printer friendly pageSTRAMGT 110Q: Making Sense of Strategy
Get the strategy right, and the chance for success is great. Nowhere is this more evident than in today's world of major challenges. Strategy is at the heart of problem solving and achieving objectives, yet few people can define strategy, much less understand how to conceptualize, design, and execute effective strategies that yield the best outcomes.This course will meet once a week to focus on interesting and engaging case studies, each of which illustrates a key ingredient of strategy. Some are well-known historical events, while others are less obvious, but all have a strategic lesson to share. They are quite diverse, from the planning of a high-risk rescue in the Colorado Rockies, to a product crisis in a Fortune 50 company, to a little-known failed military mission of WWII, to a commercial airline disaster. The ability to think through challenging and varied scenarios is both instructive and mind-stretching. There will be some pre-reading on each case study and there may be a field trip for students to put their lessons into practice. The course is designed to be highly interactive; all to enable students to unravel the mystery and power of strategic thinking. Students will also have the opportunity to select and analyze a case reflecting interests of their own. This course can help students not only prepare for a career in a range of fields, but also as they meet the challenges of their current coursework. Problem-solving skills are central in every walk of life; this seminar can help students build a stronger foundation for sound decision-making.
Terms: Win, Spr
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Demarest, D. (PI)
STRAMGT 309: Strategies of Effective Product Management
This is a course about exploring the methods and processes for product management, largely in technology companies, and a look at what can lead to the most effective ways to coordinate customer needs, ensure accurate product development, and how to develop and use the appropriate tools needed to successfully sell products and services to customers from the perspective of the Product Manager. The course covers ways to think about product management depending on the type of product being delivered (new product introduction vs. reinvigorating an existing product) and also the skills and tools used by product managers for effective product management.This course is an extended version of
STRAMGT 509.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Goldberg, A. (PI)
;
Siegel, R. (SI)
STRAMGT 321: Create a New Venture: From Idea to Launch I
S321/S322 is an integrated lab course in Entrepreneurship designed to teach students the process of creating a new viable venture - from idea to launch. It is a dynamic and interactive course organized around projects undertaken by teams of 3 to 4 registered students from the MSx and MBA programs, together with other graduate students within Stanford who bring expertise of particular relevance to the idea being pursued. This course is designed not only for students with immediate entrepreneurial aspirations, but also for any student considering starting an entrepreneurial venture at some point in his or her career. The course is a two quarter class, with admission to the class by team and idea. In the winter quarter, teams will research, craft, test and morph their idea into a viable business concept. In the spring quarter they will further refine their concept and develop a strategy and plan to attract financial, human and other resources. At the end of the spring quarter, teams will present their plan to a panel of experts and potential investors to simulate the funding process. The course builds on important research, and finding as they relate to the process of new venture creation. The teaching method is primarily learning by doing (LBD) through a structured process, supported by relevant lectures and exercises. Extensive field research and prototype product development are integral to the course. Learning is further enhanced through meetings with the instructor, coaching by experienced mentors and review by peers. Since admittance to S321/S321 is by team and the quality of their idea, team formation for S321 takes place during the autumn quarter. Informal student meetings/mixers will be held to facilitate team formation and idea generation. Each team of 3-4 students should preferably consist of 1 or more MSx students and graduate students from the MBA program or other Schools - Engineering, Medicine, Law, Science, and Education - to bring diversity and depth to the team. In the Spring Quarter teams are admitted to S322 from S321 and other experiential Stanford GSB and Engineering classes based on quality of their venture, research and team. The application-selection process is described on the S321/S322 website.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Rohan, D. (PI)
STRAMGT 325: Formation of Impact Ventures
This class is for students who want to start, invest in, or take a senior position in a social impact venture. For the purposes of this class, a social impact venture is an organization (both for profits and non-profits) whose primary mission is to provide a sustainable solution to a social problem. The class covers venture creation and development, resource acquisition, and managing growth in the context of impact ventures. The class deals with situations from the perspectives of both the entrepreneur and investor. Students will have a chance to assess opportunity and action in the context of current impact ventures. The course is integrative and will allow students to apply many facets of their business school education. We will have a mix of case discussions, lectures, student-led in-class exercises, and guest speakers. The final project involves engagement with an emerging impact venture and its management. The instructors, Laura Hattendorf and Russell Siegelman, are active, early stage impact investors.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Siegelman, R. (PI)
;
Hattendorf, L. (SI)
STRAMGT 330: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital: Partnership for Growth
This 3 unit course is a case study based course designed for those students interested in exploring the current environment for entrepreneurs and/or investors. The partnership (and interaction) between the entrepreneur and the investor is a very important dimension in the growth of many start-ups. This course examines the entrepreneur and investor relationship from both the entrepreneur's and the investor's perspectives. From the point of view of the entrepreneur -- we look at how an entrepreneur can select the most suitable investor and match the investor to the growth trajectory of their company. Students will learn how and when to approach investors as well as the positioning of their company to the investment firms' portfolio strategy. Each year we have a range in students entrepreneurial experience and their enthusiasm. Many students begin the course with a business idea (an original idea for this course or a business idea used in another GSB course). Other students will use a borrowed business idea from a recent start up to test the waters of the entrepreneurial experience. The course gives all levels of entrepreneurs the opportunity to understand the current investing environment in class and in the field. Students have enjoyed connecting with members of the entrepreneur & VC community as they interact with the guest speakers and complete the course projects. From the point of view of the investor we look at the rapid evolution of the investor sector; in particular, why entrepreneurs have many more investor alternatives today compared to several years ago. It is important for entrepreneurs (and future investors) to understand investors' motivation and process. We will explain how investors are differentiating their firm in an 'entrepreneur's market', look for their next opportunity, their investment selection process and how investors plan to work with the entrepreneur after the investment. The course is geared for multiple audiences: the student who is considering an entrepreneurship or investment career path, the student who is experimenting with entrepreneurship for the first time or the entrepreneur who is seriously exploring a start-up idea (and perhaps has already formed a team). Each student will benefit from the candid guest speakers discussion as to what happens behind the scenes (e.g. in the investors' partners meeting) and at the negotiating table between the entrepreneur and investor.The course is case study based with engaging class discussions led by your two teachers who collectively have over 70 years of experience as venture capitalists. The course relies on several guest speakers (both entrepreneurs and investors) who will give alternate and candid off the record details about their experiences. Class participation is integral to a successful exchange of ideas; therefore, we encourage class participation and it will count as 50% of your total grade. The other 50% of the grade is based on short individual papers, a very short 3 slide presentation to the class, and your individual contribution to a presentation project to an investor panel. Notably, this year's course allows students to choose their role as the entrepreneur, investor or angel adviser for the final presentation project to the VC panel (students will be graded for their individual contribution rather than as a team for the final group project).
