Rajiv Lal
Stanley Roth, Sr. Professor of Retailing
Chair, General Management Program
Rajiv Lal, is the Stanley Roth, Sr. Professor of Retailing at Harvard Business School where he currently serves as the Faculty chair for the General Management Program. He has also been responsible for the retailing curriculum and has served as the course head for Marketing, required study in the first year of the MBA program. Professor Lal also teaches in several Executive Education programs, and co-chairs the program on Building and Leading a Customer Centric Organization.
Lal was Professor at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University since 1982. He was the Thomas Henry Carroll Ford Foundation Visiting Professor at Harvard Business School for 1997-98. He was Visiting Professor of Marketing at INSEAD, France in 1986, 1988, 1992 and 1993. He did his undergraduate work in mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur, India and received his PhD in Industrial Administration from Carnegie-Mellon University. Lal has served as an Area Editor for Marketing Science and is the Co-editor of Quantitative Marketing and Economics.
Lal's current research is concerned with the Future of Department Stores in America. In addition, he is studying how to build and sustain Customer Centric retail organizations. His most recent work explored successful retail strategies for global expansion. He has written extensively on the impact of using the Internet as a channel of distribution on a retailer's pricing, merchandising and branding strategy. A recent paper written on this area of research was published in Marketing Science and nominated for the award of the best paper in Marketing and Management Science. His earlier work in retailing studies the impact of competition between different retail formats, such as EDLP and Hi-Lo grocers. He has also studied the consequences of the increasing use of store brands by grocery retailers on store loyalty and its implications for packaged goods manufacturers.
Lal's earlier research has focused on pricing, trade promotions and salesforce compensation plans. The work on salesforce compensation plans originated with his dissertation research which won the award for the best paper published in Marketing Science and Management Science in 1985. A subsequent article, also developed from his thesis, received an honorable mention for the same award in 1986. He has continued to work in this area and has recently completed a study of compensation plans used by German salesforces.
His work in the area of pricing and promotions has been equally well recognized. Two of his articles were among the finalists for the John D. C. Little award for the best paper published in Management Science and Marketing Science in 1990. One of these articles, co-authored with Jagmohan Raju and V. Srinivasan, on the impact of brand loyalty on price promotions has been awarded the Frank Bass award for the best dissertation paper.
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Article
| Harvard Business Review
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Retail Doesn't Cross Borders: Here's Why and What to Do about It
Marcel Corstjens and Rajiv Lal
Most companies assume that the easiest way to grow is by investing overseas and that the developing world offers the best opportunities for boosting revenues and profits today. However, success abroad varies widely, and research shows that it's often tough to increase profits by investing abroad. A new study of the grocery retail industry reveals that with a few exceptions globalization's benefits have not accrued to retailers. Local retailers dominate most countries, and international players are absent from the largest retail markets. Moreover, every retailer that has ventured overseas has failed as often as it has succeeded. On average, the extent of internationalization doesn't have a significant effect on either retailers' revenue growth rates or profit margins. Rather, it's the home market's growth that is the primary driver of profit margins and sales growth. A few retailers have succeeded in going global by developing strategies that apply four retail-specific rules for globalization. Rule 1: The home market is the linchpin. Retailers can generate the resources they need to go global by applying innovative growth strategies at home. Rule 2: Always bring something new to market. Without an element of novelty, it will be difficult for retailers to overtake entrenched rivals. Rule 3: Differentiation is more important than synergies. Leveraging synergies globally and allowing each country unit to adjust to local needs is a critical balancing act. Rule 4: Timing is critical. Retailers would do well to stop planting flags and focus instead on a limited set of opportunities where they can establish operations of scale.
Keywords: Operations;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Globalization;
Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues;
Local Range;
Retail Industry;
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Article
| International Journal of Research in Marketing
|
Relative Explanatory Power of Agency Theory and Transaction Cost Analysis in German Salesforces
Manfred Krafft, Sönke Albers and Rajiv Lal
Keywords: Theory;
Cost;
Sales;
Employees;
Germany;
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Article
| Quantitative Marketing and Economics
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The Impact of Frequent Shopper Programs in Grocery Retailing
Rajiv Lal and David E. Bell
Keywords: Sales;
Customer Focus and Relationships;
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Article
| JMR, Journal of Marketing Research
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Building Store Loyalty Through Store Brands
Marcel Corstjens and R. Lal
Keywords: Brands and Branding;
Customer Relationship Management;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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When and How Is the Internet Likely to Decrease Price Competition
R. Lal and M. Sarvary
Keywords: Online Technology;
Web;
Price;
Competition;
Citation: Lal, R., and M. Sarvary. " When and How Is the Internet Likely to Decrease Price Competition." Marketing Science 18, no. 4 (1999): 485–503. (Nominated for John D. C. Little Award Given annually to the best marketing paper published in Marketing Science or Management Science presented by INFORMS Society for Marketing Science.)
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Article
| Management Science
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Price Promotions and Trade Deals with Multiproduct Retailers
R. Lal and Miguel Villas-Boas
Keywords: Price;
Trade;
Product;
Sales;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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Supermarket Competition: The Case of Every Day Low Pricing
R. Lal and R. Rao
Keywords: Competition;
Price;
Retail Industry;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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The Effect of Manufacturer Advertising on Retail and Wholesale Margins
R. Lal and C. Narasimhan
Keywords: Advertising;
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Article
| Journal of Business
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Exclusive Dealing and Price Promotions
R. Lal and J. M. Villas-Boas
Keywords: Price;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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Forward Buying, Merchandising and Manufacturer Trade Deals: A Model
R. Lal, J. D. Little and J. M. Villas-Boas
Keywords: Trade;
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Article
| European Management Journal
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Retail Competition in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry: The Case of France and the U.K.
