Graduate School of Business

ACCT 152. Introduction to Financial Accounting. 3 Units.

Financial accounting is the measurement of economic activity for decision-making. The objective of this course is not to train you to become an accountant but rather to help you develop into an informed user of financial statement information. Through cases, homework assignments, and classroom discussion, we will focus on understanding the mapping between underlying economic events and financial statements, and on understanding how this mapping affects inferences about future profitability and liquidity. The learning objectives are 1) Understanding accounting rules and terminology and how these are applied to construct financial statements, and 2) building an awareness of the judgment involved and the discretion allowed in choosing accounting methods, making estimates, and disclosing information in financial statements.

ACCT 210. Financial Accounting. 3 Units.

Financial accounting is the measurement of economic activity for decision-making. Financial statements are a key product of this measurement process and an important component of firms' financial reporting activities. The objective of this course is not to train you to become an accountant but rather to help you develop into an informed user of financial statement information. While financial statement users face a wide variety of decisions, they are often interested in understanding the implications of financial statement information for the future cash flows and earnings potential of a firm. We will focus on understanding the mapping between underlying economic events and financial statements, and on understanding how this mapping affects inferences about future profitability and liquidity. The following learning objectives will be emphasized: (1) familiarity with the transactions businesses engage in, (2) fluency in accounting terminology, (3) understanding the structure that maps transactions into accounting numbers, (4) understanding the rationale for various accounting methods, and (5) awareness of the judgment involved and the discretion allowed in choosing accounting methods, making estimates, and disclosing information in financial statements.

ACCT 212. Managerial Accounting: Strategic Performance Management. 2 Units.

This course provides an introduction to the concepts and tools of managerial accounting. The first part of the course covers alternative costing methods and illustrates how the resulting cost information can be used to analyze the profitability of individual products and customers. The second part of the course will examine the role of internal accounting systems in evaluating the performance of individual business segments and divisions of the firm. Included in this part are topics related to the choice of internal pricing methods for transferring goods and services across divisions of the firm and the use of financial metrics for assessing the profitability of these divisions.

ACCT 213. Financial Accounting - Accelerated. 3 Units.

This course develops students' ability to read, understand and critically evaluate corporate financial statements. The course is oriented toward the user of financial accounting data (rather than the preparer) and it emphasizes the reconstruction and interpretation of economic events from published accounting reports. The course is geared toward students who already have had some exposure to basic financial accounting concepts, allowing for more depth and breadth of topic coverage and discussion in class.

ACCT 219. MSx: Accounting. 3 Units.

A characteristic of business is the extensive use of accounting data. The financial accounting course has the general objective of developing students' understanding of the nature, scope, and limitations of accounting information. To achieve this objective the course attempts to: (1) develop students' understanding of the conceptual accounting framework, including the objectives of financial reporting, and (2) develop students' ability to understand and critically evaluate the financial disclosures made by corporations. An issue of particular interest will be the managerial incentive aspects of accounting information and disclosures.

ACCT 311. Global Financial Reporting. 3 Units.

This course is designed to enhance students' understanding of current financial reporting issues through a detailed analysis and comparison of U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The course will cover the development of accounting standards, implementation of these standards, and how to interpret output from these standards. The course highlights intermediate and advanced financial reporting topics including fair value accounting, asset securitization, consolidation including special purpose entities, foreign currency translation, derivatives and hedging, leases, revenue recognition, pensions, and equity compensation. The course also focuses on evaluating emerging financial reporting issues such as proposed financial reporting standards put forth by U.S. or international standard setting bodies. This course should help students better understand the environment governing global financial reporting and how firms develop financial statement information within this environment.

ACCT 313. Accounting-Based Valuation. 3 Units.

This course is designed to develop students' ability to interpret and use financial accounting information, primarily in a valuation context. The perspective taken is that of an outsider relying on publicly available financial information for investment purposes. The course relies heavily upon financial statement analysis tools and the economic profit-based valuation framework. Through lectures, in-depth case studies, and real-time exercises, the first half of the course covers traditional financial statement analysis-based tools for critically analyzing and assessing a firm's current financial performance and economic condition, including ratio analysis, accounting quality analysis and financial distress / bankruptcy prediction models. The second half of the course introduces the accounting-based valuation framework and develops the link between financial statement analysis, forecasting and firm value. The capstone to the course is the completion of a comprehensive, real-time valuation of a publicly traded firm (or registered IPO candidate). The course is structured for students to gain a deeper understanding of the economic pressures behind the valuation creation and valuation process. The course will be useful to those students who anticipate making investment or credit decisions at least partially based on historical and prospective financial statement information, and those who want to have a better understanding of how to use financial information to assess whether and how any organization is creating value through its operations and strategic actions.

ACCT 317. Managerial Accounting: Performance Measurement, Compensation, and Governance. 3 Units.

The course will examine the academic and professional controversies surrounding corporate governance and executive compensation. A basic framework will be developed to integrate the many important dimensions of corporate governance in the U.S. and international be able to (i) understand the debates about appropriate choices for corporate governance and executive compensation, (ii) critically evaluate the implications of academic and professional research studies on these controversial issues, and (iii) make practical decisions about corporate governance in a business setting.

