Narayana Murthy's roles at Infosys Technologies--as a co-founder, longtime CEO, and nonexecutive chairman and chief mentor--has been marked by explosive growth, demanding management challenges, and widely lauded company leadership. His personal leadership philosophy has been articulated through and driven by his philosophy of "compassionate capitalism." Profiles Murthy's philosophy and leadership principles. Traces the development of Murthy as a child, scholar, businessman, and political and social activist. Traces the links between Murthy's principles and the business practices that repeatedly brought Infosys Technologies recognition as one of India's most admired and best managed companies. Raises questions in his mind about the place of philanthropic principles in the management of a business enterprise.
To remain competitive, Sallie Krawcheck and Lisa Shalett, Sanford C. Bernstein's director of research and associate director of research, respectively were examining the need to expand the research department's size both domestically and internationally. Were they too late? Could they maintain their strong culture and hiring process--which top management viewed as a main source of competitive advantage--and also increase their research and sales efforts exponentially? How could they move quickly when traditionally it took them years to find "the right person" for any given role. A rewritten version of an earlier case.
In November 1998, Jan Kasl, a successful architect and erstwhile city councilor, was his party's surprise choice for mayor of Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic. A virtual political unknown, Kasl was chosen for the post only after the presiding mayor was rejected by the other political parties in negotiations to form a coalition government. Given Kasl's inexperience and low profile, most observers assumed he would be a quiet figurehead, following in his predecessor's footsteps and toeing the party line. Kasl, however, had different ideas. While a relative newcomer to government, Kasl had long been frustrated by what he viewed as the opaqueness of city operations, and angered by suspected abuses by those in power. Soon after his appointment, Kasl vowed to do his best to open up municipal government and stop the conflicts of interest, lack of accountability, and questionable deals he believed had damaged the image and effectiveness of City Hall. To do so, though, he would have to figure out how to overcome significant institutional and political obstacles without causing a political backlash that could stymie all progress, or even force him from office. Is it better for a leader with a reform agenda to confront antagonists-and rely on public support to force change? Or would a behind-the-scenes, coalition-building strategy be the more pragmatic and effective? Or does successful reform borrow from both approaches? In addition to these leadership issues, this case provides a window into the political life of post-socialist Eastern Europe-the so-called "New Europe"-and provides a vehicle for analysis of the question of what is the best structure for local government in a newly-democratizing (and decentralizing) state. HKS Case Number 1798.0
In November 1998, Jan Kasl, a successful architect and erstwhile city councilor, was his party's surprise choice for mayor of Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic. A virtual political unknown, Kasl was chosen for the post only after the presiding mayor was rejected by the other political parties in negotiations to form a coalition government. Given Kasl's inexperience and low profile, most observers assumed he would be a quiet figurehead, following in his predecessor's footsteps and toeing the party line. Kasl, however, had different ideas. While a relative newcomer to government, Kasl had long been frustrated by what he viewed as the opaqueness of city operations, and angered by suspected abuses by those in power. Soon after his appointment, Kasl vowed to do his best to open up municipal government and stop the conflicts of interest, lack of accountability, and questionable deals he believed had damaged the image and effectiveness of City Hall. To do so, though, he would have to figure out how to overcome significant institutional and political obstacles without causing a political backlash that could stymie all progress, or even force him from office. Is it better for a leader with a reform agenda to confront antagonists-and rely on public support to force change? Or would a behind-the-scenes, coalition-building strategy be the more pragmatic and effective? Or does successful reform borrow from both approaches? In addition to these leadership issues, this case provides a window into the political life of post-socialist Eastern Europe-the so-called "New Europe"-and provides a vehicle for analysis of the question of what is the best structure for local government in a newly-democratizing (and decentralizing) state. HKS Case Number 1797.0
The inventor and founder of DEKA research was deciding whether to commercialize his latest invention, the Segway Human Transporter, a self-balancing, battery-operated scooter. The transporter was envisioned as an alternative mode of personal transportation in traffic-clogged urban environments. It also had potential application in developing countries with a limited transportation infrastructure. With the versatility to carry riders on sidewalks, rough ground, icy surfaces and inside buildings, the market potential seemed unlimited. Yet, the Segway Human Transporter represented an unconventional transportation choice for potential users. Would there be a market for it, or would it be seen as nothing more than a cool invention? Should the inventor proceed with commercialization, and if so, how?
