Publications

August 1996 (Revised June 2007)
Case

Nicholson File Company Takeover (A), The

By: Thomas R. Piper

The financial vice president must decide the value and form of an acquisition offer to be made to a small hand tool company. View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Valuation; Negotiation Participants; Negotiation Offer; Acquisition; Manufacturing Industry

September 2006 (Revised January 2008)
Case

ABRY Partners and F+W Publications

After acquiring F+W Publications from a rival private equity firm, ABRY Partners became increasingly convinced that they had been deceived by the sellers about the profitability of the company. ABRY must determine whether they were deliberately misled, what courses of... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Crime and Corruption; Ethics; Private Equity; Negotiation Deal; Negotiation Preparation

December 2018
Teaching Note

The Campbell Home (A), (B), and (C)

By: Leslie John

Email mking@hbs.edu for a courtesy copy.

Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 918-017, 918-018, and 918-019. Campbell siblings Thomas and Sally are faced with selling their childhood home. They need to make several... View Details

Keywords: Agents; Bidding Process; Negotiation; Negotiation Process; Negotiation Preparation; Negotiation Participants; Valuation; Real Estate Industry; United States

August 1996 (Revised June 2007)
Case

Nicholson File Company Takeover (B), The

By: Thomas R. Piper

Management of a small hand tool company must decide on the terms and conditions of its sale to a "friendly" acquirer. View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Negotiation Preparation; Negotiation Participants; Acquisition; Manufacturing Industry

01 Aug 2005
Research & Ideas

How to Choose the Best Deal

there's no urgency regarding either one. If negotiation were costless, Jim could keep both options fully open. But serious preparation takes time and money. Jim may have to hire a lawyer to review land-use... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Wheeler

November 1993 (Revised June 1996)
Case

C.K. Coolidge, Inc. (A)

Coolidge (CKC), a chemical manufacturer, is being sued for patent infringement. Plaintiffs are the patent holder and its sole licensee, who is also a CKC competitor. An analyst at CKC has done breakeven decision analysis from CKC's perspective, balancing going to court... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Patents; Lawsuits and Litigation; Chemical Industry

March 1997
Case

Stone Container in Honduras (B)

By: Hannah Bowles and James K. Sebenius

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Negotiation Types; Environmental Sustainability; Conflict of Interests; Globalized Firms and Management; Developing Countries and Economies; Government and Politics; Manufacturing Industry; Pulp and Paper Industry; Honduras; Chicago

Find at Harvard

January 2008 (Revised March 2008)
Case

Bidding on Martha's Vineyard (A)

By: James Sebenius

To buy a desirable Martha's Vineyard property, Robert and Sally Franklin must craft a bidding strategy informed by their assessment of their competitor. The "A" case sets up the situation and bidding history to date, describes how they assessed their valuations and... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Negotiation Process; Valuation; Decision Choices and Conditions; Property; Bids and Bidding; Real Estate Industry; Martha's Vineyard

February 2011 (Revised February 2018)
Case

Greg Mazur and the Purchase of Great Eastern Premium Pet Foods

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

Greg Mazur decided to purchase a small business after graduating from the Harvard Business School. The case explores his decision about whether or not he should finalize his deal to purchase Great Eastern Premium Pet Foods, Inc. ("GEPP"). It gives students the... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Entrepreneurship; Financing and Loans; Negotiation Deal; Negotiation Preparation; Strategic Planning; Valuation

02 Jan 2007
Research & Ideas

Most Popular Articles of 2006

In the six-year history of Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge, some types of articles have always been popular with our readers. Want to generate a lot of reader buzz? Then write about negotiation strategy, managing IT,... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

July 2006 (Revised July 2007)
Case

C.K. Coolidge, Inc. (Abridged)

Coolidge (CKC), a chemical manufacturer, is being sued for patent infringement. The plaintiffs are the patent holder and its sole licensee, who is also a CKC competitor. An analyst at CKC has done a breakeven decision analysis from CKC's perspective, balancing going to... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Courts and Trials; Patents; Analysis; Decision Choices and Conditions; Lawsuits and Litigation; Chemical Industry