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    New Research and Ideas, January 8, 2019

    First Look

    08 Jan 2019

    Of special interest among new research papers, case studies, articles, and books released this week by Harvard Business School faculty:

    Cost-savings strategies in cardiac cath labs

    With patients in cardiac catheterization labs, insurers are moving away from fee-for-service reimbursement and are instead determining payment based on quality measures that are bundled with each episode of care. Michael L. Tushman, Grant W. Reed, and Samir R. Kapadia discuss this new model, as well as other cost-saving strategies used in cardiac cath labs, in a recent article in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Operational Efficiency and Effective Management in the Catheterization Laboratory.

    Colombian company considers development deal

    In January 2014, Jaguar Capital was hoping to capitalize on Colombia’s need for safe, comfortable places to spend family time by providing housing, retail, and entertainment facilities targeted to the country’s middle class. Nori Gerardo Lietz and Sayiddah Fatima McCree write in a case study about Jaguar’s consideration of an offer from private equity real estate investor White Stone, which might help make this dream possible, but could create long-term issues for Jaguar. Jaguar Capital S.A.S., Take the Money and Run?

    How to repair Israel’s tarnished image

    Israel had much to celebrate on its 70th anniversary in the spring of 2018, yet the country’s brand image among international audiences was less than ideal. In a recent case study, Elie Ofek and Sarah Gulick explore the steps that could be taken to counter the indifference as well as the negative attitudes toward Israel. Israel at 70: Is It Possible to (re)Brand a Country?

    A complete list of new research and publications from Harvard Business School faculty follows.

    —Dina Gerdeman
    LinkedIn
    Email
    • November 20, 2018
    • Journal of the American College of Cardiology

    Operational Efficiency and Effective Management in the Catheterization Laboratory

    By: Reed, Grant W., Michael L. Tushman, and Samir R. Kapadia

    Abstract—Operational efficiency is a core business principle in which organizations strive to deliver high-quality goods or services in a cost-effective manner. This concept has become increasingly relevant to cardiac catheterization laboratories, as insurers move away from fee-for-service reimbursement and toward payment determined by quality measures bundled per episode of care. Accordingly, this review provides a framework for optimizing efficiency in the cardiac cath lab. The authors outline a management method based on the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model, a commonly used business tool by which a company can assess whether its key elements are aligned with its strategy. Standardized metrics of cath lab efficiency are proposed, which can be used in public reports on this topic moving forward. Attention is paid to understanding balance sheets to track the financial health of the cath lab. Specific cost-saving measures are described, and examples of strategies used to save supply expenses are provided.

    Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=55343

    Financing the Response to Climate Change: The Pricing and Ownership of U.S. Green Bonds

    By: Baker, Malcolm, Daniel Bergstresser, George Serafeim, and Jeffrey Wurgler

    Abstract—We study green bonds, which are bonds whose proceeds are used for environmentally sensitive purposes. After an overview of the U.S. corporate and municipal green bonds markets, we study pricing and ownership patterns using a simple framework that incorporates assets with nonpecuniary utility. As predicted, we find that green municipal bonds are issued at a premium to otherwise similar ordinary bonds. We also confirm that green bonds, particularly small or essentially riskless ones, are more closely held than ordinary bonds. These pricing and ownership effects are strongest for bonds that are externally certified as green.

    The Digital Commons: Tragedy or Opportunity? A Reflection on the 50th Anniversary of Hardin’s Tragedy of the Commons

    By: Nagle, Frank

    Abstract—On the 50th anniversary of Garrett Hardin’s “The Tragedy of the Commons,” this article considers the benefits and potential downsides of the digital commons, which emerged well after Hardin wrote his seminal article. Unlike the physical world Hardin wrote about, the digital world is essentially infinitely abundant, which leads to a very different tragedy and many new opportunities.

    Download working paper: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=55409

    • Harvard Business School Case 119-023

    Chateau Winery (A): Unsupervised Learning

    This case follows Bill Booth, marketing manager of a regional wine distributor, as he applies unsupervised learning on data about his customers’ purchases to better understand their preferences. Specifically, he uses the K-means clustering technique to identify groups of customers who have purchased any number of 32 specific “deals” Booth offered over the year, differentiated by the wine varietal as well as its country of origin and a minimum number of bottles to purchase. Insights from this analysis may help him understand themes across the deals that can inform construction of new deals in the future. Topics include unsupervised learning; similarity and proximity; K-means clustering, with measures of Euclidean distance and cosine similarity; Gaussian mixture models; and interpreting clusters.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/119023-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 119-024

    Chateau Winery (B): Supervised Learning

    This case builds directly on “Chateau Winery (A).” In this case, Bill Booth, marketing manager of a regional wine distributor, shifts to supervised learning techniques to try to predict which deals he should offer to customers based on the purchasing behavior of those customers closest to them. Topics include supervised learning; collaborative filtering; K-nearest neighbor as a modeling technique, collaborative filtering with cosine similarity of customers, collaborative filtering with cosine similarity of products, and comparison of different prediction models.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/119024-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 118-107

