Abstract

The case “HBO’s Online Shift: A Game Changer?” talks about the motivations for and the impact of HBO’s strategy to offer a new online service. The case starts out with a brief mention of the history of HBO and its emergence as the most innovative TV channel in the US. It then describes in detail the changing TV viewing habits of US customers and the significant impact this had on the cable industry revenues and prospects of online streaming services. The case mentions the reasons that induced HBO to launch its online streaming service and the business prospects the new service opened up. It ends with an analysis of the probable impact of HBO’s new service on the US cable industry.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the need to understand customer requirements and bring about appropriate strategy changes
• Analyze the impact of a dynamically changing competitive environment
• Identify the reasons that lead to the adoption of new business models
• Comprehend industry disruption caused due to a new business model

Keywords

HBO,Cable Industry,Cord Cutters,Cord Nevers,Business Model,Disruption,Customer Needs,Competition,Cannibalization,Online Streaming,Innovation,Millennials,Brand Awareness,Creativity,Technology