Publications

March 2006
Case

Wells Fargo Convertible Bonds

By: Malcolm P. Baker and Elizabeth Kind

Howard Atkins, the chief financial officer of Wells Fargo, is considering issuing $3 billion in convertible debt. With an investment-grade credit rating, Wells Fargo is not the typical issuer of convertible securities, but the market conditions in 2003 are unusual.... View Details

Keywords: Capital Structure; Financial Institutions; Banks and Banking; Debt Securities; Financial Management; Financial Strategy; Strategy; Banking Industry

13 Dec 2011
News

Carry It On

responsibility. That commitment is also part and parcel of his business success. As he told the HBS Bulletin on the occasion of his 25th Reunion, “There’s an interface between our business [Wainwright Bank & Trust Company] and my... View Details

Keywords: Monetary Authorities-Central Bank; Monetary Authorities-Central Bank; Monetary Authorities-Central Bank; Monetary Authorities-Central Bank; Monetary Authorities-Central Bank; Monetary Authorities-Central Bank

April 1993
Case

Sumiko Ito

By: David A. Thomas

Describes the life and career of the first Japanese female investment banker at Nomura Securities, Sumiko Ito, who later became a partner at Alex Brown, a U.S. investment bank. Organized around the major life events and career transitions Ms. Ito experienced. Set in... View Details

Keywords: Investment Banking; Personal Development and Career; Gender; Diversity; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Banking Industry; Banking Industry; Japan; England; United States

Article

Liability Structure in Small-Scale Finance

By: Fenella Carpena, Shawn Cole, Jeremy Shapiro and Bilal Zia

Microfinance, the provision of small individual and business loans, has experienced dramatic growth, reaching over 150 million borrowers worldwide. Much of the success of microfinance has been attributed to attempts to overcome the challenges of information asymmetries... View Details

Keywords: Microfinance; Emerging Markets; Financial Markets; Legal Liability; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry; India

Find at Harvard

October 1984
Case

Citibank Indonesia

Describes a dilemma faced by Citibank's country manager for Indonesia. His superiors have asked him to raise his profit goal for 1984. But to produce increased profits he would either have to reduce the amount lent at below-market rates, particularly to prime customers... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Multinational Firms and Management; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry; Indonesia

26 Nov 2019
News

Predicting Financial Market Bubbles and Crises in Real-time

creation of the Behavioral and Financial Stability Project. Researchers have conducted groundbreaking research on bank capital and liquidity management, the nature of bank runs in the modern financial... View Details

Keywords: Securities, Commodities, and Other Financial Investments; Finance

July 2018 (Revised January 2019)
Teaching Note

Next Street, LLC

By: Richard S. Ruback, Royce Yudkoff and Ahron Rosenfeld

Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 211-094 and 219-723. View Details

Keywords: Small ＆ Medium-sized Enterprises; Small Business; Capital; Development Economics; Urban Scope; Commercial Banking; Growth and Development; Banking Industry; Banking Industry

01 Jun 2009
News

The Power of Prayer

These days, getting money and housing together is a tricky issue. So there was good news from Florida, one of the hardest hit real-estate markets, when the Miami-area chapter of the Collective Banking Group (CBG) renewed its partnership... View Details

Keywords: Real Estate

01 Sep 2024
News

From the Classroom to Casablanca

in Casablanca. For their project, the six HBS students assigned to work with BMCE Bank (now Bank of Africa) were asked to create a digital product to attract 18 to 24-year-olds to the bank’s services. Since... View Details

Keywords: Jennifer Gillespie

2001
Chapter

Bankruptcy, Boards, Banks, and Blockholders: Evidence on Changes in Corporate Ownership and Control When Firms Default

By: S. C. Gilson

Keywords: Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Ownership; Governing and Advisory Boards; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry

1992
Chapter

Bankruptcy, Boards, Banks, and Blockholders: Evidence on Changes in Corporate Ownership and Control When Firms Default

By: S. C. Gilson

Keywords: Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Ownership; Governing and Advisory Boards; Banks and Banking; Banking Industry

January 2009
Case

Sue Whitman at MBB Financial

By: William A. Sahlman

This case describes some issues confronting the leader of a major investment bank. She is pleased with the financial performance of her firm but concerned about signs of a bubble in the market. View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Investment Banking; Financial Condition; Performance Effectiveness; Performance Evaluation; Banking Industry; Banking Industry

04 Aug 2014
Op-Ed

Why Small-Business Lending Is Not Recovering

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles based on a Harvard Business School working paper by Karen Mills that analyzes the current state of availability of bank capital for small business. During the 2008 financial... View Details

Keywords: by Karen Mills; Banking; Banking

22 Feb 2022
News

Savings and Loam

all millennials park their money at the three largest banks. It’s a disconnect that he finds “viscerally aggravating,” given that those institutions have bankrolled the fossil-fuel industry—and, with it, the carbon emissions that are underpinning climate change. Since... View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles; Finance

15 Sep 2014
Research & Ideas

Are the Most Talented Employees the Highest Paid? Yes—If They’re Bankers

banning bankers from receiving annual bonuses exceeding more than twice their fixed pay. Lawyers for the United Kingdom actively oppose the rule, which is set to go into effect in 2015. In the meantime, several major banks have responded... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Banking

01 Feb 2000
News

Breaking Down Barriers: The Electronic Wallet

partnership with financial institutions such as MBNA, Capital One, Wells Fargo, and Providian. These firms offer the Brodia online shopping service as part of the credit card and banking services. By typing in their passwords, users can... View Details

Keywords: Judith A. Ross

29 Jan 2010
News

Back to Glass-Steagall?

President Obama shocked Wall Street recently with his proposal to cut down to size too-big-to-fail banks by imposing new rules to separate commercial and investment activities. Specifically, Obama would prohibit View Details

Keywords: Roger Thompson; Securities, Commodities, and Other Financial Investments; Finance; Government

November 2003 (Revised March 2008)
Case

Caja España: Managing the Branches to Sell (A)

By: Francisco de Asis Martinez-Jerez and Rosario de Albornoz

Juan Luis Rojas, commercial planning manager of a Caja de Ahorros (savings bank), faces the challenge of motivating the branches to sell more long-term mortgages and ponders whether to use transfer prices to achieve his objective. View Details

Keywords: Business Divisions; Banks and Banking; Resource Allocation; Organizational Design; Performance Improvement; Sales; Motivation and Incentives; Banking Industry