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Winning in the Aftermarket
Finance and investing Magazine ArticleCompanies realize the importance of providing spare parts and after-sales services, but most could make far more money in the aftermarket than they do. Here’s how. -
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. -
How American Eagle Reinvented Its Fulfillment Strategy
Supply chain management Digital ArticleThe company realized that controlling its future meant controlling its supply chain. -
Case Study: Protect Your Company or Your Cousin?
Business ethics Magazine ArticleA manager gets inside information that could affect the future of her firm. -
Firing Up the Front Line
Developing employees Magazine ArticleFor the many organizations that depend on their rank and file to move the goods and delight the customers, motivation is an ongoing battle. The key to victory may be held by the Marines, who use five unique practices to spark extraordinary energy and commitment. Businesses can, too. -
Turning the Supply Chain into a Revenue Chain
Strategy & Execution Magazine ArticleSince Blockbuster began sharing rental revenues with its suppliers, both parties have seen increased profits. The authors say revenue sharing will work... -
Don’t Tweak Your Supply Chain—Rethink It End to End
Operations strategy Magazine ArticleArtwork: Michael Johansson, Self Contained, 2010, containers, caravan, tractor, Volvo, pallets, refrigerators, etc., 8.2 x 10.8 x 2.4 m Hong Kong–based Esquel, one of the world’s leading producers of premium cotton shirts, faced a quandary in the early 2000s. Apparel and retail customers such as Nike and Marks & Spencer had begun asking the company […] -
Using Technology to Improve Supply-Chain Resilience
Technology & Operations Digital ArticleCompanies need to do more than simply invest in building effective supply chains - they need to place an equal priority on maintaining them. -
Smarter Offshoring
Economics Magazine ArticleThe most popular offshore sites for service functions are overheating. Now is the time for companies to explore a world of opportunity beyond those hot spots and to base investment decisions not just on costs but also on talent, markets, strategic aims, and appetite for risk. -
The New Tools of Trade
Labor Magazine ArticleToday, most multinationals have a conspicuous social conscience. They publicize their internal codes of conduct, monitor labor conditions in their global supply chains, and require suppliers to meet basic labor practice standards. But despite efforts to be better global citizens, companies by themselves are unable to eliminate abuses in their supply chains. In fact, so […] -
Suppliers—Manage Your Customers
Supply chain management Magazine ArticleEarly in 1984, the top executives of an East Coast hardware chain made a momentous decision. Without consulting the company’s suppliers, they decided to phase out its fleet of trucks and its network of warehouses. Maintaining this distribution system was costing the company about 5% of annual sales, and the executives believed the company was […] -
Collaboration Rules
Organizational Development Magazine ArticleCorporate leaders seeking to boost growth, learning, and innovation may find the answer in a surprising place: the Linux open-source software community.... -
The Sustainable Supply Chain
Innovation Magazine ArticleTo make progress on environmental issues, Peter Senge says, organizations must understand that they’re part of a larger system. Senge, the founder of the Society for Organizational Learning, a faculty member at MIT Sloan School of Management, and the author of The Fifth Discipline and The Necessary Revolution, spoke with HBR senior editor Steven Prokesch […] -
Major Sales: Who Really Does the Buying?
Organizational culture Magazine ArticleIdentifying the decision makers and their purchasing motives often requires a psychologist’s eye. -
Resilience in a Hotter World
Sustainable business practices Magazine ArticleExtreme weather and rising demand for resources call for a fundamentally new strategy. -
Radically Simple IT
Process management Magazine ArticleBy designing and deploying enterprise systems in a different way, Japan’s Shinsei Bank turned IT from a constraint into a launchpad for growth. -
Biogen Unchained
Marketing Magazine ArticleWhen the biotech pioneer had to get a blockbuster drug to market fast, it didn’t lock itself into a rigid supply chain. It joined with partners to become a virtual manufacturer. -
Using Supply Chains to Grow Your Business
Growth strategy Digital Article6 strategies that work. -
Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work
Financial analysis Magazine ArticleWhen service companies put employees and customers first, a radical shift occurs in the way they manage and measure success. -
Tiebreaker Selling
Sales and marketing Magazine ArticleHow nonstrategic suppliers can help customers solve important problems
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AI Has a Revolutionary Ability to Parse Details. What Does That Mean for Business?
AI and machine learning Digital ArticleA look at how the technology is transforming strategy, talent management, leadership roles, and supply chain management. -
Disclosing Downstream Emissions
Environmental sustainability Magazine ArticleWhen are companies accountable for customers’ use of their products? -
How Machine Learning Will Transform Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management Magazine ArticleIt does a better job of using data and forecasts to make decisions. -
Building a Supplier Diversity Program? Learn from the U.S. Government.
