Publications

July 2018 (Revised August 2018)
Case

Project Helios: Harvesting the Sun

By: Mark Egan and E. Scott Mayfield

Aware of the impact that modern society was having on the environment, Ashley Telkes had always tried to be cognizant of her own impact on the environment and to take reasonable steps to mitigate her own effects. Having already implemented a number of passive measures... View Details

Keywords: Renewable Energy; Personal Finance; Decision Making; Environmental Sustainability

John Macomber is a Senior Lecturer in the Finance unit at Harvard Business School. His professional background includes leadership of real estate, construction, and information technology businesses. At HBS, Mr. Macomber's work focuses on climate adaptation and the... View Details

Keywords: energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy

15 Nov 2011
First Look

First Look: November 15

prevailing research norm. The Role of Finance and Private Investment in Developing Sustainable Cities Author:John D. Macomber Publication:Journal of Applied Corporate Finance 23, no. 3 (summer 2011) Abstract Three trends will drive urban... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

December 2019 (Revised December 2022)
Case

TXU (A): Powering the Largest Leveraged Buyout in History

By: Trevor Fetter, Erik Snowberg and Rebecca M. Henderson

This case is designed to support a lively discussion about the relative merits of shareholder vs. stakeholder perspectives in the context of a company that provides a vital public service that has important environmental implications. The 2007 purchase of TXU, the... View Details

Keywords: Leveraged Buyouts; Transformation; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Environmental Sustainability; Business and Shareholder Relations; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Energy Generation; Non-Renewable Energy; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Energy Industry; Energy Industry; Texas

July 2024 (Revised September 2024)
Case

Shell’s Balancing Act: Resource Allocation and the Green Transition (Abridged)

By: David Collis and Haisley Wert

In mid-2023, amid pressure from climate change activists, shareholder activists, and confronting enormous uncertainty about the future demand for and price of fossil fuels, new Shell CEO Wael Sawan (Harvard MBA 2003) announced a change in strategy for the U.K. oil... View Details

Keywords: Oil ＆ Gas; Renewables; Forecasting Demand; Strategy; Energy; Climate Change; Resource Allocation; Corporate Strategy; Investment Activism; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Energy Industry

February 1998 (Revised March 2000)
Case

Burma Pipeline, The

By: Debora L. Spar and Lane LaMure

In 1996, Unocal Corp. joined forces with the French Total company to construct an ambitious natural gas pipeline from the Andaman Sea across the southern tip of Burma and into Thailand. At an estimated cost of $1.2 billion, the pipeline was designed to bring sorely... View Details

Keywords: Political Risk; Risk Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Issues; Foreign Direct Investment; Energy Industry; Asia

31 Jan 2017
Research & Ideas

The Dow at 20,000: What's That All About?

School finance professor Luis Viceira, an expert on investment management and capital markets, offered his views on how this happened, what it means, and how high the Dow may go in the future. Jim Aisner: Last week the Dow closed above... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Aisner

William A. Sahlman

William Sahlman is a Baker Foundation Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

Mr. Sahlman received an A.B. degree in Economics from Princeton University (1972), an M.B.A. from Harvard University (1975), and a Ph.D. in Business... View Details

Keywords: energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy; energy

Career Coach

Pamela Harder

Pam (HBS / HKS ‘13, Stanford ‘08 Economics) has spent the last 12 years working at the nexus of business and government. Currently, she runs Virginia's state-wide economic development talent investment strategy. As a Managing Director... View Details

Keywords: Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy; Energy

17 Apr 2012
Working Paper Summaries

Technology Choice and Capacity Portfolios Under Emissions Regulation

Keywords: by David Drake, Paul R. Kleindorfer & Luk N. Van Wassenhove

May 2009 (Revised January 2011)
Case

Enel: Power, Russia, and Global Markets

By: Rawi E. Abdelal, Richard H.K. Vietor and Sogomon Tarontsi

Although the global trend toward liberalization of electric utilities forced Enel, the largest power company in Italy, to give up some of its assets in its home base, it also opened up many opportunities abroad, including in Russia, one of the largest electricity... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Energy Generation; Foreign Direct Investment; Global Strategy; Globalized Firms and Management; Globalized Markets and Industries; Business and Government Relations; Utilities Industry; Russia; Italy

Web

Hiring Organizations

Origin Blue Sage Capital Blue Wolf Capital Partners Blumberg Capital Blumhouse Book of the Month Boston Consulting Group - BCG Boston Consulting Group - BCG X Boston Public Schools Boston Scientific BRAC International BrainSpec Brandes View Details

October 1999 (Revised April 2003)
Case

International Investor, The: Islamic Finance and the Equate Project

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Mathew M Millett

Equate Petrochemical Co. (Equate) is a joint venture between Union Carbide Corp. and Petrochemical Industries Co. (PIC) for the construction of a $2 billion petrochemical plant in Kuwait. The sponsors began construction in August 1994, using a bridge loan, and are in... View Details

Keywords: International Finance; Project Finance; Religion; Investment; Finance; Energy Industry; Energy Industry; Kuwait

Web

Live from Klarman Hall - Alumni

Video Recording Closing Remarks 2:15–2:30 p.m. EST Speaker: Lakshmi Ramarajan , Diane Doerge Wilson Professor of Business Administration; Co-chair, Race, Gender, and Equity Initiative See event details . 2024 Fall Reunion Livestreams—September 27 & 28, 2024 Tap into... View Details

01 Oct 2024
Research & Ideas

How Politics Drives Business Decisions in a Polarized Nation

executive suites, start-up firms, and even entire professions and industries. Within finance, in particular, decisionmakers’ political views influence investment returns, credit ratings, asset allocations, loan terms, and bond yields,... View Details

Keywords: by Jay Fitzgerald

November 29, 2023
Article

To Earn Trust, Climate Alliances Need to Improve Transparency

By: Peter Tufano, Chris Thomas, Knut Haanaes, Matteo Gasparini, Robert Eyres and Christopher Chapman

Businesses are increasingly joining together as part of climate alliances to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. But these alliances raise antitrust issues: When competitors collaborate, it can come at the expense of customers or workers. To mitigate... View Details

Keywords: Climate Change; Partners and Partnerships; Corporate Disclosure; Energy Sources

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06 May 2024
Research & Ideas

The Critical Minutes After a Virtual Meeting That Can Build Up or Tear Down Teams

inevitable. Strong communication is key, says Perlow, who provides pointers to help managers head off difficulties before they spin out of control. Perlow’s paper, “Backstage Matters: Collective Energy and Information-Sharing on Global... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

October 2019 (Revised April 2020)
Background Note

Note on Funding Deep Tech Startups

By: Karim Lakhani, Peter Barrett and Noubar Afeyan

This Background Note provides essential information on funding deep technologies—those technologies that were inherently capital intensive, time consuming, risky, and potentially disruptive. Both dilutive and non-dilutive sources of investment are highlighted, along... View Details

January 2023
Case

The Ford Motor Company Green Bond

By: Vikram S Gandhi and James Barnett

In November 2021, Ford Motor Company offered a $2.5 billion green bond to finance investments in electrification. Issuance of green bonds significantly increased into the 2020s, and to date, the Ford Motor Company green bond was the largest such bond offered by a... View Details

Keywords: Finance; Bonds; Green Technology; Financial Services Industry; Auto Industry; United States