Skype

Peter A. Coles; Thomas R. Eisenmann

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Compilation | March 2006 (Revised December 2009)

Skype

by Peter A. Coles and Thomas R. Eisenmann

Abstract

Presents eBay's rationale for its $2.6 billion acquisition in late 2005 of Skype, a fast growing voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) provider. Describes Skype's history, technology, business model, and competition, as well as government regulation of VoIP services.

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Model; Communication Technology; Growth and Development Strategy; Network Effects; Competitive Strategy; Internet; Technology Networks; Telecommunications Industry;

Format: Print

19 pages

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Citation:

Coles, Peter A., and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Skype." Harvard Business School Compilation 806-165, March 2006. (Revised December 2009.)

About the Author

Thomas R. Eisenmann

Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration

Entrepreneurial Management

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Case | HBS Case Collection | March 2020

Poppy (B)

Thomas R. Eisenmann, Scott Duke Kominers, Jeff Huizinga and Allison Ciechanover

Avni Patel Thompson, founder and CEO of Poppy, an online marketplace for on-demand childcare, revisits the venture's final months, and discusses the steps she took in the wake of the shutdown. This case explores experiments the company conducted to refine its original business model, as well as how Patel Thompson rekindled her entrepreneurial ambitions. It is part two of an A and B case, the A case being: Poppy: A Modern Village for Childcare Case 818 075, November 2017.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Marketplace Matching; Business Model; Business Exit or Shutdown; Personal Development and Career; United States;

Citation:
Eisenmann, Thomas R., Scott Duke Kominers, Jeff Huizinga, and Allison Ciechanover. "Poppy (B)." Harvard Business School Case 820-715, March 2020. View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | March 2020

Aereo

Thomas R. Eisenmann and Jacey Taft

Aereo aimed to disrupt television program distribution by providing consumers access to local broadcast TV programming using offsite antennas, cloud-based DVRs, and an Internet connection. With Aereo, consumers could “cut the cord” and avoid the high cost of a cable TV subscription. Soon after launching service in NYC in 2012, Aereo was sued by broadcasters, who asserted that the startup was distributing their programs without permission — and without paying retransmission fees. After Federal District and Appeals Court victories for Aereo, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the startup in 2013, and it was shut down, after investing $97 million. The case looks at Aereo's journey and offers reflections from founder/CEO Chet Kanojia.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Failure; Lawsuits and Litigation; Internet; Media; United States;

Citation:
Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Jacey Taft. "Aereo." Harvard Business School Case 820-043, March 2020. View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2019 (Revised December 2019)

Anthony Soohoo at Dot & Bo: Bringing Storytelling to Furniture E-Commerce

Thomas R. Eisenmann, Allison M. Ciechanover and George Gonzalez

The case provides students an opportunity to examine the founding of an e-commerce startup that used storytelling and compelling images to sell furniture and home accessories to millennials. The case describes the rapid sales growth the company experienced, as well as the challenges it faced with operations, delivery, and order tracking. Finally, the protagonist is poised to raise a Series C financing he hopes will value the company at $200 million.

Keywords: e-commerce; Startups; furnishing; Leadership; Business Startups; Entrepreneurship; Internet; Failure; United States;

Citation:
Eisenmann, Thomas R., Allison M. Ciechanover, and George Gonzalez. "Anthony Soohoo at Dot & Bo: Bringing Storytelling to Furniture E-Commerce." Harvard Business School Case 820-036, September 2019. (Revised December 2019.) View Details

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Skype

Abstract

Citation:

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