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- All HBS Web (75)
- Faculty Publications (35)
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- All HBS Web (75)
- Faculty Publications (35)
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- March 2022 (Revised August 2022)
- Case
LooksRare: The Decentralized, Tokenized, NFT Marketplace
By: Scott Duke Kominers, Shai Bernstein and George Gonzalez
LooksRare launched a decentralized and anonymous organization to compete against NFT marketplace leader OpenSea. By launching its own cryptocurrency, LooksRare attempted to lure users with a digital rewards program. The nature of the organization and its business...
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Keywords:
NFTs;
Alternative Assets;
Blockchain;
Cryptocurrency;
Customer Relationship Management;
Market Entry and Exit;
Business Model;
Marketing
Kominers, Scott Duke, Shai Bernstein, and George Gonzalez. "LooksRare: The Decentralized, Tokenized, NFT Marketplace." Harvard Business School Case 822-119, March 2022. (Revised August 2022.)
- July 28, 2022
- Article
DAO Governance Attacks, and How to Avoid Them
By: Pranav Garimidi, Scott Duke Kominers and Tim Roughgarden
Many web3 projects embrace permissionless voting using a fungible and tradable native token. Permissionless voting can offer many benefits, from lowering barriers to entry to increasing competition. Token holders can use their tokens to vote on a range of issues—from...
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Keywords:
Crypto Economy;
Cryptocurrency;
Governance;
Voting;
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations;
Organizational Structure;
Digital Platforms
Garimidi, Pranav, Scott Duke Kominers, and Tim Roughgarden. "DAO Governance Attacks, and How to Avoid Them." a16zcrypto.com (July 28, 2022).
- February 9, 2024
- Article
The Rise of Consumer Crypto
By: Steve Kaczynski and Scott Duke Kominers
Although non-fungible tokens are often misunderstood and even derided, they remain a general and flexible solution for establishing and tracking ownership in the digital domain. As a superior solution to existing technology in many areas of the consumer economy, their...
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Keywords:
Cryptocurrency;
Crypto Economy;
NFTs;
Non-fungible Tokens;
Internet Of Everything;
Market Design;
Technological Innovation;
Demand and Consumers;
Web Services Industry
Kaczynski, Steve, and Scott Duke Kominers. "The Rise of Consumer Crypto." Project Syndicate (February 9, 2024).
- September 10, 2022
- Article
NFT Sales: Clearing the Market, Avoiding Gas Wars
By: Scott Duke Kominers and Tim Roughgarden
Instead of letting the market decide the price for their primary sale offerings, many NFT projects choose to initially sell their NFTs at prices below the market-clearing level. But what happens when market designers trade off efficiency for equity; or when demand far...
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Kominers, Scott Duke, and Tim Roughgarden. "NFT Sales: Clearing the Market, Avoiding Gas Wars." a16zcrypto.com (September 10, 2022).
- November 2018 (Revised June 2022)
- Teaching Note
AirFox (A): Embracing the Blockchain and an ICO
By: Jeffrey J. Bussgang and Nathaniel Schwalb
Teaching Note for HBS No. 818-097. In summer 2017, Victor Santos, CEO of AirFox, considered whether to pivot his startup towards a new product built with blockchain—a quickly growing technology at the time. AirFox was an early stage startup that sold...
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- May 2018 (Revised January 2019)
- Case
AirFox (A): Embracing the Blockchain and an ICO
By: Jeffrey J. Bussgang, Edward B. Berk and Nate Schwalb
In summer 2017, Victor Santos, CEO of AirFox, considered whether to pivot his startup towards a new product built with blockchain—a quickly growing technology at the time. AirFox was an early stage startup that sold Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to small telecom...
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Keywords:
Blockchain;
Cryptocurrency;
Initial Coin Offering;
ICO;
Business Startups;
Finance;
Currency;
Strategy;
Decision Making;
United States
Bussgang, Jeffrey J., Edward B. Berk, and Nate Schwalb. "AirFox (A): Embracing the Blockchain and an ICO." Harvard Business School Case 818-097, May 2018. (Revised January 2019.)
