Publications

November 2021
Supplement

Steve Schwarzman on Dealmaking I: “Becoming a ‘Friend of the Situation’” (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Alex Green

This case describes, largely in his own words, how Schwarzman dealt with the eight negotiation challenges in the (A) case (922-005); with respect to each challenge, a series of generalizations follows to enhance one's effectiveness in negotiation. View Details

Keywords: Dealmaking; Bargaining; Conflict Resolution; Negotiation; Private Equity; Entrepreneurship; Conflict and Resolution; Problems and Challenges

20 Feb 2013
Research & Ideas

Big Deal: Reflections on the Megamerger of American and US Airways

finance and restructuring, explains the ins and outs of Chapter 11, while Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter focuses on the human element—the need for the new company's leadership to pay attention to its people and corporate culture. A Second... View Details

Keywords: Re: Rosabeth M. Kanter & Stuart C. Gilson; Air Transportation

16 Mar 2023
Blog Post

HySynergy and Crossbridge Energy

challenged efforts to transition to a “greener” economy, and this site provided a stark example of energy transformation in process. The Crossbridge Energy refinery was acquired from Royal Dutch Shell by American private equity (PE) firm... View Details

November 1996 (Revised August 1997)
Case

Project "Dial-Tone"

By: William A. Sahlman and Andrew S. Janower

Bob Hellman, a partner in a West Coast middle-market buyout firm, is attempting to simultaneously acquire and merge three disparate firms in the rapidly consolidating telemarketing services industry. Hellman must value the individual companies as well as the combined... View Details

Keywords: Complexity; Private Equity; Integration; Mergers and Acquisitions; Negotiation Deal; Strategic Planning; Investment; Opportunities; Valuation; Service Industry

15 Nov 2018
Blog Post

Valuing an MBA: Beyond Dollars and “Sense"

benefits of the degree. As I described in the article “The MBA as a Finance Case” in The Harbus, the bottom line is that the degree quickly pays for itself and more, and alumni typically see increases in long-run compensation of many... View Details

February 1997 (Revised August 2016)
Case

Stone Container Corporation (A)

By: W. Carl Kester and Kirk Goldman

In early 1993, Stone Container was heavily burdened by debt following a series of highly leveraged acquisitions. A prolonged depression in paper prices necessitated the development of a comprehensive financial plan to relieve the financial pressures on Stone. Among the... View Details

Keywords: Leveraged Buyouts; Borrowing and Debt; Capital Structure; Equity; Price; Strategic Planning

15 Jul 2008
First Look

First Look: July 15, 2008

when the ratio of government debt to total debt is higher; and ii) by firms with stronger balance sheets. Our theory provides a new perspective on the apparent ability of firms to exploit bond-market return predictability with their View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

01 Dec 2008
News

Business at the Summit

to another level, Ferguson compared evolutionary developments in the natural world with recent developments in the global economic system. Over the past two decades, he explained, there has been an “incredible financial evolution,” from the proliferation of private... View Details

Keywords: leadership; alumni events; Centennial; Finance; Finance; Finance; Finance

May 1997
Case

Donna Karan International Inc.

By: Krishna G. Palepu and Sarayu Srinivasan

Designer Donna Karan takes her firm public. After eager anticipation from Wall Street, the stock loses 60% of its value. This case addresses the questions: Is Karan's company ready to undertake responsibilities of being public? Is the company's strategy sustainable?... View Details

Keywords: Public Equity; Stock Shares; Financial Strategy; Corporate Accountability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Outcome or Result; Going Public; Business Strategy; Valuation; Fashion Industry

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October 2019 (Revised December 2019)
Case

BC Partners: Acuris

By: Victoria Ivashina and Terrence Shu

This case follows Nikos Stathopoulos, Managing Partner of BC Partners, as he and his team evaluate the potential sale of one of BC Partners’ portfolio companies, Acuris. Acuris was a global financial intelligence, news, and data company that had been acquired by BC... View Details

Keywords: Fund Management; Fund Raising; Leveraged Buyout; Buyout; Portfolio Management; Operations Improvement; Exit; Exit Strategy; Valuation Ratios; Finance; Private Equity; Leveraged Buyouts; Operations; Performance Improvement; Acquisition; Valuation

03 Jun 2021
Blog Post

HBS Pilots First Impact Investing Fund

to be overleveraged, making equity investments a viable option. However, as part of our mission to support BIPOC wealth generation, we are cautious not to dilute the founder’s stake. As such, we have also explored more creative View Details

fall 2010
Article

Lawsuits and Empire: On the Enforcement of Sovereign Debt in Latin America

By: Faisal Z. Ahmed, Laura Alfaro and Noel Maurer

The re-occurring phenomenon of sovereign default has prompted an enormous theoretical and empirical literature. Most of this research has focused on why countries ever chose to pay their debts (or why private creditors ever expected repayment). The problem originates... View Details

Keywords: Lawsuits and Litigation; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Sovereign Finance; Borrowing and Debt; Debt Securities; Motivation and Incentives; Markets; Equity; Banking Industry; Latin America

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Read Now

September 2003 (Revised February 2007)
Case

PolyMedica Corporation (A)

By: David F. Hawkins and Jacob Cohen

The Securities and Exchange Commission and investors question PolyMedica Corp.'s practice of capitalizing rather than expensing of direct-response advertising. View Details

Keywords: Activity Based Costing and Management; Business Earnings; Advertising; Private Sector; Budgets and Budgeting; Cost Management; Capital Markets; Marketing; Private Equity; Pharmaceutical Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

21 Dec 2009
Research & Ideas

Good Banks, Bad Banks, and Government’s Role as Fixer

we learn from the private equity model? When it comes to megabanks, I'm in favor of a smaller board with deep financial expertise, substantial time commitments, and a different pay structure. We can try to be clever and add more... View Details

Keywords: by Roger Thompson; Banking; Financial Services

February 2008 (Revised May 2008)
Case

Tad O'Malley: The Investment Conundrum

By: Felda Hardymon, Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

Tad O'Malley has just started as an associate with Empire Investment Group. He must evaluate three investment opportunities facing the big leveraged buyout firm. All are global, but each pertains to different offices and each deal has different strengths and... View Details

Keywords: Leveraged Buyouts; Decision Choices and Conditions; Private Equity; Investment; Strength and Weakness; Negotiation Deal; Personal Development and Career

April 2000
Case

Francisco Partners

By: Josh Lerner and David L. Gallo

Francisco Partners (which focuses on buyouts of high-technology firms) aims to be the largest first-time fund ever raised. The rationales for the fund, fundraising strategy, and partnership terms and conditions are among the topics explored. View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Leveraged Buyouts; Venture Capital; Financial Strategy; Partners and Partnerships; Strategy; Investment Funds; Financial Services Industry

October 1998
Case

Farallon Capital Management: Risk Arbitrage (C)

By: Andre F. Perold and Robert Howard

Farallon Capital Management, an investment firm that specializes in risk arbitrage, has taken significant long and short positions in MCI Communications and British Telecommunications, respectively, in the belief that the proposed merger of these firms will be... View Details

Keywords: Capital Markets; Equity; Mergers and Acquisitions; Financial Institutions; Risk Management; Investment Funds; Financial Services Industry