Publications

2010
Working Paper

Quality Provision, Expected Firm Altruism and Brand Extensions

By: Julio J. Rotemberg

This paper studies quality choice in a model where consumers expect firms to act altruistically. It is shown that, under plausible assumptions regarding this altruism and the reaction of consumers to firms that demonstrate insufficient altruism, existing firms (or... View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Consumer Behavior; Product Development; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Quality; Mathematical Methods

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August 2003 (Revised August 2024)
Case

Fighting the Battle of the Bulge—Evaluating Do Good/Do Well Innovations in Morbid Obesity Treatment

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and John McDonough

Many health care innovations appear successful; but fail. This is the first case in the Innovating Health Care course that investigates how to create successful health care innovations. It is part of the first module in the course. This module focuses on how to... View Details

Keywords: Three Pillars; Industry Analysis; Health Care and Treatment; Innovation and Invention; Innovation and Management; Medical Specialties; Health Industry

07 Oct 2013
Research & Ideas

The Case for Combating Climate Change with Nuclear Power and Fracking

oft-discussed issue of temporal shortsightedness—the very human tendency to focus on present-day concerns without considering how our actions will affect the future. But there's also ideological myopia—a failure to realize that... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Energy; Utilities

03 Oct 2022
Research & Ideas

Why a Failed Startup Might Be Good for Your Career After All

charismatic but controversial cofounder of WeWork, who quit as CEO in 2019 after a bungled initial public offering amid questions about his business practices. “The market values the experience they have and rewards them in terms of high... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

August 2019 (Revised March 2023)
Case

Rand Fishkin at Moz (A)

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann

In 2016, senior management at Moz, a venture capital–backed startup providing software tools for digital marketing professionals, must decide how to address a looming cash flow crisis precipitated by failed efforts to broaden its product line. Seattle-based Moz had... View Details

Keywords: Startups; Scaling; Entrepreneurship; Failure; Business Startups; Diversification; Growth Management; Technology Industry

09 Feb 2018
Research & Ideas

Big Hits: The Best of the 2018 Super Bowl Ads

The Super Bowl isn’t just a mainstage for football’s two best teams. With over 100 million viewers tuned in, and 30-second spots going for more than $5 million, the big game also represents one of the highest stakes advertising events of the year. Harvard Business... View Details

Keywords: Re: Multiple Faculty; Telecommunications

08 Jul 2014
First Look

First Look: July 8

Your Customer Relationships By: Avery, Jill, Susan Fournier, and John Wittenbraker Abstract—Consumers have always had relationships with brands, but sophisticated tools for analyzing customer data are finally allowing marketing... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

20 Sep 2011
Working Paper Summaries

Sovereigns, Upstream Capital Flows and Global Imbalances

Keywords: by Laura Alfaro, Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan & Vadym Volosovych

December 1999 (Revised October 2001)
Case

Introducing New Coke

On April 23, 1985, the Coca-Cola Co. announced a decision that would rock the world. The old Coke formula would be taken off the market and replaced with a smoother, sweeter taste. The reaction of the American people was immediate and violent, causing three months of... View Details

Keywords: Failure; Product Development; Brands and Branding; Manufacturing Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

02 Feb 2023
Research & Ideas

Why We Still Need Twitter: How Social Media Holds Companies Accountable

reality-based “metaverse.” “In the current discussion about Twitter’s future, many critics of Elon Musk appear to be rooting for his failure in turning around the company,” explains Heese, the Marvin Bower Associate Professor of Business... View Details

Keywords: by Kasandra Brabaw; Technology

21 Jun 2011
First Look

First Look: June 21

telecommunications to tobacco and soft drinks. The dangers of excessive market concentration are greater in finance, however, because of the systemic importance of credit to the economy and the now widely held belief that governments must... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

October 2013
Article

Corporate Venturing

By: Josh Lerner

For decades, large companies have been wary of corporate venturing. But as R&D organizations face pressure to rein in costs and produce results, companies are investing in promising start-ups to gain knowledge and agility. The logic of corporate venturing is... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Knowledge Acquisition; Corporate Strategy; Research and Development; Business Startups; Innovation and Invention

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07 Mar 2011
Research & Ideas

Why Companies Fail—and How Their Founders Can Bounce Back

Most companies fail. It's an unsettling fact for bright-eyed entrepreneurs, but old news to start-up veterans. But here's the good news: Experienced entrepreneurs know that running a company that eventually fails can actually help a career, but only if the executives... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

17 Jan 2023
In Practice

8 Trends to Watch in 2023

As 2023 begins, businesses and employees face an uncertain economy and labor market, as the twin dilemmas of inflation and interest rates weigh on forecasts. Harvard Business School faculty share the top trends that they believe will shape the workplace and markets... View Details

Keywords: by Avery Forman

28 Oct 2014
First Look

First Look: October 28

October 2014 Review of Financial Studies Corporate Investment and Stock Market Listing: A Puzzle? By: Asker, John, Joan Farre-Mensa, and Alexander Ljungqvist Abstract—We investigate whether short-termism distorts the investment decisions... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

January 2023
Case

Proday: Calling the Right Play

By: Lindsay N. Hyde, Thomas R. Eisenmann and Tom Quinn

Sarah Kunst knew the elements of a successful startup from her tenure at venture capital firms. In April 2018, however, her own app – Proday, a home fitness platform featuring exercises filmed by professional sports stars – was floundering. Kunst theorized that... View Details

Keywords: Social Media; Entrepreneurship; Advertising; Digital Marketing; Product Launch; Social Marketing; Failure; Sports; Applications and Software; Business Startups; Technology Industry; United States

17 Sep 2001
Research & Ideas

Let Customers Call the Shots

is the bread and butter of conventional marketing, which profits from demand predictability within market segments. But there is really no room for consumer empowerment when consumers make themselves too predictable. Think of the View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

January 2009
Supplement

The Tip of the Iceberg: JP Morgan Chase and Bear Stearns (B2)

By: Clayton S. Rose, Daniel Baird Bergstresser and David Lane

Bear Stearns & Co burned through nearly all of its $18 billion in cash reserves during the week of March 10, 2008, and an unprecedented provision of liquidity support from the Federal Reserve on Friday March 13 was insufficient to reverse the decline in Bear's... View Details

Keywords: Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Capital; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Financial Liquidity; Banks and Banking; Governance; Crisis Management; Goals and Objectives; System; Valuation; New York (state, US)