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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2009
(Revised from original 2009 version)
Oprah Winfrey
by
Nancy F. Koehn, Erica Helms, Katherine Miller and Rachel Wilcox
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Abstract
The case explores the entrepreneurial journey of Oprah Winfrey, examining how she built an audience for one of the most successful television shows in history; how she created the company, Harpo Productions, that produces that show as well as other media offerings; how she leads and manages her organization; and how she has chosen to use the authority and other fruits of success to make a significant social as well as business contribution. The case uses interviews with Winfrey and her team to analyze how the business model and strategy of the company has changed-in the context of a dynamic marketplace, rapid technological innovation, and Winfrey's own evolving conception of her purpose and path.
Keywords: Business Model;
Entrepreneurship;
Leadership;
Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact;
Mission and Purpose;
Personal Development and Career;
Strategy;
Media and Broadcasting Industry;
United States;
Citation:
Koehn, Nancy F., Erica Helms, Katherine Miller, and Rachel Wilcox. "Oprah Winfrey." Harvard Business School Case 809-068, May 2009. (Revised from original April 2009 version.)