Publications

January 2004 (Revised June 2004)
Case

Innovation at the Treasury: Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities (A)

By: Kenneth A. Froot, Peter A. Hecht and Christopher Edward James Payton

In 1997, the U.S. Treasury was deciding whether to proceed with a proposal to issue inflation-indexed bonds. This case explores the challenges facing innovation in the financial markets as the Treasury tries to determine whether to introduce Treasury... View Details

Keywords: Inflation; Innovation; Federal Government; Securities; Debt Securities; Risk Management; Bonds; Investment Portfolio; Capital Markets; Inflation and Deflation; Government and Politics; Innovation and Invention; United States

October 1992 (Revised February 1995)
Background Note

Note on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations

By: Lynn S. Paine

Describes the federal guidelines used by judges for sentencing organizations convicted of criminal wrong-doing under U.S. law as of November 1, 1991. Describes the guidelines' approach to calculating criminal fines for organizations, determining an organization's... View Details

Keywords: Crime and Corruption; Governance Compliance; Law Enforcement; Laws and Statutes; Organizations; Legal Services Industry; United States

2012
Chapter

Environmental Federalism in the European Union and the United States

By: David Vogel, Michael W. Toffel, Diahanna Post and Nazli Z. Uludere Aragon

The United States (US) and the European Union (EU) are federal systems in which the responsibility for environmental policy-making is divided or shared between the central government and the (member) states. The attribution of decision-making power has important policy... View Details

Keywords: Natural Environment; Policy; Government and Politics; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; European Union; United States

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Fast Answer

Government Contracts

How do I find government contracts? The following resources can be used to find government contracts issued to a... View Details

March 2010 (Revised May 2010)
Case

Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2001 (Abridged)

By: Jan W. Rivkin and Michael Roberto

This is an abridged version of "Federal Bureau of Investigation (A)," HBS No. 707-500. View Details

Keywords: Government and Politics

31 Aug 2020
News

State and Local Governments Peer Into the Pandemic Abyss

Winter 2019
Article

From the Digital to the Physical: Federal Limitations on Regulating Online Marketplaces

By: Benjamin Edelman and Abbey Stemler

Online marketplaces have transformed how we shop, travel, and interact with the world. Yet, their unique innovations also present a panoply of challenges for communities and states. Surprisingly, federal laws are chief among those challenges despite the fact that... View Details

Keywords: Marketplaces; Peer To Peer; Sharing Economy; Decentralized; Regulation; Preemption; Markets; Internet; Government Legislation; Laws and Statutes; United States

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2010
Chapter

The Peculiar Politics of American Disaster Policy: How Television Has Changed Federal Relief

By: David Moss

Particularly since the 1960s, the federal government has played a significant role in financing disaster losses in the United States. The federal government may thus be thought of as providing an implicit form of public disaster insurance. However, unlike many... View Details

Keywords: Insurance; Policy; Government and Politics; Media; Natural Disasters; United States

01 Jun 2010
News

Paulson Advocates Regulatory Reform

will look not at the trees, but at the whole forest.” He also called for new government power to impose an orderly liquidation of any failing financial institution. Lacking that authority, Paulson said he had to use “duct tape and baling... View Details

Keywords: federal bailouts; Government; Government; Government; Government

21 Apr 2020
News

Kura Sushi Will Return Its $6 Million Federal Loan After Outrage

November 1979 (Revised September 1980)
Case

Procter & Gamble and the Federal Trade Commission

By: J. Ronald Fox

Keywords: Business and Government Relations; United States

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12 Oct 2011
News

Why we must invest your tax dollars: Solyndra failed, but lots of federal spending pays off

16 Oct 2014
Working Paper Summaries

Government Debt Management at the Zero Lower Bound

Keywords: by Robin Greenwood, Samuel G. Hanson, Joshua S. Rudolph & Lawrence H. Summers

January 1997 (Revised March 1997)
Case

Crisis at the Federal Reserve: Arthur Burns and the Stagflation of 1973-75

By: David A. Moss and Wyatt C. Wells

Briefly examines the history of the Federal Reserve System up through 1970 and then delves into how the central bank, under the leadership of Arthur F. Burns, responded to the "stagflation" of the early 1970s. It culminates with the Federal Reserve's response to the... View Details

Keywords: Central Banking; Inflation and Deflation; Government Administration; Financial Crisis; United States

2016
Article

The Federal Reserve's Balance Sheet as a Financial-Stability Tool

By: Robin Greenwood, Samuel Gregory Hanson and Jeremy C. Stein

We argue that the Federal Reserve should use its balance sheet to help reduce a key threat to financial stability: the tendency for private-sector financial intermediaries to engage in excessive amounts of maturity transformation—i.e., to finance risky assets using... View Details

Keywords: Central Banking; Policy; Risk Management; Public Administration Industry; United States

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24 May 2010
Research & Ideas

Stimulus Surprise: Companies Retrench When Government Spends

Coval about the relationship between the government and the private sector, and how policymakers should critically evaluate federal stimulus plans to help local companies. Sean Silverthorne: First, a little... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

November 1997 (Revised October 2001)
Background Note

A Note on Government Sources of Financing for Small Businesses

By: Paul A. Gompers and Catherine M. Conneely

Discusses issues related to government sources of financing for small business in the United States. In addition to presenting motivations for government financing programs, the note gives a detailed presentation of major federal programs to assist small business. View Details

Keywords: Corporate Finance; Business and Government Relations

February 2016 (Revised August 2017)
Case

Battle Over a Bank: Defining the Limits of Federal Power Under a New Constitution

By: David Moss and Marc Campasano

In late February, 1791, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton submitted a report to President Washington defending his recent proposal for a national bank, which he hoped would bolster the American economy and assist the federal government in managing its finances.... View Details

Keywords: Governance; Central Banking; Laws and Statutes; Government and Politics; History; Public Administration Industry; United States