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  • All HBS Web  (26)
    • News  (6)
    • Research  (17)
  • Faculty Publications  (13)

Show Results For

  • All HBS Web  (26)
    • News  (6)
    • Research  (17)
  • Faculty Publications  (13)
Page 1 of 26 Results →
  • March 2018
  • Supplement

The Rise and Rise (?) of Walmart (B): Kmart Declares Bankruptcy

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Karen Elterman
This case follows up on the competition between Kmart and Walmart as discussed in the A case. It summarizes the companies' positions in the early 2000s, and discusses events between 1990 and Kmart's declaration of bankruptcy in 2002. Walmart grew significantly,... View Details
Keywords: Bankruptcy; Walmart; Kmart; Controversy; Strategy; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Competition; Public Opinion; Retail Industry; United States
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Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, and Karen Elterman. "The Rise and Rise (?) of Walmart (B): Kmart Declares Bankruptcy." Harvard Business School Supplement 718-510, March 2018.
  • January 2018 (Revised October 2020)
  • Case

The Rise and Rise (?) of Walmart (A): Battling Kmart

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Eric Van den Steen and Karen Elterman
This case, set in 1990, describes the history of Walmart and asks what competitive strategies Kmart might adopt in response to Walmart's success. It discusses the strategy and organization of both companies in terms of HR practices, store location, distribution,... View Details
Keywords: Walmart; Kmart; Organization; Company Culture; Pricing; Procurement; Supercenter; Strategy; Competition; Organizational Culture; Competitive Strategy; Retail Industry; United States; Bentonville; Arkansas
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Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Eric Van den Steen, and Karen Elterman. "The Rise and Rise (?) of Walmart (A): Battling Kmart." Harvard Business School Case 718-431, January 2018. (Revised October 2020.)
  • October 1998 (Revised May 1999)
  • Case

Kmart Corp.

Describes a situation in which a company (Kmart) refinances a portion of its debt. Used to illustrate how the asset and liability sides of the balance sheet are linked. View Details
Keywords: Restructuring; Accounting; Borrowing and Debt; Retail Industry
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Noe, Christopher F. "Kmart Corp." Harvard Business School Case 199-017, October 1998. (Revised May 1999.)
  • February 2000 (Revised December 2001)
  • Case

Kmart Inc. and Builders Square

In 1997, Kmart received an offer from retail buyout specialists Leonard Green & Partners for the purchase of its ailing 162-store home improvement chain, Builders Square. Green's offer included a $10 million cash payment, a warrant to purchase a 28% stake in the new... View Details
Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Valuation; Leveraged Buyouts; Construction Industry; Retail Industry; United States
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Meulbroek, Lisa K., and Jonathan Barnett. "Kmart Inc. and Builders Square." Harvard Business School Case 200-044, February 2000. (Revised December 2001.)
  • July 2005 (Revised April 2008)
  • Case

The Rise of Kmart Corporation 1962-1987

By: John R. Wells and Travis Haglock
Tracks the development of the Kmart discount store chain from its inception in 1961 to its peak in 1990 and examines the contribution of each Kmart chief executive to the chain's success. In, parallel, compares the performance of Wal-Mart over the same period along a... View Details
Keywords: History; Strategic Planning; Leadership; Competitive Strategy; Performance Evaluation; Retail Industry; United States
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Wells, John R., and Travis Haglock. "The Rise of Kmart Corporation 1962-1987." Harvard Business School Case 706-403, July 2005. (Revised April 2008.)
  • August 2008 (Revised May 2009)
  • Case

Kmart and ESL Investments (A)

By: Stuart C. Gilson and Sarah Abbott
A major bankrupt retailer is poised to emerge from Chapter 11. Two activist hedge funds ("vulture investors") will own over 50% of reorganized Kmart's common stock, based on prior investments in Kmart's debt claims, and an infusion of new equity financing. The Chapter... View Details
Keywords: Restructuring; Capital Structure; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Investment; Investment Activism; Valuation; Financial Services Industry; Retail Industry; United States
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Gilson, Stuart C., and Sarah Abbott. "Kmart and ESL Investments (A)." Harvard Business School Case 209-044, August 2008. (Revised May 2009.)
  • April 2008
  • Teaching Note

The Rise of Kmart Corporation 1962-1987 (TN)

By: John R. Wells
Teaching Note for [706403]. View Details
Keywords: Retail Industry; United States
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Wells, John R. "The Rise of Kmart Corporation 1962-1987 (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 708-460, April 2008.
  • October 2008 (Revised May 2009)
  • Supplement

Kmart and ESL Investments (B): The Sears Merger

By: Stuart C. Gilson and Sarah Abbott
Supplement to 209-044 View Details
Keywords: Investment; Mergers and Acquisitions; Retail Industry
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Gilson, Stuart C., and Sarah Abbott. "Kmart and ESL Investments (B): The Sears Merger." Harvard Business School Supplement 209-045, October 2008. (Revised May 2009.)
  • June 2002
  • Article

