Publications

August 2017 (Revised February 2024)
Teaching Note

Exotic Interest Rate Swaps: Snowballs in Portugal

By: Boris Vallee, Patrick Augustin and Philippe Rich

This case explores a complex swap transaction implemented by Metro do Porto in 2007. It represents an opportunity to study fixed income derivative instruments, such as plain-vanilla swaps and structured swaps, as well as understand the opportunities and challenges of... View Details

Keywords: Swaps; Public Finance; Structured Finance; Credit Derivatives and Swaps; Public Sector; Transportation Industry; Transportation Industry; Portugal

March 1982 (Revised April 1982)
Case

Hertz Corp.: Guaranteed Pricing

The Hertz Corp., a $1.3 billion subsidiary of RCA, has instituted a "no mileage charge, ever" price program in response to competitive pressures. Pro forma revenue and profit projections, however, show the firm to be even further away from its corporate plan than... View Details

Keywords: Competition; Corporate Strategy; Product Marketing; Transportation Industry; Transportation Industry

Find at Harvard

01 Jun 2012
News

Bringing ‘Global’ Back Home

Issue Focus: The Global Manager Fields Photo courtesy FORD Motor Company Issue Focus: The Global Manager Around the World They Call Him Mr. China Think Locally, Act Globally No disrespect to Detroit and California—they’re definitely hubs of car culture. But don’t... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

17 Jun 2014
News

Charles Fisher III, Detroit Banker, Dies at 84

Keywords: Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

Web

American Business History Records | Baker Library

papers of individuals who were involved in building American financial, industrial, and transportation systems during the 19th and 20th centuries. Many collections shed light on the day-to-day experiences of people living during the era... View Details

July 2024
Article

Acceptance of Automated Vehicles Is Lower for Self than Others

By: Stuti Agarwal, Julian De Freitas, Anya Ragnhildstveit and Carey K. Morewedge

Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death worldwide for people aged 2–59. Nearly all deaths are due to human error. Automated vehicles could reduce mortality risks, traffic congestion, and air pollution of human-driven vehicles. However, their adoption... View Details

Keywords: Transportation; Risk and Uncertainty; Technology Adoption; Prejudice and Bias

25 Apr 2016
News

Trail Blazer

Photography by Alexander Rubin Chuck McMinn (MBA 1978) has worked at enough in startups to know that the only guarantee in technology is that today’s hot product will eventually be replaced by more innovative technology. That’s why McMinn, founder and chair of the Napa... View Details

Keywords: Jill Radsken; Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation; Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation; Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation; Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation

01 Sep 2010
News

You’ve Been YouTubed

Art by John Weber Related Links Virtual Learning Series: Understanding Users of Social Networks Career Webinar: Leverage the Power of Your LinkedIn Network Tweets are in the air we breathe. Most of us know that “friend” can also be a verb. Social media are part of the... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; social media; Air Transportation; Air Transportation; Air Transportation; Air Transportation

24 Oct 2013
News

Engineering a More Secure World

suspect it was transporting contraband. He grabbed a CSECO Fiberscope—a fiber-optic inspection device that resembles a plumber's snake—and fed it into the gas tank. He peered into the scope's eyepiece. "Generally, if you interdict a... View Details

Keywords: Francis Storrs; Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

31 Jan 2018
Blog Post

Tiffany Nida’s Amazon Journey: “I Continue to Grow Because They Keep Giving Me Responsibility.”

encouraged to apply the same entrepreneurial spirit to her development as she would bring to her management style. “I identified the areas I wanted to grow in,” she says, “then solicited mentors on how to manage larger teams.” “I came over to View Details

Keywords: Technology

13 Jan 2021
News

Stress Test

to make a little bit of money and also to alleviate the difficulty of transporting things from point A to point B quickly. How have the country’s existing supply chains affected distribution? In the United States, freight arteries roughly... View Details

01 Mar 2011
News

James McNerney Jr.

McNerney: It’s all about being globally competitive and creating U.S. jobs. Illustration by Andy Friedman Related Links The Path to Economic Revival Making Their Way Squawk Box at HBS - Jim McNerney, Dean Nitin Nohria, and University Professor Michael Porter discuss... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; interview; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

March 2021 (Revised August 2024)
Case

Hotwire.com: Navigating Through Turbulence

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport, Manny de Zarraga and Eric Levine

On September 10, 2001, after speaking at an industry conference at New York’s World Trade Center, Hotwire co-founder Spencer Rascoff boarded a flight from Newark to San Francisco. After returning home, Rascoff awoke the next morning to a phone call informing him that... View Details

Keywords: September 11; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Business Growth and Maturation; Disruption; Decisions; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Growth Management; Digital Platforms; Problems and Challenges; Risk and Uncertainty; Expansion; Internet and the Web; Leading Change; Leadership Style; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry; San Francisco

June 2020 (Revised February 2021)
Case

Accounting for Leases at American Airlines (A)

By: Jonas Heese, Gerardo Pérez Cavazos and Julia Kelley

In March 2020, as coronavirus reduced demand for air travel, an analyst was forecasting American Airlines’ (American’s) first quarter financial results. To develop a forecast, she needed to familiarize herself with Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02, “Leases... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Financial Reporting; Financial Statements; Finance; Governance; Corporate Accountability; Corporate Governance; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Governing and Advisory Boards; Leasing; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry; North and Central America; United States

August 2016 (Revised July 2017)
Case

Singapore Airlines: Premium Goes Multi-Brand

By: Rohit Deshpande and Dawn H. Lau

Singapore Airlines had long been considered the gold standard for its innovative customer service. However, the company was faced with new sources of competition, from the rapid growth of Southeast Asian low-cost carriers on the one hand, to the expansion of premium... View Details

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry; Singapore

March 2009
Teaching Note

Fritidsresor Under Pressure (TN) (A), (B), (C)

By: Joshua D. Margolis

Teaching Note for [407007, 407008 and 407009]. View Details

Keywords: Problems and Challenges; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry

January 2009 (Revised June 2009)
Case

Distribution at American Airlines (A)

By: Benjamin Edelman

American Airlines sought to reduce the fees it pays to global distribution services (GDSs)—such as SABRE—to reach travel agents. But GDSs held significant tactical advantages. For example, GDSs had signed long-term exclusive contracts with the corporate customers who... View Details

Keywords: Price; Globalized Firms and Management; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Distribution; Service Operations; Competition; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry

July 1999 (Revised November 1999)
Case

Northwest Airlines and the Detroit Snowstorm (A)

Northwest Airlines forced hundreds of passengers to wait up to 8 1/2 hours on aircraft after reaching their destination in an unusually horrible service disaster. The case explores what occurred, why it occurred, and the feelings of those involved. View Details

Keywords: Service Delivery; Failure; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry

November 1978 (Revised June 1982)
Case

Federal Express (B)

Federal Express is a small-package airline operating throughout the United States. After initial heavy losses, it is now profitable. Management is examining the services offered by the firm and believes that there is great potential for "Courier Pak," an overnight... View Details

Keywords: Product; Product Marketing; Air Transportation Industry; Air Transportation Industry; United States