- December 7, 2022
- Article
Why Decentralized Crypto Platforms Are Weathering the Crash
By: Shai Bernstein and Scott Duke Kominers
In the past year, crypto markets dropped from $2.9 trillion in value to around $800 billion. In the wake of the collapse, crypto lenders and exchanges have been accused of fraud and other wrongdoing. What went wrong? One factor is competition. In theory, competition...
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Keywords:
Crypto Economy;
Cryptocurrency;
Financial Complexity;
Financial Crisis;
Decentralization;
Decentralized Markets;
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations;
Finance;
Market Design;
Financial Services Industry
Bernstein, Shai, and Scott Duke Kominers. "Why Decentralized Crypto Platforms Are Weathering the Crash." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (December 7, 2022).
- August 2021
- Case
Mylestone: Can Multiple Pivots Preserve the Life of a Death Tech Startup?
By: Shikhar Ghosh and Marilyn Morgan Westner
Dave Balter and Jim Myers co-founded Mylestone, a death tech startup that applied technology to transform how grieving people memorialize the dead. The startup addressed a cultural problem and promised to solve a pressing need in the antiquated, multi-billion dollar...
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Keywords:
Pivot;
Startup;
Business Model;
Cryptocurrency;
Ethical Decision Making;
Emotions;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Ethics;
Market Entry and Exit;
Customer Relationship Management;
Loss;
Change Management;
Relationships
Ghosh, Shikhar, and Marilyn Morgan Westner. "Mylestone: Can Multiple Pivots Preserve the Life of a Death Tech Startup?" Harvard Business School Case 822-018, August 2021.
- September 2023
- Case
Diamond Standard
By: Lauren H. Cohen, Zhaoheng Gong and Grace Headinger
Cormac Kinney, Founder and CEO of Diamond Standard, was on a mission to transform the U.S. diamond market through unlocking the precious gems as market-traded assets. As a serial FinTech entrepreneur, he hoped to add an additional service to his vault: Carats. The...
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Keywords:
Tokenization;
Fintech;
Cryptocurrency;
Liquidity;
Digital;
Rare Earth Minerals;
Decentralized;
Crypto Economy;
Financial Product;
Metals;
Diamonds;
Commodity;
Assets;
Financial Instruments;
Financial Institutions;
Financial Markets;
Investment;
Technological Innovation;
Natural Resources;
Business Startups;
Currency;
Financial Services Industry;
United States
Cohen, Lauren H., Zhaoheng Gong, and Grace Headinger. "Diamond Standard." Harvard Business School Case 224-009, September 2023.
- 17 Aug 2023
- Research & Ideas
‘Not a Bunch of Weirdos’: Why Mainstream Investors Buy Crypto
In a little more than a decade, investors have transformed cryptocurrency from a techno-curiosity into a trillion-dollar-plus opportunity that has the potential to one day reshape the global economy. Yet in the past 10 years, little has...
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Keywords:
by Ben Rand
- 18 Jul 2022
- Research & Ideas
After the 'Crypto Crash,' What's Next for Digital Currencies?
Recent high-profile financial meltdowns at Bitcoin, Celsius, and Terraform Labs, which together wiped out hundreds of billions in market value, helped trigger a flight from the cryptocurrency market, driving its value from $2.9 trillion...
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- October 2017 (Revised January 2018)
- Case
Bitfury: Blockchain for Government
By: Mitchell Weiss and Elena Corsi
In the Republic of Georgia, legend had it their land was a precious gift from God he had intended to keep for his mother. But over time, the land had been under intermittent threat from without and within. In 2017, the Bitfury Group, which Valery Vavilov had...
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Keywords:
Blockchain;
Bitcoin;
Cryptocurrency;
Public Entrepreneurship;
Public Innovation;
Government Innovation;
Property Rights;
Property Registry;
Technology Strategy;
Distributed Networks;
Entrepreneurship;
Public Sector;
Innovation and Invention;
Technology Adoption;
Business and Government Relations;
Technology Industry;
Real Estate Industry;
Public Administration Industry;
Georgia (nation, Asia);
Tbilisi
Weiss, Mitchell, and Elena Corsi. "Bitfury: Blockchain for Government." Harvard Business School Case 818-031, October 2017. (Revised January 2018.)
