HBR On Strategy Harvard Business Review

Pencil-maker Faber-Castell has been in business since 1761, but it is still innovating and adopting new technology.

In this episode, Harvard Business School associate professor Ryan Raffaelli discusses his case, “Faber-Castell.” He explains how the company balances stewardship of its brand with innovation and evolution, and how leaders decide when—and when not to—adopt new technologies. Plus, he breaks down Faber-Castell’s “generational” approach to formulating strategy to sustain their business for the longer term.

Key episode topics include: strategy, product development, innovation, family businesses.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the original HBR Cold Call episode: Faber-Castell Doubles Down on the Pencil (2017)
· Find more episodes of Cold Call
· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
]]>

When companies cut costs, they tend to trim spending across the board. But Cesare Mainardi, former CEO of global management consultancy Booz & Company, says that cost cutting should be a careful, strategic process.

In this episode you’ll learn how to ensure that your company’s strategic capabilities aren’t negatively affected by necessary cuts. You’ll also learn how top leadership can work with teams to understand the trade-offs involved in reducing costs.

Mainardi is now a business strategy author and professor. He’s the author of the book, Cut Costs, Grow Stronger: A Strategic Approach to What to Cut and What to Keep.

Key episode topics include: strategy, costing, reducing costs, leadership.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode: How to Cut Costs – Strategically (2009)
· Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast
· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
]]>

Are you considering a refresh of your brand? Roger Martin says you should probably rethink that.

“When you rebrand, the [consumer’s] subconscious is saying ‘whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, where's that thing we were comfortable with?’ And in some sense, it puts you back to square one. You're now competing to establish a new habit,” he explains.

Martin is the former dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto — and one of the world’s leading thinkers on strategy.

In this episode, he explains how customer habits build “cumulative advantage” for brands — and why that’s so important, yet fragile. Martin also offers real-world examples of brand updates gone wrong (and right) —from laundry detergents to social media platforms and even the iPhone.

Key episode topics include: strategy, brand management, marketing, consumer behavior, cumulative advantage, Tide, Instagram.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

· Watch the original HBR Quick Study episode: Think Twice Before Updating Your Brand (2022)
· Find more episodes of the HBR Quick Study series on YouTube
· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
]]>

Jorge Quintanilla Nielsen started the private asset management firm Capital SAFI in 2007 — and planned to expand from Bolivia across South America. As a private firm, Capital SAFI isn’t required to have a board, but he knew that governance would be one of the main aspects potential partners would evaluate.

In this episode, Harvard Business School professor V. G. Narayanan discusses his case, “Building the Governance to Take Capital SAFI to the Next Level.” He explains how Nielsen selects board members and holds them accountable in their roles. He also discusses how Capital SAFI’s board guides the firm’s growth, risks, and overall strategy.

Key episode topics include: strategy, corporate strategy, corporate governance, sustainable business practices, boards, investment management, growth strategy, global growth, assessing risk.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the original HBR Cold Call episode: Corporate Governance and Growth Strategy at Capital SAFI (2022)
· Find more episodes of Cold Call
· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
]]>

Do you have good AI? That’s “aesthetic intelligence” — not artificial intelligence.

Pauline Brown, former chairman of North America for the luxury goods company LVMH, argues that great leaders need to develop “aesthetic intelligence” to stand out among competitors. They need to understand how their products or services can “elicit true delight.”

“When you look at the research, the vast majority of reasons that anyone will buy one product over another is based on how that product or service makes the person feel,” she tells IdeaCast host Alison Beard.

In this episode, you’ll learn from companies—like Starbucks, Airbnb, and, of course, Apple—that successfully use aesthetics to set their products apart. You’ll also learn why it’s important for leaders or founders—not customers—to define and maintain a company’s aesthetic principles. Brown is the author of the book Aesthetic Intelligence: How to Boost It and Use It in Business and Beyond.

Key episode topics include: strategy, creativity, design thinking, Starbucks, Apple, aesthetics, design, customer centricity, consumer research, competition.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode: To Truly Delight Customers, You Need Aesthetic Intelligence (2019)
· Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast.
· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.
]]>

Many founders try to emulate startups that have already become successful. But Thales Teixeira says that approach, which often involves trying to do too much, too quickly, can lead to failure.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to find customers who aren’t being served by existing businesses and how to work with early adopters to improve your product and service. You’ll also learn when to focus on developing your technology and when to make key hires — with real-world examples from Uber, Airbnb, and Netflix.

Thales Teixeira is a former associate professor at Harvard Business School, where he taught a course in e-commerce and digital marketing. He’s now the co-founder of digital disruption consultancy Decoupling and the author of the book, Unlocking the Customer Value Chain: How Decoupling Drives Customer Disruption.

Key episode topics include: strategy, customer service, disruptive innovation, entrepreneurship, early adopters, scaling, digital disruption, digital marketing, founders, e-commerce.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode: The Right Way to Get Your First 1,000 Customers (2019)
· Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast
· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
]]>