Publications

August 2012 (Revised September 2013)
Case

EnerNOC: DemandSMART

By: Michael W. Toffel, Kira Fabrizio and Stephanie van Sice

EnerNOC is an energy company with an innovative business model: it serves as an intermediary between electric utilities and electricity users. It contracts with electricity users willing to reduce demand during periods of peak energy demand, and sells this as excess... View Details

Keywords: Production Planning; Productivity; Environmental Protection; Energy; Environment; Business Government Relations; Laws And Regulation; Business Model; Environmental Sustainability; Innovation and Invention; Opportunities; Risk and Uncertainty; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Supply Chain Management; Production; Energy Conservation; Energy Industry

August 1990 (Revised February 1991)
Case

Whirlpool Corp.

By: Michael Y. Yoshino and Sarah D. Hall

Examines the company's global strategy and potential acquisition of Philips' major domestic appliance operations in Europe in light of increasing trends toward globilization in the major appliance industry. Allows discussions weighing the advantages and risks of... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Joint Ventures; Global Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Risk and Uncertainty; Opportunities; Competitive Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; Europe

02 Mar 2020
Blog Post

Know Your Audience – Recruiting HBS Students for Energy

The “Know Your Audience” series on the HBS Recruiting Blog highlights trends in recruiting for various industries. Learn more about student interest, effective recruiting strategies, and best practices from... View Details

Keywords: Energy / Cleantech

October 2017
Case

The Transformation of Microsoft

By: C. Fritz Foley, E. Scott Mayfield and F. Katelynn Boland

In early 2015, Amy Hood, CFO of Microsoft, and the rest of the senior leadership team faced a set of fundamental choices. The firm had opportunities to serve customers in ways that would be associated with higher growth but lower margin. Some of these opportunities... View Details

Keywords: Growth; Corporate Finance; Valuation; Growth Management; Communication Strategy; Transformation; Information Technology Industry; Computer Industry; United States

Web

Make clear where we stand and where we aim to go. - Advancing Racial Equity

in America have left many Black Americans facing steep, systemic barriers to opportunities and outcomes—for instance, with less family wealth, fewer influential connections, View Details

September 2002 (Revised December 2005)
Case

DaimlerChrysler Post-Merger Integration (A)

By: Richard F. Meyer, Michael G. Rukstad, Peter J. Coughlan and Stephan A. Jansen

Describes the background, process, and aftermath of the merger between Daimler-Benz of Germany and Chrysler Corp. of America. Describes the economic structure and trends of the world automobile industry at the turn of the century as well as the individual histories and... View Details

Keywords: Integration; Negotiation Process; Corporate Strategy; Mergers and Acquisitions; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Auto Industry; Germany; United States

18 Jun 2024
Blog Post

Alumni Career Journey: Ben Schutzman (MBA 2016) - Driving Positive Impact on Community and Climate

services, non-profits, or a business, so I took advantage of the HBS Leadership Fellows Program. The program offered me the unique opportunity to work in government through the MBTA at a time when they were looking to try something new... View Details

November 2017
Teaching Note

Predicting Consumer Tastes with Big Data at Gap

By: Ayelet Israeli and Jill Avery

CEO Art Peck was eliminating his creative directors for The Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic brands and promoting a collective creative ecosystem fueled by the input of big data. Rather than relying on artistic vision, Peck wanted the company to use the mining of big... View Details

12 Nov 2014
News

Who Makes a Better Boss? Engineers or MBAs

November 2005 (Revised December 2016)
Case

Bally Total Fitness (A): The Rise, 1962–2004

By: John R. Wells, Elizabeth A. Raabe and Gabriel Ellsworth

From a single, modest club in 1962, Bally Total Fitness had grown to become—in management’s words—the “largest and only nationwide commercial operator of fitness centers” in the United States in 2004. Bally had faced its share of challenges, but the last couple of... View Details

Keywords: Bally Total Fitness; Fitness; Gyms; Health Clubs; Chain; Securities And Exchange Commission; Paul Toback; Weight Loss; Exercise; Contracts; Personal Training; Retention; Accounting; Accounting Audits; Accrual Accounting; Finance; Advertising; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; For-Profit Firms; Customers; Customer Satisfaction; Public Equity; Financing and Loans; Revenue; Revenue Recognition; Geographic Scope; Multinational Firms and Management; Health; Nutrition; Business History; Lawsuits and Litigation; Management; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Marketing; Operations; Service Delivery; Service Operations; Public Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Business and Shareholder Relations; Business Strategy; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Expansion; Segmentation; Trends; Cost Management; Profit; Growth and Development; Leadership Style; Five Forces Framework; Private Ownership; Opportunities; Motivation and Incentives; Competitive Strategy; Health Industry; United States; Illinois; Chicago

Blog

Two-Year Action Plan Update: Q+A with Terrill Drake, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Harvard Business School

time with the staff, student, and alumni communities. And while I haven't spent as much time with our faculty, we know that the work we have to do there is really important, View Details

03 May 2004
Research & Ideas

Business History around the World

perspectives and make it accessible, in English, to a broader audience. Additionally, we felt that the moment was opportune for such a survey because the discipline of business history is at a crossroads.... View Details

Keywords: by Cynthia Churchwell

Research Summary

Leading The Finance Function in the Future

Marc L. Bertoneche is analyzing, for research and teaching purposes, the trends of the finance function in various parts of the world and its increasing role as a strategic partner in business decisions. View Details

Web

Leadership with Purpose: Redefining Success and Impact with Satpal Singh (SELP—India 4, 2019) - Recruiting

communities. Throughout my career, I’ve learned leadership isn’t about fitting into a mold—it’s about understanding who you are and the values that drive you. My journey has been defined by diverse challenges, inspiring teams, View Details

13 Feb 2020
Blog Post

Know Your Audience – Recruiting HBS Students for Manufacturing

The “Know Your Audience” series on the HBS Recruiting Blog highlights trends in recruiting for various industries. Learn more about student interest, effective recruiting strategies, and best practices from... View Details

Keywords: Manufacturing

April 2013
Case

Managing with Analytics at Procter & Gamble

By: Thomas H. Davenport, Marco Iansiti and Alain Serels

Senior management at P&G has put a strong emphasis on using data to make "better, smarter, real-time business decisions." The Global Business Services (GBS) organization has developed tools, systems and processes to provide managers throughout P&G with direct access to... View Details

Keywords: Analytics; Data Management; Forecasting; Shared Services; Procter ＆ Gamble; Laundry Detergent; Information Management; Forecasting and Prediction; Information Technology; Mathematical Methods; Consumer Products Industry; North America

May 1986 (Revised August 1987)
Supplement

Gillette Co.: Dry Idea Advertising (A), Video Introduction

Provides an overview of video contents and three attachments: 1) chart discussed at meeting shown in video, 2) historical Dry Idea copy strategies, and 3) graphic comparison of Dry Idea share trends and airing history. View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Consumer Products Industry