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Why We Need to Update Financial Reporting for the Digital Era

Harvard Business Review

Business students have traditionally considered net present value, payback period, and hurdle rates as necessary tools to determine which project to select. Digital companies, however, consider scientists’ and software workers’ and product development teams’ time to be the company’s most valuable resource.

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What Xerox PARC Learned About Executing on Open Innovation

Harvard Business Review

Companies knew how to engage a design firm, license IP, and form joint ventures, but few knew how to truly co-develop innovations with external partners, such as PARC. So it's not just about the technology fit but also about partners' appetite for risk and how important the technology is given their plans and competitive landscape.

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Warren Buffett's 2010 Shareholder Letter: What to Expect

Harvard Business Review

But why compare apples (book value) to oranges (share price and dividends)? Buffett explains that book value is the best proxy for "intrinsic value," the net present value of all estimated future cash flows. Consider that since 1965, Berkshire's book value grew 434,057% and the S&P index grew only 5,430%.

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How CMOs Can Get CFOs on Their Side

Harvard Business Review

In our work with clients across dozens of sectors over more than five years, we have found that the strongest CMO/CFO partnerships develop when both parties undertake five actions: 1. CFOs are more interested in capital investment estimates, net present values, and a clear outline of the trade-offs of any investment.

CFO 8
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Still Many Ways to Skin a Capital Cost

Harvard Business Review

To make sure they're comparing apples to apples, they discount those future cash flows to arrive at their net present value. The motivation behind it, as with many, many articles published over HBR's nearly 90-year history, was to take an effective practice developed in one corner of industry and spread it to managers everywhere.

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How to Choose the Ideas Your Company Should Invest In

Harvard Business Review

After exploration, there are lots of ways to plan, but at the very least a good plan details the target customer, crucial stakeholders, the essence of the idea, key economics, the commercialization path, proposed operations, the team, financial requirements, and the action plan. Is the testing plan well thought out?

Company 15
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Stop Focusing on Profitability and Go for Growth

Harvard Business Review

In these circumstances, strategies that generate faster growth create more value for most companies than those that improve profit margins. The Refresher: Net Present Value. In these settings, investors should value strategies that accelerate growth over those that improve margins (see the chart below). Related Video.

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