Publications

January 2011
Case

The Risk-Reward Framework at Morgan Stanley Research

By: Suraj Srinivasan and David Lane

The case describes the Risk-Reward framework that Morgan Stanley analysts use as a systematic approach to communicate a broader range of fundamental insights about a company rather than the traditional single point estimates. The goal of the framework is to focus the... View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Forecasting and Prediction; Equity; Framework; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Risk Management; Business Processes; Research; Valuation

August 2010 (Revised February 2012)
Supplement

Cosmeticos de Espana, S.A. (D)

By: David F. Hawkins

The fourth case in the Cosmeticos de Espana case series. What should management's accounting response be to the imposition of foreign currency controls? View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Decision Choices and Conditions; Inflation and Deflation; Currency Exchange Rate; Governance Controls; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Spain; Venezuela

14 Nov 2012
Research & Ideas

New Agenda for Corporate Accountability Reporting

How do you measure corporate accountability? And can you do it credibly? Since the financial crisis of 2008-2009, for-profit corporations are facing greater demand to disclose more than revenues and expenses on annual View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Accounting; Energy; Utilities

05 Oct 2009
Research & Ideas

The Vanguard Corporation

decisions that would not have made been made on purely financial grounds. It's like P&G's Children's Safe Drinking Water program. When P&G could not make a commercial market out of water purification powder, it created a nonprofit... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

November 2010 (Revised December 2011)
Supplement

Oriflame S.A. (C)

By: David F. Hawkins and Karol Misztal

Notes from Oriflame's 2009 annual report relevant to the assessment of the monetary impact of Oriflame's FX risk management actions. View Details

Keywords: Financial Reporting; Financial Statements; International Accounting; Currency Exchange Rate; Annual Reports; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Risk Management; Standards; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry

September 2007 (Revised February 2010)
Case

Compass Box Whisky Company

Compass Box Whisky Company is facing a changing supply situation and is evaluating switching to a business model with high inventory and long lead times. The company must consider what the change will mean for operations, risk, and measuring profitability. View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Business Model; Profit; Product; Supply Chain; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Risk and Uncertainty

01 Oct 2020
What Do You Think?

Are CEOs the Wrong Leaders for Stakeholder Capitalism?

leverage have to include large institutional investors. I was reminded of this when I read of David Swenson’s recent message to organizations managing Yale’s money under Swenson’s highly successful supervision. He told them that their performance would be judged on... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

18 Oct 2004
Research & Ideas

The Bias of Wall Street Analysts

overoptimistic assumptions embedded in that research. The bigger problem is that not all investors are able to rigorously study financial statement analysis and valuation, and given constraints on time,... View Details

Keywords: by Ann Cullen; Financial Services

20 Mar 2018
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, March 20, 2018

Analysis with Robo-Analysts Using machine-learning technology, New Constructs creates cleaned up financial statement data that removes accounting distortions. This powerful data aims to provide unparalleled... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

30 Aug 2004
Research & Ideas

Mapping Your Board’s Effectiveness

Subsequently, it needs information on how well the strategy is being implemented and what results the strategy is delivering. Directors cannot infer from quarterly financial statements whether the company... View Details

Keywords: by Robert S. Kaplan

December 2010 (Revised September 2011)
Case

Kanebo Ltd. (A)

By: David F. Hawkins, Suraj Srinivasan, Akiko Kanno and Lizzie Gomez

Speculation as to how Japanese companies might implement IFRS with particular emphasis on consolidation accounting. View Details

Keywords: History; Business Conglomerates; Misleading and Fraudulent Advertising; Consolidation; Financial Statements; International Finance; International Accounting; Standards; Goodwill Accounting; Manufacturing Industry; Japan

09 Sep 2009
First Look

First Look: September 9

foundation for understanding the use of and accounting for more complex derivatives. Specific issues raised include (1) the financial statement impact of hedge accounting; (2) motivations for using... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

08 Mar 2017
Op-Ed

Op-Ed: Can the Proposed American Health Care Act Improve on 'Obamacare'?

their patient populations need, and workers and families can have the freedom and flexibility to make their own health care choices." This statement speaks to a strong attachment to personal freedom and choice in American... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch, Dr. Gordon Moore, and Emily Boudreau

November 2000 (Revised July 2019)
Teaching Note

Cafes Monte Bianco: Building a Profit Plan

By: Robert Simons and Indra Reinbergs

Teaching Note for (9-198-088). View Details

Keywords: Business Strategy; Cash Flow; Capital Structure; Business Earnings; Financial Statements; Business Plan; Profit; Cost Management; Performance Evaluation; Strategic Planning; Financial Management; Investment Return; Food and Beverage Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Italy

11 Oct 2017
Research & Ideas

The House Wants to Squelch Voices of ‘Small’ Shareholders. Research Shows Those Voices Matter.

Source: iStock In June 2017, the US House of Representatives passed the Financial CHOICE Act, a 589-page bill designed to repeal many of the regulations in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Buried on... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

2009
Article

India Transformed: Insights from the Firm Level 1988–2007

By: Laura Alfaro and Anusha Chari

Using firm-level data, this paper analyzes the transformation of India's economic structure following the implementation of economic reforms. The focus of the study is on publicly listed and unlisted firms from across a wide spectrum of manufacturing and services... View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Transformation; Economics; Ownership; Assets; Sales; Profit; Stock Shares; Private Sector; Investment Return; Manufacturing Industry; Service Industry; India

Read Now

18 Jun 2007
Op-Ed

Leveling the Executive Options Playing Field

Harvard Business School professor Mihir A. Desai argues that investors and regulators are served poorly by the U.S. corporate financial reporting system, which allows companies to declare different profit figures to the IRS than they... View Details

Keywords: by Mihir Desai

27 Oct 2008
Lessons from the Classroom

Achieving Excellence in Nonprofits

nonprofits should write mission statements that can be relied upon as a promise to deliver specified social value. Why is this important? A: It is important for nonprofits to be clear about what they are claiming to accomplish for two... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

November 1999 (Revised July 2001)
Case

New Profit Inc.: Governing the Nonprofit Enterprise

By: Robert S. Kaplan

New Profit, Inc. (NPI) is an innovative venture philanthropy fund. Founded by social entrepreneur Venessa Kirsch, NPI intends to raise large donations from individuals who wish to invest in nonprofit enterprises that could have a significant social impact and the... View Details

Keywords: Balanced Scorecard; Nonprofit Organizations; Venture Capital; Social Entrepreneurship; Corporate Governance; Performance Evaluation; Financial Statements; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Service Industry