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- All HBS Web (797)
- Faculty Publications (451)
- Research Summary
Land in China's Political Economy
By: Meg Rithmire
Land Bargains and Chinese Capitalism: The Politics of Property Rights under Reform
Published October 2015
China since the 1980s has been the scene of unprecedented efforts at urban construction and growth, even in the absence of privatization... View Details
- July 2005 (Revised September 2016)
- Case
24 Hour Fitness (A): The Rise, 1983–2004
By: John R. Wells, Elizabeth A. Raabe and Gabriel Ellsworth
In October 2004, Mark S. Mastrov, CEO of 24 Hour Fitness, reflected on how far his company had come in just over 20 years. From humble beginnings in 1983 in San Leandro, California, 24 Hour Fitness had grown to become the largest privately-owned health-club chain in... View Details
Keywords: 24 Hour Fitness; Mark Mastrov; Health Clubs; Fitness; Gyms; Chain; Weight Loss; Exercise; Personal Training; Retention; Sales Force Compensation; Incentive Systems; Buildings and Facilities; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; For-Profit Firms; Customers; Customer Focus and Relationships; Customer Satisfaction; Private Equity; Revenue; Geographic Scope; Multinational Firms and Management; Nutrition; Business History; Employees; Recruitment; Selection and Staffing; Human Capital; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Marketing; Operations; Service Operations; Private Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Sales; Salesforce Management; Sports; Strategy; Business Strategy; Competition; Competitive Advantage; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Expansion; Segmentation; Information Technology; Internet; Technology Platform; Web; Web Sites; Capital Structure; Performance; Organizational Structure; Organizational Culture; Health Industry; United States; California; San Francisco
Wells, John R., Elizabeth A. Raabe, and Gabriel Ellsworth. "24 Hour Fitness (A): The Rise, 1983–2004." Harvard Business School Case 706-404, July 2005. (Revised September 2016.)
- November 2015 (Revised February 2016)
- Case
Lipman: Vertical Integration in Fresh Tomatoes
By: José B. Alvarez and Carin-Isabel Knoop
Lipman, the largest open field fresh tomato grower and marketer in the United States, has been successfully pursuing an aggressive strategy of acquisitions over the last several years. End-market consolidation in the retail space has driven vertical integration in the... View Details
Keywords: Tomatoes; Fresh Produce; Vertical Integration; Agribusiness; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; United States; Cuba; Central America
Alvarez, José B., and Carin-Isabel Knoop. "Lipman: Vertical Integration in Fresh Tomatoes." Harvard Business School Case 516-053, November 2015. (Revised February 2016.)
- November 2010
- Technical Note
Technical Note: An Abridged History of the American Corporation
By: Rakesh Khurana, Andrew David Klaber and Eric Baldwin
This note examines the development of the corporate form in the United States from the eighteenth century to the present, focusing primarily on legal issues. It identifies several major trends in the history of the American corporation: the transition of corporations... View Details
Keywords: Accounting; Corporate Accountability; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; History; Code Law; Managerial Roles; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Private Ownership; United States
Khurana, Rakesh, Andrew David Klaber, and Eric Baldwin. "Technical Note: An Abridged History of the American Corporation." Harvard Business School Technical Note 411-069, November 2010.
- 14 Sep 2011
- Working Paper Summaries
Ethnic Innovation and US Multinational Firm Activity
Keywords: by C. Fritz Foley & William R. Kerr
- January 2001 (Revised May 2001)
- Background Note
State, The
By: Rawi E. Abdelal
Surveys approaches to understanding the state; highlights the relationships between the state, order, and property; and offers an analytical framework for how states vary from place to place and over time. View Details
Keywords: Business and Government Relations; Governance Compliance; Framework; Economic Sectors; Policy; Private Ownership; Public Ownership; Entrepreneurship; Development Economics; Equality and Inequality
Abdelal, Rawi E. "State, The." Harvard Business School Background Note 701-077, January 2001. (Revised May 2001.)
- November 2007 (Revised October 2009)
- Case
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
In an activist role, the hedge fund Third Point LLC has three board seats and an ownership stake of 9.5% in Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company. Third Point believed that Ligand had a strong drug portfolio and pipeline but that it was... View Details
Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Private Equity; Investment Activism; Investment Funds; Governing and Advisory Boards; Bids and Bidding; Ownership Stake; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States
El-Hage, Nabil N., and Michael Gorzynski. "Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated." Harvard Business School Case 208-019, November 2007. (Revised October 2009.)
- 29 Aug 2014
- Working Paper Summaries
Patent Trolls
- August 1993 (Revised January 1994)
- Case
Prochnik: Privatization of a Polish Clothing Manufacturer
Prochnik was a large state-owned clothing manufacturer located in the textile-production-intensive region of Lodz, Poland. In the early months of economic reform, Prochnik was one of the first five state enterprises to be privatized through initial public offerings and... View Details
Loveman, Gary W., and David T. Kotchen. "Prochnik: Privatization of a Polish Clothing Manufacturer." Harvard Business School Case 394-038, August 1993. (Revised January 1994.)
