Publications

November 1998 (Revised February 1999)
Case

Microsoft Office: Finding the Suite Spot

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Steven Sinofsky

Describes a key decision-making process within Microsoft's Office products division. At a time when the PC software business has a great deal of uncertainty, Microsoft's management has to make a key decision regarding the future of software suites. A strengthening of... View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Applications and Software; Strategic Planning; Organizational Design; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Product Development; Managerial Roles; Growth and Development Strategy; Risk and Uncertainty; Goals and Objectives; Digital Platforms; Innovation and Management; Computer Industry; Information Technology Industry

12 Oct 2006
First Look

First Look: October 12, 2006

risky investments under profound uncertainty and long time horizons for R&D; how to learn rapidly enough to keep pace with advances in drug science knowledge; and how to integrate capabilities across a broad spectrum of scientific and... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Mar 2013
News

Sizing Up Social Impact

Ebrahim is delineating a framework that takes into account the inherent uncertainty and complexity of measuring results in the social sector. EBRAHIM: The hard work of measuring impact becomes easier "Performance measurement in nonprofits... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; Crop Production; Agriculture; Administration of Economic Programs; Government; Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development; Government; Water, Sewage and Supply Systems; Utilities

December 2017 (Revised January 2018)
Case

Alltech

By: David E. Bell and Natalie Kindred

Alltech was a Lexington, Kentucky–based producer of supplements for animal feed, with revenues of over $2 billion (projected to reach $3 billion in 2018), sales in 120 countries, 5,000 employees, and 100 manufacturing plants worldwide. For nearly four decades, Alltech... View Details

Research Summary

Overview

Jurgen's research focuses on the challenges and opportunites to the energy sector created by technological change and externalities, in particular those associated with greenhouse gas emissons. Specific areas of interest include the development of potential pathways to... View Details

Keywords: Alternative Energy; Energy Conservation; Energy Generation; Energy Sources; Non-Renewable Energy; Renewable Energy; Disruptive Innovation; Market Design; Strategic Planning; Risk and Uncertainty; Technology Adoption; Sustainable Cities; Business Strategy; Auto Industry; Battery Industry; Energy Industry; Transportation Industry; Utilities Industry

01 Jun 2000
News

The Business of Biotech

uncertainty over time. HBS professor Gary P. Pisano, a longtime observer of the industry, points to two key elements common to successful biotech firms: development capabilities and strong senior management. "Once you attract bright,... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna

July 2024
Case

Jacqueline Cook at Vendasta: Debating an IPO

By: Reza Satchu, Tom Quinn and Andrew Kosc

In May 2021, after a surge in demand for digital services that prompted high valuations for startups across the Canadian tech sector, Saskatchewan-based Vendasta entered the final stages of the initial public offering (IPO) process. COO Jacqueline Cook had invested her... View Details

24 Mar 2015
First Look

First Look: March 24

has learned in his long career. At the same time, he is keenly aware of problems and uncertainties affecting Mandalay Entertainment, a privately owned company in which he is principal. Mandalay produces movies and television content, owns... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

22 Apr 2002
Lessons from the Classroom

Entrepreneurship: It Can Be Taught

personality characteristic, it is a learned skill. Entrepreneurs try to deal with uncertainty explicitly by running experiments, by not taking risks. An entrepreneur doesn't seek risk; he or she tries to minimize risk. By stressing... View Details

Keywords: by Staff

23 Jul 2024
In Practice

The New Rules of Trade with China: Navigating Tariffs, Turmoil, and Opportunities

businesses in particular, should consider two broad sets of uncertainties as they engage in China and globally. First, as most are already aware, the role of the party-state in China’s economy is no longer restricted to pro-development... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Manufacturing; Retail; Fashion; Industrial Products; Consumer Products; Steel; Transportation; Telecommunications

September 2004
Article

Rational Overoptimism (and Other Biases)

By: Eric J. Van den Steen

Rational agents with differing priors tend to be overoptimistic about their chances of success. In particular, an agent who tries to choose the action that is most likely to succeed, is more likely to choose an action of which he overestimated, rather than... View Details

Keywords: Prejudice and Bias; Decision Choices and Conditions; Performance Expectations; Outcome or Result; Opportunities; Risk and Uncertainty; Failure; Success; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Personal Characteristics; Values and Beliefs; Ethics

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June 2011 (Revised September 2011)
Case

Two Key Decisions for China's Sovereign Fund

By: Robert C. Pozen and Xiaoyu Gu

The China Investment Corporation (CIC) was China's sovereign wealth fund (SWF), established with $200 billion of registered capital in September 2007 to diversify China's foreign exchange holdings and increase risk-adjusted returns on those assets. CIC was unusual in... View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Business Growth and Maturation; Decisions; Capital; Investment Banking; Investment Funds; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Risk and Uncertainty; Wealth; Expansion; Financial Services Industry; China; United States

March 2021 (Revised August 2024)
Case

Hotwire.com: Navigating Through Turbulence

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Manny de Zarraga and Eric Levine

On September 10, 2001, after speaking at an industry conference at New York’s World Trade Center, Hotwire co-founder Spencer Rascoff boarded a flight from Newark to San Francisco. After returning home, Rascoff awoke the next morning to a phone call informing him that... View Details

Keywords: September 11; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Business Growth and Maturation; Disruption; Decisions; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Growth Management; Digital Platforms; Problems and Challenges; Risk and Uncertainty; Expansion; Internet and the Web; Leading Change; Leadership Style; Air Transportation Industry; Tourism Industry; San Francisco

May 20, 2016
Comment

World Health Organization Lacks Leadership to Combat Pandemics

By: John A. Quelch

When it comes to emergency preparedness for pandemics, the World Health Organization is falling short. It has not provided prompt and clear leadership to the world in combating either the Ebola or Zika viruses. Its leadership has been low energy, its representatives... View Details