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Introduces the field of project finance and provides a statistical overview of the project-financed investments over the last five years. Defines project finance and contrasts it with other well-known financing structures. Describes the evolution of project finance, from its beginnings in the natural resources industry in the 1970s to the U.S. power industry in the 1980s and to a much wider range of industry applications and geographic locations in the 1990s and 2000s. Provides a statistical overview of project-financed investments over the last five years (2000-2004), featuring industry, project, and participant data. Also discusses current and likely future trends and provides terminology and institutional details.

Conglomerates lie at the heart of debates in corporate strategy. They include, perhaps, the best known companies in history--Beatrice Corp., General Electric, ITT, Siemens, and ABB--and at various times over the last few decades have been both admired and vilified as a form of corporate organization. Regardless of the time at which these debates have occurred, they invariably focus on a few common questions, which this note addresses: Why do conglomerates exist? Do they add value to their component businesses? If so, how?

Describes the objectives of the Corporate Strategy course; the conceptual framework used in the course; some central principles of corporate strategy that emerge from this framework; and the modular structure of the course, together with the topics each module covers.

Options are contracts that give the right, but not the obligation, to either buy or sell a specific underlying security for a specified price on or before a specific date. Explains the basis of options, covering fundamentals such as option terminology, the payoff schemes of options, parameters that influence their value, the put-call parity, and the upper and lower bounds of options prices. Presents problems for students to solve.

For every option, a fair price has to be established. But how do you actually price an option? Assuming a basic knowledge of options, this note covers two pricing methods: the binominal tree and the Black-Scholes/Merton formula.

Discusses the issues facing firms in the seventh generation of home video game platforms. In particular, Sony and Microsoft plan to launch new game consoles in the 2005 to 2006 time frame. Each firm seems to be following a different strategy. Microsoft wants to launch before Sony. Sony for its part is trying to develop a superior processor for its Playstation 3. Forces students to grapple with the issue of digital convergence in content and in hardware functionality.

The Asian Newly Industrialised Economies (ANIEs)--Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong--have become masters and creators of advanced technologies despite various economic challenges since the 1980s. Fast becoming the next global economic power, it is speculated that China will be the next innovation powerhouse. Analyzes and compares the current innovation strategies of China and the ANIEs and determines the possibility of China repeating the ANIEs' success in technological innovation.

Presents a framework for leading change in institutions or society, showing leaders how to manage political, economic, or social change by mapping their targets (policy, programs, or people/culture) and choice of action vehicle (single organizations or coalitions of organizations).

It was estimated in 2002 that the size of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) market in China would be around $5 billion. A decade of Chinese regulatory reforms, Chinese pharmaceutical industry liberalization, changing Chinese lifestyle and demographics, and the Chinese pharmaceutical research and development facilities were factors explaining the huge TCM market potential in China. Multinationals wanting to enter this market might have to deal with inadequate intellectual property protection, corruption in health insurance reimbursement, complex regulatory procedures, and underdeveloped pricing, bidding, and distribution practices.

Explains the emergence of international arbitration as an option for foreign investors with disputes with governments of emerging markets. Presents issues about whether arbitration will remain acceptable to countries and governments.

Describes the landscape of China's beer industry and its competitive environment in 2004. Depicts industry characteristics, namely, demand, products, sales channels, segmented markets, and imports. Also profiles the major local and foreign players in the market and their expansion strategies and entry modes, analyzes the major industry issues, and provides insight into the future development of the industry.

Discusses the use of budgeted rather than historical data in an activity-based costing (ABC) model and argues for calculating rates using practical capacity, not actual utilization. An ABC model need not be limited to analysis of historical data. When cost driver rates are calculated based on forecasted data, they can be used proactively for decisions such as pricing and order acceptance. Second, to avoid distortion of cost driver rates caused by unused capacity, the rates should be calculated using the practical capacity of the resources performing the activity. Discusses how to estimate practical capacity in various situations, including lumpy capacity acquisition, ramp-up of capacity utilization, seasonal and peak-load capacity, and differing service quality levels from supplied capacity.

Describes the landscape of China's home appliances industry and its competitive environment in 2004. Depicts industry characteristics and new developments, including technology, distribution, and marketing. Also profiles the major local and foreign players in the market, analyzes major industry issues, and provides insights into the future development of the industry.

