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Describes the issues surrounding the funding of a centralized research service that supports two related divisions. The company has a very decentralized and financially driven culture, and the centralized service is used unequally, setting up a conflict. A rewritten version of an earlier case.

Supplements the (A) case. A rewritten version of an earlier supplement.

Describes Peoplestreet, an Internet business being developed at Cambridge Incubator. Peoplestreet is attempting to hire a VP of business development and has identified a candidate, Mark Pitts. Asks students to assess which interview techniques seemed most effective in discovering the desired information.

Describes the legal battles faced by Napster, the popular Web site for finding and downloading music files through the Internet. Traces the evolution of copyright law as it has been interpreted in recent cases on digital music. Focuses on the recent suit against Napster by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and involves the RIAA's arguments alleging that Napster constitutes illegal infringement and Napster's response that it does not.

Describes Richard Spellman's decision to leave his existing employer and join an Internet start-up as CEO. Focuses on the terms of a restricted stock agreement and employment agreement that must be negotiated. Includes first drafts of these two agreements.

Presents the final version of the agreements introduced in the (A) case.

Describes a potential new approach to treating cardiac disease--radiation therapy. Guidant, a leading medical device maker, faces a choice about whether to pursue this new and risky technology and, if so with what strategy.

Discusses the industry practices of angel investors, individuals who invest privately in new ventures.

Presents a business plan for a start-up company focused on building a network of high-quality dialysis centers in the Asia-Pacific region. Includes a detailed financial forecast. Students have the opportunity to run various roll-out strategies and focus on different Asian countries. Teaching purpose: To allow students to better understand the financial and economic underpinnings of the business.

Describes a second-year MBA's attempts to make money for a fledgling Web-hosting business. As the case ends, he must both sort out the company's business model and financing needs, as well as select from an array of financing and acquisition alternatives.

Describes the dilemma a board member faces when he learns that the CEO of the company is having an affair with another executive of the firm, an affair that is ending his marriage.

Describes the situation at WebSpective, a software company that develops products to help companies manage the network of servers that support their Websites. Describes the use of "concept engineering" tools to interview customers, determine their needs and the resulting product requirements, and prioritize these requirements as the basis for a product and marketing strategy.

Designed to expose potential case writers to the process of framing a case, interviewing a case protagonist, and actually writing the case. This case is the introduction to the case site and is designed to be paired with a video in which the faculty customer for the case discussed his views on the case with the casewriter.

Presents a first draft of the case, based upon an interview with the case protagonist shown in the video.

Presents feedback from the supervising faculty member on the draft case.

CardioThoracic Systems, a company that has developed a new system for performing heart surgery on a beating heart, is facing marketing challenges. Discusses the numerous reasons for the system's low penetration (including existing techniques, surgeon resistance, and a challenging reimbursement environment) and asks for recommendations in developing a new sales and marketing strategy.

This case presents a look at the early start-up phase and development of Advanced Inhalation Research (AIR), a company engaged in the development of a new drug-delivery technology. Focuses on the risks, the steps taken to manage it, and the manner in which the company was financed. Presents an offer to acquire the business, leading to the question of how to value such an early-stage company.

Describes an interesting plastics technology and an entrepreneur's attempts to build a business around it. Highlights issues around managing technical and market risk. Teaching purpose: Highlights difficult decisions around building a business off of an unproven platform technology.

A successful entrepreneur is considering his need for growth financing and his desire to achieve some personal liquidity. He has arguably the most successful sportfishing boat made, but sees the need both to grow further and to reduce his personal exposure to a cyclical business.

Sabeer Bhatia, cofounder and CEO of Hotmail, is making efforts to finance and grow this business, which is based on free Web-based e-mail. Describes early, successful efforts at raising several rounds of venture capital and presents choices around a next stage of financing.