Publications

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December 2008
Case

Merrimack Tractors and Mowers: LIFO or FIFO?

By: William J. Bruns Jr., Sharon Bruns and Susan S. Hameling

At Merrimack Tractors and Mowers in 2008, product manufacturing costs are increasing faster than competitors' costs, and as a result earnings are likely to fall below those reported in 2007. The company president and the company controller have discussed this problem,... View Details

Keywords: International; Financial; Reporting; Standards; Inventory; Business Ethics; Assets; Valuation; Ethics; Taxation; Financial Reporting; Manufacturing Industry

March 1997
Article

FASB and IASC Issue Similar Earnings per Share Standards

By: David F. Hawkins

Keywords: Accounting; Standards

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January 2017 (Revised January 2019)
Case

The Rise and Fall of Lehman Brothers

By: Stuart C. Gilson, Kristin Mugford and Sarah L. Abbott

With nearly $700 billion in assets, Lehman was the largest U.S. bankruptcy in history. In 2007, Lehman achieved record earnings of over $4 billion on revenues of $60 billion. By September 2008 the fourth largest investment bank in the world was bankrupt. How had a... View Details

January 2009 (Revised June 2010)
Teaching Note

Lyons Document Storage Corporation: Bond Math (Brief Case)

By: William J. Bruns Jr.

Teaching Note to 3215 View Details

Keywords: Financial Accounting; Quantitative Analysis; Securities; Debt Securities; Cash Flow; Mathematical Methods; Accounting

01 Dec 2017
News

2017 in Finance: Helping Consumers Improve Their Financial Life

benefit of the consumer and to learn what they need, rather than to sell them standardized products, consumer financial firms can forge a stronger relationship with their customers and help them feel in... View Details

Keywords: Omer Ismail (MBA 2007), chief commercial officer, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, the firm’s digital consumer financial services business; Finance

February 2003 (Revised November 2003)
Exercise

Accounting for Pensions at General Motors Corporation (B)

By: David F. Hawkins and Jacob Cohen

A potential investor in General Motor's stock reviews the retiree benefit note data included in the company's 2001 financial statements as part of the investment analysis of the company. View Details

Keywords: Investment; Accounting; Compensation and Benefits; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry

Web

Accounting & Management - Faculty & Research

accountability for performance through effective external and internal governance. Unit research, course development, and teaching fall into two broad areas: Financial Reporting and Analysis and Management... View Details

Web

Admissions & Financial Support - Doctoral

Admissions & Financial Support Your Journey Starts Now Application Requirements HBS admits a talented class of intellectually curious applicants from diverse backgrounds every year. We search for individuals who want to influence the... View Details

Web

Admissions & Financial Aid | MBA

awarded an incremental $5,500 scholarship each academic year ($11,000 total). The scholarship will be incorporated into each financial aid package, if applicable. Half of the award will be disbursed to students’ Harvard University Student... View Details

December 2008 (Revised November 2010)
Teaching Note

Merrimack Tractors and Mowers: LIFO or FIFO? (Brief Case)

By: William J. Bruns Jr., Sharon Bruns and Susan S. Harmeling

Teaching Note to 3217 View Details

Keywords: International Financial Reporting Standards; Inventory; Business Ethics; Ethics; Financial Reporting; Globalization

October 2009 (Revised July 2014)
Teaching Note

New Century Financial Corporation

By: Suraj Srinivasan and Krishna G. Palepu

Teaching Note for [109034] and [113-002]. View Details

Keywords: Management Practices and Processes; Business Model; Financial Liquidity; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Managerial Roles; Accounting Audits; Financial Crisis; Financial Services Industry; United States

04 May 2009
Research & Ideas

What’s Next for the Big Financial Brands

now close to worthless. It drags down Bank of America's brand every time it is mentioned in the same breath. The Merrill Lynch brand is unlikely to ever recover and Bank of America should drop it. Merrill Lynch was one of 25 financial... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch; Financial Services; Financial Services

October 1992 (Revised May 1993)
Background Note

Diversity in Accounting Principles: A Problem, a Strategic Imperative, or a Strategic Opportunity?

By: William J. Bruns Jr.

Provides an introduction to the diversity of generally accepted accounting principles. An example shows how financial reports in one firm could differ depending on accounting methods and principles selected. Presents arguments that this may be a problem, an imperative... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Problems and Challenges; Strategy; Opportunities

July 2014
Article

Smart Money? The Effect of Education on Financial Outcomes

By: Shawn A. Cole, Anna Paulson and Gauri Kartini Shastry

Household financial decisions are important for household welfare, economic growth and financial stability. Yet, our understanding of the determinants of financial decision-making is limited. Exploiting exogenous variation in state compulsory schooling laws in both... View Details

Keywords: Personal Finance; Investment; Decisions; Behavior; Financial Condition

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Financial databases: certification and training

Where can I find out about certification for Bloomberg, Capital IQ, and LSEG Workspace (formerly Refinitiv), and Datastream? Bloomberg Certification: Bloomberg offers 3 modules as part of there certification program - Bloomberg View Details

2009
Working Paper

Why Do Countries Adopt International Financial Reporting Standards?

By: Karthik Ramanna and Ewa Sletten

In a sample of 102 non-European Union countries, we study variations in the decision to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). There is evidence that more powerful countries are less likely to adopt IFRS, consistent with more powerful countries being... View Details

Keywords: Financial Reporting; International Accounting; Globalized Economies and Regions; Network Effects; Standards; Adoption

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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