- May 2021 (Revised September 2021)
- Case
Accounting for Bitcoin at Tesla
By: Charles C.Y. Wang and Siyu Zhang
On February 8, 2021, Tesla revealed, through its 10-K filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), that it had purchased $1.5 billion of Bitcoin, totaling 7.5% of the company’s cash, and that it planned to accept payments in the cryptocurrency soon. These...
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Keywords:
Bitcoin;
Accounting;
Currency;
Communication Intention and Meaning;
Strategy;
Investment Portfolio;
Emerging Markets;
Risk and Uncertainty;
Value Creation
Wang, Charles C.Y., and Siyu Zhang. "Accounting for Bitcoin at Tesla." Harvard Business School Case 121-074, May 2021. (Revised September 2021.)
- January 12, 2023
- Article
Progressive Decentralization: A High-level Framework
By: Jad Esber and Scott Duke Kominers
We explain a high-level framework for designing for future decentralization up front, and offer some guidance about when and how to do so. The guidelines apply to both web3 projects and more traditional organizations.
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Keywords:
Crypto Economy;
Cryptocurrency;
Decentralization;
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations;
Entrepreneurial Journey;
Entrepreneurial Management;
Organization Behavior;
Organization And Management Theory;
Organization Form;
Organizational Structure
Esber, Jad, and Scott Duke Kominers. "Progressive Decentralization: A High-level Framework." a16zcrypto.com (January 12, 2023).
- October 2023
- Case
Kevin O'Leary: Building a Brand in Shark-infested Waters
By: Reza Satchu and Patrick Sanguineti
For more than fifteen years, successful Canadian entrepreneur and investor Kevin O’Leary had developed his brand into a global powerhouse. Since his first appearance on the Canadian television program Dragons’ Den in 2006 and his meteoric rise to stardom through the...
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Keywords:
Personal Brand;
Crisis;
Brands and Branding;
Entrepreneurship;
Crisis Management;
Social Media;
Public Opinion;
Power and Influence;
Financial Services Industry
Satchu, Reza, and Patrick Sanguineti. "Kevin O'Leary: Building a Brand in Shark-infested Waters." Harvard Business School Case 824-095, October 2023.
- September 2019 (Revised September 2019)
- Case
Facebook Fake News in the Post-Truth World
By: John R. Wells, Carole A. Winkler and Benjamin Weinstock
In August 2019, Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, was surrounded by controversy. The first major storm of protest followed the surprise election of Donald Trump as President of the United States on November 8, 2016; many put the blame at the door of fake...
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Keywords:
Facebook;
Fake News;
Mark Zuckerberg;
Donald Trump;
Algorithms;
Social Networks;
Partisanship;
Social Media;
App Development;
Instagram;
WhatsApp;
Smartphone;
Silicon Valley;
Office Space;
Digital Strategy;
Democracy;
Entry Barriers;
Online Platforms;
Controversy;
Tencent;
Agility;
Social Networking;
Gaming;
Gaming Industry;
Computer Games;
Mobile Gaming;
Messaging;
Monetization Strategy;
Advertising;
Digital Marketing;
Business Ventures;
Acquisition;
Mergers and Acquisitions;
Business Growth and Maturation;
Business Headquarters;
Business Organization;
For-Profit Firms;
Trends;
Communication;
Communication Technology;
Forms of Communication;
Interactive Communication;
Interpersonal Communication;
Talent and Talent Management;
Crime and Corruption;
Voting;
Demographics;
Entertainment;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Moral Sensibility;
Values and Beliefs;
Initial Public Offering;
Profit;
Revenue;
Geography;
Geographic Location;
Global Range;
Local Range;
Country;
Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues;
Globalized Firms and Management;
Globalized Markets and Industries;
Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms;
Government and Politics;
International Relations;
National Security;
Political Elections;
Business History;
Recruitment;
Selection and Staffing;
Information Management;
Information Publishing;
News;
Newspapers;
Innovation and Management;
Innovation Strategy;
Technological Innovation;
Knowledge Dissemination;
