Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

About 7 percent of the population wore eyeglasses in 2002, while whopping 65 percent of those in need did not have them. But before rolling out more, Essilor — both for profit and social mission reasons — decided that the price was still too expensive for many. For more than half of India's citizens, seeing was a problem.

Constraint 15

Constraint Marketing Travel Innovation 15

Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 14, 2015

But the truth is that, for the most part, they redefine minimum requirements for operating in a given industry — not advantages. These investments included Nordstrom.com and a perpetual inventory system that allowed Nordstrom to offer a consistent multi-channel experience by 2002. That doesn’t mean you can ignore them.

Strategy 8

Strategy Competitive Advantage Business Model Technology 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 20, 2011

Over the years, the CEOs of these companies faced massive technology disruptions, deep industry recessions, sudden collapses in demand, price wars, oil shocks — you name it. Because our observation period was from the 1970s to 2002, we do not claim that these companies will continue to outperform in perpetuity.

Skills 14

Skills Leadership Airlines Long-term 14

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 10, 2018

After breaking even in 2002, net profits continued to rise, to 3.8 billion rand in 2017 (about $260 million), while the company’s share price appreciated by a whopping 61,800% (from 117 to 72,500 rand). It offers them a single account: Everybody gets a gold card with exactly the same conditions, prices, and services.

Banking 8

Banking Industry Bottom-up Resistance 8

Harvard Business Review

AUGUST 10, 2012

While on the surface revenues remained strong, its rapport with customers and physicians was rapidly eroding, and its reputation was being bludgeoned by lawsuits and a national backlash against health maintenance organizations and managed care (which Aetna had championed). Its operating income recovered from a $300 million loss to a $1.7

Health Care 14

Health Care Restructuring Resistance Long-term 14

Harvard Business Review

NOVEMBER 19, 2018

Greater productivity meant lower prices and faster growth, leading to increased industry dominance. Walmart is the country’s largest employer and largest company by revenue and it reached that position through an operating model made possible by proprietary logistics software. ” It didn’t turn out that way.

Software 8

Software Company Competitive Advantage Henderson 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 25, 2013

A brand’s difference gives consumers an easy rationale for choosing it, and a ready justification for paying a price premium. Research by Millward Brown finds that brands with a meaningful difference command a price premium 13 percent higher than weaker category alternatives. For example, look at Lululemon.

Apparel 8

Apparel Brand Sports Advertising 8

Harvard Business Review

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

” Only few firms manage to be ambidextrous—most struggle to maintain a healthy balance between exploration and exploitation. And managers focused on immediate total shareholder returns may be delighted with high performance. Some firms manage to maintain this dual discipline as they grow. Our research shows that U.S.

Company 8

Company Succession Maturity Long-term 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 15, 2014

For example, it took Umicore, a global materials technology group, five years (2002–2007) to lay the basis for its transformation from a commodity supplier of base metals into a premium provider of emission control catalysts, rechargeable battery materials and other value-added solutions. Go for the occasional mega-acquisition.

Company 8

Company Chemicals Short-term How To 8

Harvard Business Review

AUGUST 6, 2014

The number of internet users in China stood at roughly 5 million in 1999 but grew to 40 million in 2002, by which time it was clear that Yahoo was not getting the traction that local Chinese internet companies were seeing. search engine company Inktomi in 2002. The company was owned by management, venture capitalists, and SoftBank.

Chief Financial Officer 8

Chief Financial Officer Operations Learning-by-Doing IPO 8

Harvard Business Review

AUGUST 12, 2013

Everybody has been piling on to hedge fund manager Bill Ackman lately. That''s what activist hedge fund managers like Ackman do. They identify companies that they think could be worth a lot more than their share price indicates, and push for changes. I''m not joining in. But he''s doing God''s work. Or at least the market''s.

Hedge 8

Hedge Short-term Long-term Finance 8

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 31, 2016

Studying these successes and failures, we’ve identified half a dozen key reasons platforms fail, all of which boil down to managers’ misunderstanding of how platforms operate and compete. Steve Jobs failed miserably at managing openness at Apple in the 1980s. Let’s look at the key errors. Insight Center.

Participative 8

Participative Software Market Penetration Marketing 8