Four college friends market a beverage that combines ingredients like those in a drink they consumed in college bars. It includes a caffeinated energy drink, malt liquor, and a soft drink flavoring. They launch the business, Big Boom Beverages (BBB), with their own... View Details

Keywords: Alcoholic Beverages; Energy Drinks; Regulation; Entrepreneurship; Ethics; Marketing Communications; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Reputation; Communication Strategy; Decision Making

March 1993 (Revised September 1993)
Case

Praxair: Creating a Board (A)

By: Jay W. Lorsch

Discusses the process a CEO/chairman goes through in creating a new board. Specifically, follows a CEO's decision-making process in selecting board members. Also includes decisions about the selection process for board members and the structure and process of board... View Details

Keywords: Governing and Advisory Boards; Decision Making; Corporate Governance; Conferences; Business or Company Management; Selection and Staffing

Find at Harvard

Program

Managing Turbulence

career decisions Who Should Attend Senior vice presidents and senior executives one to two levels from the C-suite at well-established organizations and startups of any size in any industry. Future-focused executives who are responsible... View Details

January 2005 (Revised November 2005)
Case

Gobi Partners: October 2004

By: G. Felda Hardymon and Ann Leamon

The general partners of Gobi Partners, a venture fund located in Shanghai, are trying to decide the best way to raise money for their first fund. Their strategy of investing in early-stage digital media companies in China was well-received by strategic investors--IBM... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Venture Capital; Private Equity; Investment; Goals and Objectives; Emerging Markets; Problems and Challenges; Conflict Management; Shanghai