Publications

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11 Jul 2012
Research & Ideas

The Future of Boards

In discussions that continue to swirl in the aftermath of the financial crisis, the question of corporate governance's role is often front and center. In The Future of Boards: Meeting the Governance... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna

03 Dec 2018
Research & Ideas

How Companies Can Increase Market Rewards for Sustainability Efforts

that believe their sustainability efforts are not being fully rewarded by the market. In particular, the research shows companies with overall good performance in their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) programs can increase... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

Apr 03 2018
Testimonial

Immersing Yourself in the Student Experience

August 2008
Article

The Implications of Unverifiable Fair-value Accounting: Evidence from the Political Economy of Goodwill Accounting

By: Karthik Ramanna

I study the evolution of SFAS 142, which uses unverifiable fair-value estimates to account for acquired goodwill. I find evidence consistent with the FASB issuing SFAS 142 in response to political pressure over its proposal to abolish pooling accounting. The result is... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Fair Values; Politics; Standard Setting; Fair Value Accounting; Goodwill Accounting; Government Legislation; Agency Theory

SSRN

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April 1990
Case

Philip Morris Companies' ""Bill of Rights"" Sponsorship Program

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Norman Klein

Describes the new policy of the National Archives of inviting corporate cosponsorship of historic exhibits and commemorations. In November 1989, Philip Morris Companies (PM) became the first cosponsor of the bicentennial commemoration of the Bill of Rights, and used... View Details

Keywords: Policy; Brands and Branding; Decisions; Advertising; Marketing Strategy; Risk and Uncertainty; Financing and Loans; Reputation; Nonprofit Organizations

14 Sep 2017
News

Harvard Business School’s Latest Case Study Looks at American Politics and Finds a Rigged System

Article

Managing the Narrative: Investor Relations Officers and Their Interactions with Sell-Side Analysts and Institutional Investors

By: Lawrence D. Brown, Andrew C. Call, Michael B. Clement and Nathan Y. Sharp

Investor relations officers (IROs) play a central role in corporate communications with Wall Street. We survey 610 IROs at U.S. public companies and conduct 14 follow-up interviews to deepen our understanding of the role of IROs in corporate disclosure events. Three... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Disclosure; Power and Influence; Business and Shareholder Relations

Read Now

25 Jul 2019
Blog Post

Advancing a More Sustainable World with an MBA/MPA-ID

was my work with a power plant, the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change, or local county governments, financial returns often superseded the "green value" of projects. I quickly learned that beyond health or environmental benefits, View Details

Mar 26 2018
Testimonial

Beginning a New Chapter in Your Career

December 2018 (Revised June 2020)
Case

Creating the French Behavioral Insights Team

By: Michael Luca, Ariella Kristal and Emilie Billaud

This case explores how neuroscientist Mariam Chammat helped set up the first behavioral insights team at the center of the French government, and encouraged French administrations to innovate and create policy initiatives based on psychological theories of influence... View Details

Keywords: Choice Architecture; Behavioral Economics; Experiments; Negotiation; Decision Making; Economics; Taxation; Entrepreneurship; Consumer Behavior; Public Administration Industry; Europe; France; Paris

September 2011 (Revised August 2013)
Case

China or the World? A Financial Reporting Strategy for Hong Kong's Capital Markets

By: Karthik Ramanna, Gwen Yu and G.A. Donovan

Set in 2010, the case discusses the strategic directions Hong Kong could pursue, particularly vis-a-vis China, as it seeks to preserve its preeminence in the region. In 2010, the Hong Kong Exchange announced that it would allow listed Chinese companies to report using... View Details

Keywords: Governance Compliance; Global Range; Local Range; Competitive Strategy; Global Strategy; Globalized Economies and Regions; Financial Reporting; International Accounting; Hong Kong

March 2009 (Revised April 2009)
Case

AFSCME vs. Mozilo...and "Say on Pay" for All! (A) (Abridged)

By: Fabrizio Ferri and James Weber

Richard Ferlauto, director of pensions and benefits policy at the AFSCME, the largest public sector workers union in the U.S., was responsible for protecting the pensions of its members. Because pensions were invested for decades, Ferlauto wanted the companies in which... View Details

Keywords: Voting; Investment; Investment Activism; Corporate Governance; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Governing and Advisory Boards; Executive Compensation; Ownership Stake; Business and Shareholder Relations; United States

22 Jun 2010
First Look

First Look: June 22

Chapman Wood, George Westerman, and Charles A. O'Reilly III Publication:Industrial and Corporate Change (forthcoming) Abstract This article empirically explores the relations between alternative organizational designs and a firm's ability... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

13 Apr 2010
First Look

First Look: April 13

PublicationsDriven to Lead: Good, Bad, and Misguided Leadership Author:Paul R. Lawrence Publication:Jossey-Bass, forthcoming (2010) Abstract The author applies the four drive theory of human behavior (to acquire, to defend, to... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

May 2002 (Revised July 2002)
Background Note

U.S. Educational System:The, Key Issues and the Role of Business Leadership

Explores the area of education and ways in which corporations have played a role in its improvement. Not intended to cover all examples of corporate involvement but, instead, to provide a sense of the range of ways that corporations have become involved, either... View Details

Keywords: Education; Business and Community Relations; Business and Government Relations; Education Industry