HBS Case
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- 29 Nov 2010
- HBS Case
United Breaks Guitars
A new case coauthored by HBS marketing professor John Deighton and research associate Leora Kornfeld offers an object lesson in the dangers social media can bring for big, recognizable companies and their brands. From the HBS Alumni Bulletin. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Oct 2010
- HBS Case
Tesco’s Stumble into the US Market
UK retailer Tesco was very successful penetrating foreign markets—until it set its sights on the United States. Its series of mistakes and some bad luck are captured in a new case by Harvard Business School marketing professor John A. Quelch. Key concepts include: Entering the US, Tesco deserves credit for creating a neighborhood market approach—emphasizing fresh produce and meats, and good quality but value-priced prepared meals. By not partnering or hiring local executives, Tesco missed the opportunity to learn more about the habits and needs of target customers. Tesco rightly aimed to scale the concept as soon as possible so that fixed overhead investments in its own distribution centers could be spread across a larger number of stores. Perhaps Tesco's original rollout plan was too ambitious, with executives assuming that the company would get everything right on the first try. Tesco has listened to its customers, learned from its mistakes, and made appropriate midcourse corrections. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 28 Jun 2010
- HBS Case
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
A recent Harvard Business School case by HBS professors Amy C. Edmondson and Anita Tucker explores how one hospital implemented its own version of health-care reform, taking overall performance levels from below average to the top 10 percent in the industry. From the HBS Alumni Bulletin. Key concepts include: The case offers valuable takeaways for future managers of any complex service organization. A key takeaway for students is the power of transparency as a mechanism for change. Benchmarking themselves to an internal standard helped the group get beyond rationalizing poor performance as an unavoidable consequence of the complexity of patient care. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Mar 2010
- HBS Case
Developing Asia’s Largest Slum
In a recent case study, HBS assistant professor Lakshmi Iyer and lecturer John Macomber examine ongoing efforts to forge a public-private mixed development in Dharavi—featured in the film Slumdog Millionaire. But there is a reason this project has languished for years. From the HBS Alumni Bulletin. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 08 Feb 2010
- HBS Case
Looking Behind Google’s Stand in China
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. Key concepts include: China has become more emboldened and self-confident as a result of its increasing economic significance. Google acted precipitously without giving due consideration to the impact of its announcement on stakeholders. The Google issue has become a cause célèbre that exacerbates the already fragile and festering U.S.-China relationship. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 18 Nov 2009
- HBS Case
Customer Feedback Not on elBulli’s Menu
The world is beating a path to Chef Ferran Adrià's door at elBulli, but why? In professor Michael Norton's course, students learn about marketing from a business owner who says he doesn't care whether or not customers like his product. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 11 Mar 2009
- HBS Case
The Energy Politics of Russia vs. Ukraine
A recent Harvard Business School case looks at Russia's decision in 2006 to cut off supply of natural gas to Ukraine's energy company—a move repeated this year. Is Russia just an energy bully? Students of professor Rawi Abdelal learn there is nothing black and white when it comes to Russia's energy politics. From HBS Alumni Bulletin. Key concepts include: The Western notion that Russia uses energy as a weapon is a media oversimplification of very complicated politics. Gazprom is the country's single most important company and biggest taxpayer. Because natural gas is much cleaner than oil or coal, Europe will likely become even more dependent on Russian gas. Energy can be a tool for influence but it's not an effective tool for domination. Russia will be in trouble if Europe decides to stop buying Russian gas. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Nov 2008
- HBS Case
Economics of the Ethanol Business
What happens when a group of Missouri corn farmers gets into the energy business? What appears to be a very lucrative decision quickly turns out to be much more risky. Professor Forest Reinhardt leads a case discussion on what the protagonists should do next. From HBS Alumni Bulletin. Key concepts include: The case examines the complex political and economic underpinnings of the ethanol industry. By investing in corn-based ethanol, farmers reduce their exposure to corn prices, but at the expense of exposure to the oil market. The case promotes greater understanding of the way materials and energy flow in the modern U.S. agricultural system. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 08 Sep 2008
- HBS Case
The Value of Environmental Activists
With decidedly non-profit goals leading them on, how do environmental protection groups such as Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund create value? Can it be measured? A Q&A with Harvard Business School professor Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and case writer Jordan Mitchell. Key concepts include: The challenge for a business student is how to put a quantifiable measure on whether Greenpeace and WWF are successful in reaching goals. WWF and Greenpeace create value by increasing the world's willingness-to-pay on environmental issues. Most scientists agree that the earth is deteriorating at a faster rate than during the 1960s and 1970s, but it would be worse off had it not been for the tireless campaigning of environmental NGOs. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 28 Apr 2008
- HBS Case
Negotiating with Wal-Mart
What happens when you encounter a company with a great deal of power, like Wal-Mart, that is also the ultimate non-negotiable partner? A series of Harvard Business School cases by James Sebenius and Ellen Knebel explore successful deal-making strategies. From the HBS Alumni Bulletin. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Mar 2008