ACCT 332. Mergers and Acquisitions. 3 Units.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of strategic, economic, and financial issues related to mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, we review the market for corporate control, discuss strategic issues related to firms' decision to acquire or be acquired, and examine the M&A regulatory environment. We analyze various valuation and deal structure considerations, identify strategies that underlay a successful negotiation, and review the financial reporting and income tax implications of M&A transactions. In covering these and other related issues, we will discuss both the theory and practice of mergers and acquisitions. To provide some specific context we will analyze several M&A deals (e.g., Google/Motorola, Disney/Fox, UpJohn/Pharmacia, Oracle/PeopleSoft, and many more). In discussing these cases, we will examine the situation faced by the company, the issues surrounding the transaction, including the financial implications, and focus on the managerial incentives and the judgment applied. We will also review some of the related literature in accounting, economic, and finance, to gain broader perspectives and insights into the financial issues associated with M&A transactions. Class time comprises mini lectures that introduce some of the more technical concepts, case discussions, and guest speakers who will offer additional perspectives on the subject matters. The course is co-taught by Ron Kasznik (GSB) and Safra Catz (Oracle Corporation). Ms. Catz is the CEO of Oracle Corporation and a member of its Board of Directors. She has led Oracle through more than 100 acquisitions in recent years (including PeopleSoft, Siebel, BEA, Sun Microsystems, and more). Prior to joining Oracle in 1999, Ms. Catz was Managing Director at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, a global investment bank (now part of CSFB). Ms. Catz currently also serves on the board of directors for Walt Disney.

ACCT 333. Taxes and Business Strategy. 3 Units.

Traditional business courses analyze an array of factors affecting business decisions but provide little systematic consideration of the role of taxes. By contrast, tax accounting courses traditionally concentrate on technical legal and administrative issues while ignoring the environment in which taxes enter an individual's or firm's decision. This case-based course intends to bridge this gap by providing a framework for recognizing how taxes affect strategic personal and business decisions and gaining experience analyzing a wide range of tax-related issues. The key themes of the framework - all parties, all taxes and all costs - are applied to decision contexts such as investments, retirement planning, cash and equity compensation, organizational form, tax planning for multiple jurisdictions, and M&A. The goal of this course is to provide an approach to thinking about taxes that will be valuable across jurisdictions even as laws change.

ACCT 340. Alphanomics: Informational Arbitrage in Equity Markets. 4 Units.

This is an advanced elective course on the economics of active investing in public equity markets. We will cover a set of foundational skills needed to select, and manage, a portfolio of public stocks. Specifically, the course material is designed to improve student skills in: (1) assessing the relative attractiveness of individual companies, (2) building stock screens to filter and rank firms based on user-specified parameters, (3) buying and shorting individual equity positions, and (4) monitoring and managing portfolio risk. This is a hands-on course with an emphasis on experiential learning. Students will make extensive use of the analytical tools. Some of the classes will be held in the "Real-time Analytics and Investment Lab" (R.A.I.L.) facility in the Bass Center. There is no final exam. However, there will be a number of individual cases and a final group project. 25% of the grade will be based on class participation, and 75% will be based on cases and projects. Because it is an advanced elective, students taking this class are expected to be well versed in core economic, accounting, and finance skills. Material covered in a second Financial Modeling course, as well as in Accounting 312 (Evaluating Financial Statement Information) and Accounting 313 (Accounting-based Valuation) will come in handy. However, none of these courses are required.

ACCT 354. Analysis and Valuation for Event-Driven Investing. 3 Units.

This Bass seminar is designed to develop students' ability to interpret and use financial accounting information in credit and equity valuation contexts. The course will focus on valuing the securities of companies undergoing significant changes as a result of litigation, restructuring, regulatory changes, mergers, spin-offs or significant industry shifts. Throughout the course, students will (1) enrich their understanding of how alternative economic, legal, political and regulatory outcomes affect the value of various components of a company's capital structure and (2) develop their ability to apply financial statement analysis to assess the likelihood and valuation implications of the events of interest. nnnEvent-driven investing follows the life cycle of companies as they revamp their corporate structures in response to economic and regulatory environments. For example, in rising economic periods companies may undertake acquisitions or spin off divisions to enhance shareholder value. During adverse environments, bankruptcy and reorganizations often reshape the capital structure by offering opportunities to create value through the restructuring process. During economic transitions, debt and equity investors may make significantly different assessments of the quality of a company's earnings, its assets, and its likelihood to meet its debt obligations. To assess the probability of corporate events, investors must make judgments about the quality of a company's earnings and assets and understand how accounting policies may influence management's representations. Investors must also interpret how accounting policies function at various points in a firm's life cycle, influencing the quality of earnings for firms differently in different economic environments. nnnIn the first half of the course, we will develop the course framework, and apply it to illustrative cases. Companies featured in past years include Tyco, AIG, CIT, Fannie Mae, Tesla, Pharmasset and Gilead and Commerzbank. Students will interpret information from companies' public financial disclosures to assess the likelihood of different events or outcomes. The course will also feature readings on current accounting standards, articles from the popular press, publicly available financial statement information, and guest speakers with in-depth knowledge of investing strategies vis a vis the case companies. nnnThe latter part of the course will be devoted to project work, with students working in teams to develop an event-driven investing strategy. The aim is to allow students to conduct independent research on a company, industry, economic context, or financial reporting environment of particular interest. Students will develop their investment idea, articulate their sense of the possible outcomes for the components of the firm's capital structure, and explain how they have assessed the likelihood and valuation consequences of those outcomes. At the conclusion of the course, students will present their strategies to the class and a panel of expert judges.

ACCT 516. Analysis and Valuation of Emerging Market Firms. 2 Units.

This course examines the unique institutional, governance and transparency issues affecting corporate valuations in emerging markets. Through lectures, case discussions and the students' real-time analysis of an emerging market firm, this condensed course is structured for students to gain a deeper understanding of the economic pressures behind the value creation, value destruction, and valuation process in emerging economies. The course focuses on critically interpreting financial and non-financial information for purposes of assessing firm fundamentals and corporate governance risk in the presence of weak legal systems, strong political forces, limited investor protections, limited market development, strong macro-economic forces, opacity and resultant business arrangements. The course is beneficial for investors, consultants, managers, and entrepreneurs operating in or considering expansion to developing markets.

