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Publications
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- All HBS Web
(1,581)
- Faculty Publications (270)
- November 1996
- Case
Del Webb Corporation (C), The
By: Jay W. Lorsch and Samanta Graff
Dion and the other Del Webb directors were open to having Industrial Equity Pacific (IEP) and Webcott Holdings representation on the board. The IEP representative was perceived as reserved and lacking in sophistication. Cotter of Webcott, however, struck the directors... View Details
- October 1996 (Revised May 2001)
- Case
Cantuga Farmworkers Clinic (A)
By: James E. Austin and Catherine Overholt
The board of directors of a rural health clinic fires its executive director. The case elaborates the evolution and progress of the clinic under this director during a period of growth and a changing health care environment. Factors contributing to and questioning the... View Details
- April 1996 (Revised May 1997)
- Case
Netscape's Initial Public Offering
By: W. Carl Kester and Kendall Backstrand
In August 1995, Netscape's board of directors was confronted with a decision about what price to offer the company's shares in its initial public offering (IPO). Preliminary demand for shares was high, but the company had not generated any positive earnings at the time... View Details
- September 1995
- Case
Benjamin Rosen and Compaq
By: William A. Sahlman and Jason Green
Addresses the challenges faced by Ben Rosen and the company board of directors as continuing problems force it to make a decision about the ongoing governance of the firm. The issues are complicated by the current CEO and founder, Rod Canion, who has had, until... View Details
- June 1995
- Case
Northern Telecom and Tong Guang Electronics (A1): Getting to Know Each Other
By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Pamela A. Yatsko
In its second year of operation, the joint venture between Northern Telecom (Nortel) of Canada and Tong Guang Electronics of China to manufacture telecommunications equipment in China has hit a crisis. The Chinese partner has asked Northern Telecom to replace its... View Details
- April 1995 (Revised August 1995)
- Case
Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield (A)
By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ramona Hilgenkamp
Mounting financial losses and increasing public scrutiny present many challenges to the board of directors of a large nonprofit health insurer. This case series presents chronologically the increasing problems of the company. View Details
- February 1994 (Revised February 1996)
- Case
Union Carbide Corporation: Interest Rate Risk Management
By: Peter Tufano
Union Carbide's board of directors is asked to evaluate a proposal from the staff treasurer's that would articulate policies to manage its debt portfolio. The staff proposes that shareholder value will be maximized if the firm manages its exposure to interest rates by... View Details
- April 1991 (Revised July 1991)
- Case
RJR Nabisco Board: Guardians of the Gate? (A)
By: Jay W. Lorsch
Charles Hugel, the chairman of RJR Nabisco, receives a call from RJR Nabisco's CEO, Ross Johnson; Johnson plans to present an LBO plan to the board of directors at the board meeting the following week. The case details Hugel's actions as chairman, and describes the... View Details
- April 1991 (Revised July 1991)
- Supplement
RJR Nabisco Board: Guardians of the Gate? (B)
By: Jay W. Lorsch
The special committee of the RJR Nabisco board has extended the bidding deadline for the company by 10 days. The case explains the process by which Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and the management group bid against one another for ownership of RJR Nabisco. The board of... View Details
- March 1991 (Revised January 1996)
- Case
The General Mills Board and Strategic Planning
By: Jay W. Lorsch
Examines the General Mills Board of Directors' role in the General Mills joint venture with Nestle S.A. to sell cereals outside of North America. It raises the more general question of the appropriate role for the board of directors in strategy formulation. View Details
- March 1991 (Revised October 2022)
- Background Note
Beyond the Myth of the Perfect Mentor: Take Charge and Build Your Personal Board of Directors
By: Linda A. Hill, Nancy A Kamprath and Leticia Garcia
Instead of embarking on an odyssey for the perfect mentor, individuals should pursue a strategy of building a network of developmental relationships. In this note, we explore the process by which such a network can be established and cultivated: 1) What functions can... View Details
- February 1991 (Revised June 1993)
- Case
Ross Perot and General Motors
By: Jay W. Lorsch
In December, 1986 the General Motors Board of Directors must decide whether to accept the buyout agreement between GM and Ross Perot, a director of GM and its largest stockholder. The agreement called for GM to purchase all of Perot's GM shares in exchange for his... View Details
- February 1991 (Revised March 1995)
- Case
Alantar, Inc.
By: Jay W. Lorsch
The CEO and chairman of Alantar, Inc. is confronted with the problem of how to create a more effective board of directors and also how to provide for his own successor. View Details
- February 1991 (Revised June 1991)
- Case
Raymond Jackson (A)
By: Jay W. Lorsch
Professor Jackson is offered a spot on the slate of directors that Harold Simmons, Lockheed's largest shareholder, has nominated for Lockheed's board to oppose the slate nominated by Lockheed in the Spring, 1990 elections. Jackson must decide whether to join Simmons'... View Details
- October 1990
- Article
Bankruptcy, Boards, Banks, and Blockholders: Evidence on Changes in Corporate Ownership and Control When Firms Default
By: S. C. Gilson
In 111 publicly traded firms that either file for bankruptcy or privately restructure their debt between 1979 and 1985, bank lenders frequently become major stockholders or appoint new directors. On average, only 46% of incumbent directors remain when bankruptcy or... View Details
- May 1989 (Revised August 2006)
- Case
RJR Nabisco
Gives students the opportunity to explore issues facing the board of directors in a leveraged buyout. RJR Nabisco is valued under different operating strategies and the source of gains in leveraged buyouts is stressed. View Details
- December 1981 (Revised September 1986)
- Case
Marriott Corp.
By: Thomas R. Piper
Marriott is considering the repurchase of ten million shares. This is apparently at odds with the financial policies that the Board of Directors passed two years earlier. Students must discuss why the policies were passed and why changes are now necessary. Includes a... View Details
- December 1961 (Revised January 1994)
- Case
Plowman Poultry Farm
A poultry farmer wanted to expand production greatly and sought a large extension of his line of credit from his bank in addition to his existing loan on which he had not made payment. The Board of Directors must review a detailed account of events leading to this... View Details
- Research Summary
Board Governance
By: Paul M. Healy
I examine how the internal operations of boards, including how they select new directors, how they interact with each other and the CEO, and how they review their performance, affect their governance effectiveness View Details
Keywords: Board Of Directors
- Research Summary
Corporate Governance
The characteristics and structure of boards of directors have important implications for firm performance. Professor Wang has found that firms with well-connected boards whose members have strong network connections provide economic benefits that are not immediately... View Details