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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013 (Revised from original 2012 version)

  Doing Business in China

  Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Michael Shih-ta Chen, Nancy Dai and G.A. Donovan

  This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in China. It highlights China's remarkable economic transformation in the decades leading up to 2012 in the context of its history, culture, and political. The case summarizes the main obstacles faced by businesses operating in the country—rising costs, human resource constraints, and increasing competition—with examples provided by HBS alumni working in Greater China. These lessons are brought home in the experience of one alumnus who is looking to expand his cosmetics company in China's rapidly changing business environment. Among other pressures he must manage intense competition, restrictions on access to capital, and product safety and quality concerns.

  Keywords: emerging market finance; emergent countries; strategy; business history; Economic History; Emerging Markets; Business Ventures; Strategy; China;

  Citation:

  Oberholzer-Gee, Felix, Michael Shih-ta Chen, Nancy Dai, and G.A. Donovan. "Doing Business in China." Harvard Business School Case 713-428, March 2013. (Revised from original September 2012 version.)

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013 (Revised from original 2012 version)

  The New York Times Paywall

  Vineet Kumar, Bharat Anand, Sunil Gupta and Felix Oberholzer-Gee

  On March 28, 2011, The New York Times website became a restricted site where most of the content was protected behind a "paywall." Users who exceeded the limit of 20 free articles per month were required to pay for either a digital or print subscription. The newspaper industry had been suffering from revenue declines over the past decade, and the transition to digital media was difficult to navigate. Revenues from online advertising were not sufficient to replace the loss of print revenue, and many publishers had explored charging readers for content, with mixed success, where specialized sources like The Wall Street Journal were successfully using the model, but several other general news sites had failed. Newspapers and content creators in general were very interested in understanding whether transitioning to the paywall at the most popular news website would succeed, and whether it could become a blueprint for future success as a sustainable business model. There were several difficult issues to examine in determining the digital strategy for The Times. Would consumers remain as engaged with a site protected by a paywall? Would advertisers react positively to such a move that walled off readers? Would readers value both the print and digital versions of the content, or would it become necessary to create new content? The Times had several choices in designing the paywall, including determining the digital content, pricing, as well as how to interface with readers of secondary news websites like blogs that posted links to news articles. Should they design a "leaky" paywall where determined users could easily slip through, or a "bulletproof" paywall like the Financial Times had done, where users had to pay before they could access any content? What choices would provide the foundation for a successful business model?

  Keywords: Newspapers; Strategy; Journalism and News Industry; Publishing Industry;

  Citation:

  Kumar, Vineet, Bharat Anand, Sunil Gupta, and Felix Oberholzer-Gee. "The New York Times Paywall." Harvard Business School Case 512-077, January 2013. (Revised from original February 2012 version.)

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• Background Note | HBS Case Collection | 2012 (Revised from original 2006 version)

  Strategies Beyond the Market

  Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Dennis Yao, Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Dennis Yao

  Strategists are not alone in finding failing markets irresistible. Governments and social groups ranging from unions to the World Wildlife Fund also respond to market failures. Governments typically seek to fix failing markets, often with prescriptions of what companies can and cannot do. Activist groups are also out to change corporate behavior, but they rely on social pressure to reach their goals. Many companies that compete successfully in the market environment stumble when it comes to dealing with governments and social groups. Microsoft's near breakup by the U.S. Department of Justice and Wal-Mart's less-than-stellar performance against groups who oppose the retailer's stores are just two of many examples. "Strategies Beyond the Market" overviews an additional set of tools that strategists can use to contend with and exploit forces in a company's government, legal, and social environment.

  Keywords: Markets; Failure; Strategy; Situation or Environment; Social Issues; Government and Politics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact;

  Citation:

  Oberholzer-Gee, Felix, and Dennis Yao. "Strategies Beyond the Market." Harvard Business School Background Note 707-469, December 2012. (Revised from original November 2006 version.)

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