Publications

April 2008 (Revised August 2008)
Supplement

Leading Citigroup (B)

By: Lynn S. Paine, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Aldo Sesia

The (B) case describes the actions taken by Citigroup CEO Chuck Prince and his management team to right the company in the wake of the controversies and alleged misdeeds described in the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Crime and Corruption; Ethics; Corporate Governance; Governance Controls; Leadership; Management Teams; Organizational Culture

06 Feb 2020
Research & Ideas

What We Learned from Reading Jeff Bezos’ Patents

answer is yes. The founder’s early fascination with innovation proved key because he remains an active inventor with many patents to his name. Bezos has been known to view Amazon as “a technology company pioneering e-commerce, not a retailer.” We decided to test our... View Details

Keywords: by Tricia Gregg and Boris Groysberg; Retail

April 2008 (Revised May 2011)
Case

Leading Citigroup (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine, Aldo Sesia and Carin-Isabel Knoop

The (A) case describes a series of controversial events and alleged misdeeds that placed Citigroup in the public spotlight and launched investigations into the company's business practices by regulators in Japan and Europe in the fall of 2004. CEO Chuck Prince must... View Details

Keywords: Crime and Corruption; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Leadership; Organizational Culture; Business and Government Relations; Reputation; Japan; Europe

04 Feb 2002
Research & Ideas

How To Do Business in Islamic Countries

the Challenge." He was joined by a specialist in Islamic law, Harvard Law School professor Frank E. Vogel, for the series' discussion on doing business in the Islamic world. Vogel and Hayes are also co-authors of the book Islamic Law... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

04 Jul 2005
What Do You Think?

How Can Business Schools Be Made More Relevant?

business school faculty, curricula, and research. Chuck Drobny commented, "If the institution places research-focused faculty or graduate students in front of students, and the students lack any perspective gained through experience,... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

January 2003 (Revised April 2004)
Case

Cat is out of the Bag, The: KANA and the Layoff Gone Awry (A)

By: Leslie A. Perlow and David Ager

Vicki Amon-Higa, vice president of KANA, a publicly traded, midsize development company, was working with Bryan Kettle, KANA's CFO, to plan a layoff in which KANA would reduce the size of its workforce by nearly 40%. Despite the best of intentions, news of the layoff... View Details

Keywords: Crisis Management; Employees; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Problems and Challenges; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Conflict Management

12 Dec 2005
Research & Ideas

Using the Law to Strategic Advantage

to police its trademark by preventing others from using it to refer to something other than the Real Thing. Shareholder value is enhanced when a firm chooses an appropriate form of business organization, ranging from a limited liability... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Legal Services

15 Oct 2001
Research & Ideas

Four Questions for David Garvin and Michael Roberto

of Motorola, Jack Welch of G.E., Andy Grove of Intel, and Chuck Knight of Emerson Electric all used inquiry processes extremely effectively. All were CEOs who led their companies through long periods of growth and profitability. Q: You... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

19 Mar 2008
Research & Ideas

Finding Success in the Middle of the Market

midfield dictates the pace of play, gives its forwards and defenders more time to set up their plays, and breaks up attacks by the opposing team's front line. In business, it's not fashionable to concentrate on midfield. Focus, we are... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch; Auto; Retail

06 Jun 2005
Research & Ideas

Don’t Listen to “Yes”

a series of meetings so as to surface and test a set of core strategic assumptions. Or they might assign someone to play the devil's advocate so as to ensure that a thorough critique and risk assessment of a proposal has been conducted before moving forward. View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

23 Jul 2024
In Practice

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

cases escalate, tariffs placed on Chinese exports by former President Trump. This move is emblematic of a global turn toward protectionism and trade restrictions in the last decade. Businesses have taken diverse approaches in adapting to... View Details

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

21 Sep 2009
Research & Ideas

Excessive Executive Pay: What’s the Solution?

that led to the financial crisis. And while the intricate details of pay plans don't evoke the outrage of multimillion-dollar paydays, curbing the risk-taking incentives embedded in those plans is key to resolving the current crisis and preventing another. That task... View Details

Keywords: by Roger Thompson

January 1998 (Revised May 1999)
Case

General Scanning, Inc. (B)

By: H. Kent Bowen, Sean McClenaghan and Charles Tillen

After meeting with a mediator, Montagu and Davis decided their goals were not in accordance, and Davis left General Scanning. Montagu and Brosens wrote three-year objectives for the company and proceeded to search for a new professional manager. Chuck Winston took on... View Details

Keywords: Business Units; Restructuring; Change; Business or Company Management; Ownership Stake; Strategic Planning; Hardware

20 Jan 2017
Research & Ideas

Here’s How Businessman Trump Is Likely to Approach the Presidency

approach to the presidency. Their insights follow. Real estate rarely a zero-sum game John D. Macomber, Senior lecturer of business administration You have to start by distinguishing between a branding operation that’s supported View Details

Keywords: by Christina Pazzanese

October 1991 (Revised December 1993)
Case

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, Inc.: Keeping the Mission(s) Alive

Ben & Jerry's is an anti-establishment, values-driven company that has become a successful venture. The dominant founder, Ben Cohen, is not an effective manager, but he brings creative marketing and product skills that have been important to the company's success. He... View Details

Keywords: Mission and Purpose; Organizational Culture; Entrepreneurship; Compensation and Benefits; Manufacturing Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

08 Jan 2016
Research & Ideas

Is it Worth a Pay Cut to Work for a Great Manager (Like Bill Belichick)?

in 13 consecutive seasons, and is the second, after Chuck Noll, to win four Super Bowls. He has coached the Patriots to 13 division titles in 16 years. Arguably, Belichick and the Patriots have dominated the NFL longer than any other team... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg & Abhijit Naik; Sports

March 2017
Case

Swagbucks

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport and Matthew G. Preble

In early 2016, Chuck Davis, chairman and CEO of Prodege LLC, parent company of the brand promotion business Swagbucks, and Josef Gorowitz, Prodege’s founder and president, must decide whether to acquire MyPoints, a competitor to Swagbucks, after the company’s... View Details