Publications

April 2001 (Revised September 2001)
Case

Merloni Elettrodomestici: Building for a New Century

By: Joseph L. Bower

In 2001 a young new CEO has to develop a strategy to move his company beyond the hyper-competitive conditions of Western Europe. A major acquisition in Russia and a new Web-based service business provide interesting new directions. This case traces the development of... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Multinational Firms and Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Structure; Business Strategy; Web; Russia

01 Apr 1999
News

Q & A: Confronting New Technologies: When Doing Right Is Wrong

corporate radar. Interestingly, some venture capital firms have revisited their prior investments and confirmed that those involving disruptive rather than sustaining technologies proved far more profitable... View Details

February 2018 (Revised July 2025)
Case

Hikma Pharmaceuticals Governance Journey

By: Lynn Paine, Suraj Srinivasan and Gamze Yucaoglu

The case opens with Said Darwazah, chairman and CEO of Hikma Pharmaceuticals, the multinational generics company, anticipating the company’s 2017 AGM and reflecting on changes made over the previous year to address concerns expressed by proxy advisors and some... View Details

Keywords: Boards Of Directors; Pharmaceuticals; Remuneration; Shareholder Engagement; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards; Business and Shareholder Relations; Executive Compensation; Business Growth and Maturation; Emerging Markets; Private Sector; For-Profit Firms; Pharmaceutical Industry; Jordan

Profile

Dana Hoffmann

Before she applied to HBS, Dana Hoffmann seemed to be on a dream career trajectory. With a master’s degree in applied mathematics, she had worked as a financial analyst at Symantec, the Silicon Valley security software giant, and was recruited by Apple to a fast-track... View Details

24 Sep 2021
Blog Post

Alumni Spotlight: Career Advice from Alums Working in Climate

corporations and governments alike need to focus on. Consequently, the career opportunities for MBAs are now unlimited- you can shape sustainability strategy at traditional companies and banks, drive products and operations at startups... View Details

April 1993 (Revised October 1995)
Case

ALZA and Bio-Electro Systems (A): Technological and Financial Innovation

By: Josh Lerner and Peter Tufano

To develop the next generation of risky products, ALZA, a mature and profitable biotechnology firm specializing in drug delivery systems, must raise $40 million. Organizational constraints and competitive concerns demand that the work be done inside the firm. However,... View Details

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Technological Innovation; Business Subsidiaries; Decision Choices and Conditions; Corporate Finance; Biotechnology Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

January 2004
Case

Bob Holgrom and the Buyout of the Carlson Division

By: Thomas R. Piper

The head of the Carlson Division stands to benefit substantially in financial terms if a private equity firm wins the bid for the division. The division is in the early stages of a performance turnaround, with only three quarters of profit improvement and no audited... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Leveraged Buyouts; Corporate Disclosure; Ethics; Financial Reporting; Laws and Statutes; Performance Improvement

October 1999
Case

Argentina's YFP Sociedad Anonima (E): A New Era

By: Michael Y. Yoshino, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Cate Reavis

In June 1999, Spain's former state-owned oil giant Repsol, acquired 97% of YPF, despite opposition from YPF management. The case describes the status of the two companies at the time of the acquisition and highlights concerns expressed by industry analysts on the deal. View Details

Keywords: Non-Renewable Energy; State Ownership; Acquisition; Decisions; Profit; Privatization; Corporate Strategy; Mining Industry; Energy Industry; Argentina; Spain

November 22, 2022
Article

Why Startups Should Embrace Radical Transparency

By: Jeffrey J. Bussgang

After high-profile startup failures like FTX or Theranos, investors, employees, customers, and policymakers all ask what might have been done differently to ensure accountability and prevent mismanagement. But startup founders should join that list: It’s in their... View Details

Keywords: Start-up; Business Startups; Entrepreneurial Finance; Corporate Accountability

Register to Read

1994
Chapter

Entrepreneurs and the Next Generation, Management Advantages and Challenges in a Family Business

By: M. M. Hart and H. H. Stevenson

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Family Business

2007
Chapter

The Governance of New Firms: A Functional Perspective

By: Josh Lerner

Keywords: Corporate Governance; Business Startups

April 1993 (Revised November 1995)
Case

San Miguel Corporation: Facing the 1990s

By: James E. Austin and Francisco Roman

Keywords: Business Conglomerates; Corporate Strategy

23 Sep 2024
Blog Post

2024 Summer Internships in Business & Environment

a collaborative approach to commercialize fusion energy on the fastest track possible to mitigate climate change. Mike's role prior to HBS was a U.S. Army Aviation Officer and Helicopter Pilot. Ines Gurmendi (MBA 2025, Section D), Summer Internship: View Details

October 2023
Case

To Fizzle Out or Heat Up? PepsiCo and Coca-Cola’s SodaStream and Costa Coffee Acquisitions

By: David Collis and Haisley Wert

U.S. beverage giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola shared many similarities by August 2018—both were founded by pharmacists in the 1890s, grew to offer hundreds of drink brands, and championed rival flagship products that drove loyalists into taste-testing wars. That month,... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Strategy; Acquisition; Diversification; Expansion; Brands and Branding; Food and Beverage Industry

August 2005 (Revised September 2006)
Case

The NFL

By: John R. Wells and Travis Haglock

From 10-cent tickets to $17 billion television contracts, examines how a game became a multibillion dollar industry. Looks at the birth and growth of the NFL, how the NFL responded to competitive challenges, how the NFL maximized revenues, revenue sharing, the salary... View Details

Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Groups and Teams; Sports; Corporate Finance; Sports Industry; United States