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• Case | HBS Case Collection | January 2020 (Revised April 2020)

  Fossil Fuel Divestment

  Michael W. Toffel and Sarah Gulick

  The president of Harvard University is facing growing pressure from students, alumni, and other climate change activists that are urging the university to divest its multi-billion dollar endowment from fossil fuel companies. The case summarizes the arguments for and against Harvard divesting, examining past examples of Harvard’s investment decisions and the financial implications of divestment.

  Keywords: divestment; Higher Education; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Public Opinion; Education Industry;

  Citation:

  Toffel, Michael W., and Sarah Gulick. "Fossil Fuel Divestment." Harvard Business School Case 620-093, January 2020. (Revised April 2020.)  View Details

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• Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | April 2020

  Indigo Agriculture: Harnessing Nature

  Michael W. Toffel and James Barnett

  Indigo Agriculture used a digital-enabled research and development (R&D) process to launch its initial product, microbial coatings for agricultural seeds, which increase crop yields while reducing the need for fertilizers. In doing so, the company developed direct relationships with farmers, in contrast to typical agricultural supply chains that use intermediaries. The company then launched a marketplace platform to link growers directly to crop buyers, again disintermediating the market. Indigo Agriculture is now considering launching an initiative to incentivize farmers to engage in regenerative agricultural practices by setting up a carbon market that could pay them for sequestering carbon into their soils. If scaled globally, the idea could sequester as much as one trillion tons (a teraton) of carbon dioxide from the earth’s atmosphere into agricultural soils, but pursing the idea has many risks.

  Keywords: Operations; Supply Chain; Social Enterprise; Product Development; Distribution Channels; Business Strategy; Market Platforms; Science-Based Business; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Green Technology Industry; United States; Massachusetts;

  Citation:

  Toffel, Michael W., and James Barnett. "Indigo Agriculture: Harnessing Nature." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 620-075, April 2020.  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2017 (Revised March 2020)

  Flex Hungary: Launching Production (A)

  Willy Shih

  This case examines design choices in the construction of flow lines. Flow lines are a popular way of arranging production because they are simple and inherently efficient. Equipment or workstations are arranged according to the sequence of steps in which a product is made. Each step consists of a set of tasks that individually are minimum rational work elements. These are combined to form the work assignment associated with the step. The work follows the same sequence of operations as it moves down the line, and the sequence is fixed from batch to batch. The case setting is a production site in Hungary that is starting up the production of a personal beverage maker. Should the team implement a conveyor-paced line in preference to a manual pull system? An analysis of process steps and times gives students an opportunity to debate this question.

  Keywords: manufacturing; line-balancing; flow line; conveyor-paced line; consumer goods; consumer products; Production management; Production Planning; Production scheduling; Operations; Production; Management; Supply Chain; Design; Analysis; Goods and Commodities; Consumer Products Industry; Manufacturing Industry; European Union;

  Citation:

  Shih, Willy. "Flex Hungary: Launching Production (A)." Harvard Business School Case 618-002, August 2017. (Revised March 2020.)  View Details

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