{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/44443"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/44443","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Activist hedge funds","abstract":"Hedge funds have played a significant role in shareholder activism in the U.S. They have appeared quite frequently in the media as the driving force behind changes in firms' management that generate higher returns on their investments. Nonetheless, many wonder whether they really bring long-term value and benefits to firms, stakeholders, or financial markets, or whether hedge funds net returns for their investments only. The purpose of this thesis, which is written as a case study based solely on public information, is to discuss the attributes of activist hedge funds and how they differ from corporate raiders and private equity firms. The case study then maps activists' most common mechanisms for accomplishing their goals. Finally, the restaurant industry-in particular, Wendy's International Inc., which has been highly targeted by activists-offers a platform for studying the outcomes of activists' maneuvers.","abstract_html":"Hedge funds have played a significant role in shareholder activism in the U.S. They have appeared quite frequently in the media as the driving force behind changes in firms' management that generate higher returns on their investments. Nonetheless, many wonder whether they really bring long-term value and benefits to firms, stakeholders, or financial markets, or whether hedge funds net returns for their investments only. The purpose of this thesis, which is written as a case study based solely on public information, is to discuss the attributes of activist hedge funds and how they differ from corporate raiders and private equity firms. The case study then maps activists' most common mechanisms for accomplishing their goals. Finally, the restaurant industry-in particular, Wendy's International Inc., which has been highly targeted by activists-offers a platform for studying the outcomes of activists' maneuvers.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brecailo, Helizander (Helizander de Oliveira)"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Sloan School of Management.","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Jun Qian and Gustavo Manso."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008","date_published":"2008","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:06Z","subjects":["Sloan School of Management."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."],"rights_urls":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/44443","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Jun Qian and Gustavo Manso."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Sloan School of Management."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.other","label":"Dc Contributor Other","values":["Sloan School of Management."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Brecailo, Helizander (Helizander de Oliveira)"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2009-01-30T16:47:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2009-01-30T16:47:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2008"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Sloan School of Management."]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/44443"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2008.","Includes bibliographical references."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Hedge funds have played a significant role in shareholder activism in the U.S. They have appeared quite frequently in the media as the driving force behind changes in firms' management that generate higher returns on their investments. Nonetheless, many wonder whether they really bring long-term value and benefits to firms, stakeholders, or financial markets, or whether hedge funds net returns for their investments only. The purpose of this thesis, which is written as a case study based solely on public information, is to discuss the attributes of activist hedge funds and how they differ from corporate raiders and private equity firms. The case study then maps activists' most common mechanisms for accomplishing their goals. Finally, the restaurant industry-in particular, Wendy's International Inc., which has been highly targeted by activists-offers a platform for studying the outcomes of activists' maneuvers."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["M.B.A."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Activist hedge funds"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Jun Qian and Gustavo Manso."],"dc:contributor.department":["Sloan School of Management."],"dc:contributor.other":["Sloan School of Management."],"dc:creator":["Brecailo, Helizander (Helizander de Oliveira)"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2009-01-30T16:47:21Z"],"dc:date.available":["2009-01-30T16:47:21Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2008"],"dc:description":["Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2008.","Includes bibliographical references."],"dc:description.abstract":["Hedge funds have played a significant role in shareholder activism in the U.S. They have appeared quite frequently in the media as the driving force behind changes in firms' management that generate higher returns on their investments. Nonetheless, many wonder whether they really bring long-term value and benefits to firms, stakeholders, or financial markets, or whether hedge funds net returns for their investments only. The purpose of this thesis, which is written as a case study based solely on public information, is to discuss the attributes of activist hedge funds and how they differ from corporate raiders and private equity firms. The case study then maps activists' most common mechanisms for accomplishing their goals. Finally, the restaurant industry-in particular, Wendy's International Inc., which has been highly targeted by activists-offers a platform for studying the outcomes of activists' maneuvers."],"dc:description.degree":["M.B.A."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/44443"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:rights":["M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission."],"dc:rights.uri":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"],"dc:subject":["Sloan School of Management."],"dc:title":["Activist hedge funds"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:06Z"}