Identity Crisis: CEO James Adamson needs to figure out what Kmart is and how to manage its competition

By: R. S. Tedlow
Keywords: Identity; Management; Competition; Consumer Products Industry
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Tedlow, R. S. "Identity Crisis: CEO James Adamson needs to figure out what Kmart is and how to manage its competition." Special Issue on June 2002 CEO Forum: Online. Chief Executive (June 2002).
  • April 2019 (Revised December 2021)
  • Case

Sears: The Demise of an American Icon

By: Kristin Mugford and Sarah L. Abbott
In 2019, ESL Investments’ $5.2 billion offer to purchase Sears Holdings out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, was accepted, despite opposition from the company's unsecured creditors and other parties. ESL, which was led by Eddie Lampert, had acquired a stake in Sears following... View Details
Keywords: Bankruptcy; Reorganization; Bonds; Restructuring; Business Divisions; Transformation; Fairness; Borrowing and Debt; Credit; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Corporate Governance; Motivation and Incentives; Retail Industry; United States
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Mugford, Kristin, and Sarah L. Abbott. "Sears: The Demise of an American Icon." Harvard Business School Case 219-106, April 2019. (Revised December 2021.)
  • September 2006 (Revised July 2008)
  • Case

The Rise of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 1962-1987

By: John R. Wells and Travis Haglock
It is 1988 and David Glass has just taken over as CEO from the legendary Sam Walton at Wal-Mart. Meanwhile, Joe Antonini has just taken the CEO position at Wal-Mart's arch rival, Kmart. Although Wal-Mart is still well behind Kmart, it appears to be in great shape and... View Details
Keywords: Competition; Business Growth and Maturation; Management Succession; Growth and Development Strategy; Retail Industry; United States
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Wells, John R., and Travis Haglock. "The Rise of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 1962-1987." Harvard Business School Case 707-439, September 2006. (Revised July 2008.)

    Creating Value through Corporate Restructuring: Case Studies in Bankruptcies, Buyouts, and Breakups

    From the publisher:  Stuart Gilson is one of the leading corporate restructuring experts in the United States, teaching thousands of students and consulting with numerous companies. Now, in the second edition of this bestselling book, Gilson returns to... View Details

    • 07 Jul 2003
    • Research & Ideas

    4+2 = Sustained Business Success

    compared to Kmart. (The other companies in their quad were Target and the Limited.) Both companies were in roughly the same financial shape in 1986, but Dollar General grew steadily, showing healthy profits year after year. Meanwhile, View Details
    Keywords: by Nitin Nohria, William Joyce & Bruce Roberson
    • Person Page

    Read excerpts from DENIAL

    By: Richard S. Tedlow

    The Edifice Complex: Denial at Sears

    Book Excerpt: Denial at Sears (BusinessWeek.com, February 26, 2010)

     

    From Denial: Why Business... View Details

    • 01 Apr 1999
    • News

    WSA Conference Focuses on Reaching Goals

    out to get the audience to believe that homemaking and gardening are an art form, not drudgery." Stewart and Patrick have worked to bring their vision of style to an even wider audience, as their newest venture with strategic partner View Details
    Keywords: Eileen K. McCluskey
    • 13 Nov 2018
    • First Look

    New Research and Ideas, November 13, 2018

    https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=54793 Harvard Business School Case 418-026 Babcom: Opening Doors No abstract available. Purchase this case:https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/418026-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School Case 718-431 The Rise and Rise (?) of... View Details
    Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

      Charles R. Schwab

      In spite of the disdain given to discount brokerage by larger investment houses, Schwab took advantage of SEC deregulation in 1975, and went on to build “the Kmart of the stock brokerage industry.” Though discount brokerage at Schwab’s... View Details
      Keywords: Finance
      • 01 Oct 1999
      • News

      Running on empty

      began selling SpareTank in June. Now available at Kmart and other chains for less than $20 a gallon, SpareTank could generate as much as $15 million in sales this year and may soon be adopted as a standard feature by a major automaker.... View Details
      • 01 Feb 1998
      • News

      Making a Case for Women

      Marjorie Alfus, a retired Kmart executive who now concentrates on the real-estate and stock markets; the Committee of 200 (C200), a national organization of women business executives; and the School. "Women, no matter what their level of... View Details
      • 01 Oct 1998
      • News

      Supplying Demand

      country, he says, "to see the stores as the customer sees them." Along with legions of price-conscious customers, Stemberg's office superstore concept has also attracted its share of imitators. Within two years of opening its doors, Staples saw competition from the... View Details
      Keywords: Paul Michelman
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