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How to Penetrate the US Market
Marketing Digital ArticleAccounting for almost 30% of world GDP, the United States is the world’s largest and most demanding market for almost everything from oil to microprocessors to premium coffee. Companies around the world aspire to do business in the US, or at least with US companies in their home markets. By doing so, they learn much […] -
Thinking Through the Ethics of New Tech...Before There's a Problem
Leadership & Managing People Digital ArticleHistorically, it's been a matter of trial and error. There's a better way. -
Crap Circles
Sales & Marketing Magazine ArticleThe most dubious business plans can appear solid, even smart, when illustrated with snappy circle-and-arrow graphics. Look closely, though, and you'll... -
Are You Using APIs to Gain Competitive Advantage?
Strategy & Execution Digital ArticleFour approaches that work. -
Executive Incentives vs. Corporate Growth
Boards Magazine ArticleBonuses and other forms of incentive compensation are an effective motivator of executives to achieve ever higher earnings per share. The drive to produce short-term results, however, often influences management to forgo investment in capital equipment and R&D that would benefit the corporation several years hence even more than improved earnings next year would. The […] -
Breeze in the Face
Sales & Marketing Magazine ArticleLarge U.S. consumer goods manufacturers and retailers have seen profits decline disastrously when they have overpromoted lines to stimulate short-term... -
Rules to Acquire By
Mergers and acquisitions Magazine ArticleAfter buying 70 companies in six years, Pitney Bowes has learned a few things about how to make acquisitions successful. -
Why Network Neutrality Is Good for Business
Web-based technologies Digital ArticleEditor’s note: For an opposing viewpoint on this topic, see Robert E. Litan’s and Hal J. Singer’s entry “Why Business Should Oppose Net Neutrality.” In business school, where I teach, students are often predisposed to see legal concepts as impenetrable and foreign. I watch the lightbulbs go on as they see that Microsoft’s antitrust woes, […] -
Diversification via Acquisition: Creating Value
Mergers and acquisitions Magazine ArticleDuring the past 25 years an increasing proportion of U.S. companies have seen wisdom in pursuing a strategy of diversification. Between 1950 and 1970, for example, single-business companies comprising the Fortune “500” declined from 30% to 8% of the total. Acquisition has become a standard approach to diversification. In recent years the productivity of capital […] -
Demand Better Results - and Get Them (HBR OnPoint Enhanced Edition)
Leadership & Managing People Magazine ArticleThis article, first published in 1974, answers one of management's most important questions: Why do so few organizations reach their productivity potential?... -
Does Your Company Have a Long-Term Plan for Remote Work?
Finance & Accounting Digital ArticleDevelop a clear vision to get you through an uncertain future. -
The Toxic Handler: Organizational Hero—and Casualty
Organizational culture Magazine ArticleWhen companies cause emotional pain through nasty bosses, layoffs, and change, a certain breed of “healing” manager steps in to keep the gears moving. They are toxic handlers—unsung corporate heroes who save the day, but often pay a high price. -
Live Life as an Experiment
Managing yourself Digital ArticleIt was an experiment. I was returning an item to the store from which I had bought it. The item was well within the return period, but there would be a 20% restocking fee. Could I evade that fee? What would I have to do or say to persuade them not to charge it to […] -
The Risky Business of Diversification
Innovation Magazine ArticleOn the basis of a sample from the top 200 of the Fortune “500” and data from the PIMS (Profit Impact of Market Strategies) project, this author gives some guidelines for established companies on what to expect from new ventures. He points out that it takes an average of 10 to 12 years before the […] -
Let Yourself Be Unproductive. At Least for a Little While.
Leadership & Managing People Digital ArticleSometimes it's the best way to grow. -
Avoid Making This Strategic Mistake in a Recession
Global Business Digital ArticleNow is not the time for differentiators to try to compete on cost. -
“Actually,” She Said, “He Works for Me.”
Consumer behavior Digital ArticleSurprised by a gender stereotype? React calmly, directly, and move on. -
Groupon Doomed by Too Much of a Good Thing
Venture capital Digital Article“Alright, you caught us. We’re actually not making any money. In fact, we are really losing a lot of money.” This is the essence of Groupon’s declaration last week that it will remove the controversial accounting metric called Adjusted Consolidated Segment Operating Income (ACSOI) from its financial statements. ACSOI essentially measures Groupon’s profits before subtracting […] -
Gender Initiatives Are Culture Change Initiatives
Gender Digital ArticleAt least, the successful ones are. -
Go Downstream: The New Profit Imperative in Manufacturing
Business models Magazine ArticleNow that providing services is more lucrative than making products, the old foundations for success in manufacturing are crumbling. Smart manufacturers are creating new business models to capture profits at the customer’s end of the value chain.
