Darden University of Virginia (USA)
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Taking the Plunge: New Luxury Ventures
Sarasvathy, Saras D.; Ali, N.Case DARDEN-ENT-0070-EEntrepreneurshipStudents at all levels explore the psychology of entrepreneurship and new product branding and marketing as a young IBM executive decides whether to become an entrepreneur. He must evaluate his business plan; seek advisors; and decide how much money it will take to get started. His product idea? On-the-go water for dogs. With market research complete and a team of advisors assembled, he must decide whether to take the plunge.Starting at €8.20
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The Affordable Loss Principle
Sarasvathy, Saras D.Technical Note DARDEN-ENT-0075-EEntrepreneurshipIdeal for a study of entrepreneurship as a phenomenon, this note explores the difference between causal models and effectuation. Whereas causal models focus on maximizing returns by selecting optimal strategies, effectuation begins with a determination of how much one is willing to lose and leveraging limited means in creative ways to generate new ends as well as new means. The effectuator then uses the very process of building the venture to bri...Starting at €8.20
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The Bird-in-Hand Principle: Who I Am, What I Know, and Whom I Know
Sarasvathy, Saras D.Technical Note DARDEN-ENT-0090-EEntrepreneurshipThis technical note explores a framework by which entrepreneurs can evaluate their ideas before going forward based on who they are, what they know, and whom they know. Drawing on frameworks presented in textbooks, trade books, journal articles, periodicals, and on Web sites that claim to predict the feasibility and value of new venture ideas. Figure 1 depicts a simple and useful summary of four key concepts at the heart of many of these framewor...Starting at €8.20
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Method: Sustainable Design for the Home as Corporate Strategy
Larson, Andrea; York, JeffCase DARDEN-ENT-0094-EEntrepreneurshipThis minicase is one of 10 in a series written to illustrate the business benefits companies realize through adopting sustainable business strategies. Method is a successful startup firm in San Francisco that has made sustainable design principles a guiding force its strategy. Unlike other firms, however, Method sells its products on performance, price, and aesthetics; health and environment are simply built into the design from the outset. Backe...Starting at €8.20
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Shaw Industries: EcoWorx and Cradle-to-Cradle Innovation in Carpet Tile
Larson, Andrea; York, JeffCase DARDEN-ENT-0095-EEntrepreneurshipThis is a minicase, one of 10 in a set of short cases written to illustrate the business benefits companies realize through adopting sustainable business strategies. This minicase documents the technology and systems innovations behind Shaw's successful introduction of closed loop recyclable carpet tiles (EcoWorx), a disruptive innovation in the flooring industry.Starting at €8.20
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Jennifer Parks at PillarPoint Home Loans: Developing a New-Growth Initiative
Liedtka, Jeanne M.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0102-EEntrepreneurshipJennifer Parks, a newly appointed business development officer at PillarPoint Home Loans, is given a mandate to identify and develop a new-growth initiative for her company, a small mortgage division of one of the largest U.S. credit card issuers. The company has more than 60 million accounts worldwide and a reputation as a leader in direct marketing and online services. After studying the industry, Parks identifies what she believes is a high-po...Starting at €8.20
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The Dime that Started a Movement: The History and Development of Credit Unions
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.Technical Note DARDEN-ENT-0103-EEntrepreneurshipThis note provides students a rich background on the history, evolution, and current challenges in the credit union industry, with a particular focus on community-development credit unions. The case mentions key exemplar community-development credit unions and makes limited predictions about the industry's future direction. The case can be used a companion to "Credit Where Credit is Due: The Latino Community Credit Union" (UVA-ENT-0104).Starting at €8.20
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Credit Where Credit is Due: The Latino Community Credit Union
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.; Zienta, EllenCase DARDEN-ENT-0104-EEntrepreneurshipFive years after its launch, the Latino Community Credit Union had made remarkable progress, garnering 40,000 members and $22 million in assets. More extraordinary was the LCCU’s customer base: Hispanic immigrants, many of them undocumented. The credit union’s next bold step was to consider introducing credit cards for their customers. The question was how to make it work.Starting at €8.20
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Students Helping Honduras
Hess, Edward D.; Modica, ShizukaCase DARDEN-ENT-0105-EEntrepreneurshipA student-founded, student-led nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Hondurans escape from the cycle of poverty accomplished this by engaging college students in its projects from beginning to end. It operated with a yearly budget, augmented by student fundraisers and a grant from a private foundation. By the summer of 2008, it had three full-time employees living in Honduras and an ambitious business plan to expand its college chapters, in...Starting at €8.20
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C.R. Barger & Sons, Inc. (B)
Hess, Edward D.; Modica, Shizuka; Barger, EdCase DARDEN-ENT-0107-EEntrepreneurshipThe president of the PCO division at C.R. Barger & Sons has grown the division, so he now must consider whether to build a new PCO plant to accommodate future growth. The new plant would increase Barger’s production capacity allowing it to expand its concrete-production capacity from 40 to 200 cubic yards per day. The case examines the multifaceted strategy the president used to revitalize the division, and students can decide whether this large ...Starting at €5.74