Publications

12 Oct 1999
Research & Ideas

It Came in the First Ships: Capitalism in America

"Capitalism came in the first ships." —Carl N. Degler, Out of Our Past No nation has been more market-oriented in its origins and subsequent history than the United States of America. The very settling of the country, from the... View Details

Keywords: by Thomas K. McCraw

winter 2000
Article

Assessing the Impact of Venture Capital to Innovation

By: Samuel Kortum and Josh Lerner

We examine the influence of venture capital on patented inventions in the United States across twenty industries over three decades. We address concerns about causality in several ways, including exploiting a 1979 policy shift that spurred venture capital fundraising.... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Innovation and Invention

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May 2024
Supplement

Forest Park Capital (A)

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

During the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020, Betsy Harbison formed the search fund Forest Park Capital with the intention of purchasing a small business. The case conveys the details of Betsy’s final decision at the terminus of her search, between a software company... View Details

Keywords: Search Fund; Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition; Acquisition; Small Business; Cost vs Benefits; Decisions; Business Education; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Leadership Style; Business or Company Management; Problems and Challenges; Tourism Industry; Web Services Industry; North America; Missouri

January 2025 (Revised February 2025)
Background Note

A High-Tech Revolution with Chinese Characteristics: China's Drive Towards EV Supremacy

By: William C. Kirby, Daniel Fu and Matthew Ngai

This background note explains and documents the rise of China's EV industry. Moreover, it identifies the challenges facing it and posits several questions about the decisions needed to be made to sustain the industry's global dominance. Would Chinese producers be able... View Details

Keywords: State Capitalism; Electric Vehicles; Tesla; Renewable Energy; Global Strategy; Taxation; Technological Innovation; Industry Growth; Competition; Auto Industry; China; United States; Japan; European Union

Educators

2022
Working Paper

Capitalism and Global Governance in Business History: A Roundtable Discussion

By: Sabine Pitteloud, Grace Ballor, Patricia Clavin, Nicolás M. Perrone, Neil Rollings and Quinn Slobodian

This working paper brings together a diverse group of scholars to discuss the historiography of capitalism, business history and global governance and lay the foundations for further research in this area. Grace Ballor and Sabine Pitteloud open the discussion with a... View Details

Keywords: Capitalism; Business History; Multinational Corporation; Business And Government Relations; Business And Society; Business And The Environment; International Relations; Regulation; Business Interest Association; Lobbying; Private Governance; State-business Relations; Political Risk; Neo-Liberalism; Governance; Globalized Firms and Management; Government and Politics

SSRN

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28 Feb 2007
Research & Ideas

Capital Rules: The Tensions of Global Finance

Throughout this period, the United States has consistently turned to unilateral decisions and bilateral trade and investment treaties to advance its national interests. It has largely fallen to the Europeans to exercise leadership in the... View Details

Keywords: by Rawi Abdelal

19 Dec 2006
Working Paper Summaries

The Political Economy of Capitalism

Keywords: by Bruce R. Scott

01 Jun 2006
News

A Capital Asset

almost simultaneously. Coordinated international strikes against U.S. interests, Cohen knows, can only mean one thing: “Terrorism,” she thinks as she throws on some clothes. She tells her husband what’s happened and hurries downstairs. Driving fast through empty... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support; Government

01 Sep 2015
News

Clubs: Capital Improvements

When he began planning the event, HBS Club of Washington, DC, president Antonio Alves (PLDA 15, 2013) envisioned the club’s first annual Leadership Gala as a modest outing that would boost awareness of the club in the Greater DC area. By early 2015, however, it was... View Details

Keywords: April White

January 2000 (Revised October 2001)
Case

@Hoc: Leveraging Israeli Technology in the United States

Describes @Hoc, an idea for an Internet software company, developed by two HBS MBA 1999 graduates, Guy Miasnik and Ly Tran. @Hoc's software, loaded into a browser, enables instant, context-sensitive information retrieval and shopping. @Hoc's R&D team is located in... View Details

Keywords: Geographic Location; Internet and the Web; Applications and Software; Financing and Loans; Business Startups; Information Technology Industry; Israel; Boston

Educators

31 Aug 2020
Research & Ideas

State and Local Governments Peer Into the Pandemic Abyss

state and local governments, balanced budget requirements force them to save up in advance or beg Congress for federal support.” Most states are required by law to carry balanced budgets and can only borrow... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

2003
Article

Venture Capital and Private Equity: A Course Overview

By: Josh Lerner

This paper describes a course exploring the private equity industry, "Venture Capital and Private Equity". The goals of this article are two-fold: to make the structure and content of the class available to a broader audience beyond the audience of MBAs and executives... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Private Equity

01 Aug 2008
Research & Ideas

Does Market Capitalism Have a Future?

won the Cold War. Doesn't capitalism reign supreme in the 21st century? Looking forward, we certainly can see challenges that will have to be met. So on the occasion of the School's Centennial, we felt it was appropriate to try to... View Details

Keywords: by Garry Emmons

20 Oct 2020
Blog Post

Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital at Harlem Capital

unique opportunity to change the face of entrepreneurship and create the minority renaissance for venture capital,” said Pierre-Jacques. What that looks like for Harlem Capital is clearly stated in their... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital / Private Equity; Venture Capital / Private Equity

January 2010
Article

Buy Local? The Geography of Successful Venture Capital Expansion

By: Henry Chen, Paul A. Gompers, Anna Kovner and Josh Lerner

We document geographic concentration by both venture capital firms and venture capital-financed companies in three metropolitan areas: San Francisco, Boston, and New York. We find that venture capital firms locate in regions with high success rates of venture... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Expansion; Success; Capital; Geographic Location; Business Units; Corporate Accountability; Business Offices; Goals and Objectives; Mission and Purpose; Investment Funds; Corporate Governance; Boston; New York (state, US); San Francisco

June 2007
Article

Does Employment Protection Reduce Productivity? Evidence from U.S. States

By: David H Autor, William R. Kerr and Adriana D. Kugler

Theory predicts that mandated employment protections may reduce productivity by distorting production choices. Firms facing (non-Coasean) worker dismissal costs will curtail hiring below efficient levels and retain unproductive workers, both of which should affect... View Details

Keywords: Theory; Production; Selection and Staffing; Cost; Employment; Capital; Performance Productivity; United States

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2024
Chapter

The Private Economy Under Party-State Capitalism

By: Margaret M. Pearson, Meg Rithmire and Kellee S. Tsai

This chapter addresses the evolution of China’s approach to the private sector from the early reform era until the beginning of Xi Jinping’s third term. It argues that China has evolved from a familiar form of state capitalism, in which economic growth is the primary... View Details

Keywords: Government Administration; International Relations; Economic Growth; Economic Sectors; Economic Systems; China

October 2010 (Revised June 2021)
Case

Bessemer Trust: Guardians of Capital

By: Tom Nicholas and David Chen

Henry Phipps, Jr. made his fortune in the steel industry alongside one of America's most celebrated entrepreneurs—Andrew Carnegie. His wealth was administered in the form of trusts, which he hoped would provide a stream of income for his family and their descendants... View Details

Keywords: Wealth; Asset Management; Family Business; Business History; Income; Entrepreneurship; Capital; United States

Educators