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Managing Hypergrowth
Decision making and problem solving Magazine ArticleEarly in their lives most markets go through a short period of dizzying growth that defines the competitive landscape. Heed the advice of a person who has survived the ride: If you don’t make the right moves then, you won’t get a second chance. -
Who Has the D?: How Clear Decision Roles Enhance Organizational Performance
Decision making and problem solving Magazine ArticleYour organization can become more decisive—and can implement strategy more quickly—if you know where the bottlenecks are and who’s empowered to break through them. -
Cutting the Cost of HIV
Finance and investing Magazine ArticleCompanies doing business in the developing world have to contend with the staggering human and financial costs of HIV infection—and most would agree that conventional approaches to controlling the epidemic aren’t working. In our experience in the labor-intensive mining industries of Russia, South Africa, and Botswana, we’ve seen infection rates among workers exceeding 90% in […] -
Shakedown (HBR Case Study and Commentary)
Global Business Magazine ArticleCustomer Strategy Solutions, a California-based developer of order fulfillment systems, is facing a shakedown. Six months after the firm's CEO, Pavlo... -
Leading from the Factory Floor
Motivating people Magazine ArticleFor all the talk about lean manufacturing, it still seems to be the exception: Factory floors are cluttered, bottlenecks delay production, and the wrong products pile up in inventory while the right ones can’t be found. Fixing a dysfunctional factory isn’t easy, but consider this surprising case from Germany, where resistance to managerial innovations on […] -
Work and Unity: Germany the Morning After
Economics Magazine ArticleOutside Germany, the conventional view of the events of October third was unmistakably Wagnerian: Germans gazing in breathless wonder as history’s floodgates open for the rebirth of a united Fatherland, while the rest of the world anxiously awaits the creation of a new European economic and political order. How will it all come out? What […] -
How a Macron Presidency Could Fuel More Nationalism in France
Global Business Digital ArticleIf the political newcomer falters, Le Pen will have a stronger hand in 2022. -
Asian Leaders Value Creativity and Intuition More than Europeans Do
Leadership Digital ArticleA global survey reveals a leadership gap between high-growth markets and established markets. -
Don’t Be Undersold!
Competitive strategy Magazine ArticleA new class of European discounters have U.S. retailers squarely in their sights. -
Banana War Maneuvers
Government policy and regulation Magazine ArticleCompanies often resort to lobbyists and lawyers to fight unfair trade policies. But sometimes there are easier alternatives. Consider the case of Chiquita and Dole, organizations that faced restrictive new trade policies in the early 1990s that limited banana exports into Europe. Following World War II, Chiquita became Europe’s main banana provider, exporting to Germany […] -
The EU Needs to Make Sure Continental Countries Don’t Exit
National competitiveness Digital ArticleIf you thought Brexit was bad… -
Diversity Comes of Age in Europe
Organizational Development Digital ArticleAs a keynote speaker at Sodexho's Inclusion Summit in Paris last month, I got an inside take on where Europe is at on the diversity front. I encountered... -
Stop Making Plans; Start Making Decisions
Analytics and data science Magazine ArticleIn most companies, strategic planning isn’t about making decisions. It’s about documenting choices that have already been made, often haphazardly. Leading firms are rethinking their approach to strategy development so they can make more, better, and faster decisions. -
A European Platform for Global Competition: An Interview with VW’s Carl Hahn
International business Magazine ArticleVolkswagen AG is arguably the most daring company in Europe today. Since becoming chairman of the board of management in 1982, Carl H. Hahn has spearheaded a breathtaking program of expansion, acquiring the Spanish carmaker Seat in 1986 and Czechoslovakia’s Skoda in 1990. Today Volkswagen is building or refitting new plants from East Germany to […] -
When Scenario Planning Fails
Social and global issues Digital ArticleLeaders of companies with operations in Russia share how they’ve navigated new and unexpected challenges during the war in Ukraine. -
Don’t Give up On Russia
Global strategy Magazine ArticleIn the midst of hardship, the climate for foreign investment in Russia has never been better. But Westerners should learn from the mistakes of the first wave of joint ventures. -
Read a Plant—Fast
Workspaces design Magazine ArticleTo the trained eye, even a quick plant tour can reveal a lot about a company. Here’s how to tell if a factory is truly lean—in as little as 30 minutes. -
A Definitive Guide to the Brexit Negotiations
Strategy & Execution Digital ArticleThe UK has a few aces to play. So does the EU. -
Managing in the Euro Zone
Global Business Magazine ArticleOn January 1, 1999, 11 European nations formally adopted the euro as a common currency. What will the new monetary union mean for managers? In this Perspectives... -
Managing Authenticity: The Paradox of Great Leadership
Business communication Magazine ArticleTo attract followers, a leader has to be many things to many people. The trick is to pull that off while remaining true to yourself.