- HBS Case
JetBlue’s Valentine’s Day Crisis
It was the Valentine's Day from hell for JetBlue employees and more than 130,000 customers. Under bad weather, JetBlue fliers were trapped on the runway at JFK for hours, many ultimately delayed by days. How did the airline make it right with customers and learn from its mistakes? A discussion with Harvard Business School professor Robert S. Huckman. Key concepts include: JetBlue's dependence on a reservations system that relied on a dispersed workforce and the Web broke down when thousands of passengers needed to rebook at once. A crisis forces an organization to evaluate its operating processes rapidly and decide where it needs to create greater formalization or structure. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 Dec 2007
- HBS Case
One Laptop per Child
The One Laptop per Child initiative wants to develop and distribute $100 laptops to poor children around the world. Despite eager observers and exciting breakthroughs technologically, it has found the path to customers more rocky than anticipated. Marketing has some answers, as a new case study details. Q&A with HBS professor John Quelch. Key concepts include: The XO laptop is a rugged little computer designed to help kids learn and play collaboratively. Some of its features raise the bar in the computer industry as a whole. Competitors are moving into the same market space to make low-cost laptops. However, the One Laptop per Child initiative is nonprofit. Despite some success, one of the biggest hurdles has been signing up governments to purchase the computer for their country's children. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Oct 2007
- HBS Case
Climate Change Puts Heat on GMs
Ready or not, companies are being swept up in the increasing public debate over global climate change. How should firms respond? A case study exploring how financial service giant UBS thinks through the issues has students coming down on different sides. Key concepts include: Firms are increasingly called upon to respond to public concerns and actions by competitors on the issue of climate change. 'Green' responses that are simple profit maximization won't impress activist organizations looking to reward exemplars. Companies who take leadership roles in the environmental arena also open themselves up as critical targets should something go wrong. In responding to requests from organizations, general managers should think strategically about how, if they get the decision right, the company can serve society while also improving the bottom line. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 Oct 2007
- HBS Case
Marketing Maria: Managing the Athlete Endorsement
Anita Elberse discusses her research on sports marketing and a case study on tennis powerhouse Maria Sharapova. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 18 Apr 2007
- HBS Case
How Magazine Luiza Courts the Poor
Brazilian retailer Magazine Luiza has developed an innovative strategy for selling to the poor, combining technology with great service that please both customers and employees. The question of how the company can grow without sacrificing the special qualities that have made it successful is at the heart of a case study developed by Harvard Business School professor Frances X. Frei. Key concepts include: The case "Magazine Luiza: Building a Retail Model of 'Courting the Poor'" looks at the Brazilian retailer's innovative approach to selling to the poor. Magazine Luiza sells a mix of furniture, consumer electronics, and white goods. The retailer's flexible procedure for credit approval employs nontraditional metrics, which enables customers with lower, less easily established incomes to make purchases. Students who discuss the case in the HBS classroom must assess the viability of Magazine Luiza's acquisition of another Brazilian retailer and consider future growth initiatives. Can the company retain the qualities that have made it special to both customers and employees? Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Jan 2007
- HBS Case
When Good Teams Go Bad
Jeff Polzer and Scott Snook teach "The Army Crew Team" case and the dilemma faced by a rowing coach who has great individual parts but can't get them to synchronize. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 Jan 2007
- HBS Case
The Challenge of Managing National Security
What can we learn from mistakes made in managing national intelligence before 9/11? Professor Jan Rivkin discusses the difficulties of integrating a highly differentiated organization, and the dangers of overcentralizing decision making. From HBS Alumni Bulletin. Key concepts include: The issues around managing national security provide an extreme example of the challenges faced by organizations that break into specialized parts yet must get the parts to work together. While private sector organizations can roll out complex changes over time, the intelligence community must change quickly—it must be patient and impatient at the same time. In the highly turbulent field of national security, a single "intelligence czar" could be quickly overwhelmed by informational burdens, and oversight groups can bury talented individuals under bureaucracy. The Director of National Intelligence should serve as a centralized provider of leadership and infrastructure that allows both decentralized and coordinated action. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Oct 2006
- HBS Case
Governing Sumida Corporation
In a new Harvard Business School case, Professor Lynn Paine and her colleagues explore the nature of corporate governance systems by studying Japanese electronics components maker Sumida Corp. CEO Shigeyuki Yawata looks to create a governance structure that would be transparent to investors and stakeholders worldwide. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 14 Aug 2006
- HBS Case
On Managing with Bobby Knight and “Coach K”
Bobby Knight and Mike Krzyzewski are arguably the two most successful college basketball coaches in the country. But their leadership styles could not be more different. Professor Scott Snook wonders: Is it better to be loved or feared? Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
Terror at the Taj
Under terrorist attack, employees of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower bravely stayed at their posts to help guests. A look at the hotel's customer-centered culture and value system. Open for comment; 0 Comments.