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Karan Girotra

Biography

Karan Girotra is a Professor at Cornell Tech and in the Johnson School at Cornell University. Previously he was a Professor of Technology and Operations Management at INSEAD and Author of the Risk-Driven Business Model. Karan’s research has examined how new business models are disrupting centuries-old ways of doing things while creating game changing opportunities for business, society and governments. He has looked extensively at new business models in clean transportation, retailing, urban living and sustainable sourcing.

Karan engages actively with practitioners and policy makers. He is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review and a frequent TV and radio guest having appeared on CNBC, First Business News and many widely syndicated radio shows. He has given Keynote addresses at the World Knowledge Forum and for corporations such as McKinsey, Johnson and Johnson, Medtronic, ABB, Bayer, amongst others.

In addition to his academic work, Karan was one of the founders of Terrapass Inc., which the New York Times identified as one of the most noteworthy ideas of 2005. He continues to actively engage with startups as an

advisor, investor and mentor.

Karan blogs at the Harvard Business Review bloggers network.

You can read case studies by Karan here.
 

Latest posts

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Operations

Designing Deals to Improve Demand Forecasts

Why supply chain partners rarely collaborate to reduce demand uncertainty, and what can be done.

Operations

Unpacking the Amazon-Whole Foods Deal

Even if Jeff Bezos’s gambit succeeds, there is still cause for concern.

Operations

Rethinking Resilience in Global Supply Chains

Attempts to diversify may make supply chain disruptions more damaging when they occur.
1 comment

Marketing

Welcome to the Social Media Shopping Mall

The future of e-commerce belongs to social apps like China’s WeChat. Here’s how brands can start preparing.

Operations

How Bike Sharing Could Become Mainstream

Bike sharing could scale up enough to make a real impact on urban air pollution and plug public transport gaps.

Entrepreneurship

Geolocation is Changing the Retail Business Model Yet Again

And maybe that’s why Amazon is moving into bricks-and-mortar.

Entrepreneurship

Car Dealerships Are a Bad Deal for Customers

The car dealership model no longer provides the value it once did. Letting market forces prevail is what’s best for customers.
10 comments

Entrepreneurship

Ceaseless Innovation

Amazon’s latest reinvention demonstrates its ability to constantly challenge its business model.

Entrepreneurship

At Last, a New Business Model for Tesla

Two weeks back, Tesla Motors, the company behind the Tesla Model S, arguably the most promising all-electric challenger to the century-long domination of fossil-fuel cars, announced an innovative switching station based infrastructure that would bring its flagship product one step closer to being the first all-electric no-compromises luxury sedan.
2 comments

Economics & Finance

Extreme Focus and the Success of Germany’s Mittelstand

In a recent post on Harvard Business Review bloggers network, we discuss the extreme focus business model of Germany’s famed Mittlestand:
2 comments

Economics & Finance

Business Model Innovation: The Gift that Keeps Giving

In a recent blog post on the Harvard Business Review bloggers network, we discuss the sustainability of the advantage that come from innovating the business model. With the Winter holiday shopping season, fashion apparel retailer Zara has been the focus of media attention — the New York Times recently profiled the innovative fast fashion business model pioneered by Zara, while Elizabeth Cline’s book on the costs of fast fashion has climbed up the sales charts.

Operations

Outclassing Sourcing Champions

With increasing specialization, technological complexity, and globalization, firms now buy a long list of products and services from many outside providers. In industries like automobiles, consumer electronics and retail, reliably sourcing a multitude of products from supply chain partners is the key to success.