Human Capital;
Law;
Leadership Development;
Leadership Style;
Leading Change;
Business or Company Management;
Crisis Management;
Goals and Objectives;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Growth Management;
Management Practices and Processes;
Management Style;
Management Systems;
Management Teams;
Managerial Roles;
Marketing Channels;
Social Marketing;
Network Effects;
Market Entry and Exit;
Digital Platforms;
Marketplace Matching;
Industry Growth;
Industry Structures;
Monopoly;
Media;
Product Development;
Service Delivery;
Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact;
Mission and Purpose;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
Organizational Culture;
Organizational Structure;
Public Ownership;
Problems and Challenges;
Business and Community Relations;
Business and Government Relations;
Groups and Teams;
Networks;
Rank and Position;
Opportunities;
Behavior;
Emotions;
Identity;
Power and Influence;
Prejudice and Bias;
Reputation;
Social and Collaborative Networks;
Status and Position;
Trust;
Society;
Civil Society or Community;
Culture;
Public Opinion;
Social Issues;
Societal Protocols;
Strategy;
Adaptation;
Business Strategy;
Commercialization;
Competition;
Competitive Advantage;
Competitive Strategy;
Corporate Strategy;
Customization and Personalization;
Diversification;
Expansion;
Horizontal Integration;
Segmentation;
Information Technology;
Internet and the Web;
Mobile and Wireless Technology;
Applications and Software;
Information Infrastructure;
Valuation;
Advertising Industry;
Communications Industry;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Information Industry;
Information Technology Industry;
Journalism and News Industry;
Media and Broadcasting Industry;
Service Industry;
Technology Industry;
Telecommunications Industry;
Video Game Industry;
United States;
California;
Sunnyvale;
Russia
Wells, John R., Carole A. Winkler, and Benjamin Weinstock. "Facebook Fake News in the Post-Truth World." Harvard Business School Case 720-373, September 2019. (Revised September 2019.)
- December 2019
- Case
Steemit: A New Social Media?
By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Alexander White and Karen Elterman
This case discusses the alternative social media site Steemit, including the principles it was founded on in 2016 and the challenges it faced in 2019. Steemit was a blockchain-based platform that aimed to differentiate itself from other social media companies by...
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Keywords:
Decision Making;
Decisions;
Voting;
Economic Systems;
Money;
Fairness;
Values and Beliefs;
Goals and Objectives;
Digital Platforms;
Product Design;
Design;
Problems and Challenges;
Network Effects;
Motivation and Incentives;
Social and Collaborative Networks;
Reputation;
Business Strategy;
Competition;
Internet and the Web;
Social Media;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
United States;
Virginia;
New York (city, NY)
Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Alexander White, and Karen Elterman. "Steemit: A New Social Media?" Harvard Business School Case 720-428, December 2019.
- 07 Apr 2023
- Research & Ideas
When Celebrity ‘Crypto-Influencers’ Rake in Cash, Investors Lose Big
Pacelli and his colleagues analyzed about 36,000 tweets in which 180 influencers touted cryptocurrencies over a two-year period. They found that, on average, mentions of cryptocurrencies in tweets are...
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Keywords:
by Kristen Senz
- 02 Oct 2017
- What Do You Think?
Do Bitcoin and Digital Currency Have a Future?
not prone to attack.” He goes on to suggest that it is likely that a nation that is recovering from terrible leadership will decide to adopt a cryptocurrency instead of relying on a central banking system.” This might appeal to...
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- 19 Jan 2022
- In Practice
7 Trends to Watch in 2022
As 2022 gets underway we asked our faculty to highlight some trends worth watching in the coming year. Ariel Stern: A new future for digital health care While 2020 and 2021 were years of rapid innovation and deployment of new health care technologies and delivery...
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Keywords:
by HBS News