Publications

September 1987 (Revised December 1996)
Case

Patten Corp.

By: Krishna G. Palepu

Forbes Magazine criticized the revenue recognition policy of Patten Corp. As a result, the company's stock price dropped by a significant amount. The students are asked to discuss if the criticism by Forbes is justified, and if not, what the company should do. View Details

Keywords: Fair Value Accounting; Financial Statements; Budgets and Budgeting; Problems and Challenges; Financial Condition; Spending; Revenue; Planning; Quality; Stocks; Journalism and News Industry

March 2002
Teaching Note

Akamai's Underwater Options (A) and (B) TN

By: Brian J. Hall and Jonathan Lim

Teaching Note for (9-902-069) and (9-902-195). View Details

Keywords: Stock Options; Employee Stock Ownership Plan

18 Oct 2010
Lessons from the Classroom

Venture Capital’s Disconnect with Clean Tech

MBA students often fall into one of two categories—those hungry to rush into careers as venture capitalists, and those eager to found a venture-funded start-up. For all of them, Harvard Business School professor Joseph Lassiter has some intriguing advice: Spend a few... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Energy; Utilities; Financial Services

05 May 2003
Research & Ideas

How Bank of America Turned Branches into Service-Development Laboratories

configured as "traditional centers," familiar-looking branches that provided conventional banking services, though often supported by new technologies and redesigned processes. The group unveiled its first redesigned branch—a View Details

Keywords: by Stefan Thomke; Financial Services; Financial Services

Profile

Dave Vitello

“take the accounting and financial management base I built at Deloitte and pair it with the strategic thinking I gain at HBS.” The environment is perfectly suited to his ambition. “Each class, whether it is dedicated to strategy or not,... View Details

Keywords: Financial Services

01 Dec 2014
News

Case Study: Growing the Family Business

centers in the Cleveland suburbs. The first has been open two years; the second is almost a year old and approaching operational breakeven—about the same timeline as the first center. The team expects to open a new center later this month and View Details

Keywords: childcare; Finance

21 Apr 2011
Research & Ideas

Searching for Better Practices in Social Investing

very talented executives into the mix, you can help organizations change their effectiveness and their view of what's possible." Bannick agreed that investors should curb the need for speed when shifting their focus from financial... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Financial Services

April 1985 (Revised September 1986)
Case

CML Group, Inc.: Going Public (B)

By: William A. Sahlman

Contains a description of some issues confronting management of CML Group as the company progresses toward making an initial public offering. Among the issues and topics addressed in the case are: considerations in choosing an underwriting team, the initial public... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Initial Public Offering; Financial Markets; Financial Strategy; Planning; Cost vs Benefits; Strategy; Entrepreneurship; Consumer Products Industry; Retail Industry

20 Aug 2024
Book

Why Competing With Tech Giants Requires Finding Your Own Edge

its peak in 2017. Over the years, Ping An implemented its finance plus ecosystem strategy through three steps. First, it used technology to enable and increase the competitiveness of its core business of financial services. Second, it... View Details

Keywords: by Feng Zhu; Technology; Information Technology

August 1985 (Revised July 1991)
Case

Universal Circuits, Inc.

By: Thomas R. Piper

The manager of international finance of a major U.S. electronics company is concerned about the exposure of the firm to changes in exchange rates. Of particular concern is the exposure of operations to changes in real exchange rates. The teaching objectives include: 1)... View Details

Keywords: Credit Derivatives and Swaps; International Finance; Currency Exchange Rate; Business Plan; Risk and Uncertainty; Financial Management; Financial Strategy; Electronics Industry; United States

May 2022
Case

From GOP to NFT: Anthony Scaramucci and the Launch of Flatter NFT

By: Lauren Cohen, Richard Ryffel and Grace Headinger

Anthony Scaramucci, Managing Director of SkyBridge Capital, considered whether he should officially greenlight the launch of SkyBridge’s own NFT platform — Flatter NFT. He had led the investment firm to push first into Bitcoin and then Ethereum to make SkyBridge a... View Details

December 2003 (Revised March 2004)
Case

FIRA: Confronting the Mexican Agricultural Crisis

By: James E. Austin, Michael Chu and Cate Reavis

In fall 2003, Mexico's agriculture sector was facing a crisis brought on largely by a surge in cheap U.S. imports resulting from NAFTA and inaccessible and/or expensive terms of credit for Mexican agricultural producers. It was getting harder for Mexican producers to... View Details

Keywords: Development Economics; Public Sector; Trade; Financial Instruments; Crisis Management; Markets; Strategic Planning; Partners and Partnerships; Competitive Strategy; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry

Find at Harvard

April 2004 (Revised May 2005)
Case

ING DIRECT

By: James L. Heskett

The CEO of ING Direct (U.S.) has to decide: (1) whether and how to coordinate his organization's branding effort with its parent, ING Group, and (2) how fast to grow the business. Includes color exhibits. View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Entrepreneurship; Leadership Style; Growth Management; Brands and Branding; Planning; Problems and Challenges; Financial Services Industry; United States

01 Mar 2009
News

Just Keep Our Money

© politicalcartoons.com The government’s ever-evolving rescue of the financial sector has already demanded enormous sums, and President Obama’s economic stimulus package will require many billions more. While a stimulus View Details

Keywords: Peter Tufano; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles

December 2004 (Revised May 2005)
Case

Levenger Company

By: Myra M. Hart, Kristin Lieb and Victoria Winston

The Leveens started a high-end catalog business as a small home-based venture in 1987. It grew into a nationally recognized, $60 million company, offering products that ranged from unique pens and pencils to leather briefcases and fully furnished offices. In 1999, it... View Details

Keywords: Strategic Planning; Financial Liquidity; Business Exit or Shutdown; Expansion; Business Growth and Maturation; Value; Entrepreneurship; Financing and Loans; Globalization; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Retail Industry; United States

01 Jun 2006
News

NFL Players Hit the Books

focused on topics such as financial analysis and valuation, marketing, business plans, and tax issues. This is the second year HBS has worked with the NFL and the NFL Players Association to deliver such a program. View Details

Keywords: Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Educational Services

Career Coach

Phil Wong

operational foundation for running healthcare practices. Prior to pivoting into healthcare, Phil was a portfolio manager at a fund of hedge funds managing $1Bn+ on behalf of pension plans and insurance companies. His investing role... View Details

Keywords: Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All); Financial Services (All)

February 2001 (Revised August 2001)
Case

WholesalerDirect

By: Alan D. MacCormack and Kerry Herman

Describes the development of WholesalerDirect, a B2B electronic commerce venture in the plumbing, heating, cooling, and piping industry. Adam Berger, the CEO, is trying to raise funding to roll out the company's e-commerce platform to the industry's more than 3,000... View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Valuation; Business Plan; Financing and Loans; Financial Strategy