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- All HBS Web
(2,531)
- Faculty Publications (405)
- March 1997
- Article
Transactions Costs and Capital Structure Choice: Evidence from Financially Distressed Firms
By: S. C. Gilson
This study provides evidence that transactions costs discourage debt reductions by financially distressed firms when they restructure their debt out of court. As a result, these firms remain highly leveraged and one-in-three subsequently experience financial distress.... View Details
Keywords: Cost; Capital Structure; Decision Choices and Conditions; Information; Finance; Business Ventures
Gilson, S. C. "Transactions Costs and Capital Structure Choice: Evidence from Financially Distressed Firms." Journal of Finance 52, no. 1 (March 1997): 161–196. (Abstracted in Contemporary Finance Digest 1 (autumn 1997))
- February 1997 (Revised April 1998)
- Case
first direct (A)
Describes the operations and strategy of the world's largest, fastest growing branchless bank. Using a person-to-person interface over conventional phone lines, First Direct provides standard banking and related financial products to nearly 700,000 customers throughout... View Details
Keywords: Service Delivery; Customer Satisfaction; Banks and Banking; Innovation and Invention; Banking Industry; United Kingdom
Rayport, Jeffrey F., and Dickson Louie. "first direct (A)." Harvard Business School Case 897-079, February 1997. (Revised April 1998.)
- February 1996 (Revised November 2003)
- Case
Indianapolis: Activity-Based Costing of City Services (A)
By: Robert S. Kaplan
A new administration in the City of Indianapolis is initially determined to privatize many municipal services. Before taking this action, however, the city managers want to know the current cost of performing these services with the municipal workers. Existing... View Details
Keywords: Cost Management; Public Sector; Activity Based Costing and Management; Service Delivery; Privatization; City; Indianapolis
Kaplan, Robert S. "Indianapolis: Activity-Based Costing of City Services (A)." Harvard Business School Case 196-115, February 1996. (Revised November 2003.)
- May 1995 (Revised April 1998)
- Case
AT&T Paradyne
By: Robert S. Kaplan
A company making data communication devices has adopted a Total Quality philosophy for working with suppliers, employees, and customers. The finance group finds its existing cost system has become obsolete because of a shift from manual to automatic production... View Details
Keywords: Decisions; Product; Corporate Accountability; Activity Based Costing and Management; System; Performance Efficiency; Financial Reporting; Operations; Technology Industry; Telecommunications Industry
Kaplan, Robert S. "AT&T Paradyne." Harvard Business School Case 195-165, May 1995. (Revised April 1998.)
- January 1995 (Revised August 1997)
- Background Note
Cross-Border Valuation
By: Kenneth A. Froot and W. Carl Kester
Provides a review of valuation techniques used to assess cross-border investments. Discusses the discounting of free cash flows with a weighted average cost of capital and the use of adjusted present value. Special concerns such as foreign-exchange risk, country risks,... View Details
Froot, Kenneth A., and W. Carl Kester. "Cross-Border Valuation." Harvard Business School Background Note 295-100, January 1995. (Revised August 1997.)
- May 1994
- Background Note
Designing Channels of Distribution
Presents a framework and a method for addressing the new product channel choice decision. Offers a six-step method that involves: 1) disaggregating and prioritizing a distribution channel by customers' channel function requirements; 2) obtaining and combining... View Details
Rangan, V. Kasturi. "Designing Channels of Distribution." Harvard Business School Background Note 594-116, May 1994.
- October 1993 (Revised October 1996)
- Case
Paragould City Cable
Unhappy with the prices provided by the local, privately owned cable television operator, the city of Paragould, Arkansas constructs a competing municipally owned cable system. Once in operation, Paragould City Cable faces vigorous competition from the incumbent... View Details
Keywords: Business Strategy; Television Entertainment; Competitive Strategy; Distribution Channels; Media; Public Sector; Programs; Growth and Development Strategy; Cost; Performance Improvement; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Arkansas
Emmons, Willis M., III. "Paragould City Cable." Harvard Business School Case 794-030, October 1993. (Revised October 1996.)
