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- Article
Novelty and Disclosure in Patent Law
By: Suzanne Scotchmer and Jerry R. Green
The stringency of the novelty requirement in patent law affects the pace of innovation because it affects the amount of technical information that is disclosed among firms. It also affects ex ante profitability of research. We compare weak and strong novelty... View Details
- November 1989 (Revised November 1999)
- Case
Automatic Data Processing: The EFS Decision
By: Robert L. Simons and Hilary Weston
Illustrates how ADP's top management uses formal planning and control systems to establish strategic boundaries for its business units. Top management has developed a detailed list of strategic criteria that ADP managers use to evaluate products and business units, as... View Details
- September 1989 (Revised July 1991)
- Case
Caterpillar, Inc.: George Schaefer Takes Charge
For over half a century, Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT) had been a world leader in the manufacture of earthmoving and construction machinery. In 1982, just months after it recorded the highest sales and profits in its history, CAT experienced its greatest crisis. Demand fell... View Details
Keywords: Machinery and Machining; Crisis Management; Labor Unions; Demand and Consumers; Management Teams; Problems and Challenges; Competitive Strategy; Business Strategy; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Manufacturing Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Industrial Products Industry
- July 1989 (Revised April 2001)
- Case
Kanthal (A)
By: Robert S. Kaplan
Multinational company needs an improved cost system to determine the profitability of individual customer orders. Its strategy is to have significant sales and profitability growth without adding additional administrative and support people. The new cost system... View Details
- May 1989 (Revised August 2006)
- Case
RJR Nabisco
Gives students the opportunity to explore issues facing the board of directors in a leveraged buyout. RJR Nabisco is valued under different operating strategies and the source of gains in leveraged buyouts is stressed. View Details
- February 1989 (Revised November 1991)
- Case
Science Technology Co.--1985
By: Thomas R. Piper
The CEO of a U.S. electronics firm is assessing the financial forecasts and the financing plan prepared by the chief financial officer. Given the cyclicality of the industry and the volatility of the firm's performance, the CEO is unsure as to the usefulness of... View Details
- July 1988 (Revised May 1989)
- Background Note
On the Economics of a Parking Garage
By: David E. Bell
Introduces notions of cash flow, net present value, and internal rate of return by estimating the profitability of a parking garage. View Details
- Article
Beyond the Reach of the Invisible Hand: Impediments to Economic Activity, Market Failures, and Profitability
By: Dennis Yao
In this paper it is argued that failures of the competitive market are necessary conditions for supranormal profitability. Three fundamental causes of these market failures-production economies and sunk costs, transactions costs, and imperfect information-are developed... View Details
Keywords: Economics; Markets; Failure; Profit; Cost; Information; Market Transactions; Competition; Strategy; Production
- November 1987 (Revised April 2017)
- Teaching Note
Polysar Limited
By: Robert Simons
Teaching Note for (9-187-098). View Details
- September–October 1987
- Article
Manage Customers for Profits (Not Just Sales)
By: Benson P. Shapiro, V. K. Rangan, Rowland T. Moriarty and Elliot Ross
- June 1987
- Supplement
B-W Footwear: Interview with Robert Siff, President, and Lawrence Siff, Video
By: David B. Yoffie
B-W Footwear's CEO and his son discuss questions of management succession and recent moves to bolster their profitability. View Details
- March 1987 (Revised April 1987)
- Background Note
Specialties vs. Commodities: The Battle for Profit Margins
Explains the differences between commodities and specialties and defines four different types of specialty products. The analysis is customer oriented. Special attention is given to the distinctions between functions (product- ) and relationship (vendor-oriented)... View Details
Keywords: Goods and Commodities
- March 1987 (Revised July 1996)
- Case
Kansas City Zephyrs Baseball Club, Inc.
By: Kenneth A. Merchant, Krishna G. Palepu and Joseph P. Mulloy
Describes a dispute between the owners of the major league baseball teams and the players' union about the profitability of the baseball teams. The issue is important because of the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations. A consultant is brought in to decide... View Details
- February 1987 (Revised February 2000)
- Case
Polysar Limited
By: Robert L. Simons
Canada's largest chemical company produces and markets butyl rubber in two divisions, each treated as a profit center. The new plant in the North American Division operates below capacity resulting in a significant volume variance and an operating loss. The European... View Details
- July 1986 (Revised July 1991)
- Case
Nippon-WTI Ltd.
By: W. Carl Kester and Glynn Ferguson
A Japanese joint venture between a U.S. parent and a Japanese parent has proposed that 100% of the U.S. parent's product be produced in Japan rather than the 40% currently being manufactured there. This would require the U.S. parent to give up a dollar profit earned on... View Details
Keywords: Joint Ventures; Currency Exchange Rate; Profit; Product; Production; Strategy; Manufacturing Industry; Asia; Japan; United States
- November 1985 (Revised August 1997)
- Case
Harnischfeger Corp.
Presents an analysis of Harnischfeger's quality of earnings, and the investment potential of the company's stock in light of the company's turnaround strategy. View Details
- May 1985 (Revised November 1990)
- Case
Spinnaker Software Corp.
Describes the problems faced by a company that has experienced remarkable growth, but growth which is below projections. The management must evaluate the company's position in the turbulent software industry. The two partners must then decide whether to cut back to... View Details
- April 1985 (Revised March 1986)
- Case
Seven-Up Division of Philip Morris
By: Michael E. Porter and Edward J. Hoff
In 1979, Philip Morris acquired the Seven-Up Co., the number three concentrate producer in the U.S. After four years of losses, Seven-Up had registered an operating profit in 1984. Industry analysts were debating the role that Seven-Up would play in Philip Morris's... View Details
- December 1984
- Article
Unionization and Profitability: Evidence from the Capital Market
By: M. B. Zimmerman and R. S. Ruback
- September 1984
- Case
Henkel Corp.: International Sealants Brand SISTA (A)
By: Robert J. Dolan
Corporate headquarters wishes to expand sales of a sealant product currently sold only in the West German market. Regional affiliates, operating on a profit center basis, are not enthusiastic about taking on the new product. The case describes the company's... View Details