Publications

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17 Aug 2010
First Look

First Look: August 17

expenditures, to manage earnings to meet or beat key benchmarks. This paper examines this hypothesis by testing how different types of marketing expenditures are used to boost earnings for a durable commodity consumer product, which can... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

December 1992 (Revised October 1993)
Case

BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine Seeks to De-Yuppify Itself

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Wendy Smith Schille

Tracks changes in the luxury auto market during the 1980s and early 1990s. Shifts in target consumer behavior--particularly the yuppie lifestyle--serve as the basis for manufacturer modifications of product line, positioning, and advertising. The climax of the case is... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Change Management; Transformation; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Production; Luxury; Segmentation; Auto Industry

Article

Active World Model Learning with Progress Curiosity

By: Kuno Kim, Megumi Sano, Julian De Freitas, Nick Haber and Daniel Yamins

World models are self-supervised predictive models of how the world evolves. Humans learn world models by curiously exploring their environment, in the process acquiring compact abstractions of high bandwidth sensory inputs, the ability to plan across long temporal... View Details

Keywords: World Models; Mathematical Methods

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June 2011
Background Note

It's a Social World

By: Stephen P. Bradley and Nancy Bartlett

Social media had fashioned the lives of individuals and communities by 2010, providing an opportunity and a challenge for companies of all sizes. This note provides background on various social media (e.g. social networks, forums, games and communication services) and... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Media; Service Operations; Sales; Opportunities; Corporate Strategy; Web

December 1996 (Revised January 1997)
Case

Brent Spar Incident, The: "A Shell of a Mess"

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Norman Klein

Seeking to dispose of an outmoded oil drilling platform in the North Sea, Shell finds itself confronted by Greenpeace and other environmentalists. The protesters land 12 people onto the rig and initiate media coverage of their "occupation." The case follows the events... View Details

Keywords: Communication; Media; Social Issues; Mining Industry; United Kingdom

27 Oct 2009
First Look

First Look: October 27

and Karim R. Lakhani Publication: Organization Science (forthcoming). Abstract We examine who the winners are in science problem-solving contests characterized by open broadcast of problem information, self-selection of external solvers... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

December 2018
Teaching Note

The Swedish Academy #MeToo Scandal and the Reputation of the Nobel Prize

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Mats Urde

A classroom guide to teaching the case, “The Swedish Academy #MeToo Scandal and the Reputation of the Nobel Prize” (HBS No. 5-919-410). A fictional case protagonist must present his evaluation to the Nobel Foundation of the scandal affecting one of the Nobel... View Details

Keywords: Nobel Prize; Swedish Academy; Scandal; Reputation; Brands and Branding; Crisis Management

29 Jan 2008
First Look

First Look: January 29, 2008

Authors:Yonca Ertimur, Fabrizio Ferri, and Stephen R. Stubben Abstract We document the frequency of implementation of non-binding, majority-vote (MV) shareholder proposals and analyze the determinants and consequences of Boards' decisions... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

16 Aug 2011
First Look

First Look: August 16

PublicationsThe World Bank and Democratic Accountability: The Role of Civil Society Authors:Alnoor Ebrahim and Steve Herz Publication:Chap. 3 in Building Global Democracy? Civil Society and Accountable Global Governance, edited by Jan... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

31 May 2016
First Look

May 31, 2016

have a higher probability of walking by the clinic for reasons other than vaccination. Method: We obtained data from an employer with a free workplace influenza vaccination clinic. Using each employee’s building entry/exit swipe card... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

03 Mar 2008
First Look

First Look: March 4, 2008

Haber and Aldo Musacchio Abstract In 1997 Mexico allowed foreign banks unrestricted entry to the market. What impact did foreign mergers and acquisitions have on Mexico's banks? We find that all banks in Mexico have become increasingly... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

June 1994 (Revised August 1994)
Case

Cunard Line Ltd.: Managing Integrated Marketing Communications

By: Stephen A. Greyser

Cunard, the world's oldest luxury line company, is confronted with several key issues involving its marketing and marketing communications strategy. One concerns the balance between image/positioning advertising and short-term-oriented promotional... View Details

Keywords: Advertising Campaigns; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Product Positioning; Consumer Behavior; Organizational Structure; Identity; Balance and Stability; Shipping Industry

April 1990
Case

Perrier Recall: A Source of Trouble

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Norman Klein

When a laboratory discovered traces of the carcinogen benzene in bottles of Perrier, Group Perrier of America immediately announced a voluntary U.S. recall of all Perrier brand imported water. This case describes press coverage of the U.S. recall and the worldwide... View Details

Keywords: Crisis Management; Food and Beverage Industry

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27 Jun 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, June 27

relationship between green business and governments. The struggles of entrepreneurial pioneers have rarely proved profitable, as they were forced to compete with conventional businesses that ignored negative environmental externalities and were often subsidized View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

December 1998 (Revised August 2004)
Case

Major League Soccer--1996-1998: Now, Later...Never?

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Kirk A. Goldman

Major League Soccer (MLS) has entered the U.S. "big league" sports arena. This case reviews its first several years. Students must determine the basic business model of MLS in the context of changes in the fan acceptance of soccer in the United States. A comparison... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Success; Performance Evaluation; Sports; Sports Industry; United States

09 Jun 2015
First Look

First Look: June 9, 2015

interpersonal disclosure of intimate information increases attraction, cost transparency by a firm increases brand attraction, in turn boosting consumer purchase interest. This relationship persists even after controlling for perceptions... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

05 Jul 2016
First Look

July 5, 2016

Organizations can use elements of self-management in areas where the need for adaptability is high and traditional models where reliability is paramount. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=51297 forthcoming Conservation Letters Advancing... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

July 2002
Case

Introducing ... The XFL!

By: Susan M. Fournier, Stephen A. Greyser and Seth Schulman

When the XFL professional football league debuted on February 3, 2001, it generated a Nielsen rating of 10.1, higher than any nationally televised program in a Saturday evening time slot. The next week, ratings plummeted, and by week nine the XFL game earned the title... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Forecasting and Prediction; Product Positioning; Consumer Behavior; Product Development; Culture; Commercialization

January 2009 (Revised March 2013)
Case

Live Nation Faces the Music

By: Stephen P. Bradley, Frank Cespedes and Kerry Herman

In 2008, concert producer and promoter Live Nation faces a decision about its strategy in light of the tumultuous changes in the music industry and the increasing power of the major artists. As the music business once again recreates itself in response to new... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Decision Choices and Conditions; Music Entertainment; Five Forces Framework; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Corporate Strategy; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Music Industry; Service Industry