Publications

June 2016 (Revised May 2017)
Case

A Note on Activist Investors and the Tech Sector

By: David B. Yoffie and Eric Baldwin

This short note provides background and data on the growing role of corporate activists, especially in high-technology industries. View Details

Keywords: Governance; Activist Investors; Strategy; Investment Activism; Financial Services Industry; Technology Industry

1986
Other Unpublished Work

Constant Proportion Portfolio Insurance

By: André Perold

Keywords: Investment Portfolio; Strategy

November 1985 (Revised April 1990)
Case

Signode Industries, Inc. (A)

Signode Industries' packaging division manufactures steel and plastic strapping. In 1981 the company underwent the largest leveraged buyout in U.S. corporate history. The case focuses on the packaging division's need to maintain high profitability in a declining market... View Details

Keywords: Price; Marketing Strategy; Manufacturing Industry; Steel Industry

02 Oct 2012
First Look

First Look: October 2

strategies leads to better access to finance. We hypothesize that better access to finance can be attributed to a) reduced agency costs due to enhanced stakeholder engagement and b) reduced informational... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Web

Business Program Discount | HBS Online

Management Strategy Entrepreneurship & Innovation Business in Society Finance & Accounting Certificates You Can Earn Certificate of Completion All paid HBS Online courses, with the exception of CORe, grant a... View Details

25 Oct 1990
Lecture

Financial Sources of Competitive Advantage

By: W. Carl Kester

Keywords: Finance; Competitive Advantage

March 1991 (Revised May 1991)
Case

New York Life Insurance Co.: Pension Department

By: Robert J. Dolan

Analyzes competition in the pension fund industry. In particular, New York Life must decide whether to compete head-to-head with mutual fund giants by offering record-keeping services or to just continue to focus on selling investment products. Presents the results of... View Details

Keywords: Competition; Financial Instruments; Insurance Industry; Financial Services Industry

January 1980 (Revised October 1984)
Background Note

Note on Pricing

Intended to serve as a comprehensive overview of pricing strategy. View Details

Keywords: Price; Marketing Strategy

19 Mar 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, March 19, 2019

positive or certain options (influencing others toward safer options) versus presenting choice sets with negative or risky options (influencing others toward riskier options). We show that choice architects’ influence strategies are... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

2015
Working Paper

Multi-Product Duopoly With Cross-Product Cost Interdependencies

By: Gary Biglaiser and Andrei Hagiu

Many multi-product firms incur a complexity fixed cost when offering different product lines in different quality tiers relative to the case when offering all products lines in the same quality tier (high or low). Such fixed costs create an interdependency between... View Details

Keywords: Multi-product Duopoly; Vertical Differentiation; Fixed Costs; Cost; Profit; Business Strategy; Duopoly and Oligopoly

SSRN

Read Now

November 2006 (Revised July 2021)
Case

Kerr-McGee

By: Robin Greenwood and André Perold

Activist investors Carl Icahn and Barry Rosenstein acquire a stake in Oklahoma-based company Kerr-McGee. They demand two board seats and ask the company to make several operational and financial changes, including the repurchase of equity and divestiture of their... View Details

Keywords: Investment Activism; Restructuring; Equity; Investment; Management; Governance Controls; Corporate Strategy; Chemical Industry; Energy Industry; United States

June 2023
Supplement

Leading with Trust: Sarah Al-Suhaimi Video Supplement

By: Sandra J. Sucher, Sarah Livick-Moses and Dave Habeeb

This supplement features video interviews with Sarah Al Suhaimi, CEO of NCB Capital, the investment arm of Saudi's largest bank. View Details

Keywords: Leadership And Change Management; Women And Leadership; Women Executives; Stakeholder Management; Investment Banking; Growth and Development Strategy; Change Management; Strategy; Finance; Asset Management; Financial Services Industry; Saudi Arabia; Middle East

October 2006
Background Note

China's Financial Markets: 2006

By: F. Warren McFarlan, Li Jin and Tracy Manty

Provides an overview of capital markets in mainland China, evaluating the up-to-date performance of key components of the markets, highlighting concerns as China strives to modernize its financial system to meet global competition and support its fast growing economy. View Details

Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies; Capital Markets; Financial Markets; Financial Strategy; Global Strategy; Markets; Competition; China

01 Mar 2009
News

Damon Silvers

is a mistake. The issue is, to paraphrase HBS professor Michael Porter, what’s our strategy? We have to have a strategy as a nation, but not just any strategy. In 2007, 40 percent of the profits of American public corporations came from... View Details

Keywords: Roger Thompson; Administration of Economic Programs; Government; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Manufacturing; Transportation

December 1986 (Revised March 1991)
Supplement

Caterpillar-Komatsu in 1986

By: Christopher A. Bartlett

Provides an update to the global competitive interaction between Caterpillar and Komatsu described in companion cases Caterpillar Tractor and Komatsu Ltd. Caterpillar's response to Komatsu's growing market share is outlined, then the impact of rapidly changing... View Details

Keywords: Competition; Currency Exchange Rate; Price; Global Strategy; Policy; Market Participation; Strategy; Manufacturing Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Industrial Products Industry

14 Jul 2023
Blog Post

A Pathway to Pursue Aspirations

media space; it’s competitive and interesting – especially when you really believe in the content they make.” Mizuho spent her internship summer deep in reflection, “struggling to move out of finance and find what I want to do long term.”... View Details

2017
White Paper

Illuminating the Path Forward: Breaking Free from the 60/40 Portfolio

By: Ross Stevens, Joshua Zwick and Randolph B. Cohen

Keywords: Investment Portfolio; Adoption; Financial Instruments

June 2006
Case

Vignette: Bombay Tyre Manufacturing Ltd.

By: G. Felda Hardymon and Ann Leamon

Presents a U.S.-based investor who had taken a minority position in a publicly owned manufacturer in India. The company's controller is not performing and the stock price is suffering because of delayed and disappointing results. Removing the controller, however, is... View Details

Keywords: Investment; Equity; Foreign Direct Investment; Financial Management; Investment Activism; Business Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy