Strategy

- August 2026
- Case
Apple Inc. in 2026

By: David B. Yoffie and Annika Z. Wei

This case examines Apple’s strategic position in 2026 as the company confronted slowing growth in smartphones, intensifying geopolitical and regulatory pressures, and the rapid emergence of generative AI. Under Tim Cook, Apple had become the world’s first multi-trillion-dollar company by expanding beyond the iPhone into services, wearables, and a tightly integrated ecosystem spanning hardware, software, and subscriptions. Yet despite strong profitability and a loyal customer base, Apple faced mounting challenges from AI-native competitors such as OpenAI and from technology rivals including NVIDIA, Alphabet, Samsung, and Huawei. As John Ternus prepared to succeed Cook as CEO, the case raises fundamental strategic questions about Apple’s future direction. Could Apple continue to rely on its premium, vertically integrated ecosystem as AI reshaped consumer technology? Was Apple Intelligence a sustaining innovation or a sign that the company was falling behind in the next major platform shift? And how should Apple balance focus, innovation, ecosystem control, and global supply chain resilience while preserving the business model that made it one of the world’s most valuable companies?
- August 2026
- Case
Apple Inc. in 2026

By: David B. Yoffie and Annika Z. Wei

This case examines Apple’s strategic position in 2026 as the company confronted slowing growth in smartphones, intensifying geopolitical and regulatory pressures, and the rapid emergence of generative AI. Under Tim Cook, Apple had become the world’s first multi-trillion-dollar company by expanding beyond the iPhone into services, wearables, and a...
- July 2026
- Case
Paragraf's Next Chapter: Where to Innovate at Scale

By: Maria Roche and Nikolina Jonsson

In 2026, Paragraf, a graphene electronics company that had grown from its University of Cambridge origins into an industry leader over the past decade, faced a pivotal strategic decision. Having solved one of graphene’s greatest commercialization challenges by developing a proprietary process to manufacture high-quality monolayer graphene at scale, the company had built the world’s first graphene foundry, raised $150 million in funding, and had begun commercializing graphene-based sensors. However, customers increasingly demanded geographically diversified manufacturing, requiring Paragraf to establish a second production facility. The case examines the strategic trade-offs surrounding the company’s expansion, as executives evaluate potential locations. Each option presents different advantages in talent, incentives, infrastructure, intellectual property protection, supply chain resilience, and market access. The case raises broader questions about how deep-tech companies should scale globally while protecting their technological advantage, managing geopolitical risks, and transitioning from breakthrough innovation to industrial commercialization.
- July 2026
- Case
Paragraf's Next Chapter: Where to Innovate at Scale

By: Maria Roche and Nikolina Jonsson

In 2026, Paragraf, a graphene electronics company that had grown from its University of Cambridge origins into an industry leader over the past decade, faced a pivotal strategic decision. Having solved one of graphene’s greatest commercialization challenges by developing a proprietary process to manufacture high-quality monolayer graphene at...
- July 2026
- Case
Zwift

By: Quan Le, Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Jeffrey Huizinga
- July 2026
- Case
Zwift

By: Quan Le, Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Jeffrey Huizinga

About the Unit

The Strategy unit studies firms as competitors in an economic landscape. Key issues include: the development and effectiveness of firm strategy at both a business and corporate level; the analysis of the competitive environment; and the sustainability of strategy over time.

Our research, course development, and teaching draws on multiple disciplines, including economics, sociology, and political science, and focuses on both domestic and global competition. The objective of the work is to generate findings and develop concepts that will help managers improve their strategic decisions while advancing the state of knowledge in the academic study of strategy and related disciplines.