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LIXIL Group Corporation: Building a New Company in an Old Industry
Organizational Development Case Study11.95View Details In the spring of 2018, Kinya Seto, president and CEO of LIXIL Group Corporation, a major housing and building products and services company, called a... -
Armarium: Luxury Fashion Brands for Rent
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details Armarium, a two-sided online platform that offered consumers the opportunity to rent the most coveted, current season high fashion clothing and accessories... -
Eyes of Janus: Evaluating Learning and Development at Tata Motors
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details Tata Motors, a leading automobile manufacturer in India, pro-actively responded to the changing competitive environment and redesigned its human capital... -
Tackling Fraud and Corruption in the United Nations
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details Rahul Ratna recently gave up his position in a private corporation to head a new department at the United Nations (UN), Office of Internal Oversight Services... -
Peter Wendell
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Case Study11.95View Details Contains a description of a decision confronting an employee of IBM in late 1981. Should he leave IBM to become head of a new venture capital fund which... -
Marshall & Gordon: Designing an Effective Compensation System (A)
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details CEO Kelly Browne wrestles with the design of a new compensation system to promote the collaboration and cross-selling necessary for supporting her firm's... -
Procter & Gamble: The Wal-Mart Partnership (A)
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details In early 1994, Kimberly-Clark agreed to manufacture private-label training pants for Wal-Mart under the "Atta-Boy!" and "Atta-Girl!" labels. To place... -
Harman International and KKR (A)
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details When courted by KKR, Harman International was experiencing robust times. After several months of due diligence performed by KKR and its financial and... -
DBS: Digital Transformation to Best Bank in the World
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details This case covers the period from 2014 to 2020, when DBS embarks on its second strategy under the stewardship of Piyush Gupta. The aim is to become the... -
Oprah!
Organizational Development Case Study11.95View Details Oprah Winfrey believed in sharing the experiences that shaped her development and enabled her to become the wealthiest women in the entertainment industry... -
Grameen Danone Foods Ltd., a Social Business
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details Grameen Danone is a joint venture between the Grameen Group (a sister company of Grameen Bank) and Groupe Danone, a $2 billion (revenues) French food... -
Leading for systems change: Peter Bakker and the WBCSD
Management Case Study11.95View Details The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a network of 250 multinational companies collaborating to achieve Vision2050 ¬- a plan... -
Becton Dickinson & Co.: Multidivisional Marketing Programs
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details In response to a potential competitive inroad at a key account, managers at Becton Dickinson are considering a multidivisional marketing effort. -
Lawford Electric Co.
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details Observes a salesman in a complex selling situation. -
DaimlerChrysler Merger: The Quest to Create "One Company"
Organizational Development Case Study11.95View Details Centers on the historic merger of Daimler-Benz AG and Chrysler Corp. and the subsequent quest for integration. The subtexts to this central issue include... -
Paybox.net (Germany): A Mobile Payment Service
Communication Case Study11.95View Details Paybox.net, founded in 1999, is a frontrunner in providing mobile payment services in Germany and other European countries. The case discusses the development... -
LaTrappe Brewery: A Values-Based Business Model
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details The case describes the scenario that faced Thijs Thijssen and Brother Isaac, co-CEOs of the Netherlands-based La Trappe Brewery, in 2015 as they considered... -
HTC and Virtual Reality
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details In fall 2017, HTC CEO and Chairperson Cher Wang was driving the company to focus on virtual reality (VR). HTC's first VR product, VIVE, released in spring... -
Mohamed Salah
Management Case Study11.95View Details In June 2022, Mohamed Salah, one of the world's best soccer players, and his lawyer and advisor Ramy Abbas Issa were in ongoing discussions with top English... -
Hanson Industries (B)
Finance & Accounting Case Study5.00View Details Provides a complete description of the processes used in preparing a budget (annual operating plan). Starting with basic product line decisions, management...
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How to Penetrate the US Market
Marketing Digital ArticleAccounting for almost 30% of world GDP, the United States is the world’s largest and most demanding market for almost everything from oil to microprocessors to premium coffee. Companies around the world aspire to do business in the US, or at least with US companies in their home markets. By doing so, they learn much […] -
Thinking Through the Ethics of New Tech...Before There's a Problem
Leadership & Managing People Digital ArticleHistorically, it's been a matter of trial and error. There's a better way. -
Crap Circles
Sales & Marketing Magazine ArticleThe most dubious business plans can appear solid, even smart, when illustrated with snappy circle-and-arrow graphics. Look closely, though, and you'll... -
LIXIL Group Corporation: Building a New Company in an Old Industry
Organizational Development Case Study11.95View Details In the spring of 2018, Kinya Seto, president and CEO of LIXIL Group Corporation, a major housing and building products and services company, called a... -
Are You Using APIs to Gain Competitive Advantage?
Strategy & Execution Digital ArticleFour approaches that work. -
Armarium: Luxury Fashion Brands for Rent
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details Armarium, a two-sided online platform that offered consumers the opportunity to rent the most coveted, current season high fashion clothing and accessories... -
Executive Incentives vs. Corporate Growth
Boards Magazine ArticleBonuses and other forms of incentive compensation are an effective motivator of executives to achieve ever higher earnings per share. The drive to produce short-term results, however, often influences management to forgo investment in capital equipment and R&D that would benefit the corporation several years hence even more than improved earnings next year would. The […] -
Eyes of Janus: Evaluating Learning and Development at Tata Motors
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details Tata Motors, a leading automobile manufacturer in India, pro-actively responded to the changing competitive environment and redesigned its human capital... -
Breeze in the Face
Sales & Marketing Magazine ArticleLarge U.S. consumer goods manufacturers and retailers have seen profits decline disastrously when they have overpromoted lines to stimulate short-term... -
Rules to Acquire By
Mergers and acquisitions Magazine ArticleAfter buying 70 companies in six years, Pitney Bowes has learned a few things about how to make acquisitions successful.