Publications

July 1986 (Revised July 1991)
Case

Nippon-WTI Ltd.

By: W. Carl Kester and Glynn Ferguson

A Japanese joint venture between a U.S. parent and a Japanese parent has proposed that 100% of the U.S. parent's product be produced in Japan rather than the 40% currently being manufactured there. This would require the U.S. parent to give up a dollar profit earned on... View Details

Keywords: Joint Ventures; Currency Exchange Rate; Profit; Product; Production; Strategy; Manufacturing Industry; Asia; Japan; United States

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January 1999 (Revised December 2020)
Case

The U.S. Banking Panic of 1933 and Federal Deposit Insurance

By: Julio J. Rotemberg and Sabina M. Ciminero

After highlighting some key developments in the banking history of the United States, the case illustrates the Banking Panic of 1933 and the way in which Franklin D. Roosevelt dealt with it at the beginning of his presidency. Describes the main components of banking... View Details

Keywords: Government Legislation; Insurance; Crisis Management; Financial Crisis; Banks and Banking; History; Business and Government Relations; Banking Industry; United States

December 2005 (Revised September 2007)
Case

Canyon Johnson Urban Fund

By: Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Alexa Arena

Basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson and K. Robert Turner, managing partner of Canyon Johnson Urban Fund (CJUF), raised $271.7 million for investments in urban real estate. The fund considered two projects, both located in Hollywood, CA. The first was located on... View Details

Keywords: Investment; Projects; Business and Government Relations; Public Opinion; Urban Development; Real Estate Industry; Los Angeles

July 1998 (Revised May 2005)
Case

Anderson Steel Service, Inc.

By: John A. Davis

Explores the management of family and business issues and helps to identify a range of topics with which families in business wrestle. Describes a dilemma faced by sixty-eight-year-old Charles Anderson, the semi-retired founder of the company and the father of three... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Family Business; Problems and Challenges; Business or Company Management; Family and Family Relationships; Strategy; Steel Industry

2007
Working Paper

The Impact of Shareholder Activism on Financial Reporting and Compensation: The Case of Employee Stock Options Expensing

By: Fabrizio Ferri and Tatiana Sandino

In this paper we examine the economic consequences of over 150 shareholder proposals to expense employee stock options (ESO) submitted during the proxy seasons of 2003 and 2004–the first case where the SEC has allowed an accounting matter to be subject to an advisory... View Details

Keywords: Executive Compensation; Financial Reporting; Employee Stock Ownership Plan; Corporate Governance; Investment Activism; Business and Shareholder Relations

July 2012
Case

Shut It Down?

By: Clayton Rose

Meredith, the head of a major division of a financial firm, must confront an unexpected response and challenge from a senior colleague when she proposes shutting down an underperforming unit. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Collaboration; Business Units; Business Exit or Shutdown; Leadership; Strategy; Financial Services Industry

April 2017 (Revised March 2024)
Case

Making Target the Target: Boycotts and Corporate Political Activity

By: Nien-hê Hsieh and Victor Wu

Through the challenges facing Target, the case examines ways in which corporations can become involved in political and legislative debates and processes, ranging from campaign contributions to lobbying to political activism. In 2016, Target CEO Brian Cornell must... View Details

19 Jul 2007
Research & Ideas

Podcast: Rupert Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal

worsen. The industry is now going through full-scale consolidation and reorganization in the face of competition from Internet properties. The trend begs the question: Is Murdoch overpaying for Dow Jones? Harvard Business School professor... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Aisner; Journalism & News; Publishing

30 Nov 2016
Op-Ed

Where Could More Regulation Help Small Businesses? Online Lending.

services where commonsense regulation is welcome and needed: online lending to businesses. Over the last few years online business lending has exploded. Dozens of “financial technology” (fintech) players such as OnDeck, Kabbage and... View Details

Keywords: by Karen Mills and Brayden McCarthy; Financial Services

09 Jul 2021
News

“Bad Mergers” and Noncompete Clauses Targeted in Biden Executive Order

20 Feb 2013
Research & Ideas

Big Deal: Reflections on the Megamerger of American and US Airways

filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2011. For the smaller US Airways, it was a chance to bulk up to compete on an equal footing with the big domestic carriers on the tarmac, United and Delta. In their articles below, Harvard View Details

Keywords: Re: Rosabeth M. Kanter & Stuart C. Gilson; Air Transportation

03 Jan 2018
What Do You Think?

In the Wake of #MeToo, Should Corporate Boards Hire Compliance Officers?

Sam agreed: "This should be standard business practice." He asked, "Why do these boards not have a member who truly understands Compliance/Governance?" John would go even further. "Yes to a compliance officer This... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

12 May 2015
Research & Ideas

How Crowds and Experts Kickstart the Arts

Business School. "That could be both potentially positive and negative. There is a lot of critically acclaimed artwork that could be systematically overlooked by crowds. On the other hand, you could imagine that experts aren't always good... View Details

Keywords: Re: Ramana Nanda; Entertainment & Recreation

26 Nov 2019
News

Who Killed Healthcare? Dr Regina Herzlinger Knows Who’s Guilty

12 Dec 2012
News

That Time I Tried To Be Wonder Woman

21 Feb 2012
Research & Ideas

Leadership Program for Women Targets Subtle Promotion Biases

organization, but was far from broken. "Women's progress has really leveled off, and has been stuck for at least 10 years," says Robin J. Ely, the Warren Alpert Professor of Business Administration at Harvard View Details

Keywords: by Maggie Starvish

February 2001 (Revised March 2001)
Case

Apax Partners and Dialog Semiconductor: March 1998

By: G. Felda Hardymon, Josh Lerner, Antonio Alvarez-Cano and Borja Martinez

Apax Partners is considering a complex buyout of a semiconductor manufacturer. The firms must assess in a compressed timeframe the complex technological, financial, and operational risks that the proposed transaction poses. View Details

Keywords: Market Transactions; Leveraged Buyouts; Restructuring; Time Management; Production; Risk Management; Financial Services Industry; Semiconductor Industry

July 2020 (Revised July 2023)
Case

Live Nation and Pharrell Williams

By: Anita Elberse and Kate Christensen

“We’re in business together, and whether we lose a few million dollars or make a few million dollars, let’s do this. If you think you can pull it off, I’m behind you.” Michael Rapino, chief executive officer of Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment... View Details

Keywords: Music; Entertainment; Superstars; Talent; Labor Economics; General Management; Music Entertainment; Media; Talent and Talent Management; Joint Ventures; Marketing; Strategy; Music Industry

August 2010 (Revised January 2013)
Case

Urban Water Partners (A)

By: Karthik Ramanna, George Serafeim and Aldo Sesia

The case explores a new business venture to bring clean water to residents of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who otherwise cannot afford it. Management has enough money to get the company through August 2010 but needs more capital thereafter. An HBS alumnus is interested in... View Details

Keywords: Accrual Accounting; Financial Statements; Business Startups; Social Entrepreneurship; Investment; Performance Evaluation; Dar es Salaam; Massachusetts