Publications
Publications
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- All HBS Web
(872)
- Faculty Publications (166)
- April 2007 (Revised March 2018)
- Case
M-TRONICS (A)
By: Joseph L. Bower and Lynda M. Applegate
The new CEO of a small manufacturing firm pursues growth through the launch of Entrepreneurial Subsidiaries. While the firm grows revenues from $600 million to over $2 billion in 10 years, problems surface as the subsidiaries are integrated into the established... View Details
- 2006
- Working Paper
The Value of a 'Free' Customer
By: Sunil Gupta, Carl F. Mela and Jose M. Vidal-Sanz
Central to a firm's growth and marketing policy is the revenus and profit potential of its customer assets. As a result, there has been a recent proliferation of work regarding customer lifetime value. However, extant research in this area is silent regarding how to... View Details
- September 2006
- Article
Dynamic Scoring: A Back-of-the-Envelope Guide
By: Matthew C. Weinzierl and N. Gregory Mankiw
This paper uses the neoclassical growth model to examine the extent to which a tax cut pays for itself through higher economic growth. The model yields simple expressions for the steady-state feedback effect of a tax cut. The feedback is surprisingly large: for... View Details
- April 2006 (Revised October 2006)
- Case
Best Buy Co., Inc.: Customer-Centricity
By: Rajiv Lal, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Irina Tarsis
With FY2005 sales of $27.3 billion, Richfield, Minn.-based Best Buy Co., Inc. was the leading retailer of consumer electronics, home-office products, and related services in North America. Its operations included the distinct store formats Best Buy, Future Shop in... View Details
- December 2004 (Revised October 2017)
- Background Note
Subscriber Models
By: Mihir Desai, Robin Greenwood, Scott Mayfield and Lucy White
Introduces the subscriber model as an alternative valuation framework for firms whose revenues can be traced to repeated transactions with customers. View Details
- July 2004 (Revised December 2004)
- Case
RelayHealth
By: Joseph B. Lassiter III and Elizabeth Kind
RelayHealth provides secure, online communications for doctors, patients, and health plans. The company's services include online consultations, prescription renewals, and appointment scheduling. RelayHealth's business model derives subscription revenue from doctors... View Details
- July 2002 (Revised April 2003)
- Case
Computer Associates International, Inc.: Governance and Investor Communication Challenge
By: Paul M. Healy and Krishna G. Palepu
Sanjay Kumar, the CEO of Computer Associates, faces investor communication challenges following the company's implementation of a new business model and the accompanying change method used to recognize revenue. Despite management's confidence that the new business... View Details
- November 2001
- Case
Korea-Tender
By: Das Narayandas and Kate Attea
Korea-Tender is a closed-bidding auction company trying to break even and must select the best opportunity to increase membership and revenue. It can continue its current model with heavy advertising, try to modify its costs, or develop an additional business model... View Details
- January 2001
- Background Note
Application Service Providers
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Sanjay Pothen
Examines the Application Service Provider (ASP) business model. First, defines the ASP model and describes different ways to categorize ASPs. Next, summarizes the various ways that ASPs create value for their clients. Then, analyzes the economic model for ASPs,... View Details
- January 2001
- Background Note
Online Brokers
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alastair Brown
Describes online brokers, companies that use the Internet to help clients identify prospective trading partners and sometimes help their clients complete transactions. First, summarizes the various ways that online brokers create value for their clients. Then analyzes... View Details
- December 2000
- Background Note
Networked Utility Providers
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alastair Brown
Defines and describes ways to categorize networked utilities, software "applets" such as RealNetwork's RealPlayer, Macromedia's Shockwave, and AOL's ICQ that are downloaded via the Internet. Networked utilities extend basic Web browser capability to allow users to... View Details
- December 2000
- Background Note
Online Market Makers
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Chris Hackett
Describes the business model for online market makers, firms that use the Internet to organize a marketplace, providing participants with a virtual "place" to trade, rules to govern their exchanges, and infrastructure to support trading. First it proposes a definition... View Details
- December 2000
- Background Note
Online Portals
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Sanjay Pothen
Describes the online portal business model. Analyzes the model, focusing on the tactics used to acquire new users, turn new users into repeat visitors, and monetize user traffic. Explains portals' revenue and cost drivers and their implications for pursuing aggressive... View Details
- December 2000
- Background Note
Internet Access Providers
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Daniel Green
Describes the Internet access provider business model. First, it defines the model and presents different ways to categorize access providers. Second, it offers a summary of the various ways that Internet access providers create value for their customers. Next, it... View Details
- November 2000 (Revised December 2000)
- Background Note
Online Content Providers
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alastair Brown
Describes the business model for online content providers, companies that distribute copyright content via the Internet. Focuses on their revenue and cost drivers and on the ways that online content providers create value for consumers. Also investigates the benefits... View Details
- November 2000 (Revised May 2002)
- Case
FleetBoston Financial: Online Banking
By: Frances X. Frei and Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar
As the ninth largest bank holding company in the United States in 2000, FleetBoston Financial Corp. provided a myriad of financial services, including retail banking, loan origination, and brokerage accounts. This case explores how FleetBoston responded to the Internet... View Details
- October 2000 (Revised March 2001)
- Case
BizRate.com
By: Youngme E. Moon
BizRate is a market research firm that collects point-of-purchase customer feedback data from retailing merchants. It then makes its findings available to consumers in the form of "BizRate star ratings," which are displayed on its website. To date, its primary revenue... View Details
- September 2000 (Revised November 2002)
- Case
Amazon.com: 1994-2000
By: Lynda M. Applegate and Meredith Collura
Enables a thorough analysis of Amazon.com and the company's value proposition, in terms of its business concept, digital business capabilities, and community and shareholder value. Examines the company's complex set of business models and web of business relationships,... View Details
- June 2000 (Revised September 2000)
- Case
Amazon.com: Exploiting the Value of Digital Business Infrastructure
By: Lynda M. Applegate and Meredith Collura
Enables a thorough analysis of Amazon.com and the company's value proposition, in terms of its business concept, digital business capabilities, and community and shareholder value. Examines the company's complex set of business models and web of business relationships,... View Details
- October 1999 (Revised October 2005)
- Case
Autobytel.com
By: Youngme E. Moon
Autobytel enjoys first-mover advantage in the Internet new car buying space. According to a number of metrics, it is the online leader in this category. However, a number of competitors have sprung up, raising questions about the long-term viability of Autobytel's... View Details