Publications
Publications
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- All HBS Web
(1,840)
- Faculty Publications (504)
- June 2007 (Revised March 2008)
- Case
Zoots - Financing Growth (A)
By: Michael J. Roberts, William A. Sahlman and Todd Krasnow
Traces the genesis and founding of Zoots, the largest chain of dry cleaning establishments in the U.S. Founded by some of the founders of the very successful Staples chain, the company raises a very large amount of capital without fully proving its business model, and... View Details
- June 2007
- Article
Does Employment Protection Reduce Productivity? Evidence from U.S. States
By: David H Autor, William R. Kerr and Adriana D. Kugler
Theory predicts that mandated employment protections may reduce productivity by distorting production choices. Firms facing (non-Coasean) worker dismissal costs will curtail hiring below efficient levels and retain unproductive workers, both of which should affect... View Details
Keywords: Theory; Production; Selection and Staffing; Cost; Employment; Capital; Performance Productivity; United States
- 2008
- Working Paper
The Ethnic Composition of U.S. Inventors
By: William R. Kerr
The ethnic composition of US scientists and engineers is undergoing a significant transformation. This study applies an ethnic-name database to individual patent records granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office to document these trends with greater... View Details
- December 2006 (Revised December 2007)
- Case
The Vanderbilt University Endowment (2006)
By: Andre F. Perold and William T. Spitz
As with many modern-day large pools of capital, the Vanderbilt University endowment is significantly invested in alternative assets such as hedge funds, private equity, real estate, and natural resources. The endowment's investment committee chair is attempting to... View Details
- December 2006 (Revised March 2008)
- Case
Prosper Marketplace, Inc.
By: William A. Sahlman and Elizabeth Kind
Describes a set of financial and strategic decisions confronting the founding management team of a new online financial services company. Prosper Marketplace is an internet-based market for individuals to borrow money from other individuals who wish to invest in such... View Details
- November 2006
- Case
Tickle
By: William A. Sahlman and Dan Heath
Describes a set of decisions confronting the management team of a rapidly growing online psychological testing and social networking company. They can either sell the company to a large public company, raise another round of capital from a preeminent venture capital... View Details
- November 2006
- Case
Brontes Technologies -- 2005
By: William A. Sahlman and Caroline Perkins
Describes a set of decisions confronting the founders of a company developing a new device for taking three-dimensional pictures of teeth in order to improve dental outcomes. The company needs more money and must choose between raising new equity capital from a venture... View Details
- November 2006 (Revised March 2008)
- Case
The Harvard Stem Cell Institute
Describes a set of issues confronting the leaders of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an innovative cross-university effort to accelerate scientific discovery and translation in the domain of stem cells. Covers a wide range of topics, including understanding how... View Details
- September 2006
- Case
Earthbound Farm
By: William A. Sahlman and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld
Describes a set of decisions confronting the senior management of Earthbound Farm, the largest organic produce company in the world. Focuses on what to do with an East Coast distribution center that is losing money but may be useful strategically. View Details
- September 2006 (Revised July 2009)
- Case
BzzAgent, Inc. - 2005
By: William A. Sahlman and Caroline Perkins
Describes a set of financing issues confronting a rapidly growing company that uses "Word-of-Mouth" marketing techniques in promoting research, new products, or services. The company proposes to set the terms for a new round of venture capital it needs and to have... View Details
- August 2006 (Revised December 2010)
- Exercise
The Venture Capital Valuation Problem Set
By: William A. Sahlman and Evan Wade Richardson
To be used with (396-090). View Details
- May 2006 (Revised June 2006)
- Teaching Note
RightNow Technologies (TN)
By: Michael J. Roberts and William A. Sahlman
Teaching Note to (805-032). View Details
Keywords: Technology Industry
- May 2006
- Teaching Note
Valhalla Partners Due Diligence (TN)
By: Michael J. Roberts and William A. Sahlman
Teaching Note to (805-033). View Details
- May 2006 (Revised February 2007)
- Background Note
Innocent Drinks (TN)
By: Michael J. Roberts and William A. Sahlman
Teaching Note to (805-031). View Details
Keywords: Food and Beverage Industry
- April 2006 (Revised April 2012)
- Background Note
The Company Sale Process
Lays out the steps, the timeline, and the process by which a company is sold. Focuses on the sale of companies with enterprise values greater than $100 million. These transactions are large enough to require the help of a financial adviser and attract both strategic... View Details
- April 2006 (Revised April 2012)
- Background Note
The Role of Private Equity Firms in Merger and Acquisition Transactions
Explores the importance of private equity firms in merger and acquisitions activity around the globe. In many countries, these firms now account for one quarter of the total merger and acquisition activity of all firms. The larger private equity firms generate fees for... View Details
- January 2006 (Revised April 2007)
- Case
General Electric Healthcare, 2006
By: Tarun Khanna and Elizabeth Raabe
In January 2006, Joe Hogan, head of General Electric (GE) Healthcare Technologies, prepared to step into William Castell's shoes as CEO of GE Healthcare, the world's leading manufacturer of diagnostic imaging equipment. In 2004, former CEO Jeff Immelt acquired Amersham... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Cost vs Benefits; Growth and Development Strategy; Mergers and Acquisitions; Machinery and Machining; Global Range; Multinational Firms and Management; Product Design; Technological Innovation; Expansion; Value Creation; Business Subsidiaries; Health Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry
- December 2005 (Revised March 2010)
- Case
William Levitt, Levittown and the Creation of American Suburbia
By: Nitin Nohria, Anthony Mayo and Mark Benson
Demand for low-cost housing after World War II far exceeded supply. Was this a profitable new market? New York developer William Levitt had to decide. During World War II, Levitt was eager to build basic housing for the working class—otherwise, Levitt & Sons would have... View Details
- November 2005 (Revised December 2007)
- Case
Motion Computing, Inc. -- 2004
By: William A. Sahlman and Caroline Perkins
Scott Eckert, the co-founder and CEO of Motion Computing, must decide whether to raise additional capital to support growth. Motion manufactures and distributes Tablet PCs. If the company opts to raise money, it must decide on the source and terms of the financing. View Details
- November 2005 (Revised July 2009)
- Case
Cutter & Buck (A)
By: William A. Sahlman and Victoria Winston
Only three short months into her new position as CEO of publicly traded golf apparel manufacturer Cutter & Buck, Fran Conley discovers accounting irregularities that call into question the reliability of this company's financial statements. Working closely with her... View Details