Team New Zealand (A)

Marco   Iansiti; Alan D. MacCormack

Case | HBS Case Collection | October 1996 (Revised April 1997)

Team New Zealand (A)

Abstract

The case describes the development process used by Team New Zealand to design their two yachts for the 1995 America's Cup. During development, the team makes extensive use of simulation and physical prototyping to improve the initial design concept. As they approach construction, they must decide whether to build both boats at the same time and, if so, whether to vary their designs. The decision hinges on evaluating the benefits of different experimentation strategies. Includes color exhibits.

Keywords: Product Design; Design; Product Development; Sports; Ship Transportation; Research and Development; Situation or Environment; Decisions; Sports Industry; New Zealand;

Language: English

Format: Print

14 pages

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Citation:

Iansiti, Marco, and Alan D. MacCormack. "Team New Zealand (A)." Harvard Business School Case 697-040, October 1996. (Revised April 1997.)

Indigo Agriculture had successfully developed and launched its first commercial product, microbe-enhanced cotton seeds, on an accelerated product development timeline. In late 2016, as the company was about to launch its second product, winter wheat, the management team proposed to again accelerate the development timeline and introduce six new products in four countries within the next 12 months. The CEO and Director of Business Development met to discuss the feasibility of accelerating the timeline, potential bottlenecks in the product development process, resource management, and the potential need for a more formalized development process.

Article | Harvard Business Review | September–October 2017

Managing Our Hub Economy: Strategy, Ethics, and Network Competition in the Age of Digital Superpowers

Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani

A small number of digital superpowers—Alibaba, Amazon, Microsoft, and others—have become “hub firms” because they control access to billions of mobile customers coveted by all kinds of product and service providers. These hubs drive increasing returns to scale and claim a disproportionate share of the value being created in the global economy. The authors argue that the hub economy will continue to spread across more industries, concentrating more power in the hands of a few. As an example, they take an in-depth look at the auto industry and how Apple and Alphabet/Google are poised to become the main beneficiaries as cars turn into digitally connected spaces for work, entertainment, and shopping. As hubs proliferate and expand their reach, the danger is that they will exacerbate economic inequality and threaten social stability. It is thus incumbent on all stakeholders—traditional companies, start-ups, institutions, and communities—to make certain changes in the ways they do business. Moreover, hub firms themselves must do a better job leading responsibly for the good of all, not just creating and capturing value but doing more to sustain other players in the ecosystem.

Keywords: Competition; Strategic Planning; Auto Industry; Technology Industry;

Citation:

Iansiti, Marco, and Karim R. Lakhani. "Managing Our Hub Economy: Strategy, Ethics, and Network Competition in the Age of Digital Superpowers." Harvard Business Review 95, no. 5 (September–October 2017): 84–92. View Details

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