- August 1993 (Revised April 1997)
- Case
Southwest Airlines: 1993 (A)
By: James L. Heskett and Roger H. Hallowell
Southwest Airlines, the only major U.S. airline to be profitable in 1992, makes a decision as to which of two new cities to open, or to add a new long-haul route. Provides windows into Southwest's strategy, operations, marketing, and culture. View Details
Keywords: Decisions; Cost Management; Profit; Marketing; Service Operations; Organizational Culture; Corporate Strategy; Expansion; Air Transportation Industry; United States
Heskett, James L., and Roger H. Hallowell. "Southwest Airlines: 1993 (A)." Harvard Business School Case 694-023, August 1993. (Revised April 1997.)
- December 1992 (Revised May 1993)
- Case
Porsche AG
By: Robert S. Kaplan
Describes the financial management of the research and development departments of an automobile manufacturer and technology supplier. Existing cost systems measure accurately the costs incurred by department and by project. But little formal information is provided... View Details
Keywords: Financial Management; Cost Accounting; Research and Development; Machinery and Machining; Auto Industry; Technology Industry
Kaplan, Robert S. "Porsche AG." Harvard Business School Case 193-071, December 1992. (Revised May 1993.)
- October 1992 (Revised September 1993)
- Case
L.L. Bean, Inc.: Item Forecasting and Inventory Management
L.L. Bean must make stocking decisions on thousands of items sold through its catalogs. In many cases, orders must be placed with vendors twelve or more weeks before a catalog lands on a customer's doorstep, and commitments cannot be changed thereafter. As a result,... View Details
Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Risk Management; Cost Management; Risk and Uncertainty; Demand and Consumers; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Retail Industry; United States
Schleifer, Arthur, Jr. "L.L. Bean, Inc.: Item Forecasting and Inventory Management." Harvard Business School Case 893-003, October 1992. (Revised September 1993.)
- September 1992
- Case
Kodak Business Imaging Systems Division
By: Marie-Therese M. Flaherty and Steven C. Wheelwright
Describes Kodak's decision regarding a manufacturing site for some of its products. Compares several types of products (with different cost structures) and several worldwide locations (with different characteristics). Provides a framework (model) for comparing and... View Details
Keywords: Framework; Production; Product; Global Range; Supply Chain Management; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Electronics Industry
Flaherty, Marie-Therese M., and Steven C. Wheelwright. "Kodak Business Imaging Systems Division." Harvard Business School Case 693-043, September 1992.
- September 1992 (Revised October 1992)
- Case
Acid Rain: The Southern Co. (B)
In addition to the issues of expected cost minimization elucidated in Acid Rain: The Southern Co. (A), problems involving regulatory uncertainty are critical to the firm's Clean Air Act compliance strategy. The regulatory uncertainty affects, and is affected by, the... View Details
Keywords: Energy Generation; Business Strategy; Environmental Sustainability; Cost vs Benefits; Risk and Uncertainty; Strategic Planning; Investment Return; Government Legislation; Wastes and Waste Processing; Business and Government Relations; Utilities Industry; Energy Industry; United States
Reinhardt, Forest L. "Acid Rain: The Southern Co. (B)." Harvard Business School Case 793-040, September 1992. (Revised October 1992.)
- February 1992 (Revised September 1995)
- Case
Goldman, Sachs & Co.: Nikkei Put Warrants--1989
By: Peter Tufano
Japanese financial institutions' willingness to sell put options on the Nikkei Stock Average provides investment banks with the raw material from which to create a security that would allow U.S. investors to bet on falls in the Japanese Stock Market. The investment... View Details
Keywords: Debt Securities; Investment Banking; Product Design; Globalized Markets and Industries; Japan; United States
Tufano, Peter. "Goldman, Sachs & Co.: Nikkei Put Warrants--1989." Harvard Business School Case 292-113, February 1992. (Revised September 1995.)
