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PON – Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School - https://www.pon.harvard.edu

Team-Building Strategies: Building a Winning Team for Your Organization

Discover how to build a winning team and boost your business negotiation results in this free special report, Team Building Strategies for Your Organization, from Harvard Law School.

Best-In-Class Negotiation Case Studies

Negotiation case studies to help you improve your negotiation training and instruction.

By Lara SanPietro — on August 5th, 2019 / Teaching Negotiation

What’s one of the best ways to teach the art and science of negotiation? Negotiation case studies that spark lively discussion or facilitate self-reflection. Based on real-world examples, these teaching resources are designed to help students envision how to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom and beyond.

The Teaching Negotiation Resource Center (TNRC) at the Program on Negotiation offers negotiation case studies from renowned authors who’ve negotiated trade agreements, aided peace treaties, and handled many other high-stakes deals. By drawing on their own experiences, they’ve crafted negotiation case studies that are authentic, compelling, and enlightening.

Two of the TNRC’s most useful negotiation case studies are Negotiating About Pandas for San Diego Zoo and The Mariyinsky Palace Negotiations .

Featured Negotiation Case Studies

Negotiating about pandas for san diego zoo.

How do you negotiate from a position of relative weakness? It’s a question that plagues negotiation students and professionals alike. This case tackles the issue head-on with a negotiation between the executive director of an American zoo and China, the only country in the world that has giant pandas.

If that’s not challenging enough, the case becomes more complex when the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and nongovernmental (NGO) conservation groups get involved. Based on actual negotiations, this three-part case offers lessons for business, law and government students as well as professionals. By working on this case, participants can learn to:

• Pay attention to the “big picture” and the creation of frameworks (formulas) that structure a transaction or relationship between parties
• Identify different sources of bargaining power and BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement)
• Handle uncomfortable topics or tasks in creative, tactful ways that are sensitive to the parties’ relationship
• Respond effectively to extreme demands from a counterpart
• Consider when (if, how) to incorporate cultural factors in plans for negotiation

The Mariyinsky Palace Negotiations

A factual case study based on the disputed 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, The Mariyinsky Palace Negotiations: Maintaining Peace Throughout the Ukraine’s Orange Revolution offers a rich illustration of complex multiparty negotiation dynamics.

This case study, which is based on extensive research and interviews with key observers, offers an account of the factors that contributed to the contested first runoff election, unprecedented second runoff election, and victory for opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko. An advanced teaching tool, Mariyinsky Palace Negotiations features a comprehensive exploration of:

• Sophisticated negotiation techniques
• Coalitional and other multi-party dynamics
• The pressure of constituencies and the role of third-party facilitators
• The influence of external events on the negotiations

Take your Training to the Next Level with the TNRC

The Teaching Negotiation Resource Center offers a wide range of effective teaching materials, including

• Over 200 role-play simulations
• Critical negotiation case studies
• Enlightening periodicals
• More than 30 videos
• 100-plus books

Most TNRC materials are designed for educational purposes— for use in college classrooms or corporate training settings. TNRC cases and exercises help mediators and facilitators introduce their clients to a processor issue and help individuals who want to enhance their negotiation skills and knowledge .

Negotiation case studies introduce participants to new negotiation and dispute resolution tools, techniques and strategies. Videos are also a helpful way of introducing viewers to key concepts, and TNRC books , role-play simulations , and periodicals address the theory and practice of negotiation and conflict management.

Check out all that the TNRC has in store >>

Originally published in 2014.

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• Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate Salary: Learn the Best Techniques to Help You Manage the Most Difficult Salary Negotiations and What You Need to Know When Asking for a Raise
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Preparing for negotiation.

Understanding how to arrange the meeting space is a key aspect of preparing for negotiation. In this video, Professor Guhan Subramanian discusses a real world example of how seating arrangements can influence a negotiator’s success. This discussion was held at the 3 day executive education workshop for senior executives at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.

Guhan Subramanian is the Professor of Law and Business at the Harvard Law School and Professor of Business Law at the Harvard Business School.

Articles & Insights

• Managing Difficult Negotiators
• Learning from BATNA Examples in Negotiation
• Power and Negotiation: Advice on First Offers
• 10 Hard-Bargaining Tactics to Watch Out for in a Negotiation
• The Good Cop, Bad Cop Negotiation Strategy
• How to Set Negotiation Goals as a Manager
• Signing Bonus Negotiation 101
• Top 10 Notable Negotiations of 2022
• Framing in Negotiation
• Negotiation Tactics, BATNA and Examples for Creating Value in Business Negotiations
• How Conflict Examples Can Teach Us to Listen
• Business Conflict Management
• Conflict Resolution Examples in History: Learning from Nuclear Disarmament
• Strategies to Resolve Conflict over Deeply Held Values
• How to Handle Conflict in Teams: Lessons from Scientific Collaborations
• AI Negotiation in the News
• Crisis Negotiation Skills: The Hostage Negotiator’s Drill
• Police Negotiation Techniques from the NYPD Crisis Negotiations Team
• Famous Negotiations Cases – NBA and the Power of Deadlines at the Bargaining Table
• Negotiating Change During the Covid-19 Pandemic
• Dealing with Difficult People and Negotiation: When Should You Give Up the Fight?
• Managing Difficult Employees: Listening to Learn
• Dealing with Hardball Tactics in Negotiation
• Dealing with Difficult People: Coping with an Insulting Offer in Contract Negotiations
• When Dealing with Difficult People, Look Inward
• Negotiating Skills: Learn How to Build Trust at the Negotiation Table
• What is Distributive Negotiation and Five Proven Strategies
• Dear Negotiation Coach: How Should I Handle an Early Offer Negotiation?
• Managing a Multiparty Negotiation
• MESO Negotiation: The Benefits of Making Multiple Equivalent Simultaneous Offers in Business Negotiations
• In Contract Negotiations, Agree on How You’ll Disagree
• Union Strikes and Dispute Resolution Strategies
• The Importance of Power in Negotiations: Taylor Swift Shakes it Off
• Settling Out of Court: Negotiating in the Shadow of the Law
• How to Negotiate with Friends and Family
• Cross Cultural Communication: Translation and Negotiation
• Famous Negotiators: Tony Blair’s 10 Principles to Guide Diplomats in International Conflict Resolution
• What is the Multi-Door Courthouse Concept
• Famous Negotiators: Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin
• The Importance of Relationship Building in China
• Moral Leadership: Do Women Negotiate More Ethically than Men?
• What Is Facilitative Leadership?
• What Is Collective Leadership?
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Leadership Styles: Uncovering Bias and Generating Mutual Gains
• Leadership and Decision-Making: Empowering Better Decisions
• Employee Mediation Techniques – Resolve Disputes and Manage Conflict with These Mediation Skills
• How Mediation Works When Both Parties Agree They Need Help Resolving the Dispute
• Negotiations and Logrolling: Discover Opportunities to Generate Mutual Gains
• Using E-Mediation and Online Mediation Techniques for Conflict Resolution
• Undecided on Your Dispute Resolution Process? Combine Mediation and Arbitration, Known as Med-Arb
• Six Guidelines for “Getting to Yes”
• When a Job Offer is “Nonnegotiable”
• Emotional Intelligence as a Negotiating Skill
• Principled Negotiation: Focus on Interests to Create Value
• Power in Negotiation: The Impact on Negotiators and the Negotiation Process
• 3-D Negotiation Strategy
• Use a Negotiation Preparation Worksheet for Continuous Improvement
• The Importance of a Relationship in Negotiation
• Collaborative Negotiation Examples: Tenants and Landlords
• Ethics and Negotiation: 5 Principles of Negotiation to Boost Your Bargaining Skills in Business Situations
• Are Salary Negotiation Skills Different for Men and Women?
• How to Ask for a Salary Increase
• How to Negotiate Salary: 3 Winning Strategies
• How to Negotiate a Higher Salary
• Setting Standards in Negotiations
• 5 Win-Win Negotiation Strategies
• What is a Win-Win Negotiation?
• Win-Win Negotiation: Managing Your Counterpart’s Satisfaction
• Win-Lose Negotiation Examples
• How to Negotiate Mutually Beneficial Noncompete Agreements

PON Publications

• Negotiation Data Repository (NDR)
• New Frontiers, New Roleplays: Next Generation Teaching and Training
• Negotiating Transboundary Water Agreements
• Learning from Practice to Teach for Practice—Reflections From a Novel Training Series for International Climate Negotiators
• Insights From PON’s Great Negotiators and the American Secretaries of State Program
• Gender and Privilege in Negotiation

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Negotiation

The teaching cases in this section introduce students to the theory and practice of negotiation by emphasizing both analytical and interpersonal skills. Several lessons can be found, including how to trade on differences to create value, overcome a status and power imbalance, build a multi-party coalition, and balance the demands of internal vs. external negotiations.

