Publications

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January 2019 (Revised February 2020)
Case

Roush Performance: How to Design a Sales Force Compensation Plan

By: Doug J. Chung

Roush Performance manufactured and marketed factory-modified performance vehicles and high-end aftermarket automotive performance parts. Since its inception, Roush Performance had focused on building its engineering technology competency and diversifying its product... View Details

Keywords: Sales Force Management; Motivation; Compensation; Salary; Commissions; Bonuses; Quotas; Salesforce Management; Compensation and Benefits; Motivation and Incentives

2020
Other Teaching and Training Material

Leading the Charge: A Podcase about Product Management at Opower

By: Jeffrey Rayport and John J. Lafkas

The Opower podcase materials contain audio from professor Jeffrey Rayport's interview with Ben Foster, the former vice president of product management at Opower, and more recently the co-founder of Prodify. In the podcase, Ben discusses how product management works in... View Details

Keywords: Product; Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Customization and Personalization; Conflict Management; Software

November 1993 (Revised September 1994)
Case

Food Distribution in Russia: The Harris Group and the LUX Store

By: David E. Bell, Walter J. Salmon and Dinny Starr

Discusses the challenges facing businesses entering the Russian business environment, especially focusing on food retailing and distribution in that country. Highlights one small, entrepreneurial company, The Harris Group, which, with the help of both Russian partners... View Details

Keywords: Business Ventures; Marketing Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Distribution; Partners and Partnerships; Expansion; Food and Beverage Industry; Retail Industry; Russia

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April 1993 (Revised September 1996)
Case

General Mills, Inc.: Analyzing an Annual Report

By: William J. Bruns Jr. and Marc H. Zablatsky

A directed analysis of the General Mills 1992 Annual Report. Focuses on the basics of reading an annual report including analysis of financial statements, calculations of financial ratios, and study of the layout and message of an annual report. View Details

Keywords: History; Cost Management; Activity Based Costing and Management; Financial Statements; Financial Strategy

October 2000 (Revised December 2004)
Case

Richard Spellman (A)

Describes Richard Spellman's decision to leave his existing employer and join an Internet start-up as CEO. Focuses on the terms of a restricted stock agreement and employment agreement that must be negotiated. Includes first drafts of these two agreements. View Details

Keywords: Contracts; Agreements and Arrangements; Internet and the Web; Executive Compensation; Personal Development and Career; Business Startups; Management Teams

Vikram Gandhi, a former Wall Street investment banker who now teaches a course at Harvard Business School that focuses on return, risk and impact investing, also sees investment opportunities for DAFs that go well beyond the usual ESG funds. View Details

Mihir A. Desai

Mihir A. Desai is the Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Finance at Harvard Business School and a Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He received his Ph.D. in political economy from Harvard... View Details

May 2016
Supplement

Should I Stay or Should I Go? (B)

By: Boris Groysberg, George Serafeim, Eric Lin and Robin Abrahams

A sequel to HBS No. 515-069. Alexi has been hired as CFO for a medical start-up, despite the controversy over his former company. The (B) cases focuses on how to introduce new, high-profile leaders to stakeholders inside and outside the organization. View Details

Keywords: Business and Stakeholder Relations

November 1999
Case

Reshaping Apple Computer's Destiny 1992 (Abridged)

By: Clayton M. Christensen and Tara Donovan

Examines John Sculley's management approach toward transforming Apple Computer during the personal computer industry crisis in 1992. Focuses on Sculley's management style, his creation of a new management team, and his efforts to create a professional management system... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Crisis Management; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Management Style; Management Systems; Management Teams; Computer Industry; California

March 1992 (Revised December 1992)
Case

Mips Computer Systems (A)

Describes the strategy and performance of Mips Computer Systems, focusing on the company's use of a global network of alliances to promote its RISC standard. Addresses how various networks (consortia) of firms are competing in this field. Examines networking... View Details

Keywords: Networks; Strategy; Alliances; Performance; Computer Industry

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November 1993 (Revised January 1995)
Case

Orit Gadiesh: Pride at Bain & Co. (A)

Describes the events surrounding Bain & Co.'s financial and organizational struggles between 1988 and 1991. Focuses on the role of Orit Gadiesh, then vice chairman of Bain & Co., in leading the effort to restructure the company and restore company pride. View Details

Keywords: Restructuring

2017
Gender Conformity & Nonconformity

Thinking Expansively About Gender Nonconformity and Workplace Anti-Discrimination Strategies

Research Summary

Overview

Jenny is broadly interested in interpretable machine learning (ML), identity and inequality, and improving existing methods used to answer social and policy-relevant questions. Her recent projects have focused on developing tools that explore how LLMs are reshaping... View Details

March 1998 (Revised December 2000)
Case

Siebel Systems (A)

By: Michael J. Roberts, Joseph B. Lassiter III and Nicole Tempest

The case describes the early evolution of Siebel Systems, a sales force automation software company, focusing on issues surrounding Siebel's use of systems integrators as implementation partners and the relationship between implementation and the selling function. View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Software; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Sales; Information Technology Industry

November 1990
Case

Techsonic Industries, Inc.: Humminbird - New Products

By: Melvyn A. Menezes

After several new product failures, the company began using customer input to help develop new products. In 1989, the fishing electronics industry is experiencing a downturn, and the company's sales and profits are slipping. The company, which has one product line... View Details

Keywords: Customer Value and Value Chain; Marketing Reference Programs; Product Development; Electronics Industry

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Research Summary

The Role of the Internet in Enhancing Service and Reducing Cost

Is delivering service (both internal and external) facilitated by the Internet a zero sum game in which costs associated with delivering superior service must always be passed on to customers in the form of higher prices? Does the quantity and type of service... View Details

July 2000 (Revised September 2005)
Case

BMG Entertainment

By: Jan W. Rivkin and Gerrit Meier

As dramatic changes in technology and customer tastes roil the music industry, the top executives of BMG Entertainment, one of the world's largest record companies, must decide how to organize for digital distribution of music. This case includes a brief history of the... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Competitive Strategy; Distribution Channels; Organizational Structure; Technological Innovation; Industry Structures; Customer Focus and Relationships; Growth and Development Strategy; Information Technology; Music Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry