個案總覽

Describes Donna Coe and her illustrious 15-year career in the towing industry. Donna is an accomplished woman with a great deal of experience in managing employees in a difficult and demanding work environment. Presents a series of four vignettes taken from Donna's day-to-day management experiences. Each situation presents a different problem faced by Donna and by many managers working in similar labor-intense businesses. Problems of discipline, insubordination, embezzlement, and promotion are also presented.

Discusses the trials and eventual success of two young Harvard MBAs who chose to purchase a company immediately upon graduation from their MBA program. Having no assets of their own, Kirk and Jamie raised a search fund to meet expenses during their search process, and then spent two years locating an acquisition. Offers unique opportunities to value a business and explore fundraising opportunities. In addition, provides motivation for MBAs interested in going into business for themselves directly out of the MBA program.

A recent MBA graduate has reached tentative agreement for an LBO of a forms-printing business with $43 million sales. At the eleventh hour, however, the seller has demanded that the buyer personally guarantee $4 million of accounts payable.

Following the acquisition of a new business, the manager is approached for the "continuation" of a regular payment for services to "insure labor peace" and maintain a parking lot. The case allows discussion of ethical, legal, and practical issues involved.

A recent business school graduate is asked to analyze three business plans (excerpted) and to make investment recommendations on each to her venture capital firm partners.

Three former classmates are founding a company to design, develop, manufacture, and market industrial robots. Principal issues involve the sources, amount, and form of outside investment, the allocation of equity, and the terms and conditions under which outside funds are to be invested. A glossary is at the end of the case.

Duncan Field, having left employment in the cable television industry, is attempting to find and buy a cable system with a financial backer. Traces Duncan's career path preparing for this move, shows development of his financial backing, follows his search, and describes an unsuccessful acquisition negotiation. Duncan must decide whether or not to place a large, forfeitable deposit on a system he wants to acquire, but on which he has no information from the current owner.