Publications

29 Apr 2015
Lessons from the Classroom

Use Personal Experience to Pick Winning Stocks

Let's face it: in most cases, the stock market knows what it's doing. With millions of people performing their homework and investing money in stocks they hope will pay off, it's hard for any one person to beat the market in a big way.... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Financial Services

June 1991 (Revised May 1992)
Case

Lithonia Lighting

By: Nitin Nohria

In early 1991, Lithonia, the U.S.'s largest manufacturer of lighting fixtures, faced a major slump in the construction business that threatened to cause its first decline in revenues after over a decade of strong growth. With financial pressures from its parent company... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Structure; Industry Growth; Decision Making; Information Technology; Financial Crisis; Investment; Business Growth and Maturation; Electronics Industry; United States

Find at Harvard

11 Jun 2014
Research & Ideas

In the Future of Sports Investing, Media Is the Best Bet

But if you ask Bob Higgins, Wyc Grousbeck, and Mark Wan—all seasoned sports team owners-—about the secret to investment success in sports, they'll tell you it has little to do with owning a team. Rather, it's all about the media... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Sports; Financial Services

Web

Faculty & Research

high-climate solution firms, whose business benefits as climate transition risks materialize, hedge investors against such risks. Featured Case Myeloma Investment Fund By: Kyle Myers and Scott Sawaya This case explores a critical decision... View Details

Jason T. Pananos

Jason Pananos is a Senior Lecturer of Business Administration in the Finance Department. Jason currently teaches and was the co-creator of a second-year field course titled “Value Creation in Small and Medium Firms”. Jason is also an active collaborator and guest... View Details

May 2004 (Revised October 2007)
Background Note

Best Practices: Decision Making Among Venture Capital Firms

By: G. Felda Hardymon, Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

Describes investment decision-making processes, based on interviews with 56% of the top 38 venture capital firms in the country. Discusses some implications for the future growth of the industry. View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Venture Capital; Investment; Industry Growth

15 Apr 2015
News

New Enterprise Raises Record-Breaking $2.8 Billion Venture Fund

July 2024
Supplement

Pacific Lake Partners (B)

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

Pre-Abstract: Instructors should consider the timing of making videos available to students, as they may reveal key case details.

Abstract: In 2009, Coley Andrews and Jim Southern endeavored to raise a private equity fund for investment solely in search... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition; Search Fund; Entrepreneurship; Private Equity; Investment Funds; Organizational Structure; United States

January 2011 (Revised June 2011)
Supplement

Fixed Income Arbitrage in a Financial Crisis (B): US Treasuries in December 2008

The B case briefly recounts the action that investment manager James Franey takes in the matter of two U.S. Treasury bonds with identical maturity dates but widely different yields. He must decide what to do next. View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Financial Management; Investment Return; Financial Crisis; Financial Services Industry; United States

January 2013 (Revised March 2015)
Case

Hudson Yards—The Other Side of the Tracks?

By: Christopher M. Gordon, John D. Macomber, A. Eugene Kohn and Lisa Strope

Stephan Ross, CEO of Related Companies, is considering an opportunity to invest $1 billion for the air rights over the Hudson Rail Yards in New York City. The investment would allow Related to build a platform over the operating rail tracks and develop this blighted... View Details

Keywords: Real Estate; Property; Growth and Development Strategy; Urban Development; Real Estate Industry; New York (city, NY)

24 Nov 2022
News

The term family office is confusing; it needs a new name, says Harvard academic

April 2021
Case

JPMorgan Chase's Path Forward

By: Joseph L. Bower, Nien-hê Hsieh and Michael Norris

In 2020, JPMorgan Chase announced a $30 billion Commitment to Advance Racial Equity. The Commitment included investments in housing, small businesses, and financial literacy across the U.S., and diversity, equity, and inclusion within the bank. It was part of a broader... View Details

Keywords: Racial Wealth Gap; Diversity; Race; Financial Institutions; Banks and Banking; Leading Change; Banking Industry; New York (city, NY); Chicago

May 6, 2010
Other Article

How Big Business Can Regain Legitimacy

By: Michael E. Porter

Harvard Business School competitiveness guru Michael E. Porter urges large organizations to invest in small businesses in inner cities. View Details

Keywords: Society; United States

Read Now

21 Jan 2021
Video

Hemendra Kothari

Hemendra Kothari, chairman of DSP Investment Managers in India, discusses his philanthrophy, including supporting schools and facilitating wildlife conservation. View Details

October 2015
Case

DPDHL Group: Employee Safety and Wellbeing

By: John A. Quelch and Carin-Isabel Knoop

Management at Deutsche Post DHL Group is designing a three-country test of investment in a new health and wellbeing strategy. View Details

Keywords: Health; Wellbeing; Wellness; Safety; Risk; Employees; Human Resources; Risk Management; Service Industry; China; Mexico; Middle East

December 2010
Background Note

Risk and Reward in Venture Capital

By: William A. Sahlman

This note describes the payoff structure of investment in individual venture capital–backed companies and in venture capital portfolios. Venture Capital investments are characterized by high failure rate (0ver 50%) and a small number of given successes (greater than... View Details

Keywords: Capital Markets; Venture Capital; Investment Return; Investment Portfolio; Analytics and Data Science; Failure; Performance; Information Technology

09 Mar 2020
Working Paper Summaries

Impact Investing: A Theory of Financing Social Entrepreneurship

Keywords: by Benjamin N. Roth; Financial Services

26 Sep 2016
News

Steward gets $1.25b to fund expansion, repay Cerberus

October 2018 (Revised October 2018)
Teaching Note

La-Z-Boy (A)

By: Joseph B. Fuller and Julia Kelley

Kurt Darrow, CEO of La-Z-Boy furniture, must decide whether to continue an overhaul of the company's strategy in the face of a collapse in demand during the great recession. Having pared back La-Z-Boy's portfolio of brands and manufacturing network, he intends to... View Details