This note is part of a series entitled Strategic Alliances That Work. It provides guidelines to determine whether an alliance is an appropriate vehicle to pursue business objectives. Specifically, it covers areas such as the strategic rationale for the alliance, the identification of competence and resource gaps in relation to strategic objectives, and a firm's readiness to enter a collaborative arrangement. Related cases Strategic Alliances That Work: Selecting the Right Partner, Strategic Alliances That Work: Negotiating and Designing an Alliance and Strategic Alliances That Work: Implementing Winning Conditions, products 9B05M023, 9B05M024 and 9B05M025 are also available.

This note is part of a series entitled Strategic Alliances That Work. Key factors to consider during the selection process are the overall strategic fit between potential partners, the complementarities of each organization's strengths, weaknesses and operational practices, the sustainability of the relationship, consideration of how partner cultures may clash or complement one another, the degree of commitment to the partnership, and finally, the personal chemistry between both companies' management. Related cases Strategic Alliances That Work: Should You Build A Strategic Alliance?, Strategic Alliances That Work: Negotiating and Designing an Alliance and Strategic Alliances That Work: Implementing Winning Conditions, products 9B05M022, 9B05M024 and 9B05M025.

This note is part of a series entitled Strategic Alliances That Work. All the strategic analysis, negotiation, and implementation planning of a strategic alliance aims for the day the alliance can be formally launched. While much of the details depend on the specific nature of the agreement, there exist common practices that will take you far down the path of successful alliance management. These include laying a positive foundation with the right team and establishing productive linkages across both organizations. It also includes dedicated focus on building trusted relationships in the early days and structuring alliance activities for some early successes. Alliances usually define success in terms of financial returns; but when the honeymoon is over, enduring and sustainable benefits will be more easily achieved through additional emphasis on effective communications, constructive conflict resolution and continuous organizational learning - elements that support a productive relationship over time.

This note is part of a series entitled Strategic Alliances That Work. It provides guidelines to determine whether an alliance is an appropriate vehicle to pursue business objectives. Specifically, it covers areas such as the strategic rationale for the alliance, the identification of competence and resource gaps in relation to strategic objectives, and a firm's readiness to enter a collaborative arrangement. Related cases Strategic Alliances That Work: Selecting the Right Partner, Strategic Alliances That Work: Negotiating and Designing an Alliance and Strategic Alliances That Work: Implementing Winning Conditions, products 9B05M023, 9B05M024 and 9B05M025 are also available.

This note is part of a series entitled Strategic Alliances That Work. Key factors to consider during the selection process are the overall strategic fit between potential partners, the complementarities of each organization's strengths, weaknesses and operational practices, the sustainability of the relationship, consideration of how partner cultures may clash or complement one another, the degree of commitment to the partnership, and finally, the personal chemistry between both companies' management. Related cases Strategic Alliances That Work: Should You Build A Strategic Alliance?, Strategic Alliances That Work: Negotiating and Designing an Alliance and Strategic Alliances That Work: Implementing Winning Conditions, products 9B05M022, 9B05M024 and 9B05M025.

This note is part of a series entitled Strategic Alliances That Work. The negotiation process involves pre-negotiation preparations such as putting together the negotiating team, conducting the negotiation itself, and finalizing the ultimate agreement. The agreement should address, among other things, the mission of the alliance, its structure and governance, ownership and control details, identification of performance objectives and milestones, conflict resolution procedures, and provision for termination of the partnership. Related cases, Strategic Alliances That Work: Should You Build a Strategic Alliance?, Strategic Alliances That Work: Selecting the Right Partner, Strategic Alliances That Work: Implementing Winning Conditions, product 9B05M022, 9B05M023 and 9B05M025.

This note is part of a series entitled Strategic Alliances That Work. All the strategic analysis, negotiation, and implementation planning of a strategic alliance aims for the day the alliance can be formally launched. While much of the details depend on the specific nature of the agreement, there exist common practices that will take you far down the path of successful alliance management. These include laying a positive foundation with the right team and establishing productive linkages across both organizations. It also includes dedicated focus on building trusted relationships in the early days and structuring alliance activities for some early successes. Alliances usually define success in terms of financial returns; but when the honeymoon is over, enduring and sustainable benefits will be more easily achieved through additional emphasis on effective communications, constructive conflict resolution and continuous organizational learning - elements that support a productive relationship over time. Related cases, Strategic Alliances That Work: Should You Build a Strategic Alliance?, Strategic Alliances That Work: Selecting the Right Partner and Strategic Alliances That Work: Negotiating and Designing an Alliance, products 9B05M022, 9B05M023 and 9B05M024.