Case Notes/Answers
SOCIAL STRATEGY AT HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW by
Mikolaj Jan Piskorski David Chen
Discussion Questions:
1. What is HBR’s positioning in the market? What are the threats associated with this positioning?
What are the opportunities?
2. What impact does “Newsletter” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of its
readers?
3. What impact does “Digital Tote” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of its
readers?
4. What impact does “Answer Exchange” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
5. What impact does “Match for Business” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
6. What should Macht do?
, 5-713-476
FEBRUARY 06, 2013
T E AC H I N G N O T E
Social Strategy at Harvard Business Review
Introduction
Synopsis
The case, set in October 2011, puts students in the shoes of Josh Macht, group publisher for
Harvard Business Review Group (HBR), as Macht is considering how the organization should
leverage social platforms. At that time, HBR had established robust presences on Twitter, Facebook
and LinkedIn; doing so had boosted awareness of the HBR brand but hadn’t had much impact on the
company’s bottom line. Macht wanted to evolve the organization’s efforts to benefit from social
media by increasing revenue or decreasing cost. Given that he was responsible for all the commercial
aspects of HBR—including increasing subscriptions, newsstand sales and website traffic for the
company’s flagship magazine, the Harvard Business Review, and maintaining the HBR brand—this
shift was important to him on several levels.
To help determine the best course of action, Macht formed two teams and tasked each with
developing two concrete new offerings that leveraged social dynamics on social platforms, while at
the same time creating revenues or slashing costs for HBR.
The teams returned with four ideas:
1. Launch a “Digital Newsletter” product that would let users generate personalized digital
newsletters (using HBR content) to send to their friends and colleagues;
2. Create a “Digital Tote,” an online icon or marker that would allow readers to be
associated with the HBR brand in various everyday situations;
3. Create an “Answer Exchange” forum, where users could ask and answer specific
management questions;
4. Launch a Match.com-like product for businesses (“Match for Business”) whereby HBR
would facilitate interactions between readers looking to establish business connections,
pitch ideas, and receive mentorship.
Each idea made use of HBR’s specific attributes in a different way. Now, Macht had to decide
whether to implement any of the ideas.
, 713-476 Teaching Note—Social Strategy at Harvard Business Review
Curriculum Placement
The case is suited for a First Year or Second Year MBA Strategy course as well as for courses in
Executive Education. It is written as a part of a series in a module on Social Strategy that includes:
Zynga (9-710-464), Yelp (9-709-412), Wikipedia Esperanza (9-712-493), Social Strategy at Nike (9-712-
484), and Social Strategy at American Express (9-712-447). Although the case can be taught on its
own, it can also easily be paired with other cases, in particular Social Strategy at American Express.
Such a combination will allow instructors to compare a company that has already created a social
strategy with a company that is still homing in on a social strategy. Regardless of how the case is
taught, I recommend that instructors pair it with the short article, "Social Strategies That Work,"
Harvard Business Review 89, no. 11 (November 2011): 116–122 or with the Harvard Business School
Note entitled Social Strategy (711-483). Doing so will allow students to internalize many of the
concepts introduced through the case.
Teaching Objectives
This case supports a number of interrelated teaching objectives. First, it exposes students to the
concept of social strategy, which asks that companies build social products that help people develop
better relationships, and then connect these products to economic goals. Second, it allows students to
explore different types of social strategies, and examine their efficacy. Third, it gives students an
opportunity to explore the ways in which a company can integrate various social strategies to
generate and leverage complementarities and to make it harder for competitors to copy offerings.
Finally, it allows students to deepen their understanding of the process through which companies
develop and hone their social strategies.
Suggested Assignment Questions
1. What is HBR’s positioning in the market? What are the threats associated with this
positioning? What are the opportunities?
2. What impact does “Newsletter” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
3. What impact does “Digital Tote” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
4. What impact does “Answer Exchange” have on HBR’s profit and on the social
relationships of its readers?
5. What impact does “Match for Business” have on HBR’s profit and on the social
relationships of its readers?
6. What should Macht do?
Discussion Pastures and Timing
1. HBR’s business strategy 10 minutes
2. Newsletter and Digital Tote 15 minutes
3. Answer Exchange 15 minutes
4. Match for Business 15 minutes
5. Combining the strategies 25 minutes
2
SOCIAL STRATEGY AT HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW by
Mikolaj Jan Piskorski David Chen
Discussion Questions:
1. What is HBR’s positioning in the market? What are the threats associated with this positioning?
What are the opportunities?
