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Describes the concept of postponement of product variety and how it may be used to match supply and demand better while lowering inventories. Discusses situations where postponement is more or less valuable. Also looks at several industry examples of postponement.

Venture capital is a segment of the private equity category that encompasses investments in young, rapidly growing companies with the potential to develop into significant economic contributors. Provides a comprehensive yet straightforward description of the entire private equity industry, including its definition, expected returns, the investing process, and the structure of private equity firms. Concludes with an overview of the industry in 2004 and highlights trends in the field.

Provides an overview of knowledge management, including descriptions of knowledge management strategies, processes, organization, infrastructure, systems, and challenges. Describes the approaches at two leading consulting firms, Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young, that have been pioneers in knowledge management strategies.

Presents an overview of strategic alliance. Discusses the academic literature and its implications for the structure of strategic alliances. Also details the types of strategic alliances utilized by small, growing firms.

Discusses issues related to government sources of financing for small business in the United States. In addition to presenting motivations for government financing programs, the note gives a detailed presentation of major federal programs to assist small business.

Presents an overview of the issues covered in Entrepreneurial Finance. The frameworks of analysis as well as themes of the course are covered. Additionally, provides references on entrepreneurial finance from both academics and the popular press.

Addresses the career decision-making process of Humphrey Chen as he graduates from HBS with an MBA. In choosing between an offer from a top-tier consulting firm and launching a start-up entrepreneurial venture, Chen must weigh the expectations of many people--family, fiancee, friends--as well as his own desires.

Describes the major elements of marketing strategy: the decisions to be made and the underlying analysis to support that decision making.

This note introduces the notion of "Emotional Intelligence" as described in Daniel Goleman's book by the same name and extends that concept to include Social Quotient or Intelligence and Change Quotient or Intelligence. The general thrust is that IQ alone does not a good leader make, but that EQ, SQ, and CQ are also necessary to be an effective leader.

Reprinted from John Davis.

Abstract to follow.

In terms non-technical readers can understand, the evolution of the Internet and the Web, characteristics of the supporting technology, and current issues surrounding use of the technology are examined.

Intended to be used as a supplement to the Introduction to Type and provides an overview of the international uses of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

This note presents an overview of some fundamental characteristics of managing change. Such classic change models as those of Lewin, Beer, and Kotter are introduced. A general model of change is presented, together with predictable stages in the change process and predictable responses to change. Managing change is highlighted as an important part of the skill set of an effective leader so that students are encouraged to become familiar with a model of change and with skills at managing it in order to become better leaders.

Describes the emergence and subsequent decline of the political risk analysis industry. Discusses what political risk means for multinational firms and various ways in which firms have tried to analyze and grapple with these risks.

Covers approximately six months in the life of a recent second-year Harvard Business School student. The focus is on the career decision-making process. The protagonist is considering three choices.

The accounting for a manufacturing company is examined, including the flow of costs from raw materials to work in process to finished goods and the distribution between an inventoriable or product cost and a noninventoriable or period cost.

Presents evidence on the unsustainability of many competitive advantages, reviews the typical threats to the sustainability, and discusses ways in which those threats can be combatted.

Discusses the net present value and internal rate of return methods for analyzing capital investments. Assumes prior knowledge of compound interest and present value methods.