Goods and Commodities →
- 25 Mar 2019
- Research & Ideas
The Secret Life of Supply Chains
While US policymakers and politicians focus on reviving the manufacturing sector, Mercedes Delgado and Karen Mills unearth a source of better jobs hidden in plain sight. Call it the supply chain economy. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Mar 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Targeted Price Controls on Supermarket Products
Governments sometimes consider targeted price controls when popular goods become less affordable. Looking at price controls in Argentina between 2007 and 2015, this study’s findings suggest that new technologies like mobile phones are allowing governments to better enforce targeted price control programs, but the impact of these policies on aggregate inflation is small and short-lived.
- 07 Sep 2017
- Cold Call Podcast
Faber-Castell Doubles Down on the Pencil
Some products are just harder to innovate than others. The pencil, for instance. Yet, Faber-Castell has been turning them out for more than 200 years, adding improvements such as color and cosmetic products to the mix. In this podcast, Ryan Raffaelli discusses how older products can become young again. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Dec 2014
- Research & Ideas
How Our Brain Determines if the Product is Worth the Price
Are consumers more likely to buy if they see the price before the product, or vice versa? Uma Karmarkar and colleagues scan the brains of shoppers to find out. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Oct 2014
- Research & Ideas
The Coffee Economy That Bloomed Out of Nowhere
How did a world-class coffee region arise out of a land once decimated by smallpox and measles? Casey Lurtz discusses the rise of a coffee economy in a desolate region of Mexico. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 Sep 2014
- Research & Ideas
Why Do Outlet Stores Exist?
Created in the 1930s, outlet stores allowed retailers to dispose of unpopular items at fire-sale prices. Today, outlets seem outmoded and unnecessary—stores have bargain racks, after all. Donald K. Ngwe explains why outlets still exist. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
How Natural Winemaker Frank Cornelissen Innovated While Staying True to His Brand
In 2018, artisanal Italian vineyard Frank Cornelissen was one of the world’s leading producers of natural wine. But when weather-related conditions damaged that year’s grapes, founder Frank Cornelissen had to decide between staying true to the tenets of natural wine making or breaking with his public beliefs to save that year’s grapes by adding sulfites. Harvard Business School assistant professor Tiona Zuzul discusses the importance of staying true to your company’s principles while remaining flexible enough to welcome progress in the case, Frank Cornelissen: The Great Sulfite Debate.