ACCT 523. Board Governance. 2 Units.

This course is focused on helping students understand the role boards and board members play in corporate governance and the lives of businesses large and small. This case-driven course is designed to help students who plan to serve on boards as private-equity or venture investors, entrepreneurs who will need to assemble and manage boards, and executives who realize they will need to interact with and answer to boards.The course is designed to help students understand the issues boards face ¿ both routine and non-routine ¿ through the eyes of the board member. By understanding the roles and responsibilities of board members and the mechanisms though which they exercise these duties, students will come away with an understanding of how boards function effectively (and in too many cases fail to function effectively). The course will include examining boards in a variety of contexts with a focus on three types of situations: public for-profit companies, early-stage private companies, and not-for-profit companies of different sizes.

ACCT 524. Individual Taxes and Financial Planning. 2 Units.

The goal of this course is to provide a fundamental understanding of the principles of taxation and tax planning as they relate to personal income taxes and considering an individuals financial position. Traditional business courses analyze an array of factors affecting business decisions but provide little systematic consideration of the role of taxes in individual financial planning decisions. By contrast, tax accounting courses traditionally concentrate on technical legal and administrative issues while ignoring the environment in which taxes enter an individual's decision-making. This case-based course intends to bridge this gap by discussing how taxes affect a variety of personal financial planning decisions.

ACCT 542. Corporate Taxes and Business Strategy. 2 Units.

The goal of this course is to provide a fundamental understanding of the principles of business taxation and tax planning, which will be relevant and valuable even as tax laws change - over time, across borders, and by taxpayer type. The role that taxes may play in business decisions are presented within an "all taxes, all parties, all costs" framework, from the tax issues at start-up (e.g., the choice of organizational form for a new venture), multistate and multinational operations, financial accounting implications, and mergers and acquisitions. We will use cases to gain hands' on experience analyzing business tax strategies and refer to financial statement disclosures as appropriate so that you can learn how taxes affect the financial reporting for transactions. A recurring theme will be linking the tax strategies that we learn with concepts from corporate finance, financial accounting, business law, and economics.

ACCT 609. Financial Reporting and Management Control. 3 Units.

This course is aimed at doctoral students in accounting and neighboring fields including economics, finance, political economics and operations management. The course seeks to provide an introduction to the role of accounting information in (i) measuring firm performance, (ii) projecting profitability and firm value for external constituents, (iii) and motivating and controlling the firm's management. The main topics covered in this course include: 1. Profitability Measurement and Accrual Accounting. 2. Performance Evaluation and Managerial Incentives. 3. Accounting-based Equity Valuation. 4. The Informational Role of Accounting Numbers 5. Earnings Quality Constructs and Measures. The primary objective of the course is to introduce students to current research paradigms on these topics and to identify promising avenues for future research. The course readings include recent theoretical and empirical papers.

ACCT 610. Seminar in Empirical Accounting Research. 3 Units.

Empirical Research on Financial Reporting: This doctoral-level course covers research on the role of accounting information in capital markets. The focus is on introducing students to key themes in empirical accounting and capital markets research, and to key research designs applied to examine information-related questions. Course topics include the informational role of financial reports, accounting measurement attributes, earnings management, earnings quality, and the role of key actors in the financial reporting environment, including management, investors, auditors, analysts and regulators. n nThe course is interdisciplinary in nature. The readings focus on research design, and key theories, themes and approaches from the accounting, finance, economics and psychology literature. Our overall goal is develop your understanding of existing research and its strengths and limitations, and to identify new research opportunities.

ACCT 611. Disclosure and Financial Markets. 3 Units.

This course provides a broad overview of the economic theories of corporate disclosure, with a focus on the effects that these disclosures have on financial markets. The range of topics we will study include: voluntary disclosure, earnings management, disclosure and trade, disclosure and investor welfare, disclosure and asset prices, and cheap talk and reputation games.

ACCT 612. Financial Reporting Seminar. 3 Units.

The purpose of this PhD seminar is to facilitate your conception and execution of substantive individual research in financial reporting. It provides a vehicle for supplementing and integrating your knowledge of basic research tools and methods, as well as an exposure to the dimensions of contemporary research in the field of financial reporting. The focus of the research we will discuss in this seminar is on global financial reporting. Such research encompasses studies dealing with contemporary financial reporting issues as well as research addressing issues relating to the globalization of financial reporting. Because these issues are also of concern to financial reporting standard setters, we will discuss whether and how the research we study informs standard setting debates. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.

ACCT 615. Selected Topics in Empirical Accounting Research. 3 Units.

This course examines selected topics in accounting research. The course features three faculty who will each give a focused look at a given area, introduce students to important questions in that area, key papers in the related literature, and critical aspects of the research designs applied in the area. The aim is to increase student's familiarity with empirical accounting research, their ability to critically evaluate research and research designs, and to prepare students to conduct independent research.

ACCT 617. Applications of Contract Theory in Accounting Research. 3 Units.

This course develops tools from information economics to study the strategic interactions between different agents inside a firm. Common to these studies is that agents acquire private information that is valuable to other parties. The range of applications includes: centralization vs delegation, static and dynamic contracting under moral hazard, Bayesian persuasion, and the optimal design of monitoring/auditing mechanisms.

ACCT 618. Market Efficiency and Informational Arbitrage. 3 Units.

