Publications
Publications
- December 2021
- HBS Case Collection
Burning Glass Technologies: From Data to Product
By: Suraj Srinivasan and Amy Klopfenstein
Abstract
In May 2021, Matt Sigelman, CEO of Burning Glass Technologies, a company that provided labor market analytics for a variety of markets, navigates his company’s transition from data company to product company. Burning Glass originated as a service that used artificial intelligence to match resumes to job postings, then expanded to offer a comprehensive map of the labor market, and then ultimately developed models to provide insight into specific market segments, skills, geographies, college majors, and career paths. However, Sigelman believed that the company could have greater impact if it transformed from a company that sold data to a company that sold products based on its data. Rather than providing reports, the new products offered client companies specific suggestions based on their own labor force. After pivoting from a data company to a product company, Sigelman faced strategic decisions regarding scale, new product development, and competition. At the conclusion of the case, he must decide whether to continue licensing the company’s data or focus exclusively on developing and selling their new suite of products.
Keywords
Information Technology; Applications and Software; Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Strategy; Expansion; Business Strategy; Labor; Employment; Human Capital; Jobs and Positions; Job Design and Levels; Job Search; Human Resources; Selection and Staffing; Recruitment; Employees; Retention; Competency and Skills; Experience and Expertise; Talent and Talent Management; Analytics and Data Science; Business Model; Technology Industry; North and Central America; United States
Citation
Srinivasan, Suraj, and Amy Klopfenstein. "Burning Glass Technologies: From Data to Product." Harvard Business School Case 122-015, December 2021.