Publications

November 2002 (Revised May 2007)
Case

Charles Schwab in 2002

By: Lynda M. Applegate, F. Warren McFarlan and Jamie Ladge

Details the evolution of the Charles Schwab business model, from its founding in 1975 to October 2002. The protagonist, David Pottruck, is faced with re-inventing the firm as a full-service brokerage at a time of tremendous industry instability as the industry reels... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Business Model; Business or Company Management; Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Financial Services Industry

March 2000 (Revised September 2001)
Teaching Note

Charles Schwab Corporation (A) and (B) TN

By: F. Warren McFarlan

Teaching Note for (9-300-024) and (9-300-025). View Details

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

March 2000
Supplement

Charles Schwab Corporation, The: A Presentation by David Pottruck Co-CEO

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Melissa Dailey

David Pottruck, Co-CEO of Charles Schwab Corp., discusses the company's information technology and competitive strategy with an Executive Education (Program for Management Development) class at Harvard Business School, October 22, 1999. View Details

Keywords: Competitive Strategy; Information Technology; Financial Services Industry

September 1999 (Revised July 2001)
Case

Charles Schwab Corporation (B)

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Nicole Tempest

Catches the situation facing Charles Schwab Corp. in late August 1999 in the dramatically changing brokerage industry. Their bold moves in January 1998 have created a new industry competitive pattern and provoked aggressive response by companies like Merrill Lynch. View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Business Strategy; Situation or Environment; Competition; Financial Services Industry

September 1999 (Revised March 2001)
Case

Charles Schwab Corporation (A)

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Nicole Tempest

A look at the industrial restructuring in the brokerage industry made possible by e-commerce. Focuses the student's attention on the decision alternatives facing Charles Schwab, one of the industry leaders in January 1998. In a word, the challenge is "Do they slash... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Internet and the Web; Price; Decision Choices and Conditions; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Financial Services Industry

January 1999 (Revised March 2001)
Case

MindSpring

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport

In a business environment where Internet Service Providers (ISP) has become increasingly commodity-like, Charles Brewer, founder and CEO of MindSpring, the nation's sixth largest ISP and the recognized leader in customer satisfaction, ponders a proposed merger with... View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Entrepreneurship; Mergers and Acquisitions; Customer Satisfaction; Growth and Development Strategy; Web Services Industry; United States

Find at Harvard

May 1995
Teaching Note

E. F. Hutton: Cash Management Crisis Series TN

By: Lynn S. Paine and Charles A Nichols, III

July 1979 (Revised August 2019)
Background Note

Note on Taxation

By: William J. Poorvu, Arthur I Segel, Glenn S. Miller, Michael D. Kummer, Charles F. Wu, Po Sit and Joseph M. Gerstel

Every real-estate transaction is affected by the tax consequences that result from its form and substance. Structuring a transaction without a thorough understanding of its tax considerations is likely to reduce the transaction's potential value. The failure to utilize... View Details

Keywords: Property; Taxation; Investment