Publications

October 1996 (Revised February 1997)
Case

Upjohn Company, The: The Upjohn-Pharmacia Merger

By: Krishna G. Palepu and Amy P. Hutton

In August 1995, the Upjohn Co. and Pharmacia AB announced a "merger of equals." This case provides background information on the industry, the position of Upjohn, and Upjohn's rationale for the proposed merger. View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Financial Statements; Business Strategy; Annual Reports; Pharmaceutical Industry

August 2009 (Revised August 2010)
Supplement

Eddie Bauer (B)

By: Paul M. Healy, Sharon P. Katz and Aldo Sesia

In February 2007, shareholders of Eddie Bauer, the specialty apparel retailer, were scheduled to vote on management's proposed sale of the company to two private equity firms. More than 50% of outstanding shares in Eddie Bauer needed to be voted in favor of the deal... View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Mergers and Acquisitions; Governing and Advisory Boards; Privatization; Valuation; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Retail Industry; United States

October 2002 (Revised January 2013)
Case

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

By: Paul M. Healy

Krispy Kreme is a rapidly growing firm with a business model that has excited Wall Street. View Details

Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Financial Statements; Forecasting and Prediction; Financial Reporting; Performance Evaluation; Business Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; New York (city, NY)

May 23, 2011
Article

Leading and Lagging Countries in Contributing to a Sustainable Society

By: Robert G. Eccles and George Serafeim

To determine the extent to which corporate and investor behavior is changing to contribute to a more sustainable society, researchers Robert Eccles and George Serafeim analyzed data involving over 2,000 companies in 23 countries. One result: a ranking of countries... View Details

Keywords: Change; Society; Corporate Disclosure; Natural Environment; Rank and Position; Social Issues; Financial Statements; Behavior

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November 1994 (Revised February 1996)
Case

Toy World, Inc.

By: W. Carl Kester

A shift from seasonal to level production of toys will change the seasonal cycle of Toy World's working capital needs and necessitate new bank credit arrangements. A rewritten version of an earlier case. View Details

Keywords: Working Capital; Business Cycles; Cash Flow; Forecasting and Prediction; Investment Funds; Financial Statements

08 Mar 2017
Op-Ed

Op-Ed: Can the Proposed American Health Care Act Improve on 'Obamacare'?

their patient populations need, and workers and families can have the freedom and flexibility to make their own health care choices." This statement speaks to a strong attachment to personal freedom and choice in American... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch, Dr. Gordon Moore, and Emily Boudreau

27 Oct 2008
Lessons from the Classroom

Achieving Excellence in Nonprofits

nonprofits should write mission statements that can be relied upon as a promise to deliver specified social value. Why is this important? A: It is important for nonprofits to be clear about what they are claiming to accomplish for two... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

September 1992 (Revised March 1997)
Case

Summit Distributors (A)

By: William J. Bruns Jr. and Amy P. Hutton

Summit Distributors was in danger of violating loan covenants because of slow economic activity and forecasted losses and was faced with a choice. Changing the inventory valuation method from LIFO to FIFO would avoid default but would require higher future income... View Details

Keywords: Taxation; Cost Accounting; Cash Flow; Interest Rates; Economic Systems; Borrowing and Debt; Financial Statements; Valuation; Accounting Audits; Financing and Loans; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry

20 Mar 2018
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, March 20, 2018

Analysis with Robo-Analysts Using machine-learning technology, New Constructs creates cleaned up financial statement data that removes accounting distortions. This powerful data aims to provide unparalleled... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

12 Apr 2010
Research & Ideas

One Report: Better Strategy through Integrated Reporting

problem where many actors must collaborate together, including companies, investors, accounting firms, sell-side analysts, regulators and standard setters, and NGOs and civil society itself. We all have a responsibility for making... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

04 Oct 2016
First Look

October 4, 2016

2016 Self-published Introduction to Financial Accounting: Review Quizzes and Practice Exams By: Narayanan, V.G. Abstract—This book provides practice multiple choice questions on introductory accounting topics. It can be used to prepare... View Details

17 May 2010
Research & Ideas

What Brazil Teaches About Investor Protection

financial statements and executive compensation. Second, for bonds, the story had more to do with what the courts were doing. I found that bondholders were always first in line during corporate bankruptcies. They usually got paid... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Banking; Financial Services

14 Apr 2003
Research & Ideas

Andy Grove on the Confident Leader

to write and teach in a way that helps people develop an intuition for looking into the future clearly. If you only look into it through the lenses of the past, it's very hard. I have a theory of why we've had this spate of horrible View Details

Keywords: by Walter Kiechel; Technology

15 Sep 2009
First Look

First Look: September 15

Derivatives Harvard Business School Note 108-061 Explains the accounting for interest rate derivatives under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 133. Purchase this... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

16 Sep 2008
First Look

First Look: September 16, 2008

commitment to transparency increase the likelihood of providing fair values prior to their required provision under International Accounting Standard 40 - Investment Property. We also find that firms not providing these fair values face... View Details

September 2023
Case

The Rise and Fall of FTX

By: Aiyesha Dey, Jonas Heese, Joseph Pacelli and Max Hancock

In November 2022, Sam Bankman-Fried's multi-billion-dollar crypto exchange, FTX, collapsed, wiping out investors and throwing the crypto industry into disarray. As FTX's founder and CEO, Bankman-Fried developed a reputation for his unerring business sense and... View Details

Keywords: Cryptocurrency; Crime and Corruption; Financial Statements; Misleading and Fraudulent Advertising; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Corporate Governance; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Failure; Restructuring; United States; Hong Kong; Bahamas

November 1990 (Revised June 1993)
Case

FMC Corp.: A Recapitalization

By: William J. Bruns Jr. and Julie H. Hertenstein

A proposed recapitalization will use new debt to pay a large dividend to some shareholders in return for a reduction of their voting power. The result will be a highly leveraged financial structure and negative owners' equity. Students can trace the effects of proposed... View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Financial Strategy; Asset Management; Financial Management; Business Conglomerates; Borrowing and Debt; Business and Shareholder Relations; Capital Structure; Equity; Private Equity; Chemical Industry

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August 2000 (Revised February 2001)
Background Note

Expense Recognition

By: Paul M. Healy and Preeti Choudhary

Recording expenses is not often clear-cut and can require considerable management judgment. This case discusses expense recognition in straightforward situations and then considers expense transactions that may be more complex to record. It uses examples that include... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Cost; Financial Statements