Tackling Homelessness and Addiction: Coalition-Building in Manchester, New Hampshire Practitioner Guide

Publication Date: May 28, 2024

This practitioner guide accompanies HKS Case 2285.0. Elected at the height of the opioid epidemic, Mayor Joyce Craig came to represent the city of Manchester, New Hampshire as it grappled with the dual tragedies of substance use disorders and...

Tackling Homelessness and Addiction: Coalition-Building in Manchester, New Hampshire

Elected at the height of the opioid epidemic, Mayor Joyce Craig came to represent the city of Manchester, New Hampshire as it grappled with the dual tragedies of substance use disorders and chronic homelessness. An idealist in a state that...

Confronting Constraints: Shashi Verma & Transport for London Tackle a Tough Contract Sequel

Publication Date: December 19. 2023

This sequel accompanies HKS Case 2275.0, "Conflicting Constraints: Shashi Verma &Transport for London Tackle a Tough Contract."  The case introduces Shashi Verma (MPP 97) in 2006, soon after he has received a plum appointment: Director...

Confronting Constraints: Shashi Verma & Transport for London Tackle a Tough Contract

The case introduces Shashi Verma (MPP 97) in 2006, soon after he has received a plum appointment: Director of Fares and Ticketing for London's super agency, Transport for London. The centerpiece of the agency's ticketing operation was the Oyster...

Evelyn Diop

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

 Evelyn is a seasoned nonprofit fundraising professional with roots in the corporate world, who thrives when faced with a strategic challenge. While she had been successfully leading change as a chief development officer (CDO) at...

Leadership and Negotiation: Ending the Western Hemisphere’s Longest Running Border Conflict

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

For centuries, Ecuador and Peru each claimed sovereignty over a historically significant, but sparsely inhabited tract of borderland in the Amazonian highlands. The heavily disputed area had led the two nations to war—or the brink of...

Galvis City Schools Collective Bargaining Simulation

Publication Date: June 8, 2022

This is a seven-party exercise, with six negotiators and one facilitator. Representatives from a large school district and its affiliated teachers’ union must negotiate for three rounds. The Mayor serves as a facilitator and convening...

Briefing Sheet: “Be SURE” You Are Prepared to Negotiate WELL

Publication Date: May 6, 2022

This briefing sheet reviews a four-step “Be SURE” negotiation preparation framework. It was developed to complement educational and resource materials accessible through the HKS SLATE Negotiate WELL (Work, Education, Life, and...

When Gender Matters in Organizational Negotiations

Publication Date: March 18, 2022

Learning Objective:The overarching learning objective is to help students recognize the situational circumstances that moderate gender effects in negotiation. Core lessons include: (a) A person’s gender is not a reliable predictor of their...

Negotiate WELL (Work, Education, Life, & Leadership): A Strategic Preparation Workbook

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

The Strategic Preparation Workbook guides students in preparing for a work or life negotiation so that they are more likely to succeed in negotiations. The Workbook outlines a four-part process in preparing for a negotiation and finishes with...

Maryam Hassan

Publication Date: March 8, 2021

Maryam and Sameer, brother and sister, were searching for an apartment in Hitech City, Hyderabad. Recent college graduates who were now starting jobs with high-profile technology firms, they wanted to lease an apartment together. The case...

Shahana Patel

Shahana had just received a job offer from a trendy global startup in India, but she was getting married in five months and wanted to negotiate for a short leave for the wedding and a transfer to the company’s Hong Kong office to be with...

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Negotiation strategies

• Change management
• Competitive strategy
• Corporate strategy
• Customer strategy

Negotiation Strategies for a Downturn

• Mark Gordon and Danny Ertel
• April 08, 2008

Ask JPMorgan’s Dimon: Not Everyone Follows the Leader

• Barbara Kellerman
• March 25, 2008

Extreme Negotiations

• Aram Donigian
• Jonathan Hughes
• From the November 2010 Issue

The Case for Plain-Language Contracts

• Shawn Burton
• From the January–February 2018 Issue

Betting on the Future: The Virtues of Contingent Contracts

• Max H. Bazerman
• James J. Gillespie
• From the September–October 1999 Issue

When and How To Let a Conflict Go

• Jeanne Brett
• Jeanne M Brett
• June 10, 2014

Shrinking Fast and Smart in the Defense Industry

• Jerrold T. Lundquist
• From the November–December 1992 Issue

Living Agreements for a Risky World

• Ryan J. Orr
• From the April 2006 Issue

A Playbook for Negotiators in the Social Media Era

• James K. Sebenius
• Ron Fortgang
• Isaac Silberberg
• April 16, 2021

How to Build an Exit Ramp for Trump Supporters

• Deepak Malhotra
• October 14, 2016

Nice Girls Don't Ask

• Linda Babcock
• Sara Laschever
• Michele Gelfand
• Deborah Small
• October 01, 2003