R. Lal, M. Corstjens and J. Corstjens
Keywords: Competition;
Goods and Commodities;
Consumer Products Industry;
France;
United Kingdom;
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Article
| JMR, Journal of Marketing Research
|
Contractual Arrangements in Franchising: An Empirical Investigation
D. Agrawal and R. Lal
Keywords: Contracts;
Agreements and Arrangements;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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Competitive Response and Equilibria
R. Lal and V. Padmanabhan
Keywords: Competition;
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Article
| Journal of Business
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Retail Pricing and Advertising Strategies
R. Lal and C. Matutes
Keywords: Price;
Strategy;
Advertising;
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Article
| Marketing Letters
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Salesforce Compensation Plans: An Individual Level Analysis
R. Lal, D. Outland and R. Staelin
Keywords: Compensation and Benefits;
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Article
| Recherche et Applications en Marketing
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Salesforce Compensation Plans: Managerial Insights from Recent Theoretical Developments
R. Lal
Keywords: Compensation and Benefits;
Management;
Theory;
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Article
| Management Science
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Compensation Plans for Single- and Multi-Product Salesforces: An Application of the Holmstrom-Milgrom Model
R. Lal and V. Srinivasan
Keywords: Compensation and Benefits;
Product;
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Article
| Business Horizons
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Managing Marginal New Products
V. K. Rangan, R. Lal and E. Maier
Keywords: Management;
Product;
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Article
| Managerial and Decision Economics
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Retail Pricing: Does Channel Length Matter
R. Lal and Anne Coughlan
Keywords: Price;
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Article
| JMR, Journal of Marketing Research
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Manufacturer Trade Deals and Retail Price Promotions
R. Lal
Keywords: Trade;
Sales;
Price;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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Improving Channel Coordination Through Franchising
R. Lal
Keywords: Franchise Ownership;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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Price Promotions: Limiting Competitive Encroachment
R. Lal
Keywords: Price;
Competition;
Citation: Lal, R. " Price Promotions: Limiting Competitive Encroachment." Marketing Science (summer 1990). (Nominated for John D. C. Little Award Given annually to the best marketing paper published in Marketing Science or Management Science presented by INFORMS Society for Marketing Science.)
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Article
| Management Science
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The Effects of Brand Loyalty on Competitive Price Promotional Strategies
R. Lal, J. S. Raju and V. Srinivasan
Keywords: Brands and Branding;
Competition;
Strategy;
Price;
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Article
| RAND Journal of Economics
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Price Competition in Multi-Market Duopolies
R. Lal and Carmen Matutes
Keywords: Price;
Competition;
Duopoly and Oligopoly;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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Salesforce Compensation Plans in Environments with Asymmetric Information
R. Lal and Richard Staelin
Keywords: Employees;
Sales;
Compensation and Benefits;
Information;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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Delegating Pricing Responsibility to the Salesforce
R. Lal
Keywords: Price;
Sales;
Employees;
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Article
| Marketing Science
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A Theory of Salesforce Compensation Plans
R. Lal, A. K. Basu, V. Srinivasan and Richard Staelin
Keywords: Theory;
Sales;
Employees;
Competition;
Citation: Lal, R., A. K. Basu, V. Srinivasan, and Richard Staelin. " A Theory of Salesforce Compensation Plans." Marketing Science (fall 1985). (Winner of TIMS College of Marketing. Award for Best Article in Marketing Science For the best marketing paper published in Marketing Science or Management Science presented by Institute of Management Sciences.)
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Article
| Management Science
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An Approach for Developing an Optimal Discount Pricing Policy
R. Lal and Richard Staelin
Keywords: Price;
Policy;
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Chapter
| The Global Market: Developing a Strategy to Manage Across Borders
| 2004
Globalization of Retailing
Rajiv Lal, David E. Bell and Walter J. Salmon
Keywords: Globalized Markets and Industries;
Retail Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, David E. Bell, and Walter J. Salmon. "Globalization of Retailing." In The Global Market: Developing a Strategy to Manage Across Borders, edited by John A. Quelch, and Rohit Deshpandé. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2004.
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
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2013
SANY: Going Global (TN)
Rajiv Lal
Keywords: global strategy;
Globalized Markets and Industries;
heavy industry;
Globalized Markets and Industries;
Global Strategy;
Construction Industry;
Europe;
Asia;
China;
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
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2013
Transforming AMFAM (TN)
Rakesh Khurana and Rajiv Lal
Keywords: customer focus;
general management;
managing growth;
Customer Focus and Relationships;
Insurance Industry;
United States;
Citation: Khurana, Rakesh, and Rajiv Lal. " Transforming AMFAM (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 513-079, February 2013.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2013
(Revised from original 2012 version)
SANY: Going Global
Rajiv Lal, Stefan Lippert, Nancy Hua Dai and Di Deng
April 17, 2012, was a special day for SANY Group and for its founder Liang Wen'gen. Headquartered in Changsha, SANY Group had transformed itself in two decades from a small welding material factory in 1989 to a leading global construction equipment manufacturer with 5 industrial parks in China; 5 R&D and manufacturing bases in America, Germany, India, Brazil, and Indonesia; and 21 sales companies worldwide. SANY Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (SANY), SANY Group's major subsidiary, engaged in the construction equipment business and was number six on International Construction's 2012 Yellow Table, a ranking of the world's largest construction equipment manufacturers.
Keywords: globalization;
China;
Expansion;
Business growth;
heavy industry;
strategy development;
Globalization;
Growth and Development;
Emerging Markets;
Strategy;
Construction Industry;
Manufacturing Industry;
Industrial Products Industry;
Asia;
China;
Europe;
Germany;
India;
North and Central America;
South America;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, Stefan Lippert, Nancy Hua Dai, and Di Deng. " SANY: Going Global." Harvard Business School Case 513-058, January 2013. (Revised from original November 2012 version.)
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2012
The Universalization of L'Oréal
Rajiv Lal and Carin-Isabel Knoop
In 2010, half of the world's cosmetics sales came from the so-called emerging markets for the first time; L'Oréal opened three new subsidiaries, in Egypt, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan; and the Paris, France-based cosmetics and personal care powerhouse declared its intention to double its consumer base to two billion and increase its share of sales from emerging markets. CEO Jean-Paul Agon made it his number one goal to "prepare the company to keep its global leadership in this new era."
Keywords: retailing;
globalization;
marketing;
cosmetics industry;
L'Oreal;
emerging markets;
india;
R＆D;
Globalization;
Product Development;
Research and Development;
Emerging Markets;
Retail Industry;
Latin America;
Asia;
Middle East;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2012
(Revised from original 2012 version)
Netflix: Competitive Dynamics in the Consumer Video Market
Bharat Anand, Rajiv Lal, Andrea John, Mina Mutafchieva and Manolya Yazarkan
Citation: Anand, Bharat, Rajiv Lal, Andrea John, Mina Mutafchieva, and Manolya Yazarkan. "Netflix: Competitive Dynamics in the Consumer Video Market." Harvard Business School Case 712-459, April 2012. (Revised from original March 2012 version.)
