Publications

15 Apr 2019
News

How Companies Should Prepare Their Forecasts

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

Lumumba Seegars is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration in the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School. He teaches the Leadership and Organizational Behavior course (LEAD) in the MBA Required Curriculum.

Professor Seegars... View Details

November–December 2022
Article

Number One in Formula One: Leadership Lessons from Toto Wolff and Mercedes, the Team behind One of the Greatest Winning Streaks in All of Sports

By: Anita Elberse

Toto Wolff, the team principal for Mercedes-AMG Petronas—arguably the most impressive team in F1 racing history—has led his organization to unparalleled success. Mercedes earned the Constructors’ Championship (for best overall team performance) every year from 2014... View Details

Keywords: Formula One; Leadership; Organizational Culture; Management Style; Success

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10 Nov 2010
News

Ask Not What Your Company Can Do for You...

October 2002
Article

Differences of Opinion and the Cross-Section of Stock Returns

By: Karl B. Diether, Christopher J. Malloy and Anna Scherbina

We provide evidence that stocks with higher dispersion in analysts' earnings forecasts earn lower future returns than otherwise similar stocks. This effect is most pronounced in small stocks, and stocks that have performed poorly over the past year. Interpreting... View Details

Keywords: Stocks; Forecasting and Prediction; Price; Valuation; Investment Return

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June 1991 (Revised December 1997)
Case

Takeover of the Norton Co., The

By: Thomas R. Piper

After a decade of mediocre performance, the Norton Co. enters 1990 with the prospect of increased sales in the next few years. Yet Norton is pursuing slow growth industries, and a lower than expected earnings announcement at the beginning of 1990 has depressed earnings... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Conglomerates; Goals and Objectives; Forecasting and Prediction; Performance Evaluation; Revenue; Bids and Bidding; Business Processes; Ownership Stake

Siyu Zhang is a second-year doctoral student at HBS. Zhang joined Harvard Business School in 2020 as a Research Associate and has been working on macroeconomic forecasting projects. Prior to joining HBS, he was a Data Scientist at John Hancock, where he utilized... View Details

March 1998 (Revised March 1999)
Case

NIKE, Inc. in the 1990s (C)

By: John A. Quelch

In 1998, Nike's earnings and sales growth slowed. Management faced new competition from Adidas. This case asks students to review the various strategies (including diversification into sports equipment) pursued by Nike to resuscitate corporate growth. View Details

Keywords: Diversification; Competition; Product Launch; Brands and Branding; Growth and Development Strategy; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Sports Industry

12 Apr 2016
News

New Research: Women Who Don’t Negotiate Might Have a Good Reason

Alexandra C. Feldberg

Alexandra (Allie) Feldberg is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration in the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School.

Professor Feldberg uses qualitative and quantitative methods to examine intersections between gender,... View Details

July 1998 (Revised October 1999)
Case

IPODERAC

By: James E. Austin, Wendy Bermudez and Gustavo Escobar

This 32-year-old nonprofit organization has dedicated itself to the care and social development of abandoned street children in Mexico. Examines the organization's efforts to achieve financial sustainability, particularly through earned income activities on its farm.... View Details

Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship; Finance; Management; Organizations; Problems and Challenges; Nonprofit Organizations; Balance and Stability; Service Industry; Mexico