- February 1992 (Revised July 1992)
- Background Note
Note on Cross-Border Valuation
By: W. Carl Kester and Julia Morley
Provides a fundamental technical review of valuation techniques used to assess cross-border investments. Discusses the discounting of free cash flows with a weighted average cost of capital, the use of adjusted present value, and the importance of considering real... View Details
Kester, W. Carl, and Julia Morley. "Note on Cross-Border Valuation." Harvard Business School Background Note 292-084, February 1992. (Revised July 1992.)
- December 1991 (Revised October 1998)
- Case
Eli Lilly and Co.: Manufacturing Process Technology Strategy--1991
By: Gary P. Pisano, Steven C. Wheelwright and Jonathan West
Outlines the evolution of Lilly's corporate manufacturing strategy over the past decade. The corporate vice president of manufacturing must decide on the next phase of Lilly's strategy for the early 1990s, as well as to what extent and what role process development... View Details
Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Management Practices and Processes; Industry Structures; Product Development; Production; Research and Development; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy; Manufacturing Industry
Pisano, Gary P., Steven C. Wheelwright, and Jonathan West. "Eli Lilly and Co.: Manufacturing Process Technology Strategy--1991." Harvard Business School Case 692-056, December 1991. (Revised October 1998.)
- November 1991 (Revised April 2002)
- Background Note
Note on Foreign Currency Swaps
By: W. Carl Kester
Provides descriptive background about the development of an international market for currency swaps and, by means of a detailed example, instructs readers in the determination of swap flows and all-in costs of financing using market swap rates. A rewritten version of... View Details
Keywords: Currency
Kester, W. Carl. "Note on Foreign Currency Swaps." Harvard Business School Background Note 292-043, November 1991. (Revised April 2002.)
- November 1991 (Revised August 1994)
- Background Note
Relevant Costs and Revenues
Develops the idea that the relevance of costs and revenues depends on what decisions are under consideration. Revenues and costs are relevant if they would be different under one decision choice than under the other. Teaching purpose: Basic background material for... View Details
Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Cost; Revenue; Framework; Managerial Roles; Risk and Uncertainty
Schleifer, Arthur, Jr. "Relevant Costs and Revenues." Harvard Business School Background Note 892-010, November 1991. (Revised August 1994.)
- November 1991 (Revised October 1993)
- Supplement
British Airways: ""Go for It, America!"" Promotion (B)
Provides details on the results of the campaign for British Airways (BA) in terms of expenditure by BA, press coverage, effect on bookings, and effect on overall market share. View Details
Keywords: Advertising Campaigns; Cost Management; Information Publishing; Marketing Strategy; Market Participation; Aerospace Industry
Greyser, Stephen A. British Airways: ""Go for It, America!"" Promotion (B). Harvard Business School Supplement 592-050, November 1991. (Revised October 1993.)
- October 1991 (Revised September 1998)
- Case
Maxwell Appliance Controls
By: Robert S. Kaplan
A profitable manufacturing division of a large company is looking for new ways to identify sources of productivity improvements. Led by its senior finance officer, an activity-based cost system is developed to identify activities performed for its highly varied product... View Details
Keywords: Activity Based Costing and Management; Management Teams; Quality; Performance Improvement; Organizational Culture; Problems and Challenges; Production; Manufacturing Industry
Kaplan, Robert S. "Maxwell Appliance Controls." Harvard Business School Case 192-058, October 1991. (Revised September 1998.)
- July 1991
- Case
Pioneer Petroleum Corp.
Pioneer is an integrated oil company. Its operations include exploration and development, production, transportation, and marketing. The case focuses on Pioneer's cost of capital calculations and its choice between a single company-wide cost of capital or divisional... View Details
Ruback, Richard S. "Pioneer Petroleum Corp." Harvard Business School Case 292-011, July 1991.