How to Negotiate with Someone More Powerful than You

• Carolyn O'Hara
• June 06, 2014

Complex Negotiations: Microsoft and Yahoo, Act II

• Christina Bielaszka-DuVernay
• May 05, 2008

Getting to Si, Ja, Oui, Hai, and Da

• From the December 2015 Issue

The Labor-Savvy Leader

• Roy E Bahat
• Thomas A Kochan
• Liba Wenig Rubenstein
• From the July–August 2023 Issue

When to Walk Away from a Deal

• Geoffrey Cullinan
• Jean-Marc Le Roux
• Rolf-Magnus Weddigen
• From the April 2004 Issue

3 of the Most Common Challenges Women Face in Negotiations

• Mara Olekalns
• Ruchi Sinha
• Carol T. Kulik
• September 30, 2019

Negotiation on the Eve of Battle

• Michael A. Wheeler
• June 05, 2014

Empathetic Negotiation Saved My Company

• Charalambos Vlachoutsicos
• October 24, 2013

Research: When You Don't Have an Alternative in a Negotiation, Try Imagining One

• Michael Schaerer
• Martin Schweinsberg
• Roderick Swaab
• April 19, 2018

Enron Development Corp.: The Dabhol Power Project in Maharashtra, India (A)

• V. Kasturi Rangan
• Krishna G. Palepu
• Sarayu Srinivasan
• Mihir A. Desai
• May 10, 1996

V-Cola: Confidential Instructions for Connie Sultant "New media" Consultant

• Ian I. Larkin
• Hallam Movius
• March 27, 2012

An Tai Bao Coal Mining Project

• W. Carl Kester
• Richard P. Melnick
• June 29, 1988

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: Confidential Information for Negotiation with Keurig

• Thomas R. Eisenmann
• Shikhar Ghosh
• December 09, 2011

Melissa Wood Health: How to Win in the Creator Economy

• Eva Ascarza
• May 27, 2021

Negotiation Exercise on Tradeable Pollution Allowances: Group C, Utility #4

• Willis M. Emmons
• December 21, 1992

US Private Equity Firms: ESG and Impact (A)

• Lynn Sharp Paine
• Holly Fetter
• August 13, 2020

Pepperoni Lovers: A Negotiation Simulation: Role For the Purchasing Manager of Oris Pizza

• Marco Azuero
• Margarita Canal
• May 05, 2021

Honoring the Contract: Role for YOUReka

• Andrew Wasynczuk
• Francesca Gino
• Karen Huang
• February 10, 2016
• Julie Makinen
• Mike Speiser
• Mark Leslie
• December 01, 2017

Maritz Automotive

• Brian J. Hall
• Lamar Pierce
• Ashley V. Whillans
• March 05, 2020

Pixability: Bettina's Board Walk

• Noam Wasserman
• August 26, 2013

Inclusion and Diversity at Mars Petcare

• Katherine Coffman
• January 25, 2023

Otis Elevator Co.: China Joint Venture (E2)

• Michael Y. Yoshino
• September 23, 1994

Salt Harbor: Confidential Information for Easterly

• December 20, 1999

Discount and Hawkins: Critical Moments, Full Transcript

• Gillian Morris
• November 15, 2001

Atlanta Ransomware Attack (B)

• Amit Goldenberg
• Julian J. Zlatev
• August 24, 2022

Owen Rankin at J&J and the Olympic Games: Let the Games Begin (A)

• Paul J Simko
• Marc W. Modica
• Gerry Yemen
• November 11, 2015

Private Equity Finance Vignettes: 2014

• Paul A. Gompers
• J. Daniel Kim
• July 25, 2012

Dr. Sergio Ceccuzzi and SMI: Negotiating Cross-Border Acquisitions in Europe (B)

• January 14, 1997

When to Team Up with Your Competition

• Curt Nickisch
• Barry Nalebuff
• December 08, 2020

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Developing Negotiation Case Studies

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James K. Sebenius

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Overcoming Barriers to Resolving Gaza and Beyond

Christiana figueres and the paris climate negotiations (a), christiana figueres and the paris climate negotiations (b).

