Describes two social ventures' experience of collaborating with each other through a replication project funded by Lemelson and the Schwab Foundations. Each venture served different purposes: IDEAAS installed and operated alternative solar energy equipment in locations without access to Brazil's electricity grid, and Saude & Alegria educated populations in the Brazilian Amazon jungle on matters of health, environment conservation, and self-sustainable wealth generation. The replication project entailed having Saude & Alegria help IDEAAS expand its service offering from the south of Brazil into the Amazon region. After describing the organizations, the replication project, and its results, highlights the core success factors that possibly led to the project's ultimate outcomes, allowing students to take positions and debate the critical success factors enabling the successful collaboration between social ventures.

Set in mid-2002, this case illustrates "a day in the life" of a district sales manager of a Silicon Valley company, as the technology market faced a downturn. The case enables a polarized class discussion about the tradeoffs that a new district manager might make relative to hiring / firing and setting quotas, after inheriting a mixed bag of talent in an underperforming district. It also seeks to provide with additional texture about the types of challenges and activities that such an individual would face (different from those faced by a sales representative). The case enables students to engage in discussions about four key dilemmas faced by the district manager: (a) Which representatives should he retain in his district, and which should he fire?, (b) How should he negotiate quotas/goals with his superior (regional manager), and with his representatives?, (c) Should he train an employee who will likely fall short of the company's growth goals, or replace him in hopes of hiring on a better performer?, and (d) What should Jim do about an employee who appears to insist in putting the customer's interests ahead of the company's?

Describes the International Fight League's (IFL) formation and growth, the mixed-martial arts (MMA) industry in 2007, and culminates in the dilemma of what the company should do strategically in order to survive. After going public, the company faced competition from various new small players like itself, and from dominant player UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). As the company fell below break-even, its challenge became to search for one or more types of revenue streams to "salvage" itself before burning through its remaining cash reserves. Evaluates the typical revenue streams of sports companies, such as television, team sponsorship, league sponsorship, advertising, merchandising, and live arena events. Each strategic direction is evaluated, given its corresponding operational model, cost of ramp-up (particularly considering UFC's position), and sustainable barriers to entry. Looks at typical challenges faced by management of a publicly traded company caught in a strategic pinch by looking at the IFL's situation.

Presents the strategic dilemmas faced by a foreign venture capital (VC) firm with over one decade of making cross-border investments in Asia--with particular emphasis in China. Set in the 2006-07 time frame as the investment environment in China is triggered by an accelerated inflow of capital, raises the question of how WI Harper should best leverage its regional expertise before raising its next fund. Other dilemmas faced by the firm include: re-evaluating its approach to cross-border investments, retaining its investment principles, and dealing with the growing pains of evolving from an informally managed regional fund to a blue-chip, institution-backed global fund. Most importantly, uses WI Harper's Chinese presence to illustrate the effects of a heated investment environment on an incumbent VC firm, allowing for a balanced discussion about its strategic alternatives given an increasingly global investment environment.

Describes a series of three vignettes confronted by a fast-growing extended warranty services company, Extended Service Plans of America (ESPA). Doug Tudor had become the company's president after completing its acquisition for Asurion Corporation in June 2006, after a two-year search and negotiation process. Ninety-four days later, three situations occur simultaneously: one of Tudor's two top managers improperly leaks confidential information to the company's former owners; a terminated employee threatens to badmouth the company to its highest-profile customer; and new information regarding a VP's drinking and performance problems seems to call for urgent action. Allows students to understand how to deal with typical issues faced by small companies, including the dynamics of family-owned businesses, barriers faced when trying to professionalize management, and challenges faced by a new manager trying to build credibility in such an environment.

Enables the study of early business formation and venture capital funding within an international setting. Relates to the company's first round of funding in December 15, 1999. Sanjeev Aggarwal co-founded Daksh as one of the first independent, India-based BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) companies that targeted U.S.-based customers from the outset. Introduces the industry, Daksh's founders, the company's initial formation, and its first business plan--as presented to a small number of angel investors in India. Students are asked to evaluate Daksh's investment opportunity from the perspective of India- and U.S.-based investors, while focusing on its financial projections, term sheet, and expected returns.

Enables the study of business formation and venture capital funding within an international setting. Relates to the company's third round of funding in September, 2002, and introduces India's rapidly evolving Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, Daksh's growth, its acquisition of marquee customer Amazon.com, and Daksh's third business plan--as presented to potential investor General Atlantic. Students are asked to evaluate Daksh's investment opportunity from the perspective of a U.S.-based investor, while considering its financial projections, strategic investors (Amazon.com), human resource policies, term sheet, and expected returns.

Chronicles the board game company's early formation and growth, and culminates in two issues often faced by business owners: (a) what to do about the over-dependence that the company has developed on its founder/CEO, and (b) what are the possible exit options worth pursuing. Describes University Games' founding by two friends after graduating, its internal and market-facing growing pains, periods in which each of the two founders left the company, a buy-back of shares from a VC investor, and culminates in the emergence of exit opportunities. Concludes with the CEO questioning whether he should court a financial investor or strategic acquirer, or even consider the options of a public offering and of a leveraged re-capitalization for the company.