Publications

19 May 2015
First Look

First Look: May 19

according to different local strategies for economic prosperity and political stability. In particular, the author links fiscal relations and economic bases to property rights regimes, finding that more "open" cities are subject... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

July 2010 (Revised March 2013)
Case

Heidrick & Struggles and Standard Chartered Bank: Managing Global Key Accounts

By: Robert G. Eccles and Kerry Herman

Daren Kemp, a partner at leadership consultancy and executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, is responsible for the firm's relationship with Standard Chartered Bank (Standard Chartered). Standard Chartered is one of 94 companies in Heidrick's strategic partners... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Service Delivery; Partners and Partnerships; Business Strategy; Consulting Industry; Consulting Industry

February 1990 (Revised July 1992)
Case

Whistler Corp. (A)

By: Gary P. Pisano

Describes the circumstances surrounding Whistler Corp.'s decision whether or not to continue manufacturing operations in the United States. The company had been experiencing severe problems in its domestic manufacturing operations and was thus unable to compete with... View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Production; Problems and Challenges; Competitive Strategy; Apparel and Accessories Industry; United States

12 Dec 2006
First Look

First Look: December 12, 2006

geography still matter enormously in global business. Strategy and Society: The Link between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility Authors:M. E. Porter and Mark R. Kramer Periodical:Harvard Business Review 84, no. 12... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

November 2008 (Revised March 2011)
Case

a-connect: In Search of Talent Partners (A)

By: Robert G. Eccles and Dilyana Karadzhova

a-connect was started in 2002 by three former McKinsey partners who wanted to develop an alternative business model consulting firm, which they have positioned as a high-end staffing company. The company has been very successful, growing to revenues of CHF 30 million... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Decision Choices and Conditions; Initial Public Offering; Selection and Staffing; Growth and Development Strategy; Marketplace Matching; Expansion; Consulting Industry

March 2010 (Revised March 2014)
Case

Roll Back Malaria and BCG: The Change Initiative

By: Nava Ashraf, Rachel Gordon and Catherine Ross

Roll Back Malaria, a global partnership dedicated to fighting malaria has not met its founders' expectations of effectively combatting malaria. In 2005, after several internal evaluations, RBM leadership has decided to engage the Boston Consulting Group to work on a... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Management Practices and Processes; Performance Evaluation; Communication Strategy; Communication Intention and Meaning; Non-Governmental Organizations; Change Management; Multinational Firms and Management; Negotiation; Health Industry

16 Jul 2012
Research & Ideas

Book Excerpt: ‘The Strategist’

Editor's Note: Back in the day, crafting and owning the company strategy was at the forefront of a business leader's priorities. Over the years, though, more and more, the responsibility has tended to be outsourced to View Details

Keywords: by Cynthia A. Montgomery

July 2006 (Revised February 2007)
Case

LinkedIn (A)

By: Mikolaj Jan Piskorski

In the summer of 2005, LinkedIn, a two-year-old start-up, was choosing between two options to monetize its 5 million business people network. Members could contact each other through trusted intermediaries on the network to offer or seek jobs, consulting engagements,... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Business Growth and Maturation; Internet and the Web; Social and Collaborative Networks; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Service Industry

July 2010 (Revised March 2013)
Case

One Firm One Future at Davis Langdon (A)

By: Robert G. Eccles and Kaitlyn A. Simpson

Senior Partner Rob Smith just led construction consultancy firm Davis Langdon through a major organizational change in Europe and the Middle East. In the past, compensation arrangements had not incentivized partners to collaborate across the firm to serve clients'... View Details

Keywords: Profit Sharing; Global Strategy; Compensation and Benefits; Leading Change; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Partners and Partnerships; Cooperation; Expansion; Consulting Industry; Europe; Middle East

23 Jul 2024
Cold Call Podcast

Transforming the Workplace for People with Disabilities

Keywords: Re: Lakshmi Ramarajan; Consulting

December 1999 (Revised March 2002)
Case

Hunter Business Group: TeamTBA

By: Das Narayandas and Elizabeth R. Caputo

The Hunter Business Group (HBG), a direct marketing consulting firm specializing in reorganizing the sales and marketing efforts of industrial firms, uses integrated customer contact technologies (including field sales, telephone, and mail) as a means of... View Details

Keywords: Communication Technology; Marketing Communications; Marketing Reference Programs; Marketing Strategy; Market Participation; Sales; Value Creation; Consulting Industry

28 Apr 2016
Other Presentation

Unlocking the Potential of Geothermal Energy: Strategic Implications for Iceland, Other Nations and the International Community

By: Michael E. Porter and Christian H.M. Ketels

Professor Porter initiated the mapping of Iceland Geothermal Cluster Initiative in cooperation with the consulting company Gekon. He and his colleaque Dr. Christian Ketels introduced their findings in November 2010 at the first Iceland Geothermal Conference held in... View Details

Keywords: Iceland; Geothermal; Renewable; Competitiveness; Competition; Renewable Energy; Energy Industry; Iceland

Read Now

October 2018
Case

Recipe for Success: Growth and Evolution at Cafe Cupcake

By: Anthony Mayo and Heather Beckham

Café Cupcake (CC) is a fast-casual restaurant chain that offers artisan cupcakes and light fare throughout the southeastern United States and Texas. This case chronicles the growth and evolution of Café Cupcake. It also considers the specific human resource challenges... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Human Resources; Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Food and Beverage Industry

09 Jan 2006
Research & Ideas

What Really Drives Your Strategy?

strategy (and some consultants who advise on strategy) is that they assume that once you design strategy it gets executed. They don't look inside the process and realize that... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

September 1990
Case

Bain & Co., Inc.: Growing the Business

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

Raises management issues facing Bain & Co. in formulating its future global strategy and implementation of that strategy. View Details

Keywords: Global Strategy; Management; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Strategy; Expansion; Consulting Industry; Consulting Industry

Find at Harvard

08 Oct 2013
First Look

First Look: October 8

level data set of 29 countries between 1985 and 2000, we find that the growth effects of FDI increase when we account for the quality of FDI. August 2013 Harvard Business Review Consulting on the Cusp of Disruption By: Christensen,... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

12 Apr 2004
Research & Ideas

Operations and the Competitive Edge

and leadership, there are different approaches that can be taken in seeking improvement. One has to adopt a strategy for improvement that fits the specific needs of the organization at that point in its life. Slow, steady improvement is... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

July 2020 (Revised July 2023)
Case

Live Nation and Pharrell Williams

By: Anita Elberse and Kate Christensen

“We’re in business together, and whether we lose a few million dollars or make a few million dollars, let’s do this. If you think you can pull it off, I’m behind you.” Michael Rapino, chief executive officer of Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment... View Details

Keywords: Music; Entertainment; Superstars; Talent; Labor Economics; General Management; Music Entertainment; Media; Talent and Talent Management; Joint Ventures; Marketing; Strategy; Music Industry