HBS Case
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- 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.
- 20 Feb 2006
- HBS Case
Oprah: A Case Study Comes Alive
Writing a business case on the icon of daytime television and chief executive of a major media empire was challenge enough for HBS professor Nancy Koehn and colleagues. Oprah Winfrey's visit to campus to talk with graduating students made it ample reward. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 30 Jan 2006
- HBS Case
The Case of the Mystery Writer’s Brand
A look behind how professor John Deighton developed a case study of mystery writer James Patterson. From the HBS Alumni Bulletin. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Aug 2005
- HBS Case
Classic Cases Live On at HBS
Harvard Business School is famous for its case method of classroom teaching. Here is a look at some of the classic cases that have been taught to business leaders worldwide—and are still in use today. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
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.