• Overcoming Barriers to Resolving Gaza and Beyond  By: James K. Sebenius
• Christiana Figueres and the Paris Climate Negotiations (A)  By: James K. Sebenius, Laurence A. Green, Hannah Riley-Bowles, Lara SanPietro and Mina Subramanian
• Christiana Figueres and the Paris Climate Negotiations (B)  By: James K. Sebenius, Laurence A. Green, Hannah Riley-Bowles, Lara SanPietro and Mina Subramanian

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Management →

• 04 Jun 2024
• Research & Ideas

Navigating Consumer Data Privacy in an AI World

Consumers expect companies to do everything they can to protect their personal data, but breaches continue to happen at an alarming rate. Eva Ascarza and Ta-Wei Huang say companies must take bold steps to proactively manage customers’ sensitive data if they want to earn trust and remain competitive.

• 07 May 2024
• Cold Call Podcast

Lessons in Business Innovation from Legendary Restaurant elBulli

Ferran Adrià, chef at legendary Barcelona-based restaurant elBulli, was facing two related decisions. First, he and his team must continue to develop new and different dishes for elBulli to guarantee a continuous stream of innovation, the cornerstone of the restaurant's success. But they also need to focus on growing the restaurant’s business. Can the team balance both objectives? Professor Michael I. Norton discusses the connections between creativity, emotions, rituals, and innovation – and how they can be applied to other domains – in the case, “elBulli: The Taste of Innovation,” and his new book, The Ritual Effect.

• 26 Apr 2024

Deion Sanders' Prime Lessons for Leading a Team to Victory

The former star athlete known for flash uses unglamorous command-and-control methods to get results as a college football coach. Business leaders can learn 10 key lessons from the way 'Coach Prime' builds a culture of respect and discipline without micromanaging, says Hise Gibson.

• 02 Apr 2024
• What Do You Think?

What's Enough to Make Us Happy?

Experts say happiness is often derived by a combination of good health, financial wellbeing, and solid relationships with family and friends. But are we forgetting to take stock of whether we have enough of these things? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Employees Out Sick? Inside One Company's Creative Approach to Staying Productive

Regular absenteeism can hobble output and even bring down a business. But fostering a collaborative culture that brings managers together can help companies weather surges of sick days and no-shows. Research by Jorge Tamayo shows how.

• 12 Mar 2024

Publish or Perish: What the Research Says About Productivity in Academia

Universities tend to evaluate professors based on their research output, but does that measure reflect the realities of higher ed? A study of 4,300 professors by Kyle Myers, Karim Lakhani, and colleagues probes the time demands, risk appetite, and compensation of faculty.

• 29 Feb 2024

Beyond Goals: David Beckham's Playbook for Mobilizing Star Talent

Reach soccer's pinnacle. Become a global brand. Buy a team. Sign Lionel Messi. David Beckham makes success look as easy as his epic free kicks. But leveraging world-class talent takes discipline and deft decision-making, as case studies by Anita Elberse reveal. What could other businesses learn from his ascent?

• 16 Feb 2024

Is Your Workplace Biased Against Introverts?

Extroverts are more likely to express their passion outwardly, giving them a leg up when it comes to raises and promotions, according to research by Jon Jachimowicz. Introverts are just as motivated and excited about their work, but show it differently. How can managers challenge their assumptions?

• 05 Feb 2024

The Middle Manager of the Future: More Coaching, Less Commanding

Skilled middle managers foster collaboration, inspire employees, and link important functions at companies. An analysis of more than 35 million job postings by Letian Zhang paints a counterintuitive picture of today's midlevel manager. Could these roles provide an innovation edge?

• 24 Jan 2024

Why Boeing’s Problems with the 737 MAX Began More Than 25 Years Ago

Aggressive cost cutting and rocky leadership changes have eroded the culture at Boeing, a company once admired for its engineering rigor, says Bill George. What will it take to repair the reputational damage wrought by years of crises involving its 737 MAX?

• 16 Jan 2024

How SolarWinds Responded to the 2020 SUNBURST Cyberattack

In December of 2020, SolarWinds learned that they had fallen victim to hackers. Unknown actors had inserted malware called SUNBURST into a software update, potentially granting hackers access to thousands of its customers’ data, including government agencies across the globe and the US military. General Counsel Jason Bliss needed to orchestrate the company’s response without knowing how many of its 300,000 customers had been affected, or how severely. What’s more, the existing CEO was scheduled to step down and incoming CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna had yet to come on board. Bliss needed to immediately communicate the company’s action plan with customers and the media. In this episode of Cold Call, Professor Frank Nagle discusses SolarWinds’ response to this supply chain attack in the case, “SolarWinds Confronts SUNBURST.”

