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Supplement for case HKS497.

This is an MIT Sloan Management Review article. Project failure in the information technology area is a costly problem, and troubled projects are not uncommon. Executives become so strongly wedded to a particular project, technology, or process that they persist in committing their companies, continuing to pour in more resources. Escalation of commitment to a failing course of action is particularly common in technologically sophisticated projects with a strong IT component. There is little research on de-escalation, or the process of breaking the cycle of escalating commitment to a failing course of action. Through de-escalation, managers may successfully turn around or sensibly abandon troubled projects. During the past eight years, the authors examined more than 40 cases of IT project escalation. The authors present a process framework for de-escalation. The framework reveals that de-escalation is a four-stage process: problem recognition, re-examination of the prior course of action, the search for an alternative course of action, and implementation of an exit strategy. To show its general applicability, the authors apply the framework to a well-documented case study of de-escalation: the London Stock Exchange's Taurus system. The authors offer a set of recommendations for disengaging from a failing course of action.

Private venture capital casts a long shadow over corporate ventures, in part because they compete for the same entrepreneurial talent. Corporate venturing may improve its performance by emulating certain practices of private venture capital but will never achieve the structures that private venture capital can create. Instead, the design principles for corporate ventures should embrace potential structural advantages of corporate venturing and leverage those advantages. These potential advantages include: an indefinite time horizon, the ability to commit very large sums of capital, the ability to coordinate complementarities with non-tradable corporate assets, and the ability to retain greater group and organizational learning from failed venture experiences. Lucent's New Ventures Group adopts many useful practices of private venture capital, but retains some of the potential structural advantages of venturing within an established firm.

This article examines the current and medium-term future impact of Internet-based sales on the physical retail store format. The web-based retail sector currently has a minimal financial effect on physical-based retail. The evolution of e-retail sales will likely mimic that of the catalogue industry in terms of ultimate market share potential. Certain categories of goods (travel, computers, electronic services, books, toys, and sporting goods) lend themselves more readily to shopping by computer and, therefore, are more susceptible to e-based competition. However, with Internet commerce firm profit forecasts still in the distant future, cutthroat price competition, and distribution and tactility constraints, e-retail will continue to present a relatively minor risk to experience-oriented and non-commodity physical retailers.

This article describes the contrasting systems of coordination and control at American and Southwest Airlines. Contrary to popular belief, the best way to achieve coordination in high velocity settings like the airline industry is not to create a flat organization based on performance measurement and little supervision. Rather it is better to build an organization based on cross-functional accountability to diffuse blame, with adequate supervisory staffing to provide coaching and feedback. Coordination benefits from strengthening this role of supervisors while weakening the role of accountability and performance measurement.

To develop and sustain competitive advantage, companies must begin thinking about strategy in a more integrated way. First, strategies must be comprehensive: they need to have clear direction and a coherent product-market focus, and they must be supported by incisive operating capabilities and resources and robust organization cultures. Second, strategies must align these dimensions and their subcomponents and ensure that each is well adapted to the competitive environment. Third, all of the elements of strategy need to be orchestrated around a powerful core theme. This article shows how managers can develop each of these aspects of strategic integration.

Presents tools for undertaking five core persuasion tasks: 1) mapping the influence landscape, 2) shaping perceptions of interests, 3) shaping perceptions of alternatives, 4) gaining acceptance for tough decisions, and 5) persuading at a distance.

Describes a potential trans-Atlantic merger between two young companies in the Internet space. VacationSpot.com, based in Seattle, and Rent-A-Holiday, based in Brussels, both offer online listings and reservations for independent leisure lodging (i.e., villas, apartments, and bed and breakfast places) around the world. Both companies were started in 1997. At the time of the case (April 1999), the two companies are world-market co-leaders and discussing a merger. While the lodging inventory of both companies is very similar, their most recent post-money valuations have a ratio of approximately 9:1. Merger negotiations have come to a standstill over the valuation issue. Both sides need to decide whether to restart negotiations and what terms to propose.

Describes the transition from functional to general management. Describes the distinctive challenges of the general manager's job as well as how best to manage the short-term results of assuming a position as general manager.

Details how to design, launch, and scale a rapidly growing Internet venture. Focuses on the challenges and opportunities involved in leveraging a network of partners.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.

This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.