Publications

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Advisory Board - Entrepreneurship

Hamilton, Bridgewater Associates, The GEM Group, Paradigm Ventures, Pacific Community Ventures, Air America Media and Abbott Laboratories. Bill Sahlman (MBA 1975), Harvard Business School William View Details

September 1995
Case

Benjamin Rosen and Compaq

By: William A. Sahlman and Jason Green

Addresses the challenges faced by Ben Rosen and the company board of directors as continuing problems force it to make a decision about the ongoing governance of the firm. The issues are complicated by the current CEO and founder, Rod Canion, who has had, until... View Details

Keywords: Governing and Advisory Boards; Management Teams; Business or Company Management; Corporate Governance; Problems and Challenges; Decision Making; Information Technology Industry

November 2004 (Revised May 2010)
Case

RightNow Technologies

By: William A. Sahlman and Dan Heath

The founder and CEO of a CRM software start-up must decide between an attractive acquisition offer and the opportunity to go public. Discusses the growth of the company--including a lengthy discussion of entrepreneurial bootstrapping--as well as an aborted IPO attempt... View Details

Keywords: Business Exit or Shutdown; Applications and Software; Going Public; Management Teams; Finance; Strategy; Value Creation; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Acquisition; Computer Industry

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Faculty & Research - Business History

political science. 23 Jul 2024 News The New Rules of Trade with China: Navigating Tariffs, Turmoil, and Opportunities Re: Jeremy Friedman, Meg Rithmire, Jaya Wen, William Kirby & Ebehi Iyoha July 2024 (Revised October 2024) Case Knowledge... View Details

January 1986 (Revised March 1993)
Case

Centex Telemanagement, Inc.

Contains a description of the events surrounding the financing of Centex Telemanagement, Inc. by Sierra Ventures, a venture capital fund. The case is written from the perspective of the venture capitalists and is designed to teach students about the process of venture... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital

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Online Business Courses & Certifications | HBS Online

William Sahlman Master a proven framework for building and financing new ventures, and make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality. 4 weeks, 6-8 hrs/week Pay by August 21 $1,850... View Details

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Resources - Christensen Center for Teaching & Learning

Press Teaching and the Case Method (3rd Ed) by C.R. Christensen, L.B. Barnes & A. Hansen This is a book of cases used in the development of Case Teachers. 01 JUL 1992 Harvard Business School Press Education... View Details

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Business History - Faculty & Research

Business History Business History 2014 Book Business History By: Walter A. Friedman and Geoffrey Jones This volume contains a selection of 42 foundational articles on the discipline of business history written between 1934 and the present... View Details

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AASU50 - Alumni

Stephanie A. Atiase, MBA 2011 Lauren B. Allen, MBA 2012 William J. Drewery, MBA 2012 Ariel J. Roberts, MBA 2013 Christopher G. Hollins, MBA 2013 Creighton L. Taylor, MBA 2014 Stacie N. Smith, MBA 2014 Erin... View Details

February 1991 (Revised October 1991)
Case

Fenchel Lampshade Co.

Describes the proposed purchase of a lampshade manufacturer by Steven and Michele Rogers, recent graduates of the Harvard Business School. Focuses on their plans to raise the capital necessary to buy the company. Among the issues raised are how to structure the deal... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Financing and Loans; Negotiation Deal; Business or Company Management; Cost vs Benefits; Manufacturing Industry

September 1976
Case

Del Norte Paper Co. (B)

Serves two roles: first, provides a reasonably comprehensive description of an ongoing budgeting and reporting system for the international operations of a large American company. Second, allows the student to focus on and critically analyze a series of specific... View Details

Keywords: International Accounting; Financial Reporting; Budgets and Budgeting; United States

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Business & Environment - Faculty & Research

Public Distrust? Re: Ray A. Goldberg 17 Oct 2016 Business Solutions That Help Cut Food Waste by Dina Gerdeman More Articles Harvard Business Publishing May–June 2025 Article Sustainability as a... View Details

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2023 Reunion Presentations - Alumni

investments, as well as the challenges and successes that are being experienced by firms in the US and globally. Entrepreneurial Solutions to World Problems Professor Emeritus William View Details

October 2023
Case

Vida Health: Transforming Chronic Disease Treatment

By: William Sahlman and Nicole Tempest Keller

San Francisco based Vida Health, founded by Stephanie Tilenius, former vice president of Commerce and Payments at Google, was a B2B digital health startup focused on the treatment of cardiometabolic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. Its innovative digital... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Demand and Consumers; Health Care and Treatment; Product Marketing; Risk and Uncertainty; Technological Innovation; Health Industry; Technology Industry; United States; California; San Francisco

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HBR Classics - Alumni

William Torbert Social Intelligence and the Biology of Leadership , Daniel Goleman and Richard Boyatzis Persuasive Presentations Harnessing the Science of Persuasion , Robert B. Cialdini HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations , View Details

30 Aug 2011
First Look

First Look: August 30

U.S. Multinational Firm Activity Authors:C. Fritz Foley and William R. Kerr Abstract This paper studies the impact that immigrant innovators have on the global activities of U.S. firms by analyzing detailed... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

August 2002 (Revised September 2002)
Background Note

Financial Analysis of Microsoft

Contains a detailed analysis of Microsoft's financial performance from 1985 to 2001. During this time, Microsoft improved its profitability and cash flow generation--changes that led to a dramatic rise in valuation. Also addresses the issue of determining how much... View Details

Keywords: Business Ventures; Analysis; Financial Condition

September 1976 (Revised January 1977)
Case

Del Norte Paper Co. (C)

Designed to serve two roles: first, it provides a reasonably comprehensive description of an ongoing capital budgeting system for the international operations of a large American company. Second, it allows the student to focus upon and critically analyze a series of... View Details

Keywords: Capital Budgeting; International Relations; Globalized Markets and Industries; Goals and Objectives; Service Delivery; Business Subsidiaries; Performance Evaluation; Performance Expectations; Financial Services Industry; Pulp and Paper Industry

October 2013 (Revised August 2016)
Case

NOWaccount

By: Ramana Nanda, William A. Sahlman and Lauren Barley

It was September 2013, and NOWaccount Network Corporation (NOW®) co-founders John Hayes and Lara Hodgson were putting the final touches on the presentation deck for their annual shareholders' meeting. Along with co-founder Stacey Abrams, the pair had designed NOW's... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Finance; Finance; Entrepreneurship