- June 2011 (Revised June 2013)
- Case
Sino-Ocean Land: Responding to Change
By: Nicolas P. Retsinas, Jeffrey Hu and Runjiao Xu
In 2010, Sino-Ocean Land Holdings Limited was a highly successful, large real estate developer based in Beijing, China. Sino-Ocean Land had three main business segments—property development, property investment/management, and other real estate related businesses. From... View Details
Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Strategic Planning; Diversification; Property; Policy; State Ownership; Business Strategy; Business and Government Relations; Real Estate Industry; Beijing
Retsinas, Nicolas P., Jeffrey Hu, and Runjiao Xu. "Sino-Ocean Land: Responding to Change." Harvard Business School Case 211-107, June 2011. (Revised June 2013.)
- 2021
- Working Paper
No-fault Default, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, and Financial Institutions
By: Robert C. Merton and Richard T. Thakor
This paper analyzes the costs and benefits of a no-fault-default debt structure as an alternative to the typical bankruptcy process. We show that the deadweight costs of bankruptcy can be avoided or substantially reduced through no-fault-default debt, which permits a... View Details
Keywords: No-fault Default; Chapter 11; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Borrowing and Debt; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Financial Institutions; Contracts
Merton, Robert C., and Richard T. Thakor. "No-fault Default, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, and Financial Institutions." NBER Working Paper Series, No. 28341, January 2021.
- October 2015 (Revised July 2017)
- Case
OMV Petrom: Investment as Partnership—When It Takes Three to Tango
By: Dante Roscini, Emer Maloney and Daniela Beyersdorfer
Petrom was privatized by the Romanian state in 2004 and acquired by Austrian oil company OMV, with the state retaining a 20.6% stake in the company. The situation was particularly challenging for the foreign investor since the sector in which the company operated was... View Details
Keywords: Partners and Partnerships; Privatization; Acquisition; Foreign Direct Investment; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Business and Government Relations; Energy Industry; Austria; Romania
Roscini, Dante, Emer Maloney, and Daniela Beyersdorfer. "OMV Petrom: Investment as Partnership—When It Takes Three to Tango." Harvard Business School Case 716-035, October 2015. (Revised July 2017.)
- January 2003 (Revised October 2012)
- Case
Newport Creamery (A)
By: Paul Marshall and Todd Thedinga
Describes the operating challenges of Newport Creamery, a Rhode Island-based chain of ice cream restaurants. Profiles the company's transition from longtime family ownership to a real estate developer, the developer's expansion strategy, and the company's subsequent... View Details
Keywords: Family Business; Crisis Management; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Food and Beverage Industry; Rhode Island
Marshall, Paul, and Todd Thedinga. "Newport Creamery (A)." Harvard Business School Case 803-130, January 2003. (Revised October 2012.)
- August 2009 (Revised February 2013)
- Case
Eddie Bauer (A)
By: Paul Healy, Sharon Katz and Aldo Sesia
In June 2005, Eddie Bauer, the specialty apparel retailer, emerged from bankruptcy. Under the plan of reorganization former creditors converted their debt into common shares, taking 100% ownership in the reconstituted company. Large banks-including Bank of America and... View Details
Keywords: Financial Statements; Mergers and Acquisitions; Restructuring; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Stock Shares; Valuation; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Retail Industry; United States
Healy, Paul, Sharon Katz, and Aldo Sesia. "Eddie Bauer (A)." Harvard Business School Case 110-008, August 2009. (Revised February 2013.)
- Article
Does the Law and Finance Hypothesis Pass the Test of History?
By: Aldo Musacchio and John D. Turner
For the body of work known as the law and finance literature, the development of
financial markets and the concentration of ownership across countries is to a large
extent the consequence of the legal system nations created or inherited decades or
hundreds of years... View Details
Keywords: Finance; Business History; Financial Markets; Financial History; Business and Shareholder Relations; Law; Financial Services Industry; United States; United Kingdom; Brazil
Musacchio, Aldo, and John D. Turner. "Does the Law and Finance Hypothesis Pass the Test of History?" Special Issue on Law and Finance: A Business History Perspective. Business History 55, no. 4 (June 2013): 524–542.
- November 2019 (Revised January 2025)
- Case
Russia: A Drama In Three Acts
By: Rawi Abdelal, Rafael Di Tella, Galit Goldstein, Sogomon Tarontsi and Lavinia Teodorescu
The collapse of central authority in the Soviet Union in 1991 ushered in a period of revolutionary transformations for the states that emerged in its wake. The leaders of Russia, the USSR's successor, struggled to reestablish central authority while also seeking to... View Details
Keywords: Government Policy; Policy Change; Policy Making; Economic Systems; Economics; Globalization; Emerging Markets; Privatization; Non-Renewable Energy; Governance; Global Strategy; Corporate Governance; Policy; Business History; Lawfulness; Problems and Challenges; Business and Government Relations; Risk and Uncertainty; Strategy; Change Management; Developing Countries and Economies; Russia; Moscow
Abdelal, Rawi, Rafael Di Tella, Galit Goldstein, Sogomon Tarontsi, and Lavinia Teodorescu. "Russia: A Drama In Three Acts." Harvard Business School Case 720-020, November 2019. (Revised January 2025.)
