Publications

June 2005 (Revised July 2009)
Case

Financial Reporting Problems at Molex, Inc. (A)

By: Paul M. Healy

Following an accounting problem at Molex, the firm's auditors request changes in management. The board of directors has to decide whether the auditors' concerns have merit or whether, as management argues, the accounting issue is immaterial. View Details

Keywords: Managerial Roles; Governing and Advisory Boards; Financial Reporting; Relationships; Resignation and Termination; Accounting Audits

25 Jul 2003
Keynote Speech

The Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley and the NYSE Rules on American Corporate Governance

By: W. Carl Kester

Keywords: Stocks; Corporate Governance; Accounting Audits; United States

30 Jun 2015
First Look

First Look: June 30, 2015

anticorruption ratings are domiciled in countries with low corruption risk ratings and strong anticorruption enforcement, operate in high corruption risk industries, have recently faced a corruption enforcement action, employ a Big Four View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

25 Feb 2014
First Look

First Look: February 25

known of what influences auditors' ability to identify and report dangerous, illegal, and unethical behavior at factories. Drawing on insights from the literature on street-level bureaucracy and on regulatory and audit design, we theorize... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

May 1987 (Revised February 2000)
Case

Codman & Shurtleff, Inc.: Planning and Control System

By: Robert L. Simons

Detailed description of the planning and control systems in use at Johnson & Johnson. Focuses on the actions of managers in one subsidiary in revising budget targets. Illustrates intensive strategic planning and financial planning process in a large, decentralized... View Details

Keywords: Strategic Planning; Planning; Forecasting and Prediction; Accounting Audits; Budgets and Budgeting; Business Strategy; Financial Management; Business or Company Management; Management Systems; Public Administration Industry; Financial Services Industry

26 Jul 2011
First Look

First Look: July 26

Quality: Evidence from 1978-1980 Authors:Kevin Koh, Shivaram Rajgopal, and Suraj Srinivasan Abstract We provide evidence for the long-standing concern on auditor conflicts of interest from providing non-audit services (NAS) to audit... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

03 Aug 2009
Research & Ideas

Corporate Social Responsibility in a Downturn

recession turns around. Q: How would you advise that executives best communicate their CSR efforts to stakeholders when the economy is in such turmoil? A: This is the time for executives to undertake a CSR audit and classify the programs... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

21 Jul 2009
First Look

First Look: July 21

strategic postures are reflected—and embedded—in different organizational postures. In 2009 the CEOs of both companies face new global strategic and organizational choices. Purchase this case: http://hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=909415 The Role... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

June 1989 (Revised June 1993)
Case

Thumbs-Up Video, Inc.

By: William J. Bruns Jr.

A start-up video rental business is described to provide a basis for a bookkeeping and financial reporting exercise for an accounting course. Both start-up and operating transactions are included along with situations requiring judgments about depreciation policies and... View Details

Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Financial Statements; Accounting Audits; Accrual Accounting; Financial Reporting; Accounting Industry

02 Feb 2002
What Do You Think?

Will the Societal Effects of Enron Exceed Those of September 11?

outcome from Enron will likely be the enrichment of the very professions that contributed to the mess. First, there will be the obvious windfall of extra legal fees from Enron and related cases. Then it is quite likely that the accounting profession will be enriched... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

February 1994 (Revised May 1995)
Case

Metallgesellschaft AG

By: David F. Hawkins and Guy J. Weyns

Metallgesellschaft AG is a commodity and engineering conglomerate based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Metallgesellschaft Corp., a New York based subsidiary of the group, has made oil trading and hedging errors that could drive the group into insolvency. The impact of... View Details

Keywords: Accounting Audits; Business Conglomerates; Forecasting and Prediction; Trade; Non-Renewable Energy

September 2005 (Revised January 2006)
Case

Restating Revenues and Earnings at INVESTools, Inc. (A)

By: Michael D. Kimbrough and F. Warren McFarlan

Relates the events leading up to the announcement in February 2005 that INVESTools, a Utah-based provider of investor education services, would be restating prior-year financial statements due to inappropriate revenue recognition. View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Accounting Audits; Financial Statements; Capital Markets; Currency Exchange Rate; Corporate Disclosure; Financial Services Industry; Education Industry; Utah