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2012
(Revised from original 2011 version)
PepsiCo, Performance with Purpose, Achieving the Right Global Balance
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Rakesh Khurana, Rajiv Lal and Eric Baldwin
Keywords: Globalized Firms and Management;
Performance Effectiveness;
Food and Beverage Industry;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2011
PepsiCo India: Performance with Purpose
Rosabeth M. Kanter, Rakesh Khurana, Rajiv Lal and Natalie Kindred
Keywords: Corporate Strategy;
Mission and Purpose;
Food and Beverage Industry;
India;
Citation: Kanter, Rosabeth M., Rakesh Khurana, Rajiv Lal, and Natalie Kindred. "PepsiCo India: Performance with Purpose." Harvard Business School Case 512-041, December 2011.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2011
(Revised from original 2011 version)
State Bank of India: Transforming a State Owned Giant
Rajiv Lal and Rachna Tahilyani
February 2011: O.P. Bhatt reflected contentedly on his five-year term as Chairman of State Bank of India (SBI), India's largest commercial bank. He had led SBI on a journey of transformation from an old, hierarchical, transaction oriented, government bank to a modern, customer focused, and technologically advanced universal bank. In 2006, when Bhatt assumed leadership, SBI had been losing market share for over two decades to private and foreign banks. Analysts and industry observers had predicted that at the prevailing growth rates ICICI Bank, a private bank launched in 1994, would overtake SBI in terms of deposits in four years. However, by 2010, SBI had more than doubled its profits, deposits and advances; regained market share and won the Asian Banker Achievement award for the strongest bank in the Asia Pacific region.
Keywords: Transformation;
Customer Relationship Management;
Commercial Banking;
Leading Change;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Marketing;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
Banking Industry;
India;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2011
Insight Communications
Rajiv Lal and Natalie Kindred
After undertaking a multi-year, metrics-driven operational and cultural overhaul, in April 2010 Insight Communications was planning the next phase of its development. Insight was a New York-based provider of cable, landline phone, and high-speed Internet service to 775,000 customers in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Insight had struggled to adjust to the new competitive dynamics in the cable industry. In response, CEO Michael Willner recruited a new management team to introduce the systems and culture necessary to win in an increasingly difficult market. Led by Dinni Jain, the team implemented a system of upstream measurement—establishing best practices, measuring, and holding personnel accountable for the day-to-day activities that ultimately drove outcomes such as revenue, customer growth, and operating cash flow. This system of dissecting operating activities as a way to push accountability throughout the organization was disruptive, but yielded impressive results. This case describes the unique "Insight system" and allows students to consider the company's options going forward.
Keywords: Organizational Culture;
Competitive Strategy;
Management Practices and Processes;
Performance Improvement;
Growth Management;
Management Systems;
Business Processes;
Measurement and Metrics;
Employees;
Telecommunications Industry;
New York (state, US);
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Natalie Kindred. "Insight Communications." Harvard Business School Case 511-005, March 2011.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2011
(Revised from original 2005 version)
Tanpin Kanri: Retail Practice at Seven-Eleven Japan
Rajiv Lal and Arar Han
Toshifumi Suzuki, chairman and CEO of Seven and I Holding Co., was widely credited as the mastermind behind Seven-Eleven Japan's spectacular rise. Although Seven-Eleven Japan began as a small licensee of U.S. convenience store chain 7-Eleven, Inc. (then Southland Corp.) in 1974, it grew to become the highest grossing retailer in Japan, eclipsing its then-parent Ito-Yokado's sales. By 2005, it also owned a controlling stake in 7-Eleven, Inc. Over the years, Suzuki's emphasis on fresh merchandise, innovative inventory management techniques, and numerous technological improvements guided Seven-Eleven Japan's rapid growth. At the core of these lies Tanpin Kanri, Suzuki's signature management framework.
Keywords: Framework;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Management Practices and Processes;
Demand and Consumers;
Distribution;
Logistics;
Technology;
Retail Industry;
Japan;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2010
Dubai Duty Free
Rajiv Lal and David Kiron
In mid-February 2009, Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Colm McLoughlin received the January sales report. He left the report lying on his desk unopened and went to walk around the shops as he did every morning. When he returned, he sat down at his desk, looked at the cover of the report, then called his wife, Breeda, to confirm that they were hosting a dinner party that weekend for some friends from Ireland who were in town for a golf tournament Dubai Duty Free was supporting.
Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships;
Marketing Strategy;
Emerging Markets;
Value Creation;
Retail Industry;
Dubai;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and David Kiron. " Dubai Duty Free." Harvard Business School Case 511-034, October 2010.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2010
Target: Responding to the Recession
Ranjay Gulati, Rajiv Lal and Cathy Ross
Within 10 months of Gregg Steinhafel's taking over as CEO at Target, the U.S. was mired in the most significant economic downturn in 50 years. Top competitor Wal-Mart had positioned itself well for the crisis, while Target's same store sales began to slide. While Steinhafel believed that Target's long-term strategy and positioning were right, he pondered a set of strategic and operational challenges. Did Target have the right mix of offensive and defensive tactics to weather the downturn and position itself for the economy's eventual recovery? How far could Target go in emphasizing low price-the "pay less" side of its slogan-without eroding the company's core promise of offering unique and upscale products that customers would not see at other low-priced retailers? Would the benefits of adding fresh food to Target's general merchandise stores outweigh the associated challenges?
Keywords: Financial Crisis;
Strategy;
Operations;
Brands and Branding;
Product Launch;
Product Positioning;
Competition;
Retail Industry;
United States;
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Background Note
| HBS Case Collection
|
2010
Food Retail: Trends and Implications
Rajiv Lal and Natalie Kindred
Keywords: Brands and Branding;
Supply and Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Natalie Kindred. "Food Retail: Trends and Implications." Harvard Business School Background Note 510-012, February 2010.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2010
Go Mobile: The Phirbol Franchise
Rajiv Lal and Natalie Kindred
To grow Phirbol, a telecom retail franchise chain in Delhi, India's underdeveloped markets, its founders were exploring ways to offer more value to the franchisees. In mid-2009, the Phirbol franchise was comprised of some 150 franchisees that had converted their small "mom-and-pop” shops into Phirbol-branded stores. Entrepreneurs Meghna Modi and Glenn Wong had launched the franchise in 2007, two years after they founded Go Mobile, a company-owned mobile retail chain. While Go Mobile stores were located in higher-income neighborhoods and focused primarily on selling phone handsets, Phirbol stores could be found in less-developed areas—most were not accessible by car—and focused on selling service connections (SIM cards) and recharges. Phirbol added value to the franchisees by streamlining some of their business processes, offering them a consistent product supply, sales support and incentives, and providing them with education on the constantly changing dynamics of India's mobile market. But as the founders looked towards expanding, they knew they would have to enhance their offering to franchisees in order to recruit some of the more established "mom-and-pop” stores they planned to target as franchisees. In addition, they would need to adjust their business model such that more responsibility was delegated to franchisees and staff. Looking forward, what should Modi and Wong do to ensure Phirbol's success?
