Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • April 1999 (Revised October 2001)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Motive Communications

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Marco Iansiti, Myra M. Hart, William W Chan and Find Findsen
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:Spanish
  • | Pages:12
ShareBar

Abstract

The founders of Motive Communications, Inc., a recent start-up dedicated to reinventing the support chain involved in the delivery of information technology support services, put in place a development process hinged on extensive customer feedback. As part of this, a select group of "lighthouse customers" agreed to pay $50,000 to participate in beta testing--but as a deadline approached, none had sent in their checks. The founders therefore reevaluate the lighthouse policy and its rationale.

Keywords

Business Startups; Customer Relationship Management; Risk and Uncertainty; Information Technology Industry

Citation

Rayport, Jeffrey F., Marco Iansiti, Myra M. Hart, William W Chan, and Find Findsen. "Motive Communications." Harvard Business School Case 699-157, April 1999. (Revised October 2001.)
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Authors

Jeffrey F. Rayport

Entrepreneurial Management
→More Publications

Marco Iansiti

Technology and Operations Management
→More Publications

Myra M. Hart

→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • January–February 2023
    • Harvard Business Review

    The Overlooked Key to a Successful Scale-Up

    By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Davide Sola and Martin Kupp
    • 13 Dec 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Why Some Start-Ups Fail to Scale

    By: Jeffrey Rayport and Curt Nickisch
    • September 2022 (Revised October 2022)
    • Faculty Research

    Data Privacy in Practice at LinkedIn

    By: Iavor Bojinov, Marco Iansiti and Seth Neel
More from the Authors
  • The Overlooked Key to a Successful Scale-Up By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Davide Sola and Martin Kupp
  • Why Some Start-Ups Fail to Scale By: Jeffrey Rayport and Curt Nickisch
  • Data Privacy in Practice at LinkedIn By: Iavor Bojinov, Marco Iansiti and Seth Neel
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College