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Hubble Contact Lenses: Data Driven Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details As its Series A extension round approaches, the founders of Hubble, a subscription-based, social-media fueled, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand of contact... -
Deutsche Telekom in 2023: Building the World's Leading Digital Telco
Management Case Study11.95View Details CEO Tim Höttges had successfully led Deutsche Telekom (DT) on an ambitious mission to become Europe's leading telecommunications service provider. All... -
Henkel Corp. (B)
Sales & Marketing Case Study5.00View Details Describes the outcome of implementation of the standardized plan described in Henkel (A). -
Supply Chain Evolution at HP (B)
Leadership & Managing People Case Study5.00View Details The (A) and (B) cases describe the evolution of HP supply chain for its PC business in Europe between years 1992 and 1999 and the different initiatives:... -
Polyphonic HMI: Mixing Music and Math
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details In 2003, Mike McCready, CEO of Barcelona-based Polyphonic HMI, was preparing to launch an artificial intelligence tool that could create significant value... -
Tupperware Nordic (B): Challenges to Direct Selling in the Web 2.0 Era
Strategy & Execution Case Study5.00View Details The head of Tupperware Nordic faces high turnover and low motivation of the sales consultants. He seeks to understand how to use social media in innovative... -
Zara: An Integrated Store and Online Model (B)
Technology & Operations Case Study5.00View Details In 2010, amidst the growth of ecommerce and the emergence of new, purely online, fashion players, Zara launched its first online store, Zara.com. Since... -
RETAIL ROCKET: PERSONALIZING THE ONLINE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Case Study11.95View Details The case, based on extensive interviews with Retail Rocket's co-founders (Nikolay Khlebinsky and Andrey Chizh), several employees and one of the start-up's... -
Chery Automobile: Vying for a Piece of the American Pie (B)
Global Business Case Study5.00View Details This case finds Chery after the collapse of its alliance with Chrysler. For Chrysler it meant losing one of its most promising routes to building a competitive... -
Nestle-Rowntree (A)
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details Nestle SA is the world's largest food company; its acquisition of RowntreePlc in 1988 was, at 2.5 billion British pounds, the largest ever foreign takeover... -
Financing Change, Changing Finance: Should Triodos Invest in Tesla?
Finance & Accounting Case Study11.95View Details In 2020, Triodos Investment Management had approximately EUR 4.9 billion in assets under its management (impact investment). Triodos motto was "Financing... -
R&D Management at Universal Luxury Group - Perfumes and Cosmetics Division (A)
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details This case describes the challenges faced by the cosmetics division of a large corporation when determining the set of products to develop in 2004. The... -
Reshaping the Book Industry or Back to Basics? (A) The Case of 'France Loisirs'
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details The Bertelsmann-owned French book club, France Loisirs, has successfully operated a subscription-based business model delivering a remarkably high profit... -
Building an Aspirational High-End Brand through Cultural Engagement: Absolut Vodka's Love Affair with Art
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details The case goes back in time to the 'golden age' of Absolut when contemporary artists like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring painted the unusual bottle to the... -
Laurence & Ralph: The Basic Economics of Capacity and Inventory
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details Laurence & Ralph (L&R) is not a case, per se, but a note on the classical Newsboy Problem. This type of problem is exemplary in capacity or inventory... -
Bonnier News Group in 2023:Sustaining Profitable Digital Growth
Management Case Study11.95View Details This case is the third in a series that explores how the storied Swedish media company, Bonnier News, is transforming itself to succeed in the digital... -
The InnoCar Project - Developing a Chip for the Future Automobile (C): Episode 2
Leadership & Managing People Case Study5.00View Details The case tracks a large project for developing a chip for automobile entertainment systems. Participants evaluate the project's continuing progress and... -
Customer Relationship Management at Capital One (UK), Condensed
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details Capital One, a credit card company, has built its business on a strategy with a clear customer focus: The company systematically gathers and analyses... -
Budgeting at Pharmabrew (B)
Management Case Study5.00View Details Pharmabrew manufactured and distributed generic medicines to third-party pharmaceutical companies. Anna Nielsen, the company's CFO, had long been listening... -
ISS A/S (A)
Finance & Accounting Case Study11.95View Details Provides the opportunity to examine the nature and extent of a company's responsibilities to its bondholders, and to develop an enhanced understanding...
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Managing Hypergrowth
Decision making and problem solving Magazine ArticleEarly in their lives most markets go through a short period of dizzying growth that defines the competitive landscape. Heed the advice of a person who has survived the ride: If you don’t make the right moves then, you won’t get a second chance. -
Hubble Contact Lenses: Data Driven Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details As its Series A extension round approaches, the founders of Hubble, a subscription-based, social-media fueled, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand of contact... -
Deutsche Telekom in 2023: Building the World's Leading Digital Telco
Management Case Study11.95View Details CEO Tim Höttges had successfully led Deutsche Telekom (DT) on an ambitious mission to become Europe's leading telecommunications service provider. All... -
Henkel Corp. (B)
Sales & Marketing Case Study5.00View Details Describes the outcome of implementation of the standardized plan described in Henkel (A). -
Supply Chain Evolution at HP (B)
Leadership & Managing People Case Study5.00View Details The (A) and (B) cases describe the evolution of HP supply chain for its PC business in Europe between years 1992 and 1999 and the different initiatives:... -
Polyphonic HMI: Mixing Music and Math
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details In 2003, Mike McCready, CEO of Barcelona-based Polyphonic HMI, was preparing to launch an artificial intelligence tool that could create significant value... -
Tupperware Nordic (B): Challenges to Direct Selling in the Web 2.0 Era
Strategy & Execution Case Study5.00View Details The head of Tupperware Nordic faces high turnover and low motivation of the sales consultants. He seeks to understand how to use social media in innovative... -
Zara: An Integrated Store and Online Model (B)
Technology & Operations Case Study5.00View Details In 2010, amidst the growth of ecommerce and the emergence of new, purely online, fashion players, Zara launched its first online store, Zara.com. Since... -
Who Has the D?: How Clear Decision Roles Enhance Organizational Performance
Decision making and problem solving Magazine ArticleYour organization can become more decisive—and can implement strategy more quickly—if you know where the bottlenecks are and who’s empowered to break through them. -
Cutting the Cost of HIV
Finance and investing Magazine ArticleCompanies doing business in the developing world have to contend with the staggering human and financial costs of HIV infection—and most would agree that conventional approaches to controlling the epidemic aren’t working. In our experience in the labor-intensive mining industries of Russia, South Africa, and Botswana, we’ve seen infection rates among workers exceeding 90% in […]