The informational efficiency of stock markets has been a central theme in financial economic research in the past 50 years. Over this period, the focus of academic research has gradually shifted from the general to the more specific. While earlier studies tend to view the matter as a yes/no debate, most recent studies acknowledge the impossibility of fully efficient markets, and focus instead on analyses of factors that materially affect the timely incorporation of information into prices. At the same time, increasing attention is being paid to regulatory and market design issues that either impede or enhance market pricing efficiency.nIn this course, we will cover recent research on the role of informational arbitrage in asset pricing. Our starting point is the observation that, with costly information, equilibrium prices will invariably reflect some mispricing. The existence of mispricing introduces a role for informational arbitrage, whereby some traders will invest resources to become informed about the mispricing, with hopes of profiting from it. We review recent academic evidence on this process, and reflect on its implications for future market-related research. We will also discuss how academic research might help lower information/arbitrage costs.nThis is a doctoral level course. Our goal is not only to review existing research, but also to stimulate new work in the area. As such, I expect it will be of primary interest to Ph.D. students majoring in accounting, finance, and economics. Given our focus on returns prediction and the role of information in arbitrage strategies, this course should be of particular interest to those interested exploring the relation between information flows and market pricing dynamics. nThe course content is interdisciplinary in nature, spanning finance, economics, and accounting. Most of the readings in the earlier readings derive from finance and economics (market efficiency, limits to arbitrage, and behavioral finance); most of the later readings derive from financial accounting (equity valuation, fundamental analysis, earnings management, and analyst behavior).

ACCT 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

ACCT 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

ACCT 698. Doctoral Practicum in Teaching. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Teaching.

ACCT 699. Doctoral Practicum in Research. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Research.

ACCT 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

MGTECON 200. Managerial Economics. 3 Units.

MGTECON 200 is a base-level course in microeconomics. It covers microeconomic concepts relevant to management, including the economics of relationships, pricing decisions, perfect competition and the "invisible hand," risk aversion and risk sharing, and moral hazard and adverse selection. This year we are piloting a "flipped classroom" where students will be expected to work through the online modules before each class and the time in class will be devoted to solving problems and discussing cases.

MGTECON 203. Managerial Economics - Accelerated. 3 Units.

MGTECON 203 is the more quantitative version of MGTECON 200. It uses basic math such as derivatives and algebra, as opposed to excel simulations and plots. Previous knowledge of economics is not necessary. The business world has become more quantitative and economics-oriented in the last 30 years, but many of the key ideas in economics, relating to topics such as pricing, monopoly, imperfect competition, game theory, moral hazard and adverse selection, public choice, externalities, risk aversion, capital market pricing and equilibrium, and auction theory can all be usefully approached with a relatively small amount of math. The goal is to develop a small number of intellectual tools that enables one to analyze a wide variety of economic problems.

MGTECON 209. MSx: Microeconomics. 3 Units.

This course is an introduction to Microeconomics, focusing on concepts and topics relevant to managerial decision making. Topics include the economics of relationships (reciprocity, reputation, credibility, and transaction-cost economics), maximization via marginal analysis, price discrimination, double-marginalization and distribution channels, perfect competition and the case (such as it is) for competitive markets, externalities, choice under uncertainty, risk sharing and spreading, adverse selection and signaling, and moral hazard and incentives. No prior Economics background is required but students who have not had courses in this area (or not had one in a very long time) may want to "review" at the level of a high-school advanced placement course. Required math background includes ability to solve linear and quadratic equations in one unknown, to solve two simultaneous linear equations, basic differential calculus, ability to work with Excel spreadsheets. It is desirable that students are familiar with the Solver add-on to Excel.

MGTECON 300. Growth and Stabilization in the Global Economy. 3 Units.

This course gives students the background they need to understand the broad movements in the global economy. Key topics include long-run economic growth, technological change, wage inequality, international trade, interest rates, inflation, exchange rates, and monetary policy. By the end of the course, students should be able to read and understand the discussions of economic issues in The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, or the Congressional Budget Office.

MGTECON 327. U.S. Inequality: What Can Business and Policy Do?. 3 Units.

This class will analyze the growth in inequality in the US over the last several decades and how that trend is likely to continue or change in the future. We will ask if and how public policy can affect inequality. We will also focus on business's role -- what are the responsibilities of private sector companies, how does inequality affect them, and how should the growth in inequality affect their strategies? We will look at inequality in income, some of its potential sources, and its effects in other areas. Specifically, we will look at education, housing, the social safety net, migration, and the job market. The class will be very interactive and will be based on readings drawn from academic research, case studies, news, and opinion readings. We will also have guest speakers from industry, government, and non-profits. The class will be co-taught by a GSB labor economist and an advisor to policy makers with decades of business experience.LOGISTICAL NOTE: During the week of May 13, the class will not meet during the regular time slots. Instead, there will be a mandatory, all-day class field trip to explore inequality issues in depth and in person on Wednesday, May 15. If you have an academic-related reason you cannot make the trip, we will assign alternative work. However, the trip is required unless you have a conflicting class or academic obligation.

MGTECON 328. Economics of the Media, Entertainment, and Communications Sector. 3 Units.

This course analyzes business decisions in current and historical cases from the media, entertainment, and communications sector. Topics include (1) pricing, bundling and tiering of media products, (2) horizontal and vertical integration of content, distribution, and hardware, (3) selling and buying advertising, (4) choosing between subscription-funded, advertising-funded, or mixed revenue models, (5) negotiations between content and distribution, (6) exclusive deals, (7) the effect of technology on the news media business, (8) the labor market for entertainment stars, (9) competition and regulation in communications infrastructure, (10) strategy in spectrum auctions, and more. There is an emphasis on combining concepts from economics and statistics with institutional knowledge about the sector. The course format is case discussion, guest speakers from the industry, and discussion of concepts from economics and statistics. Evaluation is based on class participation, completion of reading and written assignments, and a final paper.

