The Economist

Felix  Oberholzer-Gee; Bharat N. Anand; Lizzie  Gomez

Case | HBS Case Collection | March 2010 (Revised July 2010)

The Economist

by Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Bharat N. Anand and Lizzie Gomez

Abstract

In 2009 the Economist continued to experience impressive growth and operating margins while many of its peers reeled from both a cyclical downturn and structural threats to print publishing. The case describes the history, organization, and business model of the Economist, and describes three issues confronting Andrew Rashbass, the group's chief executive: first, reevaluating the magazine's digital strategy; second, preparing for e-readers; and, third, positioning the company to exploit what the Economist described as an era of "Mass Intelligence" where more readers sought out sophisticated and challenging information sources.

Keywords: Business Model; Journals and Magazines; Growth and Development Strategy; Strategic Planning; Competitive Strategy; Online Technology; Publishing Industry; United Kingdom;

Format: Print

23 pages

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Citation:

Oberholzer-Gee, Felix, Bharat N. Anand, and Lizzie Gomez. "The Economist." Harvard Business School Case 710-441, March 2010. (Revised July 2010.)

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The Economist

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