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Outlines the issues and alternatives faced by start-up businesses in attracting bank credit. The topics covered are how to lay the groundwork for establishing a banking relationship, selecting a bank, preparing an application, and negotiating a loan.

Acquiring resources--or to put it more broadly, attracting stakeholders--is a basic entrepreneurial task. While every enterprise needs employees, customers, suppliers, and financiers who are willing to risk their time and money, attracting these "stakeholders" to an entrepreneurial venture is a particularly difficult challenge. This note first describes the importance of the challenge and then the set of tasks the entrepreneur must work on in order to overcome it: Designing the enterprise to minimize the stakeholder investment needed, selecting the right stakeholders, and then convincing them to participate in the enterprise.

Focuses on the strategic/organizational development of Benetton. Examines the organizational structure which has allowed the company to expand into a world scale company from its small entrepreneurial base. Examines the functional strategies which have allowed a huge firm to succeed in a fashion business. Poses the question as to whether this same organization can be successful in the face of diversification.

Deals with the issue of an entrepreneur in a very successful company deciding whether to stay through a period of great growth or to sell. What are the entrepreneur's responsibilities to the organization, to his employees, to the public? As subtopics, the issues of marketing versus having a strong product that sells itself, patents and the legal issues involved, manufacturing problems, and a rising business in a sharply declining market.

Focuses attention on a phenomenon we call capital market myopia, a situation in which participants in the capital markets ignore the logical implications of their individual investment decisions. Viewed in isolation, each decision seems to make sense. When taken together, however, they are a prescription for disaster. Capital market myopia leads to over-funding of industries and unsustainable levels of valuation in the stock market. Uses the Winchester Disk industry to elucidate the phenomenon. Argues that capital market participants should have seen the problem coming. They should have known that valuation levels were absurd, based in large part on the greater fool theory. The data necessary to anticipate the problem were readily available before the industry shakeout began and stock prices collapsed. Offers some simple lessons to help investors and entrepreneurs avoid charter membership in the greater fool club.

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.

Presents interviews and conversations with a woman who recently started a publishing house. Primarily concerns her immediate future regarding harvesting options: IPO, sell out, step up to chairman, venture capital, etc. Also deals with the excitement and thrill of having your own business dream; i.e., the thrill of doing.

Outlines alternative mechanisms for getting into business. Shows the means by which an experienced entrepreneur can gain control over the necessary resources in order to lower the fixed costs of business entry. Provides a mechanism for discussing the role of experience, credibility, and contacts in the development of a nonbusiness venture.

Spreadsheet supplement for case 386-019.

Describes the thought process an entrepreneur should undergo before committing to a course of action. Covers understanding the opportunity--assessing the critical skills, resources, relationships, and approvals--developing an action plan; forming a business entity; controlling the venture; harvesting the venture; and then a brief summary. Provides a useful framework to be used by entrepreneurs starting their own venture.

Describes the problems faced by a company that has experienced remarkable growth, but growth which is below projections. The management must evaluate the company's position in the turbulent software industry. The two partners must then decide whether to cut back to obtain more quick profitability or else to continue on a growth plan which can either lead to dominance or bankruptcy. The cash requirements will require outside funding.

Entrepreneurship is a trait that is confined neither to certain types of individuals nor to organizations. A society can do much to stimulate or inhibit the development of entrepreneurship. Government policy decisions in recent years to lower the capital gains tax and deregulate certain industries have been instrumental in encouraging establishing new businesses. College and university business programs are also instrumental in stimulation. But it's up to individual organizations to foster conditions that allow entrepreneurship to flourish.

Describes the issues an entrepreneur faces in the process of raising private funds, and the securities laws which impact the process. Based in part on a note by R.E. Floor of the law firm of Goodwin, Procter & Hoar.

Describes the relevant securities laws which pertain to the public offering of securities, as well as the business issues and process of a public offering.

Supplements the case.

Describes several approaches to valuation of a going concern: assets, earnings, and cash flow.

Describes the various stages in the start-up process and describes in detail the questions that can be asked and the analysis that can be performed to help deal with the issues that arise at each stage.

Designed to highlight alternative concepts of good management and the need for entrepreneurship as a response to societal changes. It argues that entrepreneurship can be fostered or destroyed as a function of the administrative setting.

Focuses on the efforts of Heather Evans, a second-year MBA student, and her attempts to start her own dress business. Examines the business plan and the process of acquiring control over the financial and human resources necessary to implement the plan.