In June 2001, Jean-François Hilico, industrial project manager at Renault Trucks, had to recommend to his board a development strategy for the company's truck remanufacturing business. Remanufacturing consisted of rebuilding used parts to bring them to a level of performance just beneath that of new parts, at a much lower cost. After having analyzed the pros and cons of three investment options, participants are asked to make a recommendation. This case invites participants to take into account other investment criteria than just profitability, such as environmental protection, safety and the competitive implications of offering remanufactured parts. It is supplemented with a video of Renault Trucks remanufacturing activities.
Since its founding in 1908, Harvard Business School's mission has been to perform a much-needed service for American society by turning business management into a profession. One of the most important factors in the founding of HBS and the nation's other new business schools was the demand for managers created by the rise of the modern business corporation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Additionally, in the years just after the turn of the century business careers were becoming increasingly attractive to young men who would have previously entered one of the older, more traditional professions: law, medicine, education, and the ministry. The process of formulating "business principles" that would put the study of management on a scientific basis was a crucial part of what the founders had set out to achieve in creating the HBS curriculum and building a faculty. By discovering business principles, HBS would also help lay the foundation of the new profession of business. The HBS founders also believed there was another dimension to professionalism in business--one that involved not just the expertise that students acquired but also the attitudes they held and their contribution to society.
Describes a simplified economic model that serves as a vehicle for understanding the strategic and possibly anticompetitive aspects of product proliferation.
Describes a simplified economic model that serves as a vehicle for understanding the use of coupons for price discrimination based on customer loyalty.
Charles Schwab is transforming into a customer-centric organization. Central to this cultural and organizational change is the utilization of customer profitability at different decision-making levels. Examines several technical aspects of the ABC cost system, as well as the change in budgeting and performance measurement introduced by the new profitability system. The system also shows how ABC informs segment and individual customer decisions (such as pricing or process improvement). Also examines Charles Schwab's necessary organizational changes (incentives, decision rights, etc.), as customer centricity is implemented throughout the firm.
Ted Katagi, marketing strategy manager of Kansai Digital Phone (KDP), utilizes customer lifetime value as a key metric to prioritize initiatives in an emergency plan to turn around the company. KDP is a regional phone company in Japan with less than stellar performance. Katagi is sent from the U.S. partner, Airtouch (later Vodafone), to assemble a team to design and implement a plan that improves company to performance. Katagi must quickly prioritize actions and then assess the expected economic impact.
Freemark Abbey must decide whether to harvest in view of the possibility of rain. Rain could damage the crop but delaying the harvest would be risky. On the other hand, rain could be beneficial and greatly increase the value of the resulting wine. This decision is further complicated by the fact that ripe Riesling grapes can be vinified in two ways, resulting in two different styles of wine. Their relative prices would depend on the uncertain preference of consumers two years later, when the wine is bottled and sold.
Provides a context and exercise for introducing retail inventory management, including cost optimization, service-level criteria, and forecasting in single and multiproduct settings. The owner of a single-location paper and paper products store considers the implications of expansion for inventory management. Considerations include lost sales, retail metrics for multiproduct settings, and shelf space constraints.
Describes Corrente Viva, a network formed by 30 civil society organizations (CSOs) that develop social service activities in several regions of the Greater Sao Paulo area. Established in 2000, the network aims at strengthening its member organizations through the exchange of experiences and reflection among their representatives in a regional link structure--geographical subdivisions. It also seeks to accomplish projects that serve the shared needs of the participant CSOs through workgroup activities. Challenges include modeling a new institutional and governance shape for the network, avoiding shocks to the principles of shared responsibilities, controls, and decisions that originally led to its creation, along with the adoption of participative decision processes, and aiming to shun the centralization of power and the concentration of resources.
Information technologies outsourcing is one of the emergent fast-growth industries in the global high-tech economy. India is the leading country for IT outsourcing and Infosys is the largest Indian company in this sector. The branding challenge for Infosys is to leverage its reputation for predictable excellent results for IT outsourcing. Management identified overall company top-line revenue growth as a way to achieve 30%-40% annual increases, but allocated only a negligible budget for marketing communications. The key to the global brand strategy would not be through brand image advertising, but through communications of product strategy developments to large global IT outsourcing companies. The goal for Infosys is to be on the shortlist of providers for the large, most sophisticated for IT services assignments.
A junior consultant at a large consulting company, based in Boston, has accepted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work in a divisional office in Toronto. Having vacated her apartment and with her personal belongings in transit, she finds out that the Toronto office will be closing in the near future. She must decide whether she should proceed with her to move, knowing that once this office is closed, she will be out of work or whether she should remain in her current position.