Paul A. Vatter

Lawrence E. Fouraker Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus

A native of Boston, MA., he received an A.B. degree (1944) from the College of the Holy Cross and an A.M. (1947) and Ph.D. (1953) from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Department of Economic and Social Statistics at Pennsylvania (1954-58).

He served as Assistant Dean of the Harvard Business School from 1958-1962. He was also appointed Associate Director of the Institute of Basic Mathematics for application to Business (1959), and Director of the Program of Basic Mathematics (1961). He was made Administrative Director of the Doctoral Program in 1962 and Chairman of the Doctoral Program from 1967 to 1970. He became a Professor of Business Administration in 1970. He was Executive Director of Executive Education and Corporate Relations from 1987-1988 and he was Senior Associate Dean, Director of Institutional Relations from 1988-1991. He became an Emeritus Professor in 1995. Since that time he has become an Associate Fellow of Templeton College, Oxford University. He teaches there in the Oxford Advanced Management Program. He has taught Decision Analysis and Negotiation in the Executive Education Programs of the Harvard Business School as well as in the MBA Program at Oxford.

In addition to his activities at the Harvard Business School, he had pursued his interest in management and the decision-making process through membership on the Boards of Directors of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company, Moore McCormack Resources, Inc. and Sbarro, Inc. Also he is now an Associate Fellow of Templeton College, Oxford University.

 

Cases and Teaching Materials

  1. Quality Printing

    Keywords: Publishing Industry;

    Citation:

    Christenson, Charles, Elon Kohlberg, Arthur Schleifer Jr., Harborne W. Stuart Jr., Paul A. Vatter, and George Wu. "Quality Printing." Harvard Business School Case 896-002, August 1995.
  2. Weston Manufacturing Co.

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Weston Manufacturing Co." Harvard Business School Case 111-047, September 1993. (Revised from original April 1967 version.)
  3. Introduction to Decision Analysis

    Keywords: Decision Making; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Introduction to Decision Analysis." Harvard Business School Background Note 181-046, June 1993. (Revised from original October 1980 version.)
  4. Decision Analysis and the Risk Profile

    Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Decision Making;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Decision Analysis and the Risk Profile." Harvard Business School Case 191-110, June 1993. (Revised from original January 1991 version.)
  5. Exercises on ""What is Fair?""

    Keywords: Fairness;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. Exercises on ""What is Fair?"". Harvard Business School Exercise 892-011, May 1993. (Revised from original February 1992 version.)
  6. Marsh & McLennan (A)

    Comparison of alternative hull insurance policies. Risk analysis. Simulation suggested as solution procedures.

    Keywords: History; Risk Management; Activity Based Costing and Management; Insurance; Decision Choices and Conditions; Management Systems; Economic Growth; Labor and Management Relations; Insurance Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Marsh & McLennan (A)." Harvard Business School Case 171-303, August 1992. (Revised from original December 1970 version.)
  7. Negotiation Analysis Consultants

    Keywords: Negotiation;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Negotiation Analysis Consultants." Harvard Business School Case 892-014, February 1992.
  8. Broward - Computerm Arbitration

    Keywords: Negotiation; Contracts; Computer Industry;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Broward - Computerm Arbitration." Harvard Business School Case 892-012, January 1992.
  9. Chemplan Corp.: Paint-Rite Division

    An exercise with data that allows a discussion of regression analysis as a tool for forecasting and understanding structure.

    Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Framework; Data and Data Sets; Mathematical Methods;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Chemplan Corp.: Paint-Rite Division." Harvard Business School Case 191-090, November 1990.
  10. Doug Heath Negotiations (A)

    Keywords: Negotiation;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (A)." Harvard Business School Case 684-056, March 1984.
  11. Doug Heath Negotiations (B)

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 684-057, March 1984.
  12. Doug Heath Negotiations (C)

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 684-058, March 1984.
  13. Doug Heath Negotiations (D)

    Keywords: Negotiation;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (D)." Harvard Business School Supplement 684-059, March 1984.
  14. Developing Forecasts with the Aid of Regression Analysis

    Keywords: Forecasting and Prediction; Mathematical Methods;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Developing Forecasts with the Aid of Regression Analysis." Harvard Business School Background Note 175-105, November 1977. (Revised from original November 1974 version.)
  15. Assessing Certainty Equivalents by Assessing Preference for Consequences

    Keywords: Mathematical Methods; Decision Making;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Assessing Certainty Equivalents by Assessing Preference for Consequences." Harvard Business School Background Note 177-038, June 1977. (Revised from original September 1976 version.)
  16. Perrin Freres

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A., and Steven C. Wheelwright. "Perrin Freres." Harvard Business School Case 175-087, October 1975. (Revised from original October 1974 version.)
  17. Brunswick Corp.: The Snurfer (A)

    Keywords: Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Sports Industry;

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Brunswick Corp.: The Snurfer (A)." Harvard Business School Case 113-085, January 1973. (Revised from original August 1967 version.)
  18. Brunswick Corp.: The Snurfer (B)

    Citation:

    Vatter, Paul A. "Brunswick Corp.: The Snurfer (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 113-086, January 1973. (Revised from original August 1967 version.)