• 02 Jan 2024

Do Boomerang CEOs Get a Bad Rap?

Several companies have brought back formerly successful CEOs in hopes of breathing new life into their organizations—with mixed results. But are we even measuring the boomerang CEOs' performance properly? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

• 12 Dec 2023

COVID Tested Global Supply Chains. Here’s How They’ve Adapted

A global supply chain reshuffling is underway as companies seek to diversify their distribution networks in response to pandemic-related shocks, says research by Laura Alfaro. What do these shifts mean for American businesses and buyers?

• 05 Dec 2023

What Founders Get Wrong about Sales and Marketing

Which sales candidate is a startup’s ideal first hire? What marketing channels are best to invest in? How aggressively should an executive team align sales with customer success? Senior Lecturer Mark Roberge discusses how early-stage founders, sales leaders, and marketing executives can address these challenges as they grow their ventures in the case, “Entrepreneurial Sales and Marketing Vignettes.”

• 31 Oct 2023

Checking Your Ethics: Would You Speak Up in These 3 Sticky Situations?

Would you complain about a client who verbally abuses their staff? Would you admit to cutting corners on your work? The answers aren't always clear, says David Fubini, who tackles tricky scenarios in a series of case studies and offers his advice from the field.

• 12 Sep 2023

Can Remote Surgeries Digitally Transform Operating Rooms?

Launched in 2016, Proximie was a platform that enabled clinicians, proctors, and medical device company personnel to be virtually present in operating rooms, where they would use mixed reality and digital audio and visual tools to communicate with, mentor, assist, and observe those performing medical procedures. The goal was to improve patient outcomes. The company had grown quickly, and its technology had been used in tens of thousands of procedures in more than 50 countries and 500 hospitals. It had raised close to $50 million in equity financing and was now entering strategic partnerships to broaden its reach. Nadine Hachach-Haram, founder and CEO of Proximie, aspired for Proximie to become a platform that powered every operating room in the world, but she had to carefully consider the company’s partnership and data strategies in order to scale. What approach would position the company best for the next stage of growth? Harvard Business School associate professor Ariel Stern discusses creating value in health care through a digital transformation of operating rooms in her case, “Proximie: Using XR Technology to Create Borderless Operating Rooms.”

• 28 Aug 2023

The Clock Is Ticking: 3 Ways to Manage Your Time Better

Life is short. Are you using your time wisely? Leslie Perlow, Arthur Brooks, and DJ DiDonna offer time management advice to help you work smarter and live happier.

• 15 Aug 2023

Ryan Serhant: How to Manage Your Time for Happiness

Real estate entrepreneur, television star, husband, and father Ryan Serhant is incredibly busy and successful. He starts his days at 4:00 am and often doesn’t end them until 11:00 pm. But, it wasn’t always like that. In 2020, just a few months after the US began to shut down in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, Serhant had time to reflect on his career as a real estate broker in New York City, wondering if the period of selling real estate at record highs was over. He considered whether he should stay at his current real estate brokerage or launch his own brokerage during a pandemic? Each option had very different implications for his time and flexibility. Professor Ashley Whillans and her co-author Hawken Lord (MBA 2023) discuss Serhant’s time management techniques and consider the lessons we can all learn about making time our most valuable commodity in the case, “Ryan Serhant: Time Management for Repeatable Success.”

• 08 Aug 2023

The Rise of Employee Analytics: Productivity Dream or Micromanagement Nightmare?

"People analytics"—using employee data to make management decisions—could soon transform the workplace and hiring, but implementation will be critical, says Jeffrey Polzer. After all, do managers really need to know about employees' every keystroke?

• 01 Aug 2023

Can Business Transform Primary Health Care Across Africa?

mPharma, headquartered in Ghana, is trying to create the largest pan-African health care company. Their mission is to provide primary care and a reliable and fairly priced supply of drugs in the nine African countries where they operate. Co-founder and CEO Gregory Rockson needs to decide which component of strategy to prioritize in the next three years. His options include launching a telemedicine program, expanding his pharmacies across the continent, and creating a new payment program to cover the cost of common medications. Rockson cares deeply about health equity, but his venture capital-financed company also must be profitable. Which option should he focus on expanding? Harvard Business School Professor Regina Herzlinger and case protagonist Gregory Rockson discuss the important role business plays in improving health care in the case, “mPharma: Scaling Access to Affordable Primary Care in Africa.”

Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health

Learn how a Culture of Health can transform your business to improve the well-being of your employees and company, while increasing revenue.

Associated Schools

Harvard Business School

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

What you'll learn.

The business case to adopt a Culture of Health

The ways you are already involved in health, whether you realize it or not

How to implement a Culture of Health in your business to gain a competitive advantage

How to reduce costs, increase revenues, and enhance your business’s reputation using a Culture of Health

Real-world examples of Culture of Health implementation that could apply to your business

Course description

While the United States is one of the world’s wealthiest nations, it is far from the healthiest. Our nation’s burden of disease affects businesses every day, from sick employees and families reducing productivity and increasing costs, to product recalls and failures, to environmental scandals such as toxic chemical emissions harming communities and reputations.

Named Runner Up for Best Online Program of 2018 by ProEd, this HarvardX course is presented by leading faculty from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Business School and will provide businesses with strategies, tactics, and tools to gain a competitive advantage by implementing a Culture of Health to address these issues and stay ahead. Embracing a Culture of Health can improve your employees’ well-being as well as the health of your consumers, your communities, and the environment. A Culture of Health can help you to reduce costs, increase revenues and profits, and enhance your company’s reputation. 

For example, employees who work in a healthy and safe environment spend less time away from work for health reasons, decreasing interruptions, while increasing output and employee retention. When employees and customers spend less on health care, they have more disposable income to spend on non–health care needs, boosting the economy, and benefiting your business.

Strengthening your business using the Culture of Health approach will enhance the greater good by promoting well-being—benefitting society, your business and employees, your customers and communities, and you.

Course Outline

Introduction to the Culture of Health

Why should business care about good health? See how your business connects to health and well-being, and learn the Four Pillars framework. 

• Lead Faculty: Howard Koh (HSPH, HKS) and Amy Edmondson (HBS)
• Guest Faculty: John Quelch, Dean of the School of Business Administration and Vice Provost for Executive Education, University of Miami
• Guest Speaker: Mike Critelli, Retired Chief Executive Officer, Pitney Bowes
• Case Study: Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

Pillar 1: Your Consumers’ Health

Why the health and well-being of your consumers and customers matter to the health and well-being of your business.

• Lead Faculty: John McDonough (HSPH) and Jose Alvarez (HBS)
• Guest Speaker: Troyen Brennan, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health
• Case Study: H-E-B Creating a Movement to Reduce Obesity in Texas

Pillar 2: Your Employees’ Health

Why the health, safety, and well-being of your employees is about a lot more than just dollars and cents.

• Lead Faculty: Glorian Sorensen (HSPH) and Robert Huckman (HBS)
• Guest Speakers:
• Mike Critelli, Retired Chief Executive Officer, Pitney Bowes
• Dave Lagerstrom, President and Chief Executive Officer, TURCK Inc.
• Nico Pronk, President, HealthPartners Institute; Chief Science Officer, HealthPartners, Inc.
• Paul Terry, President and Chief Executive Officer, Health Enhancement Research Organization

Pillar 3: Your Community's Health

Why caring about the well-being of your host communities is vital for your business success.

• Lead Faculty: Kasisomayajula Vishwanath (HSPH) and Raffaella Sadun (HBS)
• David Barash, Executive Director, Global Health Portfolio; Chief Medical Officer, GE Foundation
• Lauren Smith, Managing Director, FSG
• Jonathan Isaacson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Gemline, Inc.
• Dan Rivera, Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts
• Case Study: Business and Community Partnerships for Health in Lawrence, Massachusetts

Pillar 4: Our Environment

How addressing your environmental footprint can make or break your business.

• Lead Faculty: Gina McCarthy (HSPH) and Cass Sunstein (HLS, HKS)

Does any of this involve Y-O-U? As a colleague, a spouse, a parent, a neighbor, and a leader? Y-E-S! 

• Lead Faculty: Elizabeth Frates (HMS)  
• Guest Speaker:
• John Ratey, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
• Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
• Case Study: David Storto, Chief Executive Officer, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Measuring Your Success

How can your business measure your results in leading for better health and well-being?

• Lead Faculty: Eileen McNeely (HSPH) and George Serafeim (HBS)
• Guest Faculty: Tyler VanderWeele, Professor of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Case Study: Flourishing Index

Leading for Change

Tools and examples of leading for improvement and change in your business. 