Supply chain management ResearchTime-tested practices of the federal government can help companies develop more inclusive supply chains. -
2023: A Strange, Tumultuous Year in Sustainability
Business and society Digital ArticleA look at three major trends — and the forces pushing against them. -
How Global Companies Use AI to Prevent Supply Chain Disruptions
Supply chain management ResearchLessons from Walmart, Tyson Foods, Koch Industries, Maersk, Siemens, and Unilever. -
Case Study: How Should We Diversify Our Supply Chain?
Supply chain management Magazine ArticleA Chinese appliance maker considers expanding production to Mexico. -
How Kenvue De-Risked Its Supply Chain
Operations strategy Digital ArticleThree capabilities the consumer health company invested in after demand surged during the pandemic. -
The Next Supply-Chain Challenge Isn’t a Shortage — It’s Inventory Glut
Operations and supply chain management Digital ArticleStrategies for reducing excess inventory, stemming the rate of inventory change, and preventing the situation from happening in the future. -
Using Technology to Improve Supply-Chain Resilience
Supply chain management Digital ArticleCompanies need to do more than simply invest in building effective supply chains — they need to place an equal priority on maintaining them. -
How Tony’s Chocolonely Created a Purpose-Driven (and Profitable) Supply Chain
Human rights Digital ArticleA case study of the popular Dutch chocolate company. - SPONSORED CONTENT FROM Flexe
Forecasting in Flux: Navigating Uncertainty through Strategic Supply Chain Flexibility
Pulse Survey Sponsored by Flexe - SPONSORED CONTENT FROM Flexe
Reducing Forecast Risk with Supply Chain Flexibility Webinar
Supply chain management ResearchWebinar Sponsored By Flexe - SPONSORED CONTENT FROM GEP
Rethinking Supply Chains for Greater Efficiency, Resiliency, and Sustainability
Briefing Paper Sponsored By GEP - SPONSOR CONTENT FROM GEP
How Tracking ESG Metrics Can Help Reduce Costs and Build Supply-Chain Resilience
Supply chain management Sponsor ContentSponsor content from GEP. - SPONSOR CONTENT FROM GEP
How to Build Supply Chain Resilience Without Sacrificing ESG Goals or Inflating Costs
Supply chain management Sponsor ContentSponsor content from GEP. - SPONSORED CONTENT FROM Microsoft
A Resilient Supply Chain Built for Competitive Advantage
Supply chain management ResearchPulse Survey Sponsored By Microsoft -
Marico’s Chairman on Innovating Across Every Part of the Business
Innovation Magazine ArticleThe company’s success grew out of changes in everything from packaging and production to advertising and hiring. -
Crate & Barrel Holdings CEO Janet Hayes on Navigating Turbulent Times for Retail
Business and society Digital ArticleConsumers’ tastes are changing fast, but one things remains: they value quality, value, and inspiration in their products. -
How Smaller Companies Can Bring Manufacturing Closer to Home
Operations strategy Digital ArticleThe “production as a service” model enables firms to contract with independent factory operators on an as-needed basis.
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The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Global Economy (A)
Global Business Case Study11.95View Details In April 2020, the world struggled to contain the exponential escalation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Dozens of countries had imposed restrictions... -
Suppliers Selection at Pepsico Europe
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details In 2018, Pepsico is considering adding a new supplier of CO2 to its manufacturing process in Eastern European plants. The new supplier offers a very competitive... -
Henry Spots a Problem at Sunshine O.J. (B)
Technology & Operations Case Study5.00View Details Supplement to case UV7749 The B case in this series picks up after the protagonist, Henry Franklin, has delivered his recommendation to use "first in,... -
Bruynzeel Keukens: Mastering Complexity
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details Bruynzeel Keukens, the Dutch kitchen industry leader faced a dilemma, it had audacious objectives in terms of maintaining leadership and increasing market... -
Knights Apparel and the Alta Gracia Factory: Paying a Living Wage
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details In 2014 The Alta Gracia clothing factory in the Dominican Republic was doing something quite unusual in the industry; it was paying its employees a living... -
Supply Chain Optimization at Hugo Boss (A)
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details We evaluate the impact of a supply chain pilot implemented at Hugo Boss. This pilot entailed altering the way in which Hugo Boss orders from its suppliers.... -
Baskits Inc.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Case Study11.95View Details Soon after Robin Kovitz (MBA 2007) acquired Baskits Inc., the largest gift basket company in Canada, she became convinced that the business needed to... -
Barry Callebaut (B): To Follow the Chair?