- September 2017 (Revised January 2025)
- Case
Dinesh Moorjani and Hatch Labs
By: Christopher Stanton, Shikhar Ghosh, Allison Ciechanover and Jeff Huizinga
This case is about Tinder. It discusses different business models and ways of structuring the initial team. With a $6 million investment from IAC/Interactive in 2010, Dinesh Moorjani founded Hatch Labs to build mobile apps. His mission was to attract entrepreneurial... View Details
Keywords: Returns; Incubator; Mobile App; Venture Capital; Entrepreneurship; Decision Choices and Conditions; Business Model; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Talent and Talent Management; Valuation; Equity; Finance; United States; North America
Stanton, Christopher, Shikhar Ghosh, Allison Ciechanover, and Jeff Huizinga. "Dinesh Moorjani and Hatch Labs." Harvard Business School Case 818-026, September 2017. (Revised January 2025.)
- June 2010 (Revised September 2013)
- Case
IDFC India: Infrastructure Investment Intermediaries
By: John D. Macomber and Viraal Balsari
Indian financial intermediary matching international capital to local infrastructure decides how to balance range of services, risk-adjusted return, margin pressure, and nation building. IDFC was chartered with partial ownership from the Indian government to help... View Details
Keywords: Investment; Infrastructure; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; State Ownership; Business and Government Relations; Business and Shareholder Relations; Partners and Partnerships; Financial Services Industry; India
Macomber, John D., and Viraal Balsari. "IDFC India: Infrastructure Investment Intermediaries." Harvard Business School Case 210-050, June 2010. (Revised September 2013.)
- January 2014 (Revised January 2014)
- Case
Showdown at Cracker Barrel
By: Suraj Srinivasan and Tim Gray
In the fall of 2011, activist investor, Sardar Biglari, has acquired nearly 10% ownership in the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain. He believes that the board and senior management have failed and the company has underperformed relative to its peers. When he is denied a... View Details
Keywords: Boards; Activist Investors; Proxy Battles; Shareholder Activism; Peer Firm; Ratio Analysis; Financial Accounting; Financial Analysis; Board Of Directors; Boards Of Directors; Financial Intermediaries; Financial Analysts; CEO Turnover; New CEO; Peer Groups; Hedge Fund; Hedge Funds; Proxy Contest; Proxy Fight; Proxy Advisor; Proxy Battle; Financial Statement Analysis; Financial Strategy; Corporate Governance; Corporate Disclosure; Governing and Advisory Boards; Competition; Valuation; Business Strategy; Value Creation; Business and Shareholder Relations; Financial Reporting; Financial Statements; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States
Srinivasan, Suraj, and Tim Gray. "Showdown at Cracker Barrel." Harvard Business School Case 114-026, January 2014. (Revised January 2014.)
- August 2015 (Revised June 2021)
- Case
Amazon.com, 2021
By: John R. Wells, Benjamin Weinstock, Gabriel Ellsworth and Galen Danskin
In February 2021, Amazon announced 2020 operating profits of $22,899 million, up from $2,233 million in 2015, on sales of $386 billion, up from $107 billion five years earlier (see Exhibit 1). The shareholders expressed their satisfaction (see Exhibit 2), but not all... View Details
Keywords: Strategic Analysis; Retail; E-commerce; Amazon; Internet; Amazon.com; AmazonFresh; Jeff Bezos; Cloud Computing; Marketplaces; Streaming; E-reader Market; Digital Media; Mobile App; Online Retail; Shipping; Database; Tablet; Kindle; Kindle Fire; Smartphone; Delivery; Digital Platforms; Competition; Internet and the Web; Corporate Strategy; Digital Marketing; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Organization; For-Profit Firms; Film Entertainment; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Music Entertainment; Television Entertainment; Profit; Revenue; Global Strategy; Multinational Firms and Management; Taxation; Business History; Human Resources; Resignation and Termination; Books; Human Capital; Working Conditions; Business or Company Management; Goals and Objectives; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Management Practices and Processes; Industry Growth; Industry Structures; Media; Distribution; Distribution Channels; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Infrastructure; Logistics; Product Development; Supply Chain; Supply Chain Management; Organizational Culture; Public Ownership; Work-Life Balance; Problems and Challenges; Labor and Management Relations; Strategy; Adaptation; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Diversification; Expansion; Integration; Horizontal Integration; Vertical Integration; Information Infrastructure; Information Technology; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Price; Applications and Software; Marketing; Marketing Strategy; Working Capital; Customer Focus and Relationships; Customer Value and Value Chain; Retail Industry; Advertising Industry; Distribution Industry; Electronics Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Information Technology Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Motion Pictures and Video Industry; Music Industry; Publishing Industry; Shipping Industry; Technology Industry; Video Game Industry; Web Services Industry; United States; Washington (state, US); Seattle
Wells, John R., Benjamin Weinstock, Gabriel Ellsworth, and Galen Danskin. "Amazon.com, 2021." Harvard Business School Case 716-402, August 2015. (Revised June 2021.)