As Hasbro Inc.'s Wizards of the Coast LLC (Wizards) worked to design the next iteration of its popular tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), word leaked that it was looking to change its decades-old Open Game License. This would restrict third-party contributions to the game and reduce gameplay options for customers, in favour of increased protection of D&D's game mechanics as Wizards' intellectual property. Wizards' delayed reaction to the leak gave way to an organized response from the D&D community, eventually pushing Wizards to give up its efforts to restrict licensing and take further steps to restore trust. What, if anything, went wrong with Wizards' priorities, and what should its priorities be going forward?
This case describes the growth strategy of Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) from its inception as a joint venture (JV) firm between GAIL (a state-owned enterprise [SOE]) and British Gas plc (a multinational conglomerate) in 1986. The case covers three distinct periods. The first stage examines the formation of the JV and the challenges faced by the company in establishing its business. The second stage focuses on the consolidation of growth strategies, the company's transformation into a listed company and the eventual exit of British Gas plc. The third phase encompasses the phasing out of monopoly rights and the challenges encountered during the pandemic and beyond. The key objective of discussing this case is to understand MGL's growth strategy to date and determine how the company should strategise for future growth. Should MGL pursue forward integration or backward integration, or remain a pure-play natural gas distributor? Considering the prevailing uncertainties and geopolitics surrounding the energy market, how can the company safeguard its dominant market position? Finally, since the energy sector is heavily regulated and politically influenced, what type of nonmarket strategy should the company adopt to ensure continued growth in the face of new private-sector firms entering the market?
Emotional regulation is critical to a leader’s effectiveness. When left unchecked, emotions can skew judgment, spark conflict, or lead to impulsive choices; when they’re harnessed correctly, however, they can inspire and motivate teams and enable them to thrive. New research has identified six best practices to help leaders regulate their own and their team members’ emotions.
Leadership development programs (LDPs) are expensive but often fail to produce meaningful results. For that to change, the companies that purchase these programs will have to ask more relevant questions of providers, demand better answers, and better articulate specific development needs that are tied to their organizations’ strategic priorities. The authors provide six alternatives to common queries that LDP buyers can ask before engaging with a leadership development provider.
In 2010, Rhode Island's public employee pension system was on the verge of collapse: it was just 48% funded and represented a $4.7 billion liability - the largest such pension liability in the nation. For many state employees and retirees, the pension system represented the majority, if not the whole, of their retirement plan. Furthermore, the pension system's stability affected all Rhode Islanders: if the state did not stabilize the system, it risked a financial crisis of its own making. In 2011, political newcomer Gina Raimondo became Rhode Island's State Treasurer. Her successful campaign, with its focus on fixing the pension system, represented Rhode Islanders' appetite for reform, but the process was bound to be contentious, and success was far from guaranteed. To finance its pension system, the state faced being forced to divert public funds from essential public services, reducing those services and the workforces that provided them. This case explores the collaborative approach undertaken by Raimondo resulting in the October 2011 presentation of the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act (RIRSA) to the state assembly. Although RIRSA included several controversial structural reforms, the bill was signed into law in November 2011, setting the state's pension system on a path to eventual recovery. This case can be paired with the issue brief HKS No. 2274.0, ""Holding Environments and Public Problem-Solving.""
In July 2022, upon his return from vacation, Lamar Gilbert, the head of the French subsidiary of successful Swedish unicorn Virtual AB (Virtual), found himself abruptly grappling with an unsettling reality. Leo Svennson, his closest direct report, had been accused of sexually harassing two female colleagues. As he pursued an investigation into the allegations, Gilbert also realized Svennson had blatantly disparaged his authority behind his back. The French unit was in disarray and Svennson's conduct was not the only cause. Despite Gilbert's flattering track record, his influence had waned. In addition to removing Svennson, it was urgent for him to demonstrate more effective leadership behaviours and new influence tactics to put the French subsidiary back on track, before it was too late.
Technologists, particularly product managers, do not make design choices in a vacuum. Often, they have quantitative objectives they hope to achieve as part of their quarterly goals. But purely pursuing those objectives without considering risks to various stakeholders-for example, erosion of users' attention or users becoming politically radicalized-may result in considerable harm for not only the product's users but also for the organization. This technical note helps managers think about the unintended consequences of shipping a given feature. It will also help identify win-win solutions that can enable one to hit target metrics while mitigating negative stakeholder consequences.
Launched in May 2013, Patreon was the leading subscription-based platform in the online crowdfunding market. For over five years, the company operated successfully and expanded its large base of artists and content providers (known as “creators” on Patreon) and their fans and contributors (known as “patrons” on the platform). Patreon charged its content creators a standard 5 per cent fee, plus transaction costs, offering the artists over 90 per cent of the crowdfunded amounts. However, the founder and chief executive officer of Patreon realized that the company could not survive by maintaining the current uniform pricing and services structure. Patreon had to develop a set of more advanced tools to attract new content creators to the platform and enhance the experience of the contributing patrons. Patreon had to revise its pricing strategy to pay for the development of new services, grow its customer base, and improve the company’s profitability.
Founded in 1984 in Japan, Food & Life Companies Ltd. (F&LC) operated Sushiro, the largest conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain in Japan, and other types of restaurants that offered sushi and fish cuisine. F&LC was committed to offering high-quality sushi at an affordable price. By 2023, F&LC had established 644 Sushiro stores in Japan, of which about 90% were in the suburbs. F&LC was also expanding Sushiro in other Asian countries, replicating domestic stores and offering the same experience and quality of food. In 2023, the company had 87 overseas Sushiro stores and aimed to increase overseas sales to 50% of the total (from 20%) in the next few years.<br/> In June 2023, Koichi Mizutome, president and CEO of F&LC, was thinking about the go-to-market strategy for F&LC's entry into the U.S. market. Mizutome thought going into the U.S. was critical: he saw high growth potential there, and he believed it was unrealistic to expect future growth from the Japanese market alone. Was he correct? Should the company enter the U.S.? How?
In 2005, Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry smartphone was a sensation. After its launch in 1999, the groundbreaking BlackBerry had captured the hearts and minds of corporate America through its secure wireless email service. The device was so addictive and easy-to-use that many began calling it the "CrackBerry." Buoyed by Blackberry's success, RIM experienced exponential growth, surpassing $1 billion in revenues. But the Canadian tech firm was suffering from growing pains. Co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie (HBS '89) had managed RIM since its early days with only 14 employees-now, it had more than 3,500. The co-CEOs struggled with day-to-day responsibilities, leading to delays in product development, sales, and network infrastructure. Balsillie and Lazaridis needed a way to manage RIM more effectively. In 2001, they hired Larry Conlee as COO. Though he brought product development on schedule and helped RIM mature into a more coordinated and efficient company, many engineers chafed under his top-down management style. In 2005, Conlee requested that the co-CEOs promote him to president, which would position him to introduce more formal systems to the entire company. This could free up the co-CEOs to focus on strategic goals. However, Conlee's promotion might also stifle innovation. With competition encroaching, this decision could prove crucial to the future of RIM. Should Balsillie and Lazaridis give Conlee the promotion he wants?
Pharmaceutical companies have historically relied on their ability to research, develop, manufacture, and sell drug products. Developing a successful drug is a complex and lengthy process, with no guarantee of success, and the total cost of approving a new drug is estimated at $2.5 billion, and rising. This technical note offers an overview of changes in the biotechnology industry related to drug development, focusing on M&A, the milestone model, and venture capital.
This case helps individuals learn about different types of investment strategies. It presents three different people with varying risk tolerances and investment objectives and provides information about the investment strategies they adopt.