Leadership & Managing People Case Study5.00View Details Supplement to case IN1598 This case puts participants in the shoes of the directors of Barry Callebaut (BC), a cocoa-sourcing and chocolate manufacturing... -
The Real Business of Blockchain: How Leaders Can Create Value in a New Digital Age
32.00View Details Blockchain is transforming business. What's your strategy? Leaders of forward-thinking organizations are exploring how blockchain can transform the way... -
Sky Deutschland (B): How Supply Chain Management Enabled a Dramatic Company Turnaround
Technology & Operations Case Study5.00View Details Sky Germany is the leading pay TV provider in Germany and Austria. In 2010, the company was losing money and facing a lot of operational challenges such... -
Baman Technology: Building Supply Chains for "Boundaryless Dining"
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details This case focuses on the actions of Beijing Baman Technology Co., Ltd. ("Baman") to improve supply chain performance to support its innovative "boundaryless... -
Vipp A/S
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details Rapidly growing Vipp sells highly differentiated (and expensive) "designer" versions of a product that most buyers think about in purely functional terms:... -
Navigating Emission Reductions through Competition or Collaboration? Maersk in Uncharted Waters
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details In this case, the CEO of A.P. Moller - Maersk, one of the world's largest container shipping companies, considers whether competition or collaboration... -
Dollar Tree Logistics
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details Go shopping in the "dollar channel" with this case, which explores the decision of a fast-growing company to expand its distribution network. The case... -
Hengdeli: The Art of Coexistence
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details In October 2011, Zhang Yuping, founder and chairman of Hengdeli, the largest Swiss watch retailer in the world, wondered how to work more closely with... -
General Motors' EV Dilemma: Navigating to Emissions-Free Vehicles
Management Case Study11.95View Details In 2021, General Motors (GM) announced an ambitious goal to sell only zero-emission cars and light trucks by 2035. This declaration was part of a broader... -
Nectar: Making Loyalty Pay
Sales & Marketing Case Study11.95View Details Loyalty Management UK (LMUK) manages British supermarket chain Sainsbury's frequent-shopper card program, called Nectar. LMUK uses Sainsbury's sponsorship... -
Syncra Systems
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details Syncra Systems makes Internet-based software that allows supply chain partners to compare disparate forecasts and production plans, to uncover any discrepancies... -
Good Shepherd Pharmacy and RemediChain: Will this Blockchain Deliver Donated Drugs to Needy Patients?
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details In May 2019 Memphis-based pharmacist and social entrepreneur Phil Baker hopes coding will start soon on blockchain software and related applications that...
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Winning in the Aftermarket
Finance and investing Magazine ArticleCompanies realize the importance of providing spare parts and after-sales services, but most could make far more money in the aftermarket than they do. Here’s how. -
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Global Economy (A)
Global Business Case Study11.95View Details In April 2020, the world struggled to contain the exponential escalation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Dozens of countries had imposed restrictions... -
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. -
Suppliers Selection at Pepsico Europe
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details In 2018, Pepsico is considering adding a new supplier of CO2 to its manufacturing process in Eastern European plants. The new supplier offers a very competitive... -
Henry Spots a Problem at Sunshine O.J. (B)
Technology & Operations Case Study5.00View Details Supplement to case UV7749 The B case in this series picks up after the protagonist, Henry Franklin, has delivered his recommendation to use "first in,... -
How American Eagle Reinvented Its Fulfillment Strategy
Supply chain management Digital ArticleThe company realized that controlling its future meant controlling its supply chain. -
Bruynzeel Keukens: Mastering Complexity
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details Bruynzeel Keukens, the Dutch kitchen industry leader faced a dilemma, it had audacious objectives in terms of maintaining leadership and increasing market... -
Knights Apparel and the Alta Gracia Factory: Paying a Living Wage
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details In 2014 The Alta Gracia clothing factory in the Dominican Republic was doing something quite unusual in the industry; it was paying its employees a living... -
Supply Chain Optimization at Hugo Boss (A)
Technology & Operations Case Study11.95View Details We evaluate the impact of a supply chain pilot implemented at Hugo Boss. This pilot entailed altering the way in which Hugo Boss orders from its suppliers.... -
Baskits Inc.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Case Study11.95View Details Soon after Robin Kovitz (MBA 2007) acquired Baskits Inc., the largest gift basket company in Canada, she became convinced that the business needed to...