    Data Visualization & Communication Exercise

    This exercise uses the 1986 Challenger shuttle disaster to explore the relationship between data visualization, effective communication, and decision-making. Students review and analyze excerpts from the 13 charts engineers presented to NASA executives the night before the launch about past launch temperatures and mechanical failures. They then suggest and draft modifications for more effectively presenting the data and communicating a recommendation.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/118107-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 119-025

    Predicting Purchasing Behavior at PriceMart (A)

    This case follows VP of Marketing, Jill Wehunt, and analyst Mark Morse as they tackle a predictive analytics project to increase sales in the Mom & Baby unit of a nationally recognized retailer, PriceMart. Wehunt observed that in the midst of the chaos that surrounded a new baby, parents’ shopping habits became quickly ingrained. She hypothesized that if she could get households expecting a new baby to make PriceMart a part of their routines before becoming parents, she might keep them as customers for the next several years, winning significant additional revenue.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/119025-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 119-026

    Predicting Purchasing Behavior at PriceMart (B)

    Supplements the (A) case. In this case, Wehunt and Morse are concerned about the logistic regression model overfitting to the training data, so they explore two methods for reducing the sensitivity of the model to the data by regularizing the coefficients of the logistic regression. Wehunt and Morse then compare the models and select the model most effective at correctly classifying households as expecting. Students explore the relationship between the model’s confusion matrix, which organizes the model’s correct and incorrect classifications, the cutoff point on the curve that matches true positives and true negatives, and the payoff matrix Wehunt and Morse construct. Students can then follow the link directly from their model to their marketing strategy.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/119026-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 819-080

    Triangulate (B): Post Mortem

    No abstract available.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/819080-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 717-452

    Navistar International: Competing Against PACCAR

    In 2013, Navistar was in the midst of a deep crisis, having lost a third of its market share over the previous three years. Bill Kozek, the new president of Navistar North America Truck and Sales division needs to develop his division’s strategy as part of the company’s turnaround. What should his priorities be and where should he focus the company?

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/717452-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 718-059

    The Last Hegemon? U.S.-China Relations and the Future of World Order

    No abstract available.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/718059-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 218-078

    Jaguar Capital S.A.S., Take the Money and Run?

    In January 2014, Tomas Uribe and Rodrigo Sanchez-Rios of Jaguar Capital S.A.S. (Jaguar or Jaguar Capital), were considering an offer from White Stone, the world’s largest private equity real estate investor. Jaguar Capital needed capital to fund its investment thesis, which was derived from Tomas and Rodrigo’s belief that the rise of Colombia’s middle class signaled an enormous untapped investment opportunity. Jaguar hoped to capitalize on Colombia’s middle class need of safe comfortable places to spend family time by providing retail, housing and entertainment facilities that catered to Colombia’s middle class. While White Stone’s proposal would solve many of Jaguar’s challenges as a start-up real estate development company, the offer would also create a new series of long-term issues for Jaguar. In this case, students examine the favorable and unfavorable attributes of the White Stone offer, especially as it relates to the unique situation of the protagonists. Additionally, the financial terms of the offer are compared to the terms of similar deals. Key questions explored through the case include the following: Would the White Stone proposal truly compensate Tomas and Rodrigo for all their hard work to date? Would they be fairly compensated in the future given the risks that they would bear and the work they have would do? Most importantly, should they take the deal?

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/218078-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 519-006

    Israel at 70: Is It Possible to (re)Brand a Country?

    In the spring of 2018, Israel was set to celebrate its 70th anniversary. While there was much to rejoice in reaching this milestone, the country’s brand image internationally was far from ideal. Past efforts to impact perceptions of Israel, spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as various Jewish organizations, were mainly aimed at “explaining” Israel’s political position and convincing the world that the country was acting in a just manner. However, a series of seminal market research studies revealed that many people in the U.S. and Europe primarily associated Israel with military imagery, held views of the country as steeped in conflict, and believed its people were devoutly religious and unwelcoming. Making matters worse, many expressed an indifferent attitude towards the country and felt that Israelis were dissimilar to them. In an attempt to change the situation, several individuals and entities embarked on various initiatives aimed at branding Israel differently and “broadening the conversation” about the country. These efforts included generating a brand book for Israel that suggested a guiding brand position of “creative energy”; inviting social media influencers to partake in trips focused on lifestyle interests; generating appealing, non-conflict related content linked to Israel and attracting online viewers to the content; appointing a goodwill ambassador to communicate the culture and day-to-day life in Israel; and multiple measures to draw in more tourists (Jewish and non-Jewish) to the country. Taking stock of these efforts revealed a mixed picture at best, and it was unclear whether Israel’s brand image among international audiences was indeed shifting in the intended direction. Several observers were further worried that the younger generation was finding Israel even less relevant and urged for devising a new approach. What should or could Israel’s brand positioning be? Were the recent efforts to change perceptions about Israel and Israelis on the right track and it was just a matter of time and scale before they bore fruit? What else could be done to break the indifference and emerging negative attitudes towards the country?

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/519006-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 718-010

    Google in Europe: Competition Policy in the Digital Era (B)

    Supplements the (A) case.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/718010-PDF-ENG

    • Harvard Business School Case 718-055

    Vietnam: Managing Global Value Chains

    No abstract available.

    Purchase this case:
    https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/718055-PDF-ENG

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