Publications

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January 2016 (Revised January 2019)
Supplement

The Allergan Board Under Fire (B)

By: Lynn S. Paine, Suraj Srinivasan, John C. Coates and David Lane

In 2014, the Allergan Inc. board of directors received a surprise takeover offer from Valeant Pharmaceuticals in alliance with hedge fund activist Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management. In the unprecedented arrangement between an acquirer and a hedge fund... View Details

11 Apr 2011
Lessons from the Classroom

Teaching a ‘Lean Startup’ Strategy

A dozen years ago, it seemed like all it took to launch a successful technology company was a vague idea, a PowerPoint presentation, a trade-show booth with a sexy spokesmodel, and a URL. Then the dot-com bubble burst and investors got wiser and warier. Gone are the... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Technology; Computer

09 Apr 2001
Research & Ideas

Marketing a Country: Promotion as a Tool for Attracting Foreign Investment.

In examining the way governments choose a structure in which to conduct investment promotion activities we found that most of the organizational issues fell within the realm of the public-private choice of management of certain nontraditional government activities.... View Details

Keywords: by Louis T. Wells & Alvin G. Wint

2020
White Paper

Building the On-Demand Workforce

By: Joseph B. Fuller, Manjari Raman, James Palano, Allison Bailey, Nithya Vaduganathan, Elizabeth Kaufman, Renée Laverdière and Sibley Lovett

The right talent, in the right place, at the right time, is the equation for success in today’s world. In an era of technological change, demographic shifts, and economic uncertainty, companies can enhance their ability to compete by building a flexible... View Details

Keywords: Future Of Work; On-demand Economy; Workforce; On-demand Workforce; Competitive Advantage; Human Capital; Talent and Talent Management; Recruitment

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01 May 2017
Research & Ideas

Bad At Your Job? Maybe It's the Job’s Fault

not intuitive for managers. So Simons created a solution: a free online job design optimization tool that allows companies to plug in information about a particular job to test whether the person in that role is getting the right mix of... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

2000
Working Paper

The Logic of the First Amendment

By: Clifford G. Holderness, Michael C. Jensen and William H. Meckling

We develop a framework that is applicable to all freedom of expression disputes. Our framework is based on the meaning of freedom which is based on the meaning of scarcity, and which, in turn, is based on the existence of physical incompatibilities. To maximize... View Details

Keywords: Rights; Courts and Trials; Judgments; Property; Conflict and Resolution; United States

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Teaching Interest

Strategic Negotiations: Dealmaking for the Long Term

By: Guhan Subramanian

To craft a complex deal with major implications for your organization's future, you need more than just persuasive tactics at the negotiating table. You need to bring together the right players, tackle the right issues, and develop the right process. By examining... View Details

June 2022 (Revised November 2023)
Case

Individual FoodService, Kelso, and Ken Sweder

By: Jo Tango and Alys Ferragamo

When and how much risk to take? In October 2020, Ken Sweder, CEO of Individual FoodService (“IFS”), contemplated this question as he evaluated a proposal to acquire Brady Industries, a distributor of janitorial and sanitation products. Sweder and his private equity... View Details

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic; Risk Management; Mergers and Acquisitions; Value Creation; Business Divisions

September 2023 (Revised October 2023)
Case

Mohamed Salah

By: Anita Elberse and Taher El Moataz Bellah

In June 2022, Mohamed Salah, one of the world’s best soccer players, and his lawyer and advisor Ramy Abbas Issa were in ongoing discussions with top English Premier League club Liverpool FC about a new playing contract for Salah. Arguably the Arab world’s biggest... View Details

Keywords: Soccer; Football; Superstars; General Management; Sports; Entertainment; Media; Marketing; Strategy; Compensation and Benefits; Contracts; Negotiation Participants; Negotiation Process; Sports Industry; England

01 Feb 2016
Research & Ideas

CEOs and Coaches: How Important is Organizational 'Fit?'

are important in explaining team success. Even the best teams need the right coach to translate their performance into organizational success. What is less well known is that even the best coaches need to be in the View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg & Abhijit Naik; Sports

September 2016
Background Note

A Brief History of African American Leaders in Unions and the Labor Movement

By: Steven Rogers and Mercer Cook

This historically focused background note highlights the role of African American Labor Leaders in both the Labor Movement and the Civil Rights Movement. In doing so, it attempts to both highlight these noteworthy individuals and demonstrate the innate connection... View Details

Keywords: Wages; Working Conditions; Political History; Social History; Economic History; Business History; Fairness; Moral Sensibility; Labor And Management Relations; Social Issues; Culture; Equality And Inequality; Rights; Leading Change; Race; Civil Society or Community; Labor Unions

February 2016 (Revised July 2017)
Case

Race, Justice, and the Jury System in Postbellum Virginia

By: David Moss and Dean Grodzins

In December 1877, an all-white grand jury in Patrick County, Virginia, indicted two black teenagers, Lee and Burwell Reynolds, for killing a white man. After a series of trials, an all-white trial jury convicted Lee of second-degree murder and sentenced him to prison.... View Details

Keywords: Rights; Courts and Trials; Fairness; Race; Government and Politics; History; Virginia

04 Aug 2003
What Do You Think?

Are We Facing an Attitude Shortage?

Summing Up "Good attitudes supercharge organizational performance beyond what the skill/talent level would indicate," according to Perry Miles. "Attitude is one of the strongest determinants of performance," added Richard McLaughlin. Their... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

07 Jul 2003
What Do You Think?

Can We Have Too Much Productivity Improvement?

Summing Up There was a wide divergence of opinion on this month's column. A surprising number of respondents concluded that an economy could suffer, at least in the short-run, from too much productivity improvement. But many suggested that the source matters,... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

July 2012
Case

LEGO

By: Jan W. Rivkin, Stefan Thomke and Daniela Beyersdorfer

LEGO has emerged as one of the most successful companies in the toy industry. The case describes LEGO's gradual rise, rapid decline, and recent revitalization as it is keeping up with a changing market place. Central to LEGO's management model is the ability to find... View Details

Keywords: Innovation Management; Innovation; Operations Management; Organizational Change And Transformation; Operations; Competitive Strategy; Innovation and Management; Innovation Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

April 2009 (Revised December 2010)
Case

Equity International: The Second Act

By: Nicolas P. Retsinas, Ben Creo and Ricardo Reisen de Pinho

Thomas McDonald, senior vice president of Equity International (EI), is weighing an investment in the Brazilian homebuilder Gafisa. Was this the right country? The right company? The right co-investor? The right time? McDonald would be investing alongside a Brazilian... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Investment; Emerging Markets; Partners and Partnerships; Interests; Brazil

Article

Exclusivity, Contingent Control Rights, and the Design of Internet Portal Alliances

By: Josh Lerner and Dan Elfenbein

We explore the relationship between exclusivity and state-contingent control rights using a sample of over 100 Internet portal alliance contracts. We find that stronger exclusivity arrangements are associated with more frequent usage of contingent control rights. For... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Contracts; Governance Controls; Internet and the Web; Ownership

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