2. What impact does “Newsletter” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of its
readers?
3. What impact does “Digital Tote” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of its
readers?
4. What impact does “Answer Exchange” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
5. What impact does “Match for Business” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
6. What should Macht do?
, 5-713-476
FEBRUARY 06, 2013
T E AC H I N G N O T E
Social Strategy at Harvard Business Review
Introduction
Synopsis
The case, set in October 2011, puts students in the shoes of Josh Macht, group publisher for
Harvard Business Review Group (HBR), as Macht is considering how the organization should
leverage social platforms. At that time, HBR had established robust presences on Twitter, Facebook
and LinkedIn; doing so had boosted awareness of the HBR brand but hadn’t had much impact on the
company’s bottom line. Macht wanted to evolve the organization’s efforts to benefit from social
media by increasing revenue or decreasing cost. Given that he was responsible for all the commercial
aspects of HBR—including increasing subscriptions, newsstand sales and website traffic for the
company’s flagship magazine, the Harvard Business Review, and maintaining the HBR brand—this
shift was important to him on several levels.
To help determine the best course of action, Macht formed two teams and tasked each with
developing two concrete new offerings that leveraged social dynamics on social platforms, while at
the same time creating revenues or slashing costs for HBR.
The teams returned with four ideas:
1. Launch a “Digital Newsletter” product that would let users generate personalized digital
newsletters (using HBR content) to send to their friends and colleagues;
2. Create a “Digital Tote,” an online icon or marker that would allow readers to be
associated with the HBR brand in various everyday situations;
3. Create an “Answer Exchange” forum, where users could ask and answer specific
management questions;
4. Launch a Match.com-like product for businesses (“Match for Business”) whereby HBR
would facilitate interactions between readers looking to establish business connections,
pitch ideas, and receive mentorship.
Each idea made use of HBR’s specific attributes in a different way. Now, Macht had to decide
whether to implement any of the ideas.
, 713-476 Teaching Note—Social Strategy at Harvard Business Review
Curriculum Placement
The case is suited for a First Year or Second Year MBA Strategy course as well as for courses in
Executive Education. It is written as a part of a series in a module on Social Strategy that includes:
Zynga (9-710-464), Yelp (9-709-412), Wikipedia Esperanza (9-712-493), Social Strategy at Nike (9-712-
484), and Social Strategy at American Express (9-712-447). Although the case can be taught on its
own, it can also easily be paired with other cases, in particular Social Strategy at American Express.
Such a combination will allow instructors to compare a company that has already created a social
strategy with a company that is still homing in on a social strategy. Regardless of how the case is
taught, I recommend that instructors pair it with the short article, "Social Strategies That Work,"
Harvard Business Review 89, no. 11 (November 2011): 116–122 or with the Harvard Business School
Note entitled Social Strategy (711-483). Doing so will allow students to internalize many of the
concepts introduced through the case.
Teaching Objectives
This case supports a number of interrelated teaching objectives. First, it exposes students to the
concept of social strategy, which asks that companies build social products that help people develop
better relationships, and then connect these products to economic goals. Second, it allows students to
explore different types of social strategies, and examine their efficacy. Third, it gives students an
opportunity to explore the ways in which a company can integrate various social strategies to
generate and leverage complementarities and to make it harder for competitors to copy offerings.
Finally, it allows students to deepen their understanding of the process through which companies
develop and hone their social strategies.
Suggested Assignment Questions
1. What is HBR’s positioning in the market? What are the threats associated with this
positioning? What are the opportunities?
2. What impact does “Newsletter” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
3. What impact does “Digital Tote” have on HBR’s profit and on the social relationships of
its readers?
4. What impact does “Answer Exchange” have on HBR’s profit and on the social
relationships of its readers?
5. What impact does “Match for Business” have on HBR’s profit and on the social
relationships of its readers?
6. What should Macht do?
Discussion Pastures and Timing
1. HBR’s business strategy 10 minutes
2. Newsletter and Digital Tote 15 minutes
3. Answer Exchange 15 minutes
4. Match for Business 15 minutes
5. Combining the strategies 25 minutes
2
