- 26 Jun 2023
- Research & Ideas
Want to Leave a Lasting Impression on Customers? Don't Forget the (Proverbial) Fireworks
Some of the most successful customer experiences end with a bang. Julian De Freitas provides three tips to help businesses invest in the kind of memorable moments that will keep customers coming back.
- 31 May 2023
- HBS Case
Why Business Leaders Need to Hear Larry Miller's Story
VIDEO: Nike executive Larry Miller concealed his criminal past to get a job. What if more companies were willing to hire people with blemishes on their records? Hise Gibson explores why business leaders should give the formerly incarcerated a second chance.
- 31 May 2023
- HBS Case
From Prison Cell to Nike’s C-Suite: The Journey of Larry Miller
VIDEO: Before leading one of the world’s largest brands, Nike executive Larry Miller served time in prison for murder. In this interview, Miller shares how education helped him escape a life of crime and why employers should give the formerly incarcerated a second chance. Inspired by a Harvard Business School case study.
- 09 May 2023
- Cold Call Podcast
Can Robin Williams’ Son Help Other Families Heal Addiction and Depression?
Zak Pym Williams, son of comedian and actor Robin Williams, had seen how mental health challenges, such as addiction and depression, had affected past generations of his family. Williams was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a young adult and he wanted to break the cycle for his children. Although his children were still quite young, he began considering proactive strategies that could help his family’s mental health, and he wanted to share that knowledge with other families. But how can Williams help people actually take advantage of those mental health strategies and services? Professor Lauren Cohen discusses his case, “Weapons of Self Destruction: Zak Pym Williams and the Cultivation of Mental Wellness.”
- 03 Jan 2023
- Cold Call Podcast
Wordle: Can a Pandemic Phenomenon Sustain in the Long Term?
Wordle went from a personal game, created by a developer for his girlfriend, to a global phenomenon with two million users in just a few months. Then The New York Times made an unexpected bid to acquire it. But will Wordle outlast other pandemic pastimes? Harvard Business School senior lecturer Christina Wallace discusses the journey of software engineer and accidental entrepreneur Josh Wardle in the case, “Wordle.”
- 13 Dec 2022
- Cold Call Podcast
Metaverse Seoul: How One City Used Citizen Input to Pilot a Government-Run Metaverse
In May 2022, the Seoul Metropolitan Government in Seoul, Korea launched the pilot of Metaverse Seoul, a virtual version of Seoul’s mayor’s office. As they worked towards building a broad, immersive, online government platform, they hoped to gain insights from citizens about everything from popular local tourist sites that could be experienced virtually to government services that could be delivered in the metaverse. But to do that, the team had to figure out how to solicit ideas from citizens and then determine which ideas to put to use. Professor Mitchell Weiss discusses their approach, as well as questions relating to his research on public entrepreneurship and what he calls “possibility government,” in his case, “Metaverse Seoul.”
- 26 Jul 2022
- Research & Ideas
Burgers with Bugs? What Happens When Restaurants Ignore Online Reviews
Negative Yelp reviews hold more sway with consumers than restaurateurs might think. A machine learning study by Chiara Farronato reveals how online platforms amplify the customer voice, and why business owners should listen.
- 04 Jan 2021
- Working Paper Summaries
The Twofold Effect of Customer Retention in Freemium Settings
Many digital products offer “freemiums”: that is, part of the product for free, often with advertising, and an enhanced customer experience for payment. This research, in a mobile game context, shows the importance of recognizing the short- and long-term effects on customer retention when managing the tradeoffs between free and paid aspects of freemium products.
- 28 Jul 2020
- Research & Ideas
Racism and Digital Design: How Online Platforms Can Thwart Discrimination
Poor design decisions contribute to racial discrimination on many online platforms. Michael Luca and colleagues offer tips for reducing the risk, used by Airbnb and other companies. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 23 Jun 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Is it Time for Big Apple Circus to Fold the Tent?
David Fubini discusses his case study about the future of Big Apple Circus. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 14 Apr 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
'Fortnite' Was a Blockbuster for Epic Games. What’s the Encore?
Epic Games, maker of the incredibly popular "Fortnite" multiplayer game, considers whether to become a PC-games distribution platform. Andy Wu discusses his case study, “Epic Games.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 21 Jan 2020
- Research & Ideas
Lessons for Retailers from the Rebirth of Indie Bookstores
Independent bookstores are resurging. Their strategies offer lessons for many disrupted industries to compete against Amazon and other digital retailers, says Ryan Raffaelli. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 06 Aug 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Super Bowl Ads Sell Products, but Do They Sell Brands?
Super Bowl advertising is increasingly about using storytelling to sell corporate brands rather than products. Shelle Santana discusses why stories win (or fumble) on game day. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 May 2019
- What Do You Think?
What Should the Leadership of YouTube Do?
SUMMING UP Readers comment on how YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki should solve its “sustainability” versus "respectability" problem. What should YouTube do? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 Dec 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Platform Competition: Betfair and the U.K. Market for Sports Betting
Since the early 2000s, online betting exchanges have had a new relationship with customers relative to traditional bookmakers, providing a platform to match individuals willing to lay and back the same outcome. This study shows how exchanges’ platform design choices have major implications for their likelihood of success.
- 11 Oct 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
Baseball’s Billy Beane Shows Companies the Power of Data
With a relatively small payroll, the Oakland A's baseball team remains competitive by being smarter about data. Srikant Datar discusses the "Moneyball" strategy and how it can be applied in business. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Sep 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Ratcheting, Competition, and the Diffusion of Technological Change: The Case of Televisions Under an Energy Efficiency Program
The diffusion of innovation in many markets is greatly influenced by the presence of policy intervention. Importantly, diffusion is further affected by the fact that firms often also have a say in affecting the implementation of policy. This analysis of the Japanese TV market suggests that firms may delay the introduction of more high quality products when there are across-the-board policy standards.
- 17 Sep 2018
- Research & Ideas
Welcome to Retirement. Who Am I Now?
Transitioning from work to retirement can be bumpy, as we wrestle with questions of identity and rebuilding relationships. Teresa Amabile presents preliminary findings on the journey to after-work life.
- 28 Jun 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
L.A. Philharmonic Shows the American Symphony Orchestra Isn’t Dead Yet
Like many American symphony orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic seemed dying on the vine, unable to attract younger audiences or new sponsors. Then new CEO Deborah Borda came aboard with a plan to revive the brand. Rohit Deshpande discusses his case study on the turnaround. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
As Social Networks Get More Competitive, Which Ones Will Survive?
In early 2023, TikTok reached close to 1 billion users globally, placing it fourth behind the leading social networks: Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Meanwhile, competition in the market for videos had intensified. Can all four networks continue to attract audiences and creators? Felix Oberholzer-Gee discusses competition and imitation among social networks in his case “Hey, Insta & YouTube, Are You Watching TikTok?”