E489
Robert Chess, Jason Luther
2014
International healthcare and reimbursement systems underwent a radical transformation in the 2000s, resulting from growing financial pressures incited by economic depression and a steady rise in healthcare spending. This phenomenon was most pronounced in…
F309
Ilya A. Strebulaev, Jaclyn Foroughi, Theresia Gouw
2014
In mid-2011, as global markets corrected amid worldwide economic uncertainty, Drew Houston, co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, the fast-growing file synchronization and sharing company, found himself in a difficult, albeit enviable, situation. Houston, who…
HR38
Rebecca Hinds, Robert Sutton, Hayagreeva Rao
2014
In 2012, software company Adobe Systems transitioned from using annual performance reviews to a system of ongoing, flexible, “check-ins.” The check-ins involved setting and tracking expectations, ongoing feedback and coaching, and opportunities for growth…
E497
Yin Li, Howard Rosen, Stephen Ciesinski
2014
Entrepreneurs seeking to start companies in developing economies face significant human resource challenges. Before embarking on their ventures, entrepreneurs should articulate a talent management strategy that describes how they will source, identify…
SM224
Maryanna Quigless, Jonathan Levav
2014
In March 2012 the founders of Qualtrics sat together in the Provo, Utah, office of advisor Duff Thompson. They stared down one of the toughest decisions in the ten-year history of the company. Thompson and Qualtrics’ CEO Ryan Smith had spent the last…
E530
Robert Siegel, Robet Burgelman, Sylvia Kuyel
2014
Mariam Naficy (Minted CEO) and Melissa Kim (Minted COO) have grown the company to become a leader in the online printed cards, independent design and art market segments. As the business has continued to scale they wrestle with simultaneously growing…
E510
Jonathan Levav, Joshua Rauh, Jason Luther
2014
“Raise money when times are good.” Kevin Hartz mulled over this expression as he examined the term sheet before him. The CEO had become somewhat of a masterful fundraiser. Since founding the online event and ticketing service Eventbrite in 2006, Kevin…
SI123
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Sarah Murray
2014
On joining the Gap Foundation, Bobbi Silten saw an opportunity to tie Gap Inc.’s philanthropic strategy more closely to its business interests, expertise, people, and assets. When looking at the communities from which it sourced its products, Gap Inc. saw…
SM227
Robert Burgelman, Gang Zheng, Yajuan Wang
2014
This industry note provides an extensive overview of the wireless communications industry in China at the end of 2012. At the time China had over 1.1 billion mobile subscribers, and the country was predicted to have 500 million smartphones in use by the…
E522
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel, Jason Luther
2014
In 2013, Mathias Döpfner, CEO of the publishing house Axel Springer SE, a premier source of content in Germany, with its popular newspapers and magazines such as Bild and Die Welt, was evaluating the progress of his company’s digital transformation. The…
SPM53B
George Foster, Norm O’Reilly, Ryan Lippert, Carlos Shimizu, Kyle Udseth
2014
Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s have ‘changed the game’ in terms of talent identification, analytics, and player investment in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cases A and B are designed to provide and inspire learning on these topics by recounting Billy…
SPM53A
George Foster, Norm O’Reilly, Ryan Lippert, Carlos Shimizu, Kyle Udseth
2014
Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s have ‘changed the game’ in terms of talent identification, analytics, and player investment in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cases A and B are designed to provide and inspire learning on these topics by recounting Billy…
E513
Jonathan Levav, Yin Li
2014
This case follows Yaron Samid, founder of BillGuard, a personal finance web application that monitors users’ credit card transactions for fraudulent and unrecognizable charges. The case centers on Samid’s struggles to gain broad distribution. After…
E496
Robert Chess, Yin Li
2014
The case follows Brad Griffith, the founder of Gametime, a mobile application for purchasing and redeeming event tickets. The case examines how Griffith assesses whether he has found an attractive business opportunity initially, and later whether he has…
M348C
Jennifer Aaker, Debra Schifrin
2014
Stories play an important role in business. They are a powerful tool for persuasion and useful in the context of understanding customers, building brands and leading teams. The case explores how stories can drive the growth of a company, focusing on Brit…
M348B
Jennifer Aaker, Debra Schifrin
2014
Stories play an important role in business. They are a powerful tool for persuasion and useful in the context of understanding customers, building brands and leading teams. Set in 2014, the case explores how stories can drive the growth of a company…
M348A
Jennifer Aaker, Debra Schifrin
2014
Stories play an important role in business. They are a powerful tool for persuasion and useful in the context of understanding customers, building brands, and leading teams. This case explores how stories can drive the growth of a company, focusing on…
E520
Robert Siegel, Yin Li
2014
The case follows AngelList, an online platform connecting entrepreneurs with investors, as it searches for product/market fit and business models. Founded in 2010 by entrepreneurs Naval Ravikant and Babak Nivi, AngelList begins as a project to give back…
E526
Robert Sutton, Hayagreeva Rao, Rebecca Hinds
2014
After a delayed shipment of flooring materials impeded Jeff Booth’s ability to complete a construction project on schedule, he, along with cofounder Robert Banks, was determined to solve the inefficiency of the heavyweight building supply industry. They…
E511
H. Irving Grousbeck, Jason Luther
2014
It was March 2013 and one week after James Browder’s sixth board meeting as CEO of Aegis Systems Corp. (Aegis), a vendor management software provider based in Birmingham, Alabama. As Browder sat at his desk, pen and notepad before him, he reflected on…
SPM52
George Foster, David Hoyt
2014
Through the first part of the twenty-first century, the number of people playing golf in the United States had been in decline. Fewer people played the game, they played less frequently, and more golf courses were closing than opening. Players…
E461
Jim Lattin, Kirk Bowman, Justin Kiessig
2014
The Trunk Club: Hiring, Motivating, and Managing A Sales Team case begins with a description of the company’s business model and the path that led the main protagonist, Brian Spaly, to the CEO post. Five sections compose the main body of the case. The…
IB107
Condoleezza Rice, Amy Zegart, Jessica Renier
2014
Examines a hypothetic challenge facing a telecom company as it enters a frontier market that is undergoing political changes.
E509
John Glynn, Tim Hsia
2014
The case provides an overview and history of women in venture capital. The case examines the lack of funding that female entrepreneurs have had in the past. The case focuses on 4 women at venture capital firms: Sharon Wienbar (Scale VP), Joyce Chung…
