Learn From Experience
Case studies are an effective way to show theory in practice. These three Harvard Business School case studies further one’s thinking about a business issue, and each is from an author with a book that provides the perfect next step for the reader looking for more depth. Find complete case studies at www.harvardbusiness.com.
Learn how to establish a unique competitive strategy.
CASE:
Matching Dell
by Jan W. Rivkin and Michael E. Porter.
Michael Dell has used competitive analysis to become a leader in the PC industry by offering his products where consumers want them most. Shifting between direct and retail trends, Dell found and followed a strategy that is now the industry standard. By focusing on products and services and building an infrastructure to support his strategy, Dell has become the longest-tenured CEO in the PC industry.
BOOK:
Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors
by Michael E. Porter.
In this landmark book about strategic management, Porter lets readers in on Dell’s game plan and offers tools any business can use to succeed in its industry.
Learn about translating strategy into results.
CASE:
Boston Lyric Opera
by Robert S. Kaplan.
In late 1992, the Boston Lyric Opera realized that production costs were outweighing income. Under new leadership, it reevaluated its productions and scaled them down while still focusing on quality. After seeing increased membership, the Opera leveraged that loyal community to convert members to donors and solicit volunteer workers and board members, resulting in an engaged audience and a return to profitability.
BOOK:
The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action
by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton.
Kaplan’s book reinforces the idea of how organizations profit by understanding and comparing both tangible and intangible costs and benefits.
Learn how to use innovation to your advantage.
CASE:
Eli Lilly and Company: Innovation in Diabetes Care
by Clayton Christensen.
Eli Lilly had manufactured the highest quality of insulin available since the early 1920s. However, when competitor Novo Nordisk came out with an insulin pen in the early 1990s—a device that provided customers with incredible ease of use, Eli Lilly knew it was in trouble. It responded by creating a similar pen, but one filled with an even better product that closely matched how insulin acted in nondiabetic people.
BOOK:
The Innovator’s Dilemma
by Clayton Christensen.
Christensen’s book elaborates on how companies such as Eli Lilly can examine their place in the market and leverage creative ideas to move forward.
Written by Jon Mueller