• Lead Faculty: Sara Singer (Stanford University) and Rakesh Khurana (HBS, Harvard College)
• Guest Speaker: Drew Faust, President Emeritus, Harvard University
• Case Study: PepsiCo

Making It Happen

Practical ways to get started and to sustain progress in your business.

• Guest Faculty: Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business, Harvard Business School
• Byron Austin, Director, Social Impact and Responsibility North America at Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.
• Martin Lemos, Deputy Director at National Young Farmers Coalition
• Mark Tulay, Program Director, Strategic Investor Initiative, CECP

Instructors

Amy Edmondson

John McDonough

Jose Alvarez

Glorian Sorensen

Robert Huckman

Kasisomayajula Viswanath

Raffaella Sadun

Gina McCarthy

Cass Sunstein

Elizabeth Frates

Eileen McNeely

George Serafeim

Sara Singer

Rakesh Khurana

John Quelch

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

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Digital Marketing Strategy

Key concepts, who will benefit, marketing professionals, non-marketing professionals, entrepreneurs.

What You Earn

Certificate of Completion

Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online

Earn by: completing this course

Marketing in the Digital Era

• DTC Brands: Fad or Disruption?
• DTC Brands: Innovations and Challenges, Part I
• DTC Brands: Innovations and Challenges, Part II
• Incumbent Responses

Featured Exercises

Crafting a digital marketing plan.

• Setting Objectives
• Defining Target Audience
• Determining Value Proposition
• Identifying Metrics

Acquiring Customers, Part 1: Paid Media

• The Challenges of Reaching and Acquiring Customers Online
• Search Advertising
• Display Advertising
• Utilizing Paid Media Channels
• Measuring Paid Media

Acquiring Customers, Part II: Owned and Earned Media

• Owned Media
• Earned Media
• Influencer Marketing

Engaging Customers

• Personalization
• From Storytelling to Story-Making
• Connecting Customers and Building Community

Allocating Budget and Measuring Success

• Budget Allocation
• Customer Lifetime Value
• Adobe Simulation
• The Future of Marketing

How to Formulate a Successful Business Strategy

Our difference, about the professor.

Sunil Gupta Digital Marketing Strategy

Dates & eligibility.

No current course offerings for this selection.

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course.

Learn about bringing this course to your organization .

Learner Stories

Digital Marketing Strategy FAQs

What are the learning requirements in order to successfully complete the course, and how are grades assigned.

Participants in Digital Marketing Strategy are eligible for a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School Online.

Participants are expected to fully complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner. This will mean meeting each week’s course module deadlines and fully answering questions posed therein. This helps ensure your cohort proceeds through the course at a similar pace and can take full advantage of social learning opportunities. In addition to module and assignment completion, we expect participation in the social learning elements of the course by offering feedback on others’ reflections and contributing to conversations on the platform. Participants who fail to complete the course requirements will not receive a certificate and will not be eligible to retake the course.

More detailed information on course requirements, including the Adobe Data Driven Operating Model Simulation (one of the assignments), will be communicated at the start of the course. No grades are assigned for Digital Marketing Strategy. Participants will either be evaluated as complete or not complete.

Can you tell me a little more about the budget allocation simulation?

The budget allocation simulation (Adobe Data Driven Operating Model Simulation) will be part of module 6 of the course. It is similar to a mini capstone experience, in that it encourages participants to draw on their knowledge from the rest of the course to make investment decisions in the simulation. It is the very same simulation included in the MBA program's required curriculum marketing course, and, while designed to be challenging, it is ungraded and assessed based on completion. We recommend budgeting approximately 1.5 hours to complete the simulation. Full instructions for how to complete the simulation will be provided to course registrants.

What materials will I have access to after completing Digital Marketing Strategy?

You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final deadline in the program.

How should I list my certificate on my resume?

Once you've earned your Certificate of Completion, list it on your resume along with the date of completion:

Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Digital Marketing Strategy [Cohort Start Month and Year]

List your certificate on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page:

School: Harvard Business School Online Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program] Degree: Other; Certificate in Digital Marketing Strategy Field of Study: Leave blank Grade: "Complete" Activities and Societies: Leave blank

Description:

Digital Marketing Strategy is a 7-week, 35-40 hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. Digital Marketing Strategy equips professionals with the tools, mindset, and trends to make decisions about digital marketing strategy and tactics, including how to position a product or service for success, acquire and engage customers, and measure both performance of near-term campaigns and longer-term customer value.

Related Program

CLIMB enables new and experienced leaders to ignite their careers with a combination of vital and forward-looking business skills, self-reflection, and an immersive cohort-based learning experience with a diverse global network.