Goods, trade, and consumer services

The Internet promises to give marketing the same boost in productivity that new operational strategies have given to manufacturing.

The hardest part of being an entrepreneur can be learning to turn down business. It is also the only way to survive—and grow.

It's the busiest time of year for North Pole Workshops. Production is in high gear, and the elves are on overtime in the sprint toward Christmas. But...

"Please don't tell me that I need to have a baby to have this time off." Those words were still ringing in the ears of Jessica Gonon an hour after a tense...

In the four years since Rob Miranda became CEO of Growing Places, a provider of on-site child care for companies in the Midwestern United States, he has...

A second generation of electronic commerce is emerging, one that will be shaped more by strategy than by experimentation. The battle for competitive advantage will be waged along three dimensions: reach, affiliation, and richness.

New technologies can be dazzling. But do they represent the future of retailing? Have the fundamentals really changed?

This post is part of the HBR Insight Center Marketing That Works. It was 8 a.m. on a Tuesday, and I stumbled into my local coffee shop. Laptop in tow and shaking off jetlag, I steeled myself for the onslaught: replying to the hundreds of emails that had built up while I’d been on a […]

They should coordinate their complementary services to help consumers and better address the needs of employers and insurers.

J.C. Penney and its CEO Ron Johnson have parted ways. The news wasn’t terribly surprising as 2012 had been a challenging year: sales were down by $4.3B, the company lost close to $1B, and its stock price dropped by more than 50%. Despite Johnson’s and his supporters’ pleas of “give us more time,” Penney’s board […]

When consumers buy online, they spend more.

In May 2000, Bob Eckert sat on a plane bound for the West Coast and thought to himself, "What have I done?" He was about to become CEO of Mattel, a struggling...

The genetics boom is upon us, promising everything from cures for inherited diseases to smarter children. But companies must tread carefully as the ethical debate plays out.

Answering customers’ calls in 42 languages, usually 24 hours a day, creates logistical and talent management challenges. But The Priceline Group’s Booking.com brand finds that the payoff is worth it.

Women outnumber men in factory jobs in the global supply chain. Are they risking their lives or improving their livelihoods?

I just attended the Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit in Beijing. There are times you know you're watching something special. The point of the meeting was...

This post is part of the HBR Insight Center Growing the Top Line. Laird Hamilton is my hero. He's not only one of the world's best big-wave surfers but...

In late March, Starbucks launched a new web site to engage its customer community in helping to chart the company's future course. Called My Starbucks...

During economic slowdowns, consulting, law, and accounting firms often start offering services and taking on clients they really shouldn't, just to keep...

The U.S. may be the world’s leading innovator, but it won’t be for long if investors, regulators, and the legal establishment continue to penalize companies for risk taking, says Deborah Wince-Smith, president of the Council on Competitiveness. Recently, the council’s National Innovation Initiative, a leadership network of CEOs and university presidents, released a report in […]