Publications

March 1990 (Revised October 1999)
Case

Mary Kay Cosmetics: Sales Force Incentives (A)

By: Robert L. Simons and Hilary Weston

Describes the incentive system by which Mary Kay Cosmetics motivates the sales force of 200,000 independent agents who comprise the firm's only distribution channel. Illustrates the powerful effect on sales-force behavior that results when creative types of employee... View Details

Keywords: Motivation and Incentives; Cost Management; Salesforce Management; Distribution Channels; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; United States

February 1990
Case

Retail Financial Services Industry in 1988

By: Dwight B. Crane

January 1990 (Revised March 1994)
Case

Royal Ahold NV

By: Richard F. Meyer

Contains a general description of a large international retailer. Focus is on the major financial risks facing the company: exchange rate risk and commodity price risk. This case is an introduction to financial risk management. It poses some of the major problem areas. View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Currency Exchange Rate; Futures and Commodity Futures; Trade; Distribution; Financial Services Industry

October 1989
Case

PaineWebber: Institutional Equity Division

By: Joseph L. Bower

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

September 1989 (Revised December 1989)
Background Note

Note on the Credit Bureau Industry and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

By: F. Warren McFarlan and H. Jeff Smith

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

June 1989 (Revised May 1993)
Supplement

Rossin Greenberg Seronick & Hill, Inc. (C)

By: John A. Quelch

Teaching objectives: 1) to consider legal and other obligations advertising agencies owe to their clients, 2) to show how aggressive marketing can lead to allegations of misconduct, 3) to explore conflicts of interest which may arise for professional service companies... View Details

Keywords: Conflict of Interests; Ethics; Lawsuits and Litigation; Marketing; Advertising; Advertising Industry; New England

January 1989
Case

Primerica Corp. (B)

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Norman Klein

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

September 1988 (Revised January 1992)
Case

JMB Growth Fund XXV

By: William J. Poorvu

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

August 1988 (Revised December 1989)
Case

Golden Gate Bank Pension Fund

By: David E. Bell

Keywords: Investment Funds; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry

June 1988 (Revised May 1989)
Case

Primerica Corp. (A): How American Can Discovered Primerica

By: Stephen A. Greyser and Norman Klein

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

May 1988
Article

Management Dilemmas in Securities Firms

By: Robert G. Eccles Jr. and Dwight B. Crane

Keywords: Problems and Challenges; Management; Business Ventures; Financial Instruments; Financial Services Industry

April 1988 (Revised September 1992)
Case

Frito-Lay, Inc.: The Backhaul Decision

By: Janice H. Hammond

Prior to the Motor Carrier Act of 1980, companies with private trucking fleets were generally prohibited from selling transportation services to other companies. The deregulation of the trucking industry in 1980 allowed private carriers to offer for-hire transportation... View Details

Keywords: Cost Management; Revenue; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Marketing Strategy; Distribution; Service Operations; Sales; Salesforce Management; Transportation; Food and Beverage Industry

December 1987
Case

John Hancock Financial Services: Sports Sponsorship

By: Stephen A. Greyser

Senior corporate communications executives of a major financial services firm are reviewing the company's sports sponsorship program and are considering expanding it. Hancock already is the corporate sponsor of the Boston Marathon and has the opportunity to sponsor the... View Details

Keywords: Communication Strategy; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Performance Evaluation

December 1987 (Revised May 1991)
Case

One Leather Street

By: William J. Poorvu and Jeffrey A. Libert

Presents a problem involving rehabilitating a small office building in Boston. Describes an investment decision which is knowingly underfunded. As construction proceeds, the developer realizes that it is not up to building code and faces difficult business and ethical... View Details

Keywords: Financial Management; Ethics; Investment; Decisions; Decision Choices and Conditions; Property; Real Estate Industry; Construction Industry; Boston

September 1987 (Revised July 1991)
Case

Primerica Corp.

By: Samuel L. Hayes III

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

July 1987 (Revised May 1991)
Case

Merrill Lynch Capital Partners, Inc.

By: Samuel L. Hayes III

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

June 1987 (Revised September 1997)
Case

Mebel, Doran & Co.

By: Samuel L. Hayes III

Puts the student in the position of a senior official of a major New York investment bank who discovers that information has leaked to the market on a confidential takeover plan that was being developed by a corporate client. The official has to decide how to deal with... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Decision Choices and Conditions; Investment Banking; Mergers and Acquisitions; Crisis Management; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry

May 1987 (Revised February 2000)
Case

Codman & Shurtleff, Inc.: Planning and Control System

By: Robert L. Simons

Detailed description of the planning and control systems in use at Johnson & Johnson. Focuses on the actions of managers in one subsidiary in revising budget targets. Illustrates intensive strategic planning and financial planning process in a large, decentralized... View Details

Keywords: Strategic Planning; Planning; Forecasting and Prediction; Accounting Audits; Budgets and Budgeting; Business Strategy; Financial Management; Business or Company Management; Management Systems; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry