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Amazon.com, an early pioneer in electronic commerce, prepares its initial public offering in the face of turbulent market conditions. Joy Covey, Amazon.com's CFO and the case protagonist, discusses the risks and opportunities of going public and the nature of electronic commerce business models in comparison to traditional land-based retail models. This case presents an opportunity to discuss the public offering process and the inter-relationship between a young company's financing strategy and business strategy.

A year had elapsed since Mabuchi Motor Co. Ltd. of Japan, the world's most successful producer of small electric motors, had implemented a new management training program at one of its foreign operations in China. The program had two objectives. First, it was intended to enable the corporation to maintain its strategy of cost minimization by making it possible to reduce Japanese expatriate levels by improving the management skills of local managers in foreign subsidiaries. Second, by overcoming the shortage of qualified Japanese managers, the program would also allow the continued aggressive expansion of production that had become a cornerstone of corporate strategy.

Preview Travel was a leader in the online travel industry, having generated $80 million in bookings in 1997 and growing at a 34% compound annual growth rate per quarter. This case describes the evolution of Preview Travel's business plan and financing strategy and highlights a financial turning point that the company faced in August 1997. In August 1997, the company was in need of an additional cash infusion and had received strong indications of interest from a major U.S. media company. However, Preview Travel was disappointed with the offer the media company eventually made--$4.50 a share--since it was significantly less than the Series E round a year earlier ($9.00 a share). An investment bank advising Preview Travel believed that Preview Travel could garner a higher valuation in the public market and recommended that the company consider an IPO as an alternative means of raising capital. However, there were risks to this strategy. Closes with the question of whether Preview Travel should accept the "sure" but low offer from the media company or pursue an accelerated and potentially risky IPO.

Supplements the (A) case.

A new firm is being created to speed up the process of mapping humans, animals, and plants by combining gene technology with rapid gene identification to improve the health and well being of the human population and the productivity of crops and animals. How does one manage this process?

An entrepreneur's transition from chairman/CEO of a large privately held company, to chairman of a public company, to leadership in several large nonprofit organizations is chronicled.

Chronicles an entrepreneur's transition from chairman/CEO of a large privately held company, to chairman of a public company, to board member, to president of several major nonprofit boards, to founder of a new nonprofit for women business owners and founder of a new business journal for women.

Examines the CompUSA organization, focusing especially on the operations and the company culture. Highlights the economics of PC retailing and the importance of a responsive supply chain for their product category. The description of company culture emphasizes the role of people-management and incentives in achieving responsiveness.

Spreadsheet Supplement for case 189063.

Spotfire, a software start-up, must address the question of dividing its effort between Sweden and the United States in addition to raising venture capital, obtaining new customers, and managing early-stage growth.

Chantal Cookware is a small, private company with a 15-year record of success in the design, assembly, and sale of high-end cookware. It experiences serious setbacks when consumers' tastes shift from colorful enamel-on-steel products to commercial-style cookware. Thurlow must decide how to revitalize the business and considers several alternatives, including entering a lower priced niche or repositioning the existing product line. Includes color exhibits.

The United Way of Massachusetts Bay held the monopoly on workplace giving for 50 years. In the 1990s it has experienced a dramatic change in the workplace itself and in donor attitudes toward giving and toward the United Way organization. This case investigates the implications of these changes on the United Way and explores the tools and messages it can use to market itself, in particular, how to use direct mail and the Internet to create one-to-one relationships with donors.

Discusses the politics of change and how Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, elected in 1994, has fought to promote systemic change in Brazil. While his Real Plan has stabilized inflation and attracted foreign investment, the nation's deficit continues to grow. Meanwhile Brazil continues to be plagued by gross social inequalities.

Describes the creation and evolution of this food marketing corporation. All its after-tax profits are donated to charity by Paul Newman, the distinguished actor and social entrepreneur. The company has grown into a $100 million enterprise and donated cumulatively $89 million to charities. It faces major competitive and organizational challenges. Includes color exhibits.

Reviews the issues underlying the rate of error in medical practice and discusses the range of potential management interventions to decrease the risk of error.

Farallon Capital Management, an investment firm that specializes in risk arbitrage, has taken significant long and short positions in MCI Communications and British Telecommunications, respectively, in the belief that the proposed merger of these firms will be successfully completed. Raises the issues facing Farallon as positive and negative events relating to the merger unfold. Provides a rich institutional setting for understanding certain investment strategies involving short selling, and for understanding merger arbitrage and its function in the capital markets.

Farallon Capital Management, an investment firm that specializes in risk arbitrage, has taken significant long and short positions in MCI Communications and British Telecommunications, respectively, in the belief that the proposed merger of these firms will be successfully completed. Raises the issues facing Farallon as positive and negative events relating to the merger unfold. Provides a rich institutional setting for understanding certain investment strategies involving short selling, and for understanding merger arbitrage and its function in the capital markets.

Farallon Capital Management, an investment firm that specializes in risk arbitrage, has taken significant long and short positions in MCI Communications and British Telecommunications, respectively, in the belief that the proposed merger of these firms will be successfully completed. Raises the issues facing Farallon as positive and negative events relating to the merger unfold. Provides a rich institutional setting for understanding merger arbitrage and its function in capital markets.

Cityspace, a kiosk-based tourism services company, is facing a number of challenges to its development. The most pressing is the need to raise capital.

Spreadsheet Supplement for case 299020