Keywords: Business Model;
Business Startups;
Innovation and Management;
Brands and Branding;
Service Operations;
Franchise Ownership;
Value Creation;
Telecommunications Industry;
Delhi;
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
|
2010
Purolator Courier Ltd. (TN)
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for 508054.
Keywords: Canada;
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
|
2010
Staples: Back To The Future (TN)
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for [505044].
Keywords: Marketing;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv. "Staples: Back To The Future (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 510-075, January 2010.
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
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2009
Best Buy Co., Inc.: Customer-Centricity (TN)
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for [506055].
Keywords: Electronics Industry;
United States;
Canada;
Mongolia;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2009
(Revised from original 2008 version)
Purolator Courier Ltd.
Rajiv Lal and Catherine Ross
On a fall day in September 2003, Robert Swanborough made his way down a thickly carpeted hallway in Purolator's headquarters in Toronto, Canada, toward a meeting with his two deputies. Several months earlier, Swanborough, then vice-president of Marketing, had been named vice-president for Sales Effectiveness atop a transformed sales division. The previous week, the team had presented to top management the results of the customer segmentation research that Swanborough had contracted while in marketing. The research identified customers that would be willing to pay more for the services that Purolator was or could potentially provide to them. The new Sales Effectiveness team planned ....
Keywords: Conferences;
Customer Focus and Relationships;
Leading Change;
Marketing Strategy;
Performance Effectiveness;
Strategic Planning;
Research;
Segmentation;
Canada;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Catherine Ross. " Purolator Courier Ltd." Harvard Business School Case 508-054, March 2009. (Revised from original March 2008 version.)
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2009
(Revised from original 2008 version)
Transforming AMFAM
Rakesh Khurana, Rajiv Lal and Cathy Ross
On a winter day in December 2007 at the American Family Mutual Insurance Company (AMFAM) headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, Dave Anderson and Jack Salzwedel remained in the conference room after the senior management meeting had concluded. Anderson, CEO of AMFAM since January 2007, and Salzwedel, named President in August 2006, reflected together on how far the company had come over the past two years. Both recalled meetings in which top executives simply read out activity reports to help prepare a previous CEO for a largely ceremonial board meeting. These days, they sensed energy and movement at different levels—whether in a strategic planning meeting, or in Salzwedel's recent visit to a regional office to explain in person the content of and motivation for the company's new strategic plan. Anderson and Salzwedel were pleased that the just-ended meeting exhibited the kind of engaged discussion, "pushback," and argumentation they had been encouraging.
Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships;
Governing and Advisory Boards;
Marketing;
Mission and Purpose;
Strategic Planning;
Insurance Industry;
United States;
Citation: Khurana, Rakesh, Rajiv Lal, and Cathy Ross. " Transforming AMFAM." Harvard Business School Case 508-081, March 2009. (Revised from original March 2008 version.)
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2009
HP: The Computer is Personal Again
Rajiv Lal and Cathy Ross
In September 2008, Todd Bradley, executive vice president of Hewlett-Packard Company's Personal Systems Group (PSG), gathered his thoughts before a meeting with his top executives and managers for product design and marketing. On the agenda was a discussion of strategic next steps for the group. Hewlett-Packard (HP), a technology company providing a wide range of products and services including computers, handheld devices, servers, and digital entertainment, employed 172,000 people and posted $104 billion in sales in 2007. PSG, one of HP's three major divisions, offered notebook and desktop personal computers, handheld mobile computing devices, monitors, workstations, and related support services. Bradley's PSG had played an important role in HP's financial success over the previous three years.
Keywords: Revenue;
Product Positioning;
Corporate Strategy;
Computer Industry;
Retail Industry;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2008
(Revised from original 2008 version)
Shoppers' Stop Group (SSG)
Rajiv Lal and Virginia Fuller
As B.S. Nagesh thumbed through the 2006-2007 Annual Report for Shoppers' Stop Group (SSG), action shots of healthy-looking people dressed in the latest fashions amid the words "Redefining Retail" brought a smile to his face. As managing director of SSG-a Rs 8.9 billion ($206 million) company in 2007 which included 23 department stores and a new hypermarket- Nagesh was proud of the way the company had taken retail from its roots in simple transactions to a complete "experience" defined by the luxurious ambiance, food, events and educated staff in SSG's retail outlets throughout India. The company's success led to an initial public offering in May 2005. SSG's parent company, the K. Raheja Corporation, and its affiliated companies held 66% of SSG's shares.
Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies;
Initial Public Offering;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Marketing Strategy;
Emerging Markets;
Retail Industry;
India;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Virginia Fuller. " Shoppers' Stop Group (SSG)." Harvard Business School Case 508-017, June 2008. (Revised from original February 2008 version.)
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2008
Go Mobile
Rajiv Lal and Catherine Ross
Keywords: Telecommunications Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Catherine Ross. " Go Mobile." Harvard Business School Case 508-023, March 2008.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2007
(Revised from original 2006 version)
Takashimaya in Transition
Rajiv Lal, Masako Egawa and Chisato Toyama
Takashimaya, the largest department store in Japan, was suffering from declining sales. CEO Koji Suzuki had succeeded in instituting changes to cut costs. However, Suzuki needed to come up with a strategy to increase sales, particularly in apparel, which comprised the largest segment. Describes in detail the company's endeavors to develop its private brand in apparel.
Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy;
Brands and Branding;
Product Development;
Sales;
Apparel and Accessories Industry;
Retail Industry;
Japan;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, Masako Egawa, and Chisato Toyama. " Takashimaya in Transition." Harvard Business School Case 506-054, October 2007. (Revised from original June 2006 version.)