MGTECON 331. Health Law: Finance and Insurance. 3 Units.

This course provides the legal, institutional, and economic background necessary to understand the financing and production of health services in the US. Potential topics include: health reform, health insurance (Medicare and Medicaid, employer-sponsored insurance, the uninsured), medical malpractice and quality regulation, pharmaceuticals, the corporate practice of medicine, regulation of fraud and abuse, and international comparisons.

MGTECON 343. The Evolution of Finance. 3 Units.

This course provides a framework to understand how uncertainty and technology affect the evolution of finance (and businesses generally), with heavy emphasis on recent developments and future trends. In recent years Myron Scholes has given about half the lectures with the other half given by prominent guests. The guest list changes year to year but 2017's list included David Booth, Katie Hall, Howard Marks, James Manyika, George Osborne, Kevin Warsh, Tom Kempner, and Larry Summers. Jeremy Bulow may replace Myron for a small number of lectures.

MGTECON 349. Smart Pricing and Market Design. 3 Units.

This course is an Advanced Applications option in the Economics menu. The focus of the course is on pricing mechanisms and the design of marketplaces. The pricing component of the course will handle both traditional topics, such as price differentiation, and more modern ones, such as bundling and dynamic pricing. In the market design component of the course, we will consider such topics as auctions (e.g., designing auctions for selling online advertising slots) and matching (e.g., designing mechanisms for matching students to schools).

MGTECON 381. Contemporary Economic Policy. 3 Units.

Economic issues permeate all that happens in government. This topics-based course will exam a variety of historic and current issues on the political agenda where economics is central to decision making. It is taught by faculty who served at the White House in either the Clinton or George W. Bush Administration.

MGTECON 383. Measuring Impact in Business and Social Enterprise. 3 Units.

This class provides students with practical skills for measuring impact in business and social enterprise. How large is the impact of raising prices on sales? Is an advertising campaign working? Does a non-profit actually improve people's lives? Students will finish the course with the ability to design, analyze, and skeptically evaluate experiments that can rigorously answer questions like these. Students will learn: how to evaluate claims of causality; how to conduct and analyze experiments and quasi-experiments; the advantages and disadvantages of experiments; how to quantify uncertainty; and what can go wrong in experiments. Students will acquire a conceptual understanding of basic experimental statistics to inform these skills. Students will also be exposed to how leading companies, researchers, and social innovators strategically deploy experiments. Finally, students will conduct their own experiments on a topic of their choosing in small groups. The class will not assume any prior experience or training with statistics, math or R. However, completing short problem sets and participation in weekly lab sessions will entail acquiring basic knowledge of R.

MGTECON 513. Platform Competition in Digital Markets. 2 Units.

This class will analyze the economics of digital platform markets. The class format will consist of lectures and guest speakers. Concepts will be presented in the context of leading examples of internet and technology platforms such as online advertising, computing technology platforms (e.g. mobile), marketplaces, social networks, cloud computing, and financial technology platforms. The course will begin with economic definitions of platform markets, and it will review the most important insights from recent research in economic theory and strategy. It will then consider the role of scale economies and network effects in determining the dynamics of platform competition and long-run industry structure. Next, the class will consider key strategic decisions for firms, including entry strategies, vertical integration and exclusive deals.

MGTECON 515. Cryptocurrency. 2 Units.

This class will provide an overview of the rapidly evolving area of distributed ledger and blockchain technologies, with a focus on economic and strategic issues. We will cover key components of the architecture that affect the products derived from cryptocurrency. We then consider tokens as a store of value and exchange, analyzing models of cryptocurrency pricing and as a vehicle for raising of capital. Next, we consider use cases including payments, micropayments, asset registries, and smart contracts. We then analyze barriers to entry in cryptocurrencies, as well as how the new products they enable affect industry structure in both the financial sector and the economy and society as a whole. For example, how might decentralized systems like the blockchain impact the sharing economy? The government? We consider the governance of these decentralized systems and how decentralization affects the potential for the management and success of platforms. We discuss the potential for national digital currencies and the end of cash. Finally, we consider consumer protection, privacy, security, regulation, and the power of governments and regulators over borderless, decentralized systems. Students will benefit from guest lectures by industry and thought leaders.

MGTECON 526. Inclusive Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Developing Countries. 2 Units.

Poverty rates have fallen markedly in countries around the world, as more households have joined the lower middle-class. Indeed, though U.S. income inequality has increased, inequality has fallen around the world. However, by developed country standards, poverty remains pervasive. What has caused the decline in rates of poverty and can we expect further decreases or can we act to accelerate the improvements? One answer is that countries that have experienced "inclusive growth", in which the growth of the economy (i.e., GDP) has elevated the incomes of the poor, have done better at creating jobs for the poor, especially in the private sector. Therefore, the class will consider the evidence on the factors that have contributed to inclusive economic growth in developing countries. A second answer as to why poverty has fallen, but remains at high levels, is that governments and aid agencies and foundations have targeted programs to the poor. This course discusses macroeconomic policy, targeted government policies, aid, and entrepreneurship in developing countries. Examples will be given from Latin America, South Asia, and Africa. The course is co-taught by a Stanford economist and a World Bank consultant and will build on examples from recent experiences. The class is aimed at GSB students who are either intellectually curious about the topic or anticipate doing business in developing countries.

MGTECON 527. Business and Public Policy Perspectives on U.S. Inequality. 2 Units.

