Publications

December 2007
Article

Applying Modern Risk Management to Equity and Credit Analysis

By: Robert C. Merton

Traditional conventions of accounting and actuarial science distort the valuation of capital risk in corporations with pension plans because under these conventions, pension assets and liabilities are not included in balance sheet calculations. The modern risk... View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Valuation; Financial Reporting; Decision Making; Credit; Financial Statements; Capital; Equity; Compensation and Benefits

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March 2000 (Revised April 2004)
Case

VacationSpot.com & Rent-A-Holiday: Negotiating a Trans-Atlantic Merger of Start-Ups

Describes a potential trans-Atlantic merger between two young companies in the Internet space. VacationSpot.com, based in Seattle, and Rent-A-Holiday, based in Brussels, both offer online listings and reservations for independent leisure lodging (i.e., villas,... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Valuation; Internet and the Web; Mergers and Acquisitions; Business Startups; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Travel Industry; United States; Brussels

23 Sep 2013
Research & Ideas

Status: When and Why It Matters

status plays a role in the price. But we also have to admit that it is one of the best cars ever produced, and that many deem the combination of its performance characteristics and quality without equal. "To get at the symbolic value... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

28 Oct 2024
Op-Ed

Latino Voters Have Grown More Politically Divided. That’s Not Surprising.

John Judis and Ruy Teixeira heralded a new age of US politics in their 2002 book, The Emerging Democratic Majority. The book predicted that the growing Latino population, coupled with a clear Democratic lead in many other growing segments of society, would strengthen... View Details

Keywords: by Richard Calvo, Vincent Pons, and Jesse M. Shapiro

March 1995 (Revised April 1995)
Case

UAL Corporation

By: Stuart C. Gilson and Jeremy Cott

In the largest attempted employee-buyout in history, a large U.S. commercial airline seeks substantial wage concessions from its employees in return for 53% stake in the airline's commmon stock and guaranteed seats on the board of directors. Management must convince... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Corporate Governance; Labor; Wages; Management Teams; Employee Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Strategy; Value; United States

December 2011 (Revised April 2013)
Case

Akamai's Edge (A)

By: Eric Van den Steen

In 2009, Paul Sagan, CEO of Akamai, the leading online content delivery network with a 60% market share, needs to decide how to respond to aggressive entry in its market, whether and how to pursue the explosive growth in online video, and whether to stay with its... View Details

Keywords: Competitive Advantage; Market Entry and Exit; Business Model; Competitive Strategy; Values and Beliefs; Business Strategy; Internet

Article

On the Origin of Shared Beliefs (and Corporate Culture)

By: Eric J. Van den Steen

This article shows how corporate culture, in the sense of shared beliefs and values, originates (often unintentionally) through screening, self-sorting, and manager-directed joint learning. It shows that such culture will be stronger among more important employees and... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Learning; Values and Beliefs; Employees; Decisions; Power and Influence; Performance; Perspective

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December 2008
Supplement

Procter & Gamble in the 21st Century (B): Welcoming Gillette (Abridged)

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and Matthew Bird

A.G. Lafley and P&G leaders decided to approach the Gillette integration differently from previous mergers. Using P&G's purpose, values, and principles (PVP) it treated the acquisition as a merger which sought to take the "best of both" from each company. In the... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Integration; Mission and Purpose; Values and Beliefs; Change Management; Organizational Change and Adaptation

July 2004
Supplement

World Vision International: The AIDS Initiative

By: Christopher A. Bartlett

Management discusses the organizational and governance challenges of operating a global network of partner organizations. Then key managers reflect on the decision World Vision must make on the AIDS Hope Initiative--a new strategic direction that challenges many of the... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Goals and Objectives; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Problems and Challenges; Core Relationships; Welfare; Value; Health Industry

April 2000
Case

Financing of Project Achieve, The (B)

By: Mihir A. Desai

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Forecasting and Prediction; Venture Capital; Cash Flow; Equity; Negotiation Deal; Valuation

August 1999
Teaching Note

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Development Strategy, The (TN)

By: V. Kasturi Rangan

Teaching Note for (9-599-104). View Details

Keywords: Revenue; Operations; Investment Funds; Capital; Growth and Development Strategy; Financing and Loans; Programs; Value; Mission and Purpose; Health Industry