The Persistence of Shocks to Profitability

Anita M. McGahan; Michael E. Porter

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Article | Review of Economics and Statistics | February 1999

The Persistence of Shocks to Profitability

by Anita M. McGahan and Michael E. Porter

Abstract

In this study, we use data for 1981 through 1994 on a large sample of U.S. companies to examine the persistence of incremental industry, corporate-parent, and business-specific effects on profitability. Our results indicate that the incremental effects of industry on profitability persist longer than the incremental effects of the corporate parent and of the specific business. Changes in industry structure have a more persistent impact on profitability than do changes in firm structure.

Keywords: Profit; System Shocks; Strategy;

Format: Print

11 pages

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Citation:

McGahan, Anita M., and Michael E. Porter. "The Persistence of Shocks to Profitability." Review of Economics and Statistics 81, no. 1 (February 1999): 143–153.

About the Author

Michael E. Porter

Bishop William Lawrence University Professor

Strategy

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Case | HBS Case Collection | April 2018 (Revised September 2019)

Growing a Cluster: The Singapore Biomedical Sciences Initiative

Michael Porter and Christian H.M. Ketels

Citation:
Porter, Michael, and Christian H.M. Ketels. "Growing a Cluster: The Singapore Biomedical Sciences Initiative." Harvard Business School Case 718-428, April 2018. (Revised September 2019.) View Details

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Article | Health Affairs

Navy Medicine Introduces Value-Based Health Care

Alee Hernandez, Robert S. Kaplan, Mary L. Witkowski, C. Forrest Faison III and Michael E. Porter

In 2016 the newly appointed surgeon general of the Navy launched a value-based health care pilot project at Naval Hospital Jacksonville to explore whether multidisciplinary care teams (known as integrated practice units, or IPUs) and measurement of outcomes could improve the readiness of active duty personnel and lower the cost of delivering care to them, their dependents, and local retirees. This article describes the formation of the project’s leadership structure; the selection of four conditions to be treated (low back pain, osteoarthritis, diabetes, and high-risk pregnancy); the creation of the care team for each condition; outcomes and costs measured; and the near-term changes in outcomes during the twelve-month pilot period. Patient outcomes improved for three of the four conditions. We describe factors that contributed to the project’s success. After the pilot concluded, the Navy combined the back pain and osteoarthritis IPUs into a single musculoskeletal clinical unit and established a similar IPU at another naval hospital and its clinics. The diabetes IPU was continued, but the high-risk pregnancy IPU was not. We offer several observations on the elements that were key to the success of the project, explore challenges and opportunities, and suggest that the pilot described here could be taken to greater scale in the Military Health System and elsewhere.

Keywords: military health system; Health Care and Treatment; Cost Management; Projects;

Citation:
Hernandez, Alee, Robert S. Kaplan, Mary L. Witkowski, C. Forrest Faison III, and Michael E. Porter. "Navy Medicine Introduces Value-Based Health Care." Health Affairs 38, no. 8 (August 2019): 1393–1400. View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | March 2017 (Revised July 2019)

Walmart: Navigating a Changing Retail Landscape

Michael E. Porter and Jorge Ramirez-Vallejo

As the largest company, by revenue, in the world, Walmart has been a lightning rod for criticism. However, in an attempt to stay ahead of traditional and digital retailers, and keep customers satisfied with evolving demands, the company is strengthening its competitive advantage by creating Shared Value. Current CEO, Doug McMillon outlines his strategy for fending off competition, navigating a challenging retail landscape, and positioning Walmart as a leading retailer for today and the future.

Keywords: shared value; strategy; Retail industry; department stores; sustainability; social responsibility of business; Value Creation; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Retail Industry;

Citation:
Porter, Michael E., and Jorge Ramirez-Vallejo. "Walmart: Navigating a Changing Retail Landscape." Harvard Business School Case 717-474, March 2017. (Revised July 2019.) View Details

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The Persistence of Shocks to Profitability

Abstract

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