This class will analyze the growth in inequality in the US over the last several decades and how that trend is likely to continue or change in the future. We will ask if and how public policy can affect inequality. We will also focus on business's role -- what are the responsibilities of private sector companies, how does inequality affect them, and how should the growth in inequality affect their strategies? We will look at inequality in income, some of its potential sources, and its effects in other areas. Specifically, we will look at education, housing, the social safety net, migration, and the job market. The class will be very interactive and will be based on readings drawn from academic research, case studies, news, and opinion readings. We will also have guest speakers from industry, government, and non-profits. The class will be co-taught by a GSB labor economist and an advisor to policy makers with decades of business experience (see http://www.ppic.org/main/bio2.asp?i=431).

MGTECON 533. Economics of Strategy and Organization. 2 Units.

The goal of this class is to combine economic theory and business practice to develop insights for business strategy and organization design. We will discuss strategies and organizations of companies, identify potential problems and explore potential solutions. Some of the topics to be covered will be why many established companies find it hard to innovate (and what strategies can mitigate those problems), business-model innovation, and what economic and practical problems arise when companies need to stop projects. The course will be based on a mixture of formal and informal cases.

MGTECON 535. Statistical Experimentation in Businesses. 2 Units.

Most statistical questions involving data ultimately are about causal effects. What is the effect of changing prices on demand? What is the effect of an advertising campaign on demand. In this course we discuss statistical methods for analyzing causal effects. We look at the analysis and design of randomized experiments. We also look at various methods that have been used to establish causal effects in observational studies. Students will develop the skills to assess causal claims and learn to ask the right questions and evaluate statistical analyses. You will carry out research projects and work with statistical software.

MGTECON 536. Data Driven Decision Making. 2 Units.

This is a short course on data driven decision making. The purpose of the course is to help students become intelligent consumers and producers of data analytics in the business context. Each class meeting will consider a different case/caselet involving data and statistical analyses. We will spend a lot of time on understanding the difference between correlation and causation, and measurement issues such as small sample problems and selection bias. By the end of the course students will have sharpened analytical skills, and will be more critical of data and statistical analyses. This is *not* a data/statistical methods course, but is rather an analysis course. The course requires only the tools learned in D&D.

MGTECON 541. Topics in International Macroeconomics and Finance. 2 Units.

This course gives students a background to understand fundamental issues in international macroeconomics and finance. Key topics include international asset pricing, hedging exchange rate risk, the relation between interest rates and exchange rates, business cycle fluctuations in emerging markets as well as in developed countries, banking and currency crises. By the end of the course, students should be able to read and understand the discussions of these topics in a publication such as The Economist. Each week we will have one lecture on fundamental concepts and one that applies these to recent events.

MGTECON 583. Measuring Impact in Business and Social Enterprise. 2 Units.

Businesses are increasingly expected to have a positive social impact, as evidenced by the rapid growth of impact investing. Yet, even as the impact investing market has taken off, impact measurement has lagged, undermining the credibility of the sector. Impact measurement is also critical to individual firms, not-for-profits and governments, as they face increased pressure to generate quantifiable results.How can we measure impact? What are some of the most effective frameworks, tools and approaches for impact measurement? How does one choose the most appropriate measurement tool based on factors such as the size, maturity and sector of an organization? Can impact be distilled down to a single monetary measure, such as a dollar? These and other questions will be explored in considerable depth, primarily through analysis and discussion of case studies.This course is a good match for students interested in impact measurement, impact investing, profit-with-purpose businesses or the role of business in society. The course will be taught by Matt Bannick, who led the impact investing firm, Omidyar Network, and served as the President of PayPal and of eBay International.

MGTECON 591. Global Management Research. 2 Units.

This course will overview a rapidly growing body of research into management practices. A large management practice project involving Accenture, Cambridge, Harvard, MIT, the London School of Economics, McKinsey, Stanford and the World Bank has been collecting data on management across firms and countries since the early 2000s (see www.worldmanagementsurvey.com). This project evaluated about 20,000 organizations in manufacturing, retail, healthcare and education across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia, providing global insight into the basic management practices around monitoring, targets and talent management that firms adopt around the world. We will examine the link between management and performance, and the reasons for differences in management across firms, industries and countries. This will be supplemented with the results from more recent research with national statistical offices (see www.managementresearch.com) plus work with Accenture and the World Bank in India on change management interventions in a developing country context. The course will focus on making students familiar with: (A) modern management research and (B) a management evaluation scoring too for the rapid evaluation of large groups of firms. This would be well suited for students potentially interested in doing further research after the MBA, those that want a more academic course, and people interested in tools for evaluating management practices in large samples of companies.

MGTECON 600. Microeconomic Analysis I. 3 Units.

This course provides an introduction to the foundations of modern microeconomic theory. Topics include choice theory, with and without uncertainty, consumer and producer theory, dynamic choice and dynamic programming, social choice and efficiency, and fundamentals of general equilibrium.

MGTECON 601. Microeconomic Analysis II. 3 Units.

This course studies the roles of information, incentives and strategic behavior in markets. The rudiments of game theory are developed and applied to selected topics regarding auctions, bargaining, and firms' competitive strategies; information economics; and contracting and market design.

MGTECON 602. Auctions, Bargaining, and Pricing. 4 Units.

This course covers mostly auction theory, bargaining theory and related parts of the literature on pricing. Key classic papers covered in the course are Myerson and Satterthwaite on dynamic bargaining, Myerson on optimal auctions, and Milgrom and Weber's classic work, the Coase Conjecture results. We also cover a few more recent developments related to these topics, including dynamic signaling and screening. In some years we also cover topics in matching theory.

MGTECON 603. Econometric Methods I. 4 Units.

