Publications

2017
Book

Profits and Sustainability: A History of Green Entrepreneurship

By: Geoffrey Jones

This book explores whether profits and environmental sustainability are compatible through the lens of a global history of green entrepreneurship between the nineteenth century and today. It tells the story of the extraordinary and often eccentric men and women who... View Details

October 2019
Supplement

Should Corporate Profits Be Taxed? (B)

By: Matthew C. Weinzierl and Michael Cianelli

May 1993
Background Note

Note on Industry and Company Profitability

Article

The Degradation of Reported Corporate Profits

By: Mihir A. Desai

Keywords: Business Ventures; Profit; Reports

SSRN

2006
Working Paper

The Demise of Cost and Profit Centers

By: Robert S. Kaplan

Read Now

1993
Chapter

Putting the Service Profit Chain to Work

By: Roger Hallowell and Leonard A. Schlesinger

March 2023
Case

Ownership Works: Scaling a Profitable Social Mission

By: Ethan Rouen, Dennis Campbell and Andrew Robinson

Pete Stavros was on a high after his latest experiment with employee ownership. As the head of industrial investments for KKR, Stavros orchestrated the sale of CHI Overhead Doors, which turned into KKR’s best investment in more than two decades and created $360 million... View Details

Keywords: Employee Ownership; Knowledge Sharing; Nonprofit Organizations

Educators

August 2018
Case

Cannabis: Growing Profits for Real Estate

By: Charles F. Wu, Teddy Blank, Chris Grenga, Carlotta Weller and Curtis Wu

Keywords: Real Estate; Marijuana

Educators

04 Oct 2018
Research & Ideas

Diversity Boosts Profits in Venture Capital Firms

yuri_arcurs Recent research shows for the first time that diversity in venture capital firms not only spawns creativity and alternative viewpoints, but also improves financial performance. Paul Gompers, Eugene Holman Professor of Business Administration at Harvard... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Banking; Financial Services

March 1987 (Revised April 1987)
Background Note

Specialties vs. Commodities: The Battle for Profit Margins

By: Benson P. Shapiro

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

September–October 1995
Article

Realize Your Customers' Full Profit Potential

By: Leonard A. Schlesinger and Alan W.H. Grant

June 2013
Article

How to Profit from 'Lean Advertising'

By: Thales S. Teixeira

This article introduces the concept of Lean Advertising, i.e., how to use non-traditional approaches to create and distribute advertising using extremely low-cost approaches online. A framework for Lean Advertising is proposed that identifies the four ways in which... View Details

Keywords: Viral Advertising; Viral Ads; Online Marketing; Lean Advertising; Digital Marketing; Advertising; Advertising Industry

Read Now

2003
Book

Profits You Can Trust: Spotting and Surviving Accounting Landmines

By: H. David Sherman, S. David Young and Harris Collingwood

Profits You Can Trust gives managers, directors, lenders, audit partners and analysts a clear framework to demystify global financial reporting in a market fraught with danger. Filled with provocative and enlightening examples, it offers a fresh perspective and clear... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Corporate Finance; Economics; Financial Reporting

1970
Published Proceedings

Defense Industry Contract Financing and Profit Policy

By: J. Ronald Fox

Keywords: Finance; Profit; Policy

06 May 2002
Research & Ideas

Profits for Nonprofits: Earning Your Own Way

self-sufficient while not being self-sufficient ourselves?— Alfred Wise,Share Our Strength The session, led by HBS professor James E. Austin, featured three managers whose experiences highlight the challenges and benefits of thinking about View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

1996
Chapter

Organisational Capability as a Source of Profit

By: David J. Collis

Keywords: Organizational Design; Performance Capacity; Profit

December 1996 (Revised October 1999)
Case

Kidder, Peabody & Co.: Creating Elusive Profits

By: Robert L. Simons and Antonio Davila

On April 17, 1994, Kidder, Peabody & Co. announced a $350 million charge against earnings resulting from the discovery of false trading profits. That same day, the termination of Joseph Jett's employment with the company was made public. By illustrating the mechanics... View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Governance Controls; Crime and Corruption; Financial Reporting; Profit; Financial Strategy

Educators

2008
Mimeo

Do Hedge Funds Profit from Mutual-Fund Distress?

By: Joseph Chen, Samuel G. Hanson, Harrison Hong and Jeremy C. Stein

This paper explores the question of whether hedge funds engage in frontrunning strategies that exploit the predictable trades of others. One potential opportunity for front-running arises when distressed mutual funds—those suffering large outflows of assets under... View Details

Keywords: Investment Funds; Profit; Strategy; Forecasting and Prediction; Investment Return; Opportunities; Asset Management; Sales