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This series of two cases describes the life and career of Donna Dubinsky, a high ranking female executive and entrepreneur. her career, Dubinsky has remained on the leading edge of the technology field. In the A case, two exciting options lay ahead of Dubinsky, one from a leader she knew, respected, and had worked for before, and the other from a new contact with an opportunity to lead a small, unproven startup firm. The B case (UV1429) describes her decision and brings the reader up to venture number three called Numenta. Throughout The cases are intended to give management students a broad view of one executive's lifestyle, building and maintaining business and personal relationships, and developing her personal style throughout her professional career.

The inventor and founder of DEKA research was deciding whether to commercialize his latest invention, the Segway Human Transporter, a self-balancing, battery-operated scooter. The transporter was envisioned as an alternative mode of personal transportation in traffic-clogged urban environments. It also had potential application in developing countries with limited transportation infrastructure. With the versatility to carry riders on sidewalks, rough ground, icy surfaces and inside buildings, the market potential seemed unlimited. Yet, the Segway Human Transporter represented an unconventional transportation choice for potential users. Would there be a market for it, or would it be seen as nothing more than a cool invention? Should the inventor proceed with commercialization, and if so, how?

The Aspect Group is a small entrepreneurial marketing company that focuses on brand management. Having worked in the industry for a number of years both as permanent employee and freelancer, Marie Bohm founded the Aspect Group with a goal of developing a humane work environment with work-life flexibility. To grow the business, she is faced with two choices: she could partner with a small local firm or link with a high-profile firm in Toronto. The latter would provide greater visibility and credibility but she is concerned that the demands could alter the work-life flexibility qualities she valued. A video is available, product # 7B05C017.

Furqan Nazeeri is looking to spin out a promising set of products and technologies from an established financial services firm. Designed as an exercise in negotiation. Includes material from the original business plan, and it is possible to simulate a negotiation around key issues involved in the spin-out: timing and financing, equity distribution, asset transfer, personnel transitions and roles of key players, customer retention, CEO selection, and new board formation.

In business lore, the eureka moment overshadows the more important matter of how an invention reaches the marketplace, says author Sir Harold Evans.

KTM is a successful European off-road motorcycle manufacturer with sales in 72 countries. KTM has been experiencing impressive growth in both its top and bottom lines over the past several years, but it is facing significant growth pressure from its venture capitalist investor. The chief financial officer must determine how the company could achieve its growth objectives. Options include geographic expansion (increase U.S. emphasis, or expansion to new European Union countries) or product expansion. Implementation options include a merger, acquisition or internal growth. Several opportunities for geographic expansion and product diversification exist, and implementation options include make, buy or ally decisions.

Village Automotive is a rags to riches story that describes leadership from the perspective of an entrepreneur who has built a highly successful automobile retail business. As the owner reaches retirement age, he is faced with decisions about growth, succession and strategy. At the same time, the case considers the changes taking place in the automobile industry and the different business approaches taken by the owner and his son-in-law.

Explores the creation of the Rolex watch by Hans Wilsdorf. Provides a case study of how one of the world's leading luxury brands was created and, more generally, provides a vehicle for exploring the competitive advantage of Switzerland in watchmaking (and other industries). Although Switzerland was a traditional watchmaking center, Wilsdorf-who was neither a watchmaker nor Swiss-created this successful brand through his emphasis on quality and reliability, combined with celebrity marketing.

Examines the career of Aristotle Onassis and his creation of one of the world's largest shipping companies between 1945 and 1973. Explores the role of ethnic and family networks in Greek shipping and how Onassis was able to penetrate this system despite being an outsider. Looks at Onassis' role as a strategic innovator in flags of convenience and supertankers. Examines the dynamics of competitive advantage in shipping, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of family-owned firms. Ends with the death of Onassis' only son in 1973 and the resulting vacuum in succession.

Discusses launching an entrepreneurial venture by acquiring a once popular brand name and reviving it. Ten executives were interviewed who acquired dormant brands and successfully relaunched them into the market. Their comments suggest that, with proper planning, an entrepreneur may be able to increase chances of success substantially by reviving brands, rather than spending the enormous amount of capital required to build a new brand image. Conclusions suggest that nostalgia targeting is not enough; the revived brand must be repositioned to satisfy today's customer values. Evidence also suggests that licensing a revived brand name to unrelated industries may prove very profitable for the entrepreneur.

Deals with the growth of the icewine industry and follows Vincor International as it creates an international market for its Inniskillin Icewine--a luxury alcoholic beverage consumed as a dessert wine. Gives the history of the alcoholic beverage industry in Canada and details trends in the current global wine industry. Follows Roger Provost (HBS MBA 1980), chief marketing officer for Canadian-based Vincor, as he develops Inniskillin's initial marketing strategy within Canada. Goes on to detail Inniskillin's challenges as it enters other markets, initially through the travel retail distribution channel. Deals with issues in brand management, product development, and international marketing. Explores the opportunities and challenges facing luxury niche products in the global economy.