This is the first course in the sequence in graduate econometrics. The course covers some of the probabilistic and statistical underpinnings of econometrics, and explores the large-sample properties of maximum likelihood estimators. You are assumed to have introductory probability and statistics and matrix theory, and to have exposure to basic real analysis. Topics covered in the course include random variables, distribution functions, functions of random variables, expectations, conditional probabilities and Bayes' law, convergence and limit laws, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, maximum likelihood estimation, and decision theory.

MGTECON 604. Econometric Methods II. 4 Units.

This course presents a comprehensive treatment of econometric methods used in economics, finance, marketing, and other management disciplines. Among the topics covered are: the classical linear regression analysis, linear simultaneous equations systems and instrumental variables techniques, panel data models, generalized method of moments, selection models, and limited dependent variable models. This course uses Matlab or similar computational software, but previous experience with such software is not a prerequisite. This course assumes working knowledge of undergraduate econometrics, basic linear algebra, basic probability theory, and statistics that are covered in MGTECON 603. Those who did not take MGTECON 603 or similar should see the instructor.

MGTECON 605. Econometric Methods III. 3 Units.

This course completes the first-year sequence in econometrics. It develops nonparametric, semiparametric and nonlinear parametric models in detail, as well as optimization methods used to estimate nonlinear models. The instructor will discuss identification issues, the statistical properties of these estimators, and how they are used in practice. Depending on student and instructor interest, we will consider advanced topics and applications, including: machine learning, simulation methods and Bayesian estimators.

MGTECON 608. Multiperson Decision Theory. 3 Units.

Students and faculty review and present recent research papers on basic theories and economic applications of decision theory, game theory and mechanism design. Applications include market design and analyses of incentives and strategic behavior in markets, and selected topics such as auctions, bargaining, contracting, signaling, and computation.

MGTECON 610. Macroeconomics. 3 Units.

This course covers various topics in macroeconomics and is designed to expose students to macroeconomic methods, classic papers in the field, and the latest research at the frontier. The current focus is on economic growth. Using theoretical and empirical tools, we consider questions like: How do we understand long-run growth in per capita income? Why are some countries so much richer than others? Other topics include misallocation as a source of TFP differences, the direction of technical change, growth and the environment, the rise in health spending, patenting, and international trade.This course satisfies the GSB PhD macro requirement.

MGTECON 612. Advanced Macroeconomics II. 4 Units.

This is an advanced class on monetary economics. We cover empirical evidence, neoclassical models, recent advances in New Keynesian models, monetary policy with heterogeneous agents and financial frictions, alternative models of price setting and other topics. Students enrolled in MGTECON612 take the class for 4 units. Students develop a research proposal and present it to the instructors as the final exam. Prerequisite: Satisfaction of the economics department's core macro requirement or consent of the instructors.

MGTECON 613. Foundations of Game Theory. 3 Units.

This course studies topics in non-cooperative game theory with an emphasis on foundations of game theory. Sample topics include: Modeling incomplete information (e.g. Mertens & Zamir and type spaces), Learning (e.g. Blackwell's approachability and separation theorems), Reasoning and solutions (e.g. Aumann, Aumann and Brandenburger epistemic conditions for solution concepts) and more. Prerequisite: An elementary course in game theory or a course with extensive economic applications of game theory.

MGTECON 615. Theory and Practice of Auction Market Design. 4 Units.

This class will focus on several topics in auction market design and related areas. It is an advanced course, intended as a sequel to the more basic market/mechanism/auction design courses offered at the Economics department and the GSB. Students are expected to be familiar with the material in those courses. We will briefly review some basics of auction theory, but the main goal of the class is to bring students closer to doing independent research and introduce them to recent contributions and currently active research areas. Specific topics may include: multi-item and combinatorial auctions; robust auction design; applied auction design with practical applications; Internet advertising; radio spectrum auctions; securities markets; commodities; complex procurements.

MGTECON 616. Topics in Microeconomic Theory. 3 Units.

This course covers foundational topics in microeconomic theory and is suitable for students who have completed the first year of their PhD studies and have taken a game theory or an advanced applied theory course. Sample topics include the notions of interactive knowledge and beliefs of economic agents, epistemics of solution concepts, strategies in continuous time and (adversarial) prediction testing. The course combines lectures with workshop sessions where students confront related research-type problems. Students are asked to present their original solutions to the class and are expected to participate in class discussions.

MGTECON 617. Financial Economics II. 3-5 Units.

This Ph.D. course will cover research topics at the boundary between macroeconomics and finance. Topics will include the study of macroeconomic models with financial frictions, the term structure of interest rates, conventional and unconventional monetary policy, sovereign debt crises, search frictions and segmentation in housing markets, (over)leveraging by households, heterogeneous expectations, excess volatility, financial bubbles and crises. Student presentations and course paper requirement. Designed for second year PhD students in economics or finance.
Same as: ECON 237

MGTECON 618. Social Insurance and Urban Economics. 3 Units.

The course covers various topics relating to social insurance and urban economics. The first half of the course covers the rationale for government interventions into private insurance markets, adverse selection, social insurance design and the intersection between social insurance and intra-family insurance. The second half of the course covers topics in urban economics, such as spatial equilibrium, placed-based policies, and housing policy.

MGTECON 624. Dynamic Political Economy Theory. 4 Units.

This course is intended to be an introduction to dynamic political economy theory. We will cover research at the frontier of this field and some useful tools. Tools will be primarily dynamic game theory - including Markov models and models of reputation. Topics covered will include dynamic legislative bargaining, dynamic coalition formation, endogenous institutions, endogenous policy formation, and policy experimentation.

