South Korean beauty retail giant CJ Olive Young said on Feb. 16 that a case study on the company’s role in bolstering K-beauty has been included in the curriculum at Harvard Business School. Titled “Olive Young: Formulating Beauty Innovation,” the case study was first introduced in a class for second-year MBA students on Feb. 11.
“Around 30% of the students in the class said they had previously experienced Olive Young,” said a company representative. “During the session, students analyzed Olive Young’s core strengths and discussed strategies for entering the U.S. market.”
The case study highlights Olive Young’s role in discovering and nurturing emerging brands while expanding its presence in the beauty market. It explains how the company has developed a collaborative model with partners of various sizes, evolving beyond a simple retail platform into one that sets new trends and fosters industry-wide growth. The study also credits Olive Young’s unique approach as contributing to the global rise of K-beauty.
A key factor behind Olive Young’s success is its merchandise division (MD) strategy, according to the study. Before launching new products, the company’s MD council rigorously evaluates factors such as product differentiation, price competitiveness, and trend potential—an approach designed to maximize the likelihood of success.
The case study was co-authored by Harvard Business School professor Rebecca Karp and researcher Shu Lin and is published by the Harvard Business Review, a monthly business magazine owned by HBS.
