Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • April 1997 (Revised May 1997)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (A): The Growth Initiative

By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Carin-Isabel Knoop
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:16
ShareBar

Abstract

In late 1994, James Down, member of Mercer's Executive Committee, has to decide whether or not he should push ahead with the writing and publication of a book on growth--at a time when the more successful business publications focus on reengineering and cost cutting. He sees this as an opportunity to position Mercer in the consulting market and align the organization--itself a result of several mergers--around a common platform. He is facing resistance within the firm, however, especially from the firm's European offices, which see little need for this knowledge product. Proceeding without Europe could result in an incomplete product and a divided firm. If he waits, though, he may miss a critical market window. The case provides early versions of the growth framework. The product in this case is built from the firm's knowledge assets, and is very different from manufactured hardware or software.

Keywords

Technological Innovation; Organizational Culture; Business Growth and Maturation; Knowledge Management; Product Development; Information Publishing; Books; Consulting Industry; Publishing Industry

Citation

Leonard, Dorothy A., and Carin-Isabel Knoop. Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (A): The Growth Initiative. Harvard Business School Case 697-084, April 1997. (Revised May 1997.)
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Author

Dorothy A. Leonard

→More Publications

Related Work

    • April 1997 (Revised May 1997)
    • Faculty Research

    Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (B): Going Ahead with the Book

    By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Carin-Isabel Knoop
    • April 1997 (Revised May 1997)
    • Faculty Research

    Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (C): The Book

    By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Carin-Isabel Knoop
    • May 1997
    • Faculty Research

    Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (D): The Knowledge Management Framework

    By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Carin-Isabel Knoop
Related Work
  • Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (B): Going Ahead with the Book By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Carin-Isabel Knoop
  • Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (C): The Book By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Carin-Isabel Knoop
  • Mercer Management Consulting's "Grow to Be Great" (D): The Knowledge Management Framework By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Carin-Isabel Knoop
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College