Publications

October 1988
Case

Digital Communications, Inc.: Encoder Device Division

Explores the issues surrounding the determination of the product cost of a subassembly in a firm that has never had to determine subassembly costs. Asks students to change the cost system by adding allocation bases and developing a step-down allocation process. View Details

Keywords: Cost Accounting; Resource Allocation; Manufacturing Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Electronics Industry

Profile

Aaron Mitchell

have the confidence to ask good questions in order to develop a deeper knowledge of what they do. I will only be in the role for a year so my job is to learn as much as I can... View Details

Keywords: Investment Management / Hedge Fund; Services

18 Dec 2011
News

Brain strain: Christmas shopping when money tight

19 Sep 2014
Video

In One Word

September 1991
Case

Kaiser Steel Corporation, 1984

By: Timothy A. Luehrman

In 1984, Kaiser's shareholders were asked to approve a complicated leveraged buyout of the company. Students are asked to analyze the proposed transaction and make a recommendation. To do this, they must determine who gets what in the deal, whether and how any value is... View Details

Keywords: Leveraged Buyouts; Capital; Value Creation; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Steel Industry

25 Jul 2014
Video

Managing Social Enterprise: Professor Alnoor Ebrahim

01 Dec 2011
News

Jobs wanted

October 2013 (Revised October 2016)
Case

Steward Health Care System

By: Robert F. Higgins and Noah Fisher

Steward Health has raised private equity and has converted from not-for-profit to for-profit. The case describes its Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and asks whether it should continue this experiment. View Details

Keywords: Accountable Care Organization; ACO; Medicare; Medicaid; Medical Services; Cerberus; Caritas; Health Care Policy; Health Care Industry; Provider Organizations; Health Care and Treatment; Health Industry; United States

05 Aug 2011
News

Key Questions for Leaders

August 2005 (Revised August 2006)
Case

Grupo Martica

Grupo Martica commissions a computer security expert to conduct an audit of its systems, network, and processes. This audit reveals that Martica is quite vulnerable, and the company's de facto CIO must decide what steps to take to improve security. He wonders how... View Details

Keywords: Safety; Information Infrastructure; Information Technology; Information Infrastructure; Complexity

09 Mar 2018
News

Cigna to Buy Express Scripts in $52 Billion Health Care Deal

December 1999 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Prime Designs

By: Paul W. Marshall

A student takes the role of the father who is the CEO of a family business. A non-family manager has asked for a meeting. Agenda topics are: your son's latest proposal and managers' desire to own equity. View Details

Keywords: Labor and Management Relations; Family Ownership; Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Find at Harvard

16 Jul 2008
Op-Ed

What Should Employers Do about Health Care?

In the United States, employers have often treated health benefits as a necessary evil. They have focused on the rising cost of providing health insurance benefits and taken aggressive steps to bring costs... View Details

Keywords: by Michael E. Porter, Elizabeth O. Teisberg & Scott Wallace; Health

Extreme Teaming

Today’s global enterprises increasingly involve collaborative work by teams of experts operating across different professions, organizations, and industries. Extreme Teaming provides new insights into the world of complex, cross industry... View Details

August 2019
Case

Synthetic Biology Investment Opportunity

By: Peter Barrett, Karim R. Lakhani, Julia Kelley and Kerry Herman

Using an overview of the emerging technology of Synthetic Biology, this case provides the basis for discussion on what questions one would ask in evaluating a potential investment in the field. View Details

Keywords: Synthetic Biology; Investment

October 1993 (Revised March 2023)
Case

Conflict on a Trading Floor (A)

By: Joseph L. Badaracco Jr. and Jerry Useem

A junior salesperson on FirstAmerica Bank's trading floor is assisting a top salesperson, Linda, on a deal to finance the construction of a new cruise ship for Poseidon Cruise Lines. While the terms of the deal are being worked out, he realizes Linda has taken... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Ethics; Values and Beliefs; Profit; Knowledge Use and Leverage

August 1996 (Revised October 1996)
Case

Howard, Shea & Chan Asset Management(C): Recruiting and Selecting a Salesperson

By: Benson P. Shapiro

Goes to the heart of the sales strategy issues by asking discussion participants to: 1) develop a salesperson recruiting process, 2) choose among four resumes, and 3) develop a sales compensation approach. View Details

Keywords: Compensation and Benefits; Recruitment; Salesforce Management; Strategy

September 1987 (Revised December 1996)
Case

Patten Corp.

By: Krishna G. Palepu

Forbes Magazine criticized the revenue recognition policy of Patten Corp. As a result, the company's stock price dropped by a significant amount. The students are asked to discuss if the criticism by Forbes is justified, and if not, what the company should do. View Details

Keywords: Fair Value Accounting; Financial Statements; Budgets and Budgeting; Problems and Challenges; Financial Condition; Spending; Revenue; Planning; Quality; Stocks; Journalism and News Industry