• Web

Strategy and Technology - Course Catalog

Career Focus The course should be of particular interest to those interested in managing a business for which technology is likely to play a major role, and to those interested in consulting, private equity... View Details

• Career Coach

Pamela Harder

pricing and market tiering strategy, and streamlined sales operations across the company. Immediately after HBS, Pam spent 3 years as a social sector consultant at FSG, where she led client engagements that spanned everything from View Details

Keywords: Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets; Emerging Markets

• 24 Jul 2000
• Research & Ideas

Something Ventured, Something Gained: A European View of Venture Capital

stamp of approval in the marketplace." U.S. venture funds didn't put on much muscle, however, until 1978, when pension funds got the green light to pour greenbacks into the coffers of venture capital and private View Details

Keywords: by James E. Aisner; Financial Services

• Web

The Ownership Project | Institute for Business in Global Society

key institutional features that support particular forms of ownership? Current research includes cases on employee ownership trusts, developing dimensions for an expanded typology of ownership models, creating a cartography of alternative ownership models, and studies... View Details

• Web

Investment Strategies - Course Catalog

already public acquirer - remains a critical step in corporate transformation by private equity investors and innovation by venture capitalists. Because public capital markets... View Details

• Web

Courses by Faculty - Course Catalog

Management, General Management Fall 2025 Q1Q2 3.0 Venture Capital and Private Equity Entrepreneurial Management Fall 2025 Q1Q2 3.0 Jillian Jordan Negotiation Negotiation, Organizations & View Details

• September 1991 (Revised March 2005)
• Case

WPP Group and Its Acquisitions

By: William J. Bruns Jr.

WPP Group acquired J. Walter Thompson and Ogilvy & Mather, paying high premiums in relation to earnings. In each acquisition the goodwill acquired was immediately charged off against owners' equity. Then, WPP Group established a value for the brand names of the two... View Details

Keywords: Goodwill Accounting; Accounting; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Market Transactions; Equity; Private Equity; Relationships; Mergers and Acquisitions; Management Style; Consumer Products Industry; United States; United Kingdom

Citation

Educators

Purchase

Related

Bruns, William J., Jr. "WPP Group and Its Acquisitions." Harvard Business School Case 192-038, September 1991. (Revised March 2005.)

• 18 Sep 2007
• First Look

First Look: September 18, 2007

price risks in upstream markets for fossil fuels. Purchase this case: http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=706015 HCA, Inc. Harvard Business School Case 207-076 Focuses on the buyout of HCA by three View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

• 15 Nov 2010
• Lessons from the Classroom

Connecting Goals and Go-To-Market Initiatives

structure). And there are many examples among smaller and lesser-known firms run by private equity companies and capable entrepreneurs. Too often leaders of firms use their industry as an excuse for not... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Retail

• Fast Answer

Managing Service Operations: Research resources for new service design

used to analyze financial data from global equity and fixed income markets, and public and private companies. Individual accounts needed. Note: Follow the access instruction on the page before accessing.... View Details

• 05 Nov 2001
• Research & Ideas

Venture Capital Goes Boom—or Bust?

of money. Before the emergence of the venture capital market, the vast majority of entrepreneurs seeking financing from traditional sources failed to realize value from their ideas. Indeed, many product or service innovators View Details

Keywords: by Paul A. Gompers & Josh Lerner

• 01 Sep 2005
• News

Making History, Starting Over

Apax has taken public more than fifty companies with a combined market capitalization of about 25 billion euros. Before stepping down, Cohen consolidated management of the firm’s far-flung offices, making London the headquarters and... View Details

Keywords: Roger Thompson; Finance