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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013

  Bridgewater Associates

  Jeffrey T. Polzer and Heidi K. Gardner

  Bridgewater Associates was the world's largest hedge fund with approximately $120 billion in assets under management in mid-2012, and its leaders attribute its record-beating performance to the firm's culture of "radical transparency." The founder, Ray Dalio, was instrumental in developing this unique culture, but at the time of the case he was transitioning out of the firm's leadership and attempting to institutionalize the culture. For example, Dalio codified his personal and management principles in a 123-page document that was not only mandatory reading for all employees, but also formed the basis for nightly "homework" assignments that quizzed people on their understanding of the principles. The case offers the opportunity to explore the unusual practices that underpin Bridgewater's culture (e.g., videotaping meetings, publicizing every employee's performance review, interrupting investment meetings to provide personal feedback to individuals in front of dozens of colleagues). Class discussion prompts students to critically examine whether, how and to what extent the practices foster high performance and to debate their associated tradeoffs.

  Citation:

  Polzer, Jeffrey T., and Heidi K. Gardner. "Bridgewater Associates." Harvard Business School Video Case 413-702, May 2013.

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• Teaching Plan | HBS Case Collection | 2013

  Bridgewater Associates (TP)

  Jeffrey Polzer and Heidi K. Gardner

  Citation:

  Polzer, Jeffrey, and Heidi K. Gardner. "Bridgewater Associates (TP)." Harvard Business School Teaching Plan 413-115, May 2013.

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013 (Revised from original 2011 version)

  Marshall & Gordon: Designing an Effective Compensation System (A)

  Heidi K. Gardner and Kerry Herman

  CEO Kelly Browne wrestles with the design of a new compensation system to promote the collaboration and cross-selling necessary for supporting her firm's new strategy. Marshall Gordon International, a global public relations (PR) firm, has recently expanded its service offering to include Executive Positioning, which requires significantly more teamwork, higher-level client interaction and more strategically-minded consultants than their traditional PR work. The CEO is pressured to find a compensation system that helps retain and motivate the firm's valued PR consultants, attract new talent, and get all professionals aligned behind the new strategy.

  Keywords: Change Management; Customer Relationship Management; Compensation and Benefits; Retention; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Organizational Culture; Partners and Partnerships; Motivation and Incentives; Alignment; Public Relations Industry;

  Citation:

  Gardner, Heidi K., and Kerry Herman. "Marshall & Gordon: Designing an Effective Compensation System (A)." Harvard Business School Case 411-038, March 2013. (Revised from original May 2011 version.)

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