John A. Quelch
There are 43 articles for this faculty member.
About Faculty in this Article:

John A. Quelch is the Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.
HBS Cases: Looking Behind Google's Stand in China
| Q&A with: | John A. Quelch |
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| Published: | February 8, 2010 |
| Feature: | Lessons from the Classroom |
Google's threat to pull out of China is either a blow for Internet freedom or cover for a failed business strategy, depending on with whom you talk. Professor John A. Quelch looks behind the headlines in a new case.
Published in 2009
Where Cash for Clunkers Ran Off the Road
| Published: | August 26, 2009 |
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| Feature: | Views on News |
Marketing professor John Quelch says the federal government's "Cash for Clunkers" program was poorly run and failed to meet its main objectives, proving again the government has no business trying to shape consumer behavior. Join the discussion.
Quantifying the Economic Impact of the Internet
| Published: | August 17, 2009 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Businesses around the advertising-supported Internet have incredible multiplier effects throughout the economy and society. Professor John Quelch starts to put some numbers on the impact.
Business Summit: Niall Ferguson and the Certainty of Uncertainty
| Published: | June 5, 2009 |
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| Feature: | HBS Business Summit |
The economic crisis should not have been unexpected, says professor Niall Ferguson. Business leaders should consider history when developing their strategies, plans, and models, and should keep in mind that outlier events occur.
Improving Market Research in a Recession
| Published: | May 26, 2009 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
At the same time that marketers must pare research expenditures, they face added pressure to secure high-quality data and insights. What's a CMO to do? Ask HBS marketing professor John Quelch.
What's Next for the Big Financial Brands
| Published: | May 4, 2009 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Some of the great financial brands such as Merrill Lynch built trust with customers over decades—but lost it in a matter of months. Harvard Business School marketing professor John Quelch explains where they went wrong, and what comes next.
Cheers to the American Consumer
| Published: | April 6, 2009 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
The willingness by American consumers to adopt new products, processes, and services more rapidly than those in other countries may be the most important enabler of entrepreneurship and innovation in America, says marketing professor John Quelch.
Marketing After the Recession
| Published: | March 18, 2009 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
This downturn has likely changed people's buying habits in fundamental ways. Professor John Quelch discusses why marketers must start planning today to reach consumers after the recession.
In Praise of Marketing
| Published: | February 5, 2009 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Marketers do a surprisingly poor job of marketing Marketing, says professor John Quelch. "They do not appreciate, let alone articulate, the economic and social benefits of marketing." Here is the story that needs to be told.
Published in 2008
'Ted Levitt Changed My Life'
| Published: | December 17, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Lessons from the Classroom |
Many students say legendary Harvard Business School marketing professor Ted Levitt changed their lives inside his classroom and out. "Ted Levitt was the most influential and imaginative professor in marketing history," HBS professor and senior associate dean John Quelch eulogized on the occasion of Levitt's death in 2006. Colleagues and students remember a life and times. From HBS Alumni Bulletin.
The Marketing of a President
| Published: | November 12, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Barack Obama's run for the White House was a model of marketing excellence, argues Professor John Quelch. Here's why it worked so well.
Selling Out The American Dream
| Published: | November 6, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Op-Ed |
The American Dream has been transformed from an embodiment of the country's core values into a crass appeal to materialism and easy gratification. One result: the current economic crisis, says professor John Quelch. The federal government isn't helping.
The Next Marketing Challenge: Selling to 'Simplifiers'
| Published: | October 29, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
The mass consumption of the 1990s is fast fading in the rearview mirror. Now a growing number of people want to declutter their lives and invest in experiences rather than things. What's a marketer to do, asks professor John Quelch.
How Much Time Should CEOs Devote to Customers?
| Published: | October 1, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Every corporate mission statement pays lip service to respecting customer needs, but actual customer expertise is typically a mile wide and an inch deep, says Harvard Business School professor John Quelch. Here's why every CEO should spend at least 10 percent of his or her time thinking about, talking to, and steering the organization to the customer.
Long-Tail Economics? Give Me Blockbusters!
| Published: | September 10, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Although the Long Tail theory might argue otherwise, HBS marketing professor John Quelch believes in the power of blockbusters to excite consumers, motivate salespeople, and attract top talent.
Starbucks' Lessons for Premium Brands
| Published: | July 9, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
After building a great franchise offering a unique customer experience, Starbucks diluted its brand when it overexpanded and offered too many new products. Harvard Business School professor John Quelch thinks the trouble began when the company went public.
Seven Tips for Managing Price Increases
| Published: | June 16, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Consumers get hit with the price-increase hammer every time they drive past a gas station. Harvard Business School professor John Quelch offers tips on how marketers can cope with inflation and consumer sticker shock.
Going Negative in Political Advertising
| Published: | May 21, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Companies rarely run negative ads against competitors, but political candidates often do. Why the difference? It's a byproduct of our political system's winner-take-all approach, says professor John Quelch.
The Marketing Challenges of the China Olympics
| Published: | May 1, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
The Olympic Games are normally a marketer's dream. Not so much this year, given widespread protests against the Chinese government. Professor John Quelch outlines the branding challenges posed by this year's Games in Beijing.
Four Companies that Conquered America
| Published: | April 2, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Any self-respecting global company needs to compete in the United States, but many have floundered on its shores. Professor John Quelch spotlights the strategies of four that succeeded: Royal Bank of Scotland, IKEA, ING, and Dyson.