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2007
(Revised from original 2006 version)
The Parisian Revival
Rajiv Lal and Carin-Isabel Knoop
In mid-2005, George Jones had two jobs: head of Saks Inc.'s 41-store Parisian department store chain as well as president and CEO of the Saks Department Store Group (SDSG), an umbrella for seven chains with a total of 182 stores across the United States. In 2003 Jones had taken over direct management of the faltering Birmingham, Alabama-based Parisian, which operated moderate to upscale department stores in the southeastern United States. By mid-2005, he had succeeded in turning the business around. According to Jones, "between Q2 2003 and Q2 2005, we have registered eight successive growth quarters all the while reducing expenses. We had a dramatic impact on almost all of our stores. While some are growing at a single-digit rate, we have registered 20% to 40% sales growth in many of our stores. Turns are up nearly 20% and profitability has improved over 90%.
Keywords: Profit;
Leadership;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
Performance Improvement;
Sales;
Retail Industry;
United States;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Carin-Isabel Knoop. " The Parisian Revival." Harvard Business School Case 506-035, October 2007. (Revised from original March 2006 version.)
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2007
Wal-Mart Mexico: Managing Multiple Formats
Rajiv Lal, Mark Rennella and David Lane
"On February 1, 2007, Wal-Mart Mexico (Walmex) CEO Eduardo Solorzano was preparing for a well deserved, two-week vacation on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Things were going well. Wal-Mart Mexico, which consisted principally of six different retail formats, had been growing at a dizzying pace ..."
Keywords: Business or Company Management;
Growth and Development;
Marketing Strategy;
Retail Industry;
Mexico;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2007
JCPenney: An Historical Shift toward Centralization
Rajiv Lal and Laura Winig
In September 2006, Michael Taxter knew that JCPenney Company, the nation's 3rd largest department store retailer, with $18 billion in sales and more than 1,000 department stores throughout the United States, had survived the greatest challenge of its 100-year history.
Keywords: Transformation;
Sales;
Retail Industry;
United States;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Laura Winig. "JCPenney: An Historical Shift toward Centralization." Harvard Business School Case 507-007, March 2007.
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Case
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2007
(Revised from original 2000 version)
Freeport Studio
Rajiv Lal and James Weber
Describes the start-up and first-year difficulties of Freeport Studio, a unit of L.L. Bean, founded in 1998 to sell women's clothing by catalog. First-year sales were far below plan, and projected profits did not materialize. Fran Philip must identify the problems and plan what must be done to make the unit profitable by year two. Includes color exhibits.
Keywords: Business Startups;
Profit;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Marketing Strategy;
Strategic Planning;
Problems and Challenges;
Creativity;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and James Weber. " Freeport Studio." Harvard Business School Case 501-021, February 2007. (Revised from original September 2000 version.)
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Case
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2007
(Revised from original 2006 version)
UBS: Towards the Integrated Firm
Rajiv Lal, Nitin Nohria and Carin-Isabel Knoop
In late June 2005, UBS Group CEO Peter Wuffli--anointed "Master of Zurich" by the financial press--was returning to Zurich from the firm's latest three-day Senior Leadership Conference (SLC). Tapping 600 top managers, this SLC featured an outdoor event at a former military site in the Swiss mountains. Under the banner of "Understanding, Commitment, and Trust," teams of 100 executives engaged in a simulation of six worlds--metaphors for the various regions and parts of UBS business. Initial skepticism about the exercise was replaced with enthusiasm for the "mind-boggling" camaraderie that it created. Held above Montreux, Switzerland, home of the International Jazz Festival, the program opened with a taped interview of jazz great Wynton Marsalis asking the audience to equate the dynamics of jazz with the collaboration required to maintain a complex professional services firm. Marsalis contrasted Duke Ellington, who composed for the specific talents of his band members, with John Coltrane, a master of improvisation. "Coltrane played the themes," Wuffli mused. "That's what we do. We've got the vision. We've got all of our different musicians and we're playing to these themes in an integrated way. It does make beautiful music."
Keywords: Integration;
Programs;
Leadership;
Talent and Talent Management;
Trust;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, Nitin Nohria, and Carin-Isabel Knoop. " UBS: Towards the Integrated Firm." Harvard Business School Case 506-026, February 2007. (Revised from original March 2006 version.)
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Case
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2006
(Revised from original 2006 version)
Best Buy Co., Inc.: Customer-Centricity
Rajiv Lal, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Irina Tarsis
With FY2005 sales of $27.3 billion, Richfield, Minn.-based Best Buy Co., Inc. was the leading retailer of consumer electronics, home-office products, and related services in North America. Its operations included the distinct store formats Best Buy, Future Shop in Canada, and Magnolia Audio Video as well as service provider Geek Squad. For the eight years leading up to 2004, Best Buy had reported double-digit revenue growth every year and rarely missed earnings. But on December 13, 2005, Best Buy missed its third-quarter earnings per share (coming in at $0.28, not $0.30). The company's stock price fell nearly 12% that day, a loss of $2 billion in market cap. The poor results were attributed to the aggressive rollout of 144 new "centricity" stores--revamped retail formats featuring a customer-centric operating model designed to offer targeted "value propositions" to one or two distinct customer segments. The new format was a departure from Best Buy's winning formula and required adjustments in interactions between various parts of the Best Buy organization, including a new set of segment leaders.
Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships;
Service Operations;
Business Earnings;
Financial Crisis;
Failure;
Business Model;
Leadership;
Segmentation;
Value Creation;
Electronics Industry;
United States;
Canada;
Mongolia;
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2000 version)
New Beetle, The
Rajiv Lal and Nilanjana R. Pal
Volkswagen of America introduced the New Beetle at the Detroit auto show in January 1998 to rave reviews from the automobile press and industry gurus. Elisabeth Vanzura, marketing director of Volkswagen American had the challenging task of converting this enthusiasm to sales. Her first set of decisions related to the target market selection and positioning of the New Beetle. Includes color exhibits.
Keywords: Decisions;
Leadership;
Marketing;
Marketing Communications;
Product Positioning;
Market Entry and Exit;
Sales;
Auto Industry;
United States;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Nilanjana R. Pal. " New Beetle, The." Harvard Business School Case 501-023, September 2005. (Revised from original September 2000 version.)
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2000 version)
Callaway Golf Company
Rajiv Lal and Edie Prescott
Describes a situation faced by Mr. Ely Callaway, the 80-year-old founder, chairman, and CEO of Callaway Golf Co., in the fall of 1999. After a decade of stunning success with the marketing concept, Callaway suffered a significant loss and witnessed a steep decline in sales in 1998. Mr. Callaway had built a $800 million business by making a truly more satisfying product for the average golfer, making it pleasingly different from the competition and communicating the benefits to the consumer. The results in 1998 forced Mr. Callaway to reconsider the marketing program that had successfully supported the product until now.
