Publications

February 1984 (Revised February 1986)
Case

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.: Titanium Dioxide

By: W. Carl Kester, Robert R. Glauber, David W. Mullins Jr. and Stacy S. Dick

Disequilibrium in the $350 million TiO2 market has prompted Du Pont's Pigments Department to develop two strategies for competing in this market in the future. The growth strategy has a smaller internal rate of return than the alternative strategy due to large capital... View Details

Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Cash Flow; Investment Return; Growth and Development Strategy; Strategic Planning; Projects; Chemical Industry

April–May 2017
Article

Career Concerns of Banking Analysts

By: Joanne Horton, George Serafeim and Shan Wu

We study how career concerns influence banking analysts' forecasts and how their forecasting behavior benefits both them and bank managers. We show that banking analysts issue early in the year relatively more optimistic and later in the year more pessimistic forecasts... View Details

Keywords: Sell-side Analysts; Analyst Forecasts; Analysts; Investment Recommendations; Career Advancement; Career Management; Labor Mobility; Labor Market; Prejudice and Bias; Personal Development and Career; Forecasting and Prediction; Investment Banking

SSRN

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Article

Traveling Agents: Political Change and Bureaucratic Turnover in India

By: Lakshmi Iyer and Anandi Mani

We develop a framework to empirically examine how politicians with electoral pressures control bureaucrats with career concerns as well as the consequences for bureaucrats' career investments. Unique micro-level data on Indian bureaucrats support our key predictions.... View Details

Keywords: Framework; Government and Politics; Investment; Competency and Skills; Personal Development and Career; Rank and Position; Forecasting and Prediction; India

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January 2005 (Revised October 2005)
Background Note

Standard & Poor's Sovereign Credit Ratings: Scales and Process

By: Rawi E. Abdelal and Christopher Bruner

Describes Standard & Poor's sovereign credit ratings scales and the credit rating process. In particular, describes the role and function of the rating committee and the analytical categories considered in arriving at a final sovereign credit rating. View Details

Keywords: Financial Markets; Credit; Bonds; Policy; Risk and Uncertainty; Measurement and Metrics; Forecasting and Prediction; Financial Services Industry

21 Sep 2009
Research & Ideas

Excessive Executive Pay: What’s the Solution?

the predictably reckless choices made by some of its most powerful players—has brought our economy to the brink of collapse. To scold business may feel good and may even help move legislation along. But we need much more than a good... View Details

Keywords: by Roger Thompson

16 Oct 2019
Research & Ideas

Read Our Most Popular Stories of the Quarter

What stories were readers like you diving into this summer on HBS Working Knowledge? Your interests varied dramatically, everything from how researchers use machine learning technology to predict CEO performance to the power of rituals in... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

13 May 2014
First Look

First Look: May 13

results in terms of how much franchisors and franchisees believe that their relations will last or will be intensified in the future. We leverage on relational-contracts theory to develop our predictions and interpret our findings.... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

25 Sep 2012
First Look

First Look: September 25

experiment, individuals with a strong moral identity were less likely to act in self-interest, yet individuals with a weak moral identity were more likely to act in self-interest, when subjectively experiencing power. Finally, we predict... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

06 Dec 2011
First Look

First Look: Dec. 6

people start believing they will always go down. Success breeds success, and failure or loss breeds loss. The article argues for a broader explanation of behavior beyond economic instrumentality. It is time to turn again to psychology, sociology, and anthropology to... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

16 Nov 2010
First Look

First Look: November 16, 2010

Publication:Journal of Public Economics (forthcoming) Abstract It is often difficult for donors to predict the value of charitable giving because they know little about the persons who receive their help. This concern is particularly... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

23 Aug 2004
Research & Ideas

New Challenges for Long-Term Investors

long-term economic growth and inflation. The Fed can affect long-term rates only to the extent that it can influence those expectations. Long-term conservative investors should not probably be in the business of speculating on the direction of long-term rates, which... View Details

Keywords: by Ann Cullen

October 2011 (Revised March 2012)
Supplement

Cottle-Taylor: Expanding the Oral Care Group in India, Student Spreadsheet (Brief Case)

By: John A. Quelch and Alisa Zalosh

Keywords: Forecasting; Budgeting; International Marketing; Product Planning ＆ Policy; Sales Promotions; Marketing Plans; Products; Consumer Behavior; Marketing; Product Design; Emerging Markets; Forecasting and Prediction; Budgets and Budgeting

April 2007 (Revised April 2008)
Case

Corrections Corporation of America

This case illustrates a comprehensive valuation of a publicly traded firm specializing in building and managing prisons. Students must assess the firm's strategy and risks, evaluate key financial reports, derive forecasts of future performance, and use these forecasts... View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Buildings and Facilities; For-Profit Firms; Crime and Corruption; Forecasting and Prediction; Risk Management; Valuation; Construction Industry; Public Administration Industry; Service Industry

May 2022
Supplement

Maestro Pizza (C): Taking the Fight Outside

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Fares Khrais

Maestro pizza opened its first store in 2013 after its founder, Khalid Al Omran, recognized an opportunity in Saudi Arabia to offer high quality pizza at affordable prices. The business grew rapidly and under the radar at first, but soon enough caught the attention of... View Details