"Levi Strauss & Co." explores the decision by the famed jeans maker to close a manufacturing facility in San Antonio, Texas in early 1990. The case follows then-vice president of operations Pete Thigpen and his team as they wrestle with the economic and human capital impact of closing the U.S.-based plant and outsourcing the manufacture of the company's Dockers line to a contractor in Costa Rica.

The protagonist is Lars Dalgaard, a young manager with solid experience but none in leading a technology company. Through a combination of circumstances, Dalgaard becomes the CEO of a drowning software company focused on the HR space at the peak of "Nuclear Winter" in Silicon Valley. The case explores how he and his small team attempt to restart SuccessFactors and transform it into something sustainable in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The protagonist,David Dunwood, is a second-time search fund entrepreneur who in mid-2004 purchased Mountain Auto, a leading auto parts retailer in the Rocky Mountain United States. The venture started off strong, and Dunwood grew the organization along with revenues in his first two and a half years as CEO. However, by the end of 2006, the company finds itself in a downward spiral due to a combination of forces, including unfavorable weather and intense competition, especially among the top retailers who could afford to ride out leaner years and undercut smaller chains like Mountain Auto. Dunwood is faced with layoffs, budget cuts and having to put up the company for sale.

The Packet Design case looks at successful serial entrepreneur Judy Estrin and her efforts to build a technology incubator immediately before the Internet bubble burst. The incubator's failure caused Estrin to look anew at the key drivers of success in any business. By her own definition, a leader must have vision and passion for a company and product. Further, building a business for the long run, not for sale, is a critical component to Estrin's recipe for a venture success.