Before he accepts the new CEO position, Dick Williams wants founder Lew Cirne to step down as chairman. While considering Williams' incredible demand, Cirne reflects on everything he has already given up to get Wily Technology to this point. He agreed to step down as CEO and take what could be a largely symbolic CTO title. He also agreed to give Williams roughly as much equity as he himself owned and far more in salary. As the founder, CEO, and chairman of Wily Technology, Cirne had worked hard to build the skills necessary to lead his start-up. He had developed Wily's early technology single-handedly, had hired 50 employees to help him build his company, and had successfully spearheaded a strategic transformation of his company. He had led Wily to the point where several important customers bought its flagship product and had successfully raised two rounds of financing from top investors. Cirne wonders what he could have done to be pushed to the side like this. What should he do now?

Explores the life, work, and achievements of Milton S. Hershey. Analyzes his entrepreneurial achievements, including the creation of the Hershey bar, the founding of the business, and the development of the mass market for chocolate. Also investigates the broader contributions that Milton Hershey made to a sustainable, mutually beneficial social contract between business and community.

Presents a custom program for NFL players.

Mike Valenti, founder and president of Michael's Homestyle Pasta of Connecticut, has just finished a four-hour conference call with his top managers, his lawyer and Fred Jones, the Quality Assurance manager at Southern Pasta Company. Michael's had acquired Southern, a Florida firm, three weeks earlier, on December 10, 2001. It had taken the quality assurance manager until early in the morning of New Year's Eve day, Monday, 2001, to admit to Ted Brewer, V.P. of Operations for Michael's, that he had been falsifying safety inspections of Southern products. He told Brewer that the seafood stuffed pasta shells leaving the Southern plant had been contaminated with salmonella. Much of the last batch of product had been sent to Southern's largest customer, a national chain of 200 restaurants. Michael's had purchased Southern, in no small part, to capture this account. Jones stated that the president of Southern, an Austrian national, had coerced him into falsifying the quality control reports. Brewer has told Valenti that some of the tainted product had been stopped before it was shipped. The discussion leads to options that the management team could follow. Since New Year's Eve is one of the largest sales days of the year for restaurants, Valenti knows that he has to do something quickly. He also knows that, regardless of what he does, the reputation and future of his company rest on the outcome of his actions. He is considering what to do at the end of the case, late in the afternoon of New Year's Eve day.

After sixteen years of building the Web's first viable online student travel business, Mario Ricciardelli finally hit upon a business model that could generate significant income and cash flow. With their its full season approaching, Mario and his partner are taken aback when their trusted strategy adviser suggests that now is the time to think about harvesting their venture. How could they possibly think about selling when it's just beginning to get fun? Mario started his spring break travel business as a sophomore at Babson. After a number of challenges and setbacks, he almost gave up. In the late 90s he aligned with a competitor, and changed the company name to StudentCity.com. When they were acquired by a 'high-concept' venture-backed Web business, it appeared their business concept was finally going to get traction. Instead, Mario and Jacqui watched their paper fortune evaporate as their cash-strapped parent failed. They were able to exit with their business intact. Mario decided to take one more shot. He mortgaged his house to refinance the company, and focused all the company's efforts and creativity on owning the spring break segment. Amazingly, after two seasons with the new business model, they were on track to top $23 million in revenue, with income before tax projected to be $2 million in 2004. If they could stage that sort of turn-around in just 24 months, was it really the best time to sell?

An entrepreneur from California sold his last start up company over a year ago and was looking at investing in an underperforming company in which he could play an active role and turn around. His investment advisor approached him with a potential deal in which to invest. Alpha Legal Systems was a small software company with $5 million in sales the previous year but had no profitability. The entrepreneur must consider the economic slowdown and an underperforming technology market and the challenges of taking over and managing a young, rapidly growing company.

Depicts the options facing Mohammed Ibrahim, founder and chairman of Celtel International, the largest pan African wireless telecommunications provider, as he tries to position his company for further growth. Should the firm, which has reached $1 billion in revenues in six years, strive for an IPO, trade a sale, or continue as an independent for a few more years? Outlines the company's success and challenges thus far, the benefits and disadvantages of each option, and future funding possibilities.

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

Aaron Kennedy has successfully grown Noodles & Co. from a single global noodle shop to a chain of 58 restaurants spanning six states in seven years. In the face of increasing competition, Kennedy has plans to roll out 240 new stores in the next four years. He must develop a growth strategy that will allow Noodles & Co. to achieve these aggressive objectives as well as maintain the company's unique culture. Kennedy must decide among several alternative growth strategies, with a particular emphasis on the decision of whether to franchise. Includes color exhibits.