Publications
Publications
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- All HBS Web
(2,186)
- Faculty Publications (375)
- September 2002 (Revised January 2013)
- Case
Siebel Systems: Organizing for the Customer
By: Robert Simons and Antonio Davila
Siebel Systems is one of the fastest growing companies in America. Tom Siebel, the company's founder, has organized the business to accommodate growth and focus on the customer. Innovative information technology systems and clear accountability prove to be essential to... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Structure; Applications and Software; Business Growth and Maturation; Information Technology; Performance Evaluation; Performance Expectations; Innovation and Management; Technological Innovation; Customer Focus and Relationships; Management Teams; Information Technology Industry; North and Central America
- August 2002 (Revised January 2003)
- Case
Siebel Systems: Anatomy of a Sale, Part 1
By: John A. Deighton and Das Narayandas
How does a $2 million software sale happen? This case traces efforts by Siebel Systems to sell lead management software to discount broker Quick & Reilly. The buying process is mapped out over four years. Covers in detail the last six months—from Siebel's initial... View Details
- August 2002 (Revised February 2003)
- Case
Siebel Systems: Anatomy of a Sale, Part 2
By: John A. Deighton and Das Narayandas
How does a $2 million software sale happen? This case traces efforts by Siebel Systems to sell lead management software to discount broker Quick & Reilly. The buying process is mapped out over four years. Covers in detail the last six months--from Siebel's initial... View Details
- August 2002
- Case
Siebel Systems: Anatomy of a Sale, Part 3
By: John A. Deighton and Das Narayandas
How does a $2 million software sale happen? This case traces efforts by Siebel Systems to sell lead management software to discount broker Quick & Reilly. The buying process is mapped out over four years. Covers in detail the last six months--from Siebel's initial... View Details
- July 2002 (Revised April 2003)
- Case
Computer Associates International, Inc.: Governance and Investor Communication Challenge
By: Paul M. Healy and Krishna G. Palepu
Sanjay Kumar, the CEO of Computer Associates, faces investor communication challenges following the company's implementation of a new business model and the accompanying change method used to recognize revenue. Despite management's confidence that the new business... View Details
- September 2001
- Background Note
Accounting for Computer Software Development Costs
By: Robert S. Kaplan and Tatiana Sandino
Summarizes the debate on accounting for computer software development costs. Provides a historical description of the development of standards on accounting of computer software development costs, both in the United States and internationally. Describes how, after much... View Details
- September 2001
- Background Note
Financial Reporting Environment, The
Provides a framework for understanding the role of financial reporting and various intermediaries as mechanisms for reducing both adverse selection and moral hazard problems in capital markets. Financial reports reduce adverse selection by providing basic information... View Details
- June 2001 (Revised July 2001)
- Case
Amazon.com in the Year 2000
By: Krishna G. Palepu and Jeremy Cott
An analyst's critique of Amazon's prospectus from the perspective of its bond holders. View Details
- March 2001 (Revised April 2001)
- Case
MiCRUS: Activity-Based Management for Business Turnaround
By: Robert S. Kaplan, Jonathan B. Schiff and Stanley Abraham
MiCRUS is a new company, spun off from IBM as a joint venture between IBM and Cirrus Logic to produce semiconductor wafers at world-class costs for its two parent companies. The senior management team needs to overcome the bureaucratic, internally focused culture that... View Details
- February 2001 (Revised April 2001)
- Background Note
Note on Valuing Private Businesses
By: Dwight B. Crane and Indra Reinbergs
This case provides a brief overview of valuation for owners of closely held companies. The focus is on a comparable transactions approach, although rules of thumb and discounted cash flow are mentioned. Earnings multiples and their drivers are discussed. It uses... View Details
- November 2000 (Revised July 2001)
- Case
Intuit QuickBooks
By: Rajiv Lal and Punima P Kochikar
Internet QuickBooks, a successful product with a strong brand and an 85% share of retail sales, was faced with the challenge of meeting market growth expectations in a mature, slowing market segment. Generating recurring revenues by providing value-added online... View Details
- November 2000 (Revised January 2003)
- Case
Yahoo!'s Stock-Based Compensation
By: Paul M. Healy and Jacob Cohen
Amy Maislos, an investor in Internet and technology companies, was excited to read that Yahoo! had reported a positive net income for 1998 operations. During the late 1990s, stock prices of Internet companies had risen rapidly even though most companies were reporting... View Details
- November 2000 (Revised November 2002)
- Case
Activity-Based Management at W.S. Industries (A)
By: V.G. Narayanan and Sanjay Pothen
W.S. Industries undertakes the design and implementation of an activity based costing (ABC) system, and the ABC information empowers workers to make process improvement decisions. Workers' incentive pay is tied to cost savings from process improvements. View Details
- October 2000 (Revised March 2004)
- Case
Software Associates
By: Robert S. Kaplan
The president of a small consulting firm has just seen his second-quarter profit and loss statement, showing an increase in revenues but a substantial decline in profits. He asks his chief financial officer to explain the results. The CFO works hard to accumulate... View Details
- March 2000 (Revised November 2000)
- Case
IBM Corporation Turnaround
By: Robert D. Austin and Richard L. Nolan
Describes the details of IBM's dramatic corporate turnaround in the early 1990s led by CEO Louis V. Gerstner. Accounts of events are from interviews with IBM executives. Covers the factors that led to the company's decline and actions taken to recover. View Details
- February 2000 (Revised April 2001)
- Case
CNET 2000
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Pauline M Fischer
CNET's managers explain the strategic analysis that led to their decision to increase their annual marketing budget from $1 million to $100 million. CNET is an online information intermediary that helps consumers make purchase decisions about PC hardware and software,... View Details
- January 2000
- Case
Measurement and Management at CitySoft
By: V.G. Narayanan and Sanjay Pothen
CitySoft is a very small software developer that is grappling with issues of cost measurement and management. View Details
- December 1999
- Case
Agrochemicals at Ciba-Geigy AG (A)
By: Michael L. Tushman, Wendy Smith and Daniel Radov
After spending five years to develop a revolutionary product, the director of Ciba-Geigy's fungicide research department is handed an unfavorable market study. The case details the R&D process for the new product, including information on corporate partnerships,... View Details
Keywords: Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Research and Development; Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Product Launch; Marketing Channels; Change Management; Product Development; Business Processes; Organizational Structure; Corporate Accountability; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry
- November 1999 (Revised February 2000)
- Case
Granny's Goodies, Inc.
By: Das Narayandas and Katherine B. Korman
The young entrepreneurs of Granny's Goodies, Inc., a corporate gift package specialist, face the challenge of finding ways to create consistent revenue streams and reduce sales costs. Outside of a few long-term contracts, the two founders have had to work very hard for... View Details
- October 1999 (Revised October 2005)
- Case
Autobytel.com
By: Youngme E. Moon
Autobytel enjoys first-mover advantage in the Internet new car buying space. According to a number of metrics, it is the online leader in this category. However, a number of competitors have sprung up, raising questions about the long-term viability of Autobytel's... View Details