Keywords: Marketing Strategy;
Crisis Management;
Communication Strategy;
Product;
Business Strategy;
Change Management;
Competitive Advantage;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Edie Prescott. " Callaway Golf Company." Harvard Business School Case 501-019, September 2005. (Revised from original August 2000 version.)
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2000 version)
Omnitel Pronto Italia
Rajiv Lal, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Suma Raju
Describes the situation faced by Omnitel soon after launching its mobile telecommunication services in Italy in December 1995. Competing against the Italian monopoly, TIM, Omnitel had positioned its services to be better on the quality dimension. However, sales were significantly below expectations. In order to develop a new strategy, Omnitel conducted extensive marketing research. This research identified the varying needs of different customer segments. Omnitel now had to decide whether to attack a new segment with a new service plan, "LIBERO," to improve on past performance.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction;
Marketing Channels;
Marketing Strategy;
Product Positioning;
Market Entry and Exit;
Product Development;
Sales;
Competition;
Segmentation;
Value Creation;
Telecommunications Industry;
Italy;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, Carin-Isabel Knoop, and Suma Raju. " Omnitel Pronto Italia." Harvard Business School Case 501-002, September 2005. (Revised from original August 2000 version.)
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Case
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2005
CarMax
Rajiv Lal and David Kiron
Carmax is the largest multi-market used car dealer in the U.S., and has no format-to-format competitor in the $375 billion used car market. CarMax is trying to do what some analysts believed to be impossible: sell used cars profitably on a national scale, and at the same time revamp the tarnished image of the used car salesman.
Keywords: Profit;
Brands and Branding;
Market Platforms;
Segmentation;
Auto Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and David Kiron. " CarMax." Harvard Business School Case 505-080, June 2005.
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Background Note
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2005
Overview of the Japanese Apparel Market
Rajiv Lal and Arar Han
Provides an overview of the Japanese apparel market, which was a 13.1 trillion yen industry in 2003, reflecting 5.5% year-over-year shrinkage since 1997, when retailers logged 17.5 trillion yen in sales. Compared to their global counterparts, Japanese apparel shoppers in the 12 to 35 age bracket are considered to be extremely fashion sensitive. Because these consumers commit a disproportionately large amount of their disposable income to fashion goods, the Japanese apparel market has been very attractive to global players such as Inditex, parent of Zara. Moreover, it is considered a promising market for small niche retailers and boutiques featuring up-and-coming designers, many of which are flourishing in areas of Tokyo such as the renowned Harajuku district. By the turn of the 21st century, Japan's chic apparel shoppers have enabled Tokyo to become a fashion center, influencing styles in other Asian countries such as China and Korea and drawing the attention of trend watchers and fashion journalists from around the world.
Keywords: Trends;
Financial Crisis;
Trade;
Emerging Markets;
Sales;
Luxury;
Competition;
Segmentation;
Apparel and Accessories Industry;
Fashion Industry;
Asia;
China;
Japan;
Korean Peninsula;
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2005 version)
Nordstrom: The Turnaround
Rajiv Lal and Arar Han
After a period of turbulence, the fourth generation of Nordstroms are in control of the $7.1 billion apparel retailer. They have instituted a number of changes in buying and IT that have turned the business around. What can they do to ensure future growth?
Keywords: Transformation;
Crisis Management;
Growth Management;
Organizational Structure;
Information Technology;
Apparel and Accessories Industry;
Retail Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Arar Han. " Nordstrom: The Turnaround." Harvard Business School Case 505-051, May 2005. (Revised from original February 2005 version.)
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2005 version)
Ito-Yokado: The Challenge of Apparel
Rajiv Lal and Arar Han
Ito-Yokado, the 16th largest retail conglomerate in the world, has struggled with the declining performance in the apparel division of its superstores for over a decade. Apparel sales are slipping, eating hard-won gains in the retailer's food division. CEO Toshifumi Suzuki has already instituted a number of revolutionary changes to sourcing and merchandising. What should he try next?
Keywords: Business Conglomerates;
Transformation;
Performance;
Problems and Challenges;
Sales;
Strategy;
Apparel and Accessories Industry;
Retail Industry;
Japan;
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2004 version)
United States Army
Rajiv Lal and Laura Coleman
After three months of close collaboration, the Leo Burnett USA/Worldwide agency and partner Cartel and Images advertising/creative team were poised to unveil to senior Army officials at the Pentagon their replacement to the "Be All You Can Be" campaign to help increase lagging recruitment.
Keywords: Advertising Campaigns;
Decisions;
Globalization;
Recruitment;
Management Teams;
Marketing Strategy;
United States;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Laura Coleman. " United States Army." Harvard Business School Case 504-038, April 2005. (Revised from original May 2004 version.)
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Citizens Bank
Rajiv Lal and Arar Han
In November 2004, Larry Fish, chairman of Citizens Bank, is wondering about the challenges posed by the latest and largest acquisition in the history of the bank. Fish has always believed that the success of Citizens thus far was facilitated by the credo he introduced in 2002. With an ever-growing organization, and more acquisitions in the future, he needs to know what changes need to be made to continue the effectiveness of the credo and his commitment to customers, employees, and communities.
Keywords: Acquisition;
Change Management;
Customer Focus and Relationships;
Employees;
Leading Change;
Performance Effectiveness;
Banking Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Arar Han. " Citizens Bank." Harvard Business School Case 505-034, March 2005. (Revised from original October 2004 version.)
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Case
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2005
(Revised from original 2005 version)
Parisian: productivity and selling cost
Rajiv Lal and Arar Han
Presents the dilemma facing George Jones with respect to the high selling cost at Parisian Department Stores. The challenges to be considered reflect issues at different levels of the organization, including individual salespeople, the store itself, and the merchandise policy for a set of rather diverse stores.
Keywords: Cost;
Executive Compensation;
Production;
Sales;
Salesforce Management;
Motivation and Incentives;
Retail Industry;
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Case
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2005
Mahindra & Mahindra: Creating Scorpio
Tarun Khanna, Rajiv Lal and Merlina Manocaran
Details the emergence of a private sector automobile manufacturer in India that has created globally competitive and cheap versions of an SUV commonly available worldwide. Asks us to think about the parent corporation's next steps in leveraging this success. In particular: To what extent does it make sense to expand overseas vs. entrenching itself within the home market--India?
Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies;
Global Range;
Multinational Firms and Management;
Emerging Markets;
Commercialization;
Expansion;
Auto Industry;
India;
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Case
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2004
(Revised from original 2001 version)
Harrah's Entertainment Inc.
Rajiv Lal and Patricia Carrolo
Describes a situation facing Philip Satre, chairman and CEO of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. Satre was reading a May 2000 Wall Street Journal story that discussed the company's marketing success in targeting low rollers, the 100% growth in stock price and profits in the year to December 1999, and the revenue growth of 50%, which significantly outpaced the industry. The exciting articles aroused Satre's desire to know more about the activities of his then COO, Gary Loveman, and his team of "propeller heads" with respect to their database marketing efforts and the Total Reward Program. Satre was interested in two questions: He wanted to know how much these marketing efforts had contributed to Harrah's overall performance and whether these marketing results were a one-shot event or could be achieved year after year, especially as the competition introduced similar programs.
Keywords: Budgets and Budgeting;
Marketing;
Marketing Reference Programs;
Performance Evaluation;
Motivation and Incentives;
Competitive Strategy;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Patricia Carrolo. " Harrah's Entertainment Inc." Harvard Business School Case 502-011, June 2004. (Revised from original October 2001 version.)
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Case
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2004
L.L. Bean: A Search for Growth
Rajiv Lal, Walter J. Salmon and James Weber
In mid-2003, CEO Chris McCormick felt L.L. Bean was in a good position to begin to grow again. For nearly 90 years, the company sold clothing and gear for outdoor enthusiasts through its catalogs and a single retail store in Freeport, Maine. In the three decades prior to 1996, sales growth averaged nearly 20% per year. In 1995, sales hit $1 billion, but stagnated for the next six years--growing at less than 2% annually. The company responded with a structural reorganization and investment in its Internet sales channel. In 2002 and early 2003, McCormick led an effort to reduce overhead and improve its internal systems, including the elimination of 1,000 jobs--which reduced year-round headcount by nearly 15%. After these initiatives, the company remained profitable and enjoyed a strong balance sheet, but sales growth remained near zero. Most significantly, between 2000 and 2002, L.L. Bean opened three retail stores in shopping malls outside Maine. McCormick viewed these three stores as the first of a chain of stores that would form a new selling channel and enable L.L. Bean to grow. Early results from the three new stores were below expectations; L.L. Bean spent significant time examining its retail store activities in an attempt to learn where it could improve. As the company began to apply those lessons in the stores, performance picked up, fueling McCormick's optimism that L.L. Bean could grow with retail stores.
Keywords: History;
Leadership Development;
Cost Management;
Infrastructure;
Performance Improvement;
Sales;
Product Positioning;
Diversification;
Distribution Channels;
Resignation and Termination;
Retail Industry;
Web Services Industry;
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Case
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2003
Peabody Simpson at the Crossroads
Rajiv Lal, Nitin Nohria and Leslie Freeman
Three managing directors at Peabody Simpson had just returned from a firm-wide recruiting event at Columbia University, which they had covered together, as all were alumni. They were commiserating about having to submit revised forecasts to their division heads by the end of the week. Alec Hastings, head of Global Institutional Securities, wanted an update on year-to-date expense. They sat at their favorite watering hole and discussed the challenge of cutting $600 million out of the operating budget.
Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction;
Capital Budgeting;
Recruitment;
Reports;
Organizational Design;
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Case
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2003
Liz Claiborne, Inc.
Rajiv Lal, Walter J. Salmon and Edie Prescott
Discusses the business portfolio emphasis of a large multibrand manufacturer and the future of department stores as well as how relationships between manufacturers and key customers can be improved.
Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction;
Investment Portfolio;
Brands and Branding;
Production;
Business and Stakeholder Relations;
Apparel and Accessories Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, Walter J. Salmon, and Edie Prescott. "Liz Claiborne, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 503-098, May 2003.
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Supplement
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2003
Arnold Worldwide: Volkswagen Ads from 1995-2000
Rajiv Lal
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Teaching Note
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2002
Documentum, Inc. (TN)
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for (9-502-026).
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
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2002
HP Consumer Products Business Organization: Distributing Printers via the Internet, TN
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for (9-500-021).
Keywords: Consumer Products Industry;
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Teaching Note
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2002
Harrah's Entertainment Inc. TN
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for (9-502-011).
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Case
| 2002
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
R. Lal
Keywords: Retail Industry;
Citation: Lal, R. "Sears, Roebuck and Co." 2002.
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Case
| 2002
ETrade Securities, Inc.
R. Lal
Keywords: Stocks;
Financial Markets;
Financial Services Industry;
Citation: Lal, R. "ETrade Securities, Inc." 2002.
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Teaching Note
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2002
New Beetle, The (TN)
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for (9-501-023). Includes color exhibits.
Keywords: Auto Industry;
United States;
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Teaching Note
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2002
Freeport Studio, TN
Rajiv Lal
Teaching Note for (9-501-021).
Citation: Lal, Rajiv. " Freeport Studio, TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 502-087, April 2002.
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Case
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2002
(Revised from original 2001 version)
Documentum, Inc
Rajiv Lal and Sean Lanagan
Describes Jeff Miller's attempt to implement Geoffrey Moore's crossing the chasm ideas at enterprise software vendor, Documentum.
Keywords: Marketing Strategy;
Segmentation;
Software;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Sean Lanagan. " Documentum, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 502-026, April 2002. (Revised from original September 2001 version.)
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Teaching Note
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2002
(Revised from original 2001 version)
Callaway Golf Company (TN)
Rajiv Lal and Patricia Carrolo
Teaching Note for (9-501-019).
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Patricia Carrolo. " Callaway Golf Company (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 501-082, January 2002. (Revised from original April 2001 version.)
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Case
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2001
Charles Schwab Corp.: Introducing A New Brand
Rajiv Lal and David Kiron
As the financial services industry converges, how should Charles Schwab, widely known as a discount brokerage firm, position its brand? This case presents elements of the company's overall brand strategy--including brand assets, choice of target audience, and media message.
Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy;
Brands and Branding;
Marketing Strategy;
Financial Services Industry;
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Case
| 2001
Value Pricing at Procter & Gamble (B)
R. Lal
Keywords: Price;
Valuation;
Consumer Products Industry;
Citation: Lal, R. "Value Pricing at Procter & Gamble (B)." 2001.
