Mihir A. Desai
There are 14 articles for this faculty member.
About Faculty in this Article:
Mihir A. Desai is the Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.
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Securing Jobs or the New Protectionism? Taxing the Overseas Activities of Multinational Firms
| Author: | Mihir A. Desai |
|---|---|
| Published: | March 24, 2009 |
| Paper Release Date: | March 2009 |
| Feature: | Working Papers |
Popular imagination often links two significant economic developments: the rapid escalation of the foreign activities of American multinational firms over the last 15 years, and rising levels of economic insecurity, particularly among workers in certain sectors. The presumed linkages between these phenomena have led many to call for a reconsideration of the tax treatment of foreign investment. Increasing the tax burden on outbound investment by American multinational firms, it is claimed, offers the promise of alleviating domestic employment losses and insecurity while also raising considerable revenue. HBS professor Mihir A. Desai looks beneath the trends, examining the economic determinants of outbound investment decisions and synthesizing what is known about the relationship between domestic and foreign activities.
Where is Home for the Global Firm?
| Q&A with: | Mihir A. Desai |
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| Published: | January 26, 2009 |
| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Global markets are changing the relationship between firms and nation-states in important ways, says HBS professor Mihir A. Desai. His new working paper, "The Decentering of the Global Firm," offers a practical framework for business leaders to think strategically about where to locate their company's financial and legal homes, and managerial talent. Q&A with Desai.
The Decentering of the Global Firm
| Author: | Mihir A. Desai |
|---|---|
| Published: | January 26, 2009 |
| Paper Release Date: | October 2008 |
| Feature: | Working Papers |
Firms such as Caterpillar are typically considered American companies by virtue of history while Honda, for example, is regarded as a Japanese company. However, the archetypal multinational firm with a particular national identity and a corporate headquarters fixed in one country is becoming obsolete as firms continue to maximize the opportunities created by global markets. The defining characteristics of what makes a firm belong to a country—where it is incorporated, where it is listed, the nationality of its investor base, the location of its headquarters functions—are no longer bound to one country. Why are these changes taking place, and what are their consequences? This paper places the increasing mobility of corporate identities within the broader setting of transformations to the "shape" of global firms over the last half century.
Published in 2008
Why the U.S. Should Encourage FDI
| Published: | July 30, 2008 |
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| Feature: | Op-Ed |
American financial executives are courting foreign direct investors, particularly sovereign wealth funds, for new investments. Should these investments draw increased scrutiny from U.S. regulators? Harvard Business School professor Mihir Desai argues that most of these deals work out in America's best financial interest.
The Debate over Taxing Foreign Profits
| Q&A with: | Mihir A. Desai |
|---|---|
| Published: | April 7, 2008 |
| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Corporate tax policy has suddenly become a hot topic in the U.S., including the issue of whether current tax laws encourage American firms to outsource jobs to other countries. Harvard Business School professor Mihir Desai makes a case for exempting foreign profit from taxes if proper safeguards are put in place.
Published in 2007
Leveling the Executive Options Playing Field
| Published: | June 18, 2007 |
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| Feature: | Op-Ed |
Harvard Business School professor Mihir A. Desai recently presented testimony to a U.S. Senate subcommittee looking at the subject of executive stock options. His theme: A "dual-reporting system" makes it difficult for investors and tax authorities to learn the real numbers.
Published in 2006
Investors Hurt by Dual-Track Tax Reporting
| Published: | December 20, 2006 |
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| Feature: | Views on News |
What corporations report in profit to the IRS and what they report to shareholders are often two different numbers—sometimes wildly so. That's why the IRS and Securities and Exchange Commission are proposing that companies publicly report taxes paid—and Professor Mihir Desai thinks this is only a first step.
Fixing Executive Options: The Veil of Ignorance
| Published: | October 25, 2006 |
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| Feature: | Views on News |
Who says you can't rewrite history? Dozens of companies have been caught in the practice of backdating options for top executives. But this is only part of the problem with C-level compensation packages, which often motivate top executives to act in their own best interests rather than those of shareholders. Professors Mihir Desai and Joshua Margolis turn to philosopher John Rawls for a solution: Reward the execs, but don't give them the details.
Investor Protection: The Czech Experience
| Q&A with: | Mihir A. Desai |
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| Published: | August 2, 2006 |
| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
When TV Nova launched as the first private television channel in post-communist Czechoslovakia, few anticipated the business drama behind the scenes. HBS professor Mihir Desai explains what managers can learn from one unlucky investor's experience.
The Competitive Advantage of Global Finance
| Q&A with: | Mihir A. Desai |
|---|---|
| Published: | April 3, 2006 |
| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Relatively few multinational companies truly understand or take advantage of international finance. Professor Mihir A. Desai tackles the subject in a new book, International Finance: A Casebook. Here’s a Q&A.
Published in 2005
Time to Rethink the Corporate Tax System?
| Q&A with: | Mihir A. Desai |
|---|---|
| Published: | July 18, 2005 |
| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Corporations have turned tax obligations into profit centers, bringing into question the whole rationale for business taxes in the first place. Professor Mihir A. Desai discusses problems with the modern corporate tax structure and suggests possible remedies.
Published in 2004
Rethink the Value of Joint Ventures
| Q&A with: | Mihir A. Desai |
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| Published: | May 10, 2004 |
| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
Why are joint ventures losing favor with transnational companies? Professor Mihir A. Desai discusses research that suggests globalization makes go-it-alone strategies pay off.
Published in 2003
Studying Japan from the Inside
| Q&A with: | Mihir A. Desai and Tarun Khanna |
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| Published: | August 25, 2003 |
| Feature: | HBS Global |
What comes next for Japan’s economy? Masako Egawa, executive director of Harvard Business School’s Japan Research Office, sees a period of fundamental change ahead.
Published in 2002
MNCs in Asia: Investing in the Future
| Published: | February 25, 2002 |
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| Feature: | Research & Ideas |
To be a major global player, you have to participate in Asia. But challenges facing multinationals as they take part in this market range from currency devaluation to ever-changing government regulations.