MGTECON 626. Continuous-time Methods in Economics and Finance. 3 Units.

Continuous-time methods can, in many cases, lead to more powerful models to understand economic phenomena. The Black-Scholes option-pricing formula is significantly more tractable than discrete- time methods of option pricing based on binomial trees. There is an established tradition in continuous-time asset pricing, and there is increasing use of these methods in other fields, such as game theory, contract theory, market microstructure and macroeconomics.The goal of this class is to explore some of the old classic research as well as new economic models, and to discover areas of economics where continuous-time methods can help. The intention is to give graduate students a tool, which they can use to gain comparative advantage in their research, when they see appropriate.With this goal in mind, 25% of the class will focus on mathematics, but with economically relevant examples to illustrate the mathematical results. Up to one half of the class will cover established models, and the rest will focus on new papers. If students have their own work that uses continuous time, we can take a look at that as well.Coursework will include biweekly problem sets and a take-home final exam. There will also be room for short student presentations (related to homework assignments, economic papers, or definitions and results related to specific math concepts).

MGTECON 627. Empirical Applications of Dynamic Oligopoly Models in I.O.. 2 Units.

This course will provide an overview of recent advances in, and applications of, dynamic oligopoly models in I.O. We will start by introducing a simple framework for dynamic oligopoly in the context of a dynamic investment model. We will move on to other applications and extensions of the framework, including dynamic entry models and dynamic mergers, with a discussion of antitrust issues. We will cover an empirical model of dynamic network adoption and participation. We will learn alternative econometric approaches to the identification and estimation of dynamic oligopoly models, including a discussion of serially correlated unobserved shocks. Finally, we will discuss methods for computing counterfactuals and welfare, and then speculate about some unresolved issues and the potential for future work in this area.

MGTECON 628. Reading Group in Industrial Organization. 1 Unit.

This course meets weekly on Tuesdays at Noon. The primary purpose of the course is to read and discuss current working papers in Industrial Organization and related fields (e.g., Econometrics, Marketing, and Labor). Students are required to present papers a couple of times per quarter and both students and faculty may also present their own working papers.

MGTECON 629. Faculty Research Workshop. 3 Units.

Each week, a different economics faculty member will discuss his or her important and /or current research. The course is an important introduction to PhD level research topics and techniques. Attendance is mandatory.

MGTECON 630. Industrial Organization. 4 Units.

This is an introductory course in Industrial Organization. The goal is to provide broad general training in the field, introducing you to the central questions around imperfect competition, market structure, innovation and regulation, as well as the models and empirical methods commonly used to tackle these questions.

MGTECON 632. Topics in Continuous Time Dynamics. 3 Units.

This seminar-style course studies a selection of micro-economic models in dynamic settings, and explores the use of continuous-time methods to solve them. Topics to be covered include experimentation games, social learning, principal-agent problems, career concerns/market-agent models, security design and strategic trading. For every topic discussed, the class introduces gradually the set of relevant mathematical tools: dynamic programming and Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations, Pontryagin's maximum principle, Euler-Lagrange equations, Brownian and Poisson processes, Bayesian inference and linear filtering, change of measure, martingale representation, Malliavin derivatives, stochastic maximum principle, expansions of filtrations. The course emphasizes high-level intuition rather than mathematical rigor. It is targeted at those who seek to become familiar with the literature on continuous-time dynamics and want to understand the functioning of these models, either by general interest or to apply these techniques.

MGTECON 634. Machine Learning and Causal Inference. 3 Units.

This course will cover statistical methods based on the machine learning literature that can be used for causal inference. In economics and the social sciences more broadly, empirical analyses typically estimate the effects of counterfactual policies, such as the effect of implementing a government policy, changing a price, showing advertisements, or introducing new products. This course will review when and how machine learning methods can be used for causal inference, and it will also review recent modifications and extensions to standard methods to adapt them to causal inference and provide statistical theory for hypothesis testing. We consider causal inference methods based on randomized experiments as well as observational studies, including methods such as instrumental variables and those based on longitudinal data. We consider the estimation of average treatment effects as well as personalized policies. Lectures will focus on theoretical developments, while classwork will consist primarily of empirical applications of the methods. Prerequisites: Prior coursework in empirical methods for causal inference in observational studies, including instrumental variables, fixed effects modeling, regression discontinuity designs, etc. Students should be comfortable reading and engaging with empirical research in economics or related fields.

MGTECON 640. Quantitative Methods for Empirical Research. 3 Units.

This is an advanced course on quantitative methods for empirical research. Students are expected to have taken a course in linear models before. In this course I will discuss modern econometric methods for nonlinear models, including maximum likelihood and generalized method of moments. The emphasis will be on how these methods are used in sophisticated empirical work in social sciences. Special topics include discrete choice models and methods for estimating treatment effects.

MGTECON 652. Personnel Economics. 3 Units.

This seminar will examine applications of labor economics to business issues and firms' practices. Material will include both theoretical and empirical work, and the syllabus will range from classics in Personnel Economics to current (unpublished) research. Some of the topics to be covered include, but are not limited to, compensation practices, assignment of decision rights, organizational structure, attracting, retaining, and displacing employees, and workplace practices (such as team-based organization, profit sharing, etc.).

MGTECON 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

MGTECON 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

MGTECON 698. Doctoral Practicum in Teaching. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Teaching.

MGTECON 699. Doctoral Practicum in Research. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Research.

MGTECON 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

FINANCE 121. Undergraduate Finance Research and Discussion Seminar. 1 Unit.

This seminar is designed to provide some experience with research methods and topics in finance, and to assist undergraduates with career interests in financial research, whether academic or not