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Case
| 2001
SmithKline Beecham (SB)
R. Lal
Keywords: Pharmaceutical Industry;
Citation: Lal, R. "SmithKline Beecham (SB)." 2001.
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Teaching Note
| 2001
Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Teaching Note
R. Lal, Jennifer B. Lawrence and Josie Parr
Keywords: Retail Industry;
California;
Citation: Lal, R., Jennifer B. Lawrence, and Josie Parr. "Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Teaching Note." 2001.
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Case
| 2001
Orchard Supply Hardware Stores
R. Lal
Keywords: Retail Industry;
California;
Citation: Lal, R. "Orchard Supply Hardware Stores." 2001.
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Case
| 2001
Hudson's Bay Co.
R. Lal
Keywords: Retail Industry;
Canada;
Citation: Lal, R. "Hudson's Bay Co." 2001.
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Case
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2001
(Revised from original 2000 version)
Intuit QuickBooks
Rajiv Lal and Punima P Kochikar
Internet QuickBooks, a successful product with a strong brand and an 85% share of retail sales, was faced with the challenge of meeting market growth expectations in a mature, slowing market segment. Generating recurring revenues by providing value-added online services that complement the desktop software was viewed as an attractive solution by QuickBook's management. Intuit now had to decide the best way to provide these services--i.e. build them in house or acquire them through partnerships. In doing so, the company had to evaluate ways to capture value in the Intuit QuickBooks brand without damaging it. Teaching purpose: Taught in the first-year marketing course to bring out the issues related to capturing value.
Keywords: Budgets and Budgeting;
Decisions;
Growth and Development;
Brands and Branding;
Market Participation;
Problems and Challenges;
Internet;
Value;
Web Services Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Punima P Kochikar. " Intuit QuickBooks." Harvard Business School Case 501-054, July 2001. (Revised from original November 2000 version.)
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Case
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2001
(Revised from original 2000 version)
Chapters.ca
Michael J. Roberts, Rajiv Lal and Walter J. Salmon
Describes the challenges facing the online site associated with Canada's largest bricks-and-mortar bookseller. Presents a variety of lenses for examining the economic model of the online versus traditional book-selling business, and asks students to identify the marketing levers that can drive the business model.
Keywords: Marketing Strategy;
Online Technology;
Business Model;
Entrepreneurship;
Product Marketing;
Business Strategy;
Technological Innovation;
Canada;
Citation: Roberts, Michael J., Rajiv Lal, and Walter J. Salmon. " Chapters.ca." Harvard Business School Case 801-158, July 2001. (Revised from original September 2000 version.)
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Teaching Note
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2001
Omnitel Pronto Italia TN
Rajiv Lal, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Suma Raju
Teaching Note for (9-501-002).
Keywords: Telecommunications Industry;
Italy;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, Carin-Isabel Knoop, and Suma Raju. " Omnitel Pronto Italia TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 501-075, May 2001.
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Case
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2001
(Revised from original 2000 version)
First USA and Internet Marketing
Rajiv Lal and Amy H. Nelson
Explores First USA's decision to use the Internet for acquiring customers. Tom Brenner needs to decide on the terms of the deals demanded by the portals and justify the recommendations to his boss.
Keywords: Online Advertising;
Decision Choices and Conditions;
Resource Allocation;
Marketing Strategy;
Internet;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Amy H. Nelson. " First USA and Internet Marketing." Harvard Business School Case 500-043, January 2001. (Revised from original March 2000 version.)
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Case
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2000
(Revised from original 2000 version)
GetConnected.com
Rajiv Lal, Nilanjana R. Pal and Jodi L. Prins
Describes the situation faced by GCI.com in April 2000, soon after raising $12 million for their new venture. After hiring an advertising agency, management needs to decide on the nature of the advertising campaign to target the right set of customers with the right message.
Keywords: Advertising Campaigns;
Business Startups;
Business or Company Management;
Marketing Strategy;
Market Entry and Exit;
Corporate Strategy;
Web Services Industry;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, Nilanjana R. Pal, and Jodi L. Prins. " GetConnected.com." Harvard Business School Case 501-025, November 2000. (Revised from original September 2000 version.)
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Case
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2000
Guru.com
Rajiv Lal and Ann Leamon
An online resource for independent professionals must create a marketing plan to build brand awareness. Along with the tone and message of the ads, the executives must choose from several different treatments and media, keeping within their budget.
Keywords: Budgets and Budgeting;
Brands and Branding;
Marketing Communications;
Marketing Strategy;
Citation: Lal, Rajiv, and Ann Leamon. " Guru.com." Harvard Business School Case 501-005, September 2000.
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Case
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2000
(Revised from original 1999 version)
HP Consumer Products Business Organization: Distributing Printers via the Internet
Rajiv Lal, Kirthi Kalyanam, Shelby Mc Intyre and Edie Prescott
In spring 1998, Pradeep Jotwani, vice president and general manager of the Consumer Products Business Organization of the Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP), was contemplating the increasing success of e-commerce and its implications for his division. The consumer products group had started selling refurbished printers through an Internet outlet center in December 1997, but Jotwani was now considering a move to sell new printers directly to consumers via this new channel. If he were to make such a move, he wondered which products to sell online at what prices, and how to communicate this strategy to the channel partners without damaging the existing distribution structure.
Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions;
Marketing Channels;
Business Processes;
Problems and Challenges;
Partners and Partnerships;
Sales;
Business Strategy;
Technology;
Information Technology;
Consumer Products Industry;
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Case
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1999
Lees Supermarkets: Customer Loyalty Programs
David E. Bell, Rajiv Lal and Ann Leamon
Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships;
Marketing Strategy;
Food and Beverage Industry;
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Case
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1999
net.Genesis, Inc.
Robert J. Dolan, Rajiv Lal and Perry Fagan
Net.Genesis is planning a strategy for the developing Internet market. In particular, it is creating the category of e-business intelligence and striving to be the brand leader in it.
Keywords: Emerging Markets;
Strategic Planning;
Expansion;
Brands and Branding;
Knowledge Use and Leverage;
Marketing Communications;
Internet;
Change Management;
Citation: Dolan, Robert J., Rajiv Lal, and Perry Fagan. " net.Genesis, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 500-009, November 1999.
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Background Note
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1991
Managing Marginal New Products
Rajiv Lal
Keywords: Product Launch;
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