Recent Publications

The Voice Wars Continue: Alexa vs. Hey Google vs. Siri vs. ChatGPT in 2025

By: David B. Yoffie

August 2026 |
Teaching Note |
Faculty Research

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 726-358

Citation

Apple Inc. in 2026

By: David B. Yoffie and Annika Z. Wei

August 2026 |
Case |
Faculty Research

This case examines Apple’s strategic position in 2026 as the company confronted slowing growth in smartphones, intensifying geopolitical and regulatory pressures, and the rapid emergence of generative AI. Under Tim Cook, Apple had become the world’s first multi-trillion-dollar company by expanding beyond the iPhone into services, wearables, and a tightly integrated ecosystem spanning hardware, software, and subscriptions. Yet despite strong profitability and a loyal customer base, Apple faced mounting challenges from AI-native competitors such as OpenAI and from technology rivals including NVIDIA, Alphabet, Samsung, and Huawei. As John Ternus prepared to succeed Cook as CEO, the case raises fundamental strategic questions about Apple’s future direction. Could Apple continue to rely on its premium, vertically integrated ecosystem as AI reshaped consumer technology? Was Apple Intelligence a sustaining innovation or a sign that the company was falling behind in the next major platform shift? And how should Apple balance focus, innovation, ecosystem control, and global supply chain resilience while preserving the business model that made it one of the world’s most valuable companies?

Keywords: Apple Inc.; Strategy; Artificial Intelligence; Platform Business; Innovation And Strategy; Supply Chain Management; Competitive Strategy; Product Positioning; Emerging Markets; Competitive Advantage; Technological Innovation; Revenue; Technology Industry

Citation

Educators

Re-organizing Work Inside the Firm: Task Change After Technology Adoption

By: Raffaella Sadun, Eleonora Brandimarti, Virginia Minni, Paula Neira and Jorge Tamayo

2026 |
Mimeo |
Faculty Research

Citation

Extending Runway: From Video Generation to World Simulation

By: David B. Yoffie, Sri Nimmagadda, Neal Bhandari, Alexis Yu and Kyle Tsai-Simek

August 2026 |
Case |
Faculty Research

Citation

Educators

Upwork's Statement of Operations

By: David B. Yoffie and Annika Z. Wei

August 2026 |
Supplement |
Faculty Research

Supplement to the (A) case, HBS No. 718-402.

Keywords: Strategy

Citation

Purchase

Paragraf's Next Chapter: Where to Innovate at Scale

By: Maria Roche and Nikolina Jonsson

July 2026 |
Case |
Faculty Research

In 2026, Paragraf, a graphene electronics company that had grown from its University of Cambridge origins into an industry leader over the past decade, faced a pivotal strategic decision. Having solved one of graphene’s greatest commercialization challenges by developing a proprietary process to manufacture high-quality monolayer graphene at scale, the company had built the world’s first graphene foundry, raised $150 million in funding, and had begun commercializing graphene-based sensors. However, customers increasingly demanded geographically diversified manufacturing, requiring Paragraf to establish a second production facility. The case examines the strategic trade-offs surrounding the company’s expansion, as executives evaluate potential locations. Each option presents different advantages in talent, incentives, infrastructure, intellectual property protection, supply chain resilience, and market access. The case raises broader questions about how deep-tech companies should scale globally while protecting their technological advantage, managing geopolitical risks, and transitioning from breakthrough innovation to industrial commercialization.

Keywords: Science-Based Business; Technological Innovation; Innovation Strategy; Commercialization; Product Development; Expansion; Global Strategy; Infrastructure; Semiconductor Industry; Technology Industry; Electronics Industry; Manufacturing Industry; United Kingdom; Europe

Citation

Educators

Zwift

By: Quan Le, Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Jeffrey Huizinga

July 2026 |
Case |
Faculty Research

Citation

Educators

What Do Good Managers Do and What Do They Leave Behind?

By: Achyuta Adhvaryu, Parker Howell, Andrea Neyra-Nazarrett, Anant Nyshadham and Jorge Tamayo

2026 |
Working Paper |
Faculty Research

Using administrative data from a large Colombian retailer and exploiting a manager rotation policy to estimate manager value-added, we study what good managers do and whether their impacts persist after they leave. Good managers increase sales by 12%, reducing stockouts while making inventory leaner, generating larger revenue gains from price changes without increasing the frequency of repricing, and shifting personnel attention toward back-office operations. When they depart, the staffing and inventory improvements persist, but pricing-related gains erode. These patterns reveal a fundamental distinction: some managerial contributions are embedded in organizational structure, while others depend on the manager’s ongoing, context-specific judgment.

Keywords: Management Practices and Processes; Management Skills; Performance Improvement; Resignation and Termination; Retail Industry; Colombia; South America

Citation

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More Publications