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Ziebelman, P. (PI)
;
Glynn, J. (SI)
STRAMGT 340: POWer: Building the Entrepreneurial Mindset from the Perspective of Women
This seminar will showcase women entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. We will explore the challenges and opportunities they encountered in starting and growing their ventures, and the personal and professional choices they have made. The sessions will include cases, readings, videos, panel discussions, role plays and breakout groups with the entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. The class will help you understand and build your entrepreneurial and growth mindset. You will leave the class with an individual roadmap and tools to help you be entrepreneurial throughout your career. Men are encouraged to enroll.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Mandelbaum, F. (PI)
;
Raimondi, A. (SI)
STRAMGT 351: Building and Managing Professional Sales Organizations
The focus of this class is on the challenges and key issues associated with the creation and management of a professional sales organization. Our emphasis is developing and managing the selling effort of business-to-business and business-to-consumer capital goods and services. There will be relatively little emphasis on sales technique (i.e., students should not expect a course on "How to be a Better Salesperson"). The course is organized to follow the development of the sales function from strategic inception through to execution and implementation: choosing a go-to-market model (e.g., direct sales, no/low touch, VARs, OEMs, hybrid models); building and structuring the sales organization (e.g., sales learning curve, organizational structure, allocating territories and quotas); and managing the sales force (e.g., hiring/firing, compensation, forecasting, culture). We will address these topics in the context of both early stage ventures and later stage enterprises.
Terms: Win, Spr
| Units: 4
STRAMGT 353: Entrepreneurship: Formation of New Ventures
This course is offered for students who at some time may want to undertake an entrepreneurial career by pursuing opportunities leading to partial or full ownership and control of a business. The course deals with case situations from the point of view of the entrepreneur/manager rather than the passive investor. Many cases involve visitors, since the premise is that opportunity and action have large idiosyncratic components. Students must assess opportunity and action in light of the perceived capabilities of the individuals and the nature of the environments they face. The course is integrative and will allow students to apply many facets of their business school education. Each section will have a specific focus, please select the instructor(s) with your interests: Leslie, Bowman - High tech ventures; Ellis, Saloner - Diverse types of ventures; Foster, Brady - Diverse types of ventures; Reiss, Chess - Very early stage ventures.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr
| Units: 4
Instructors:
Ellis, J. (PI)
;
Foster, G. (PI)
;
Reiss, P. (PI)
...
more instructors for STRAMGT 353 »
Instructors:
Ellis, J. (PI)
;
Foster, G. (PI)
;
Reiss, P. (PI)
;
Brady, S. (SI)
;
Chess, R. (SI)
;
Saloner, G. (SI)
STRAMGT 354: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital
Many of America's most successful entrepreneurial companies have been substantially influenced by professionally managed venture capital. This relationship is examined from both the entrepreneur's and the venture capitalist's perspective. From the point of view of the entrepreneur, the course considers how significant business opportunities are identified, planned, and built into real companies; how resources are matched with opportunity; and how, within this framework, entrepreneurs seek capital and other assistance from venture capitalists or other sources. From the point of view of the venture capitalist, the course considers how potential entrepreneurial investments are evaluated, valued, structured, and enhanced; how different venture capital strategies are deployed; and how venture capitalists raise and manage their own funds. The course includes a term-long project where students work in teams (4-5 students per team) to write a business plan (or a business model canvas) for a venture of the team's choosing.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4
Instructors:
Wendell, P. (PI)
;
Nasr, R. (SI)
STRAMGT 355: Managing Growing Enterprises
This course is offered for students who, in the near term, aspire to the management and full or partial ownership of a new or newly-acquired business. The seminar, which is limited to 45 students, has a strong implementation focus, and deals in some depth with certain selected, generic entrepreneurial issues, viewed from the perspective of the owner/manager. Broad utilization is made of case materials, background readings, visiting experts, and role playing. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on the application of analytical tools to administrative practice.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr
| Units: 4
Instructors:
Dodson, D. (PI)
;
Ellis, J. (PI)
;
Kelly, P. (PI)
...
more instructors for STRAMGT 355 »
Instructors:
Dodson, D. (PI)
;
Ellis, J. (PI)
;
Kelly, P. (PI)
;
Peterson, J. (PI)
;
Weaver, G. (PI)
;
Kelly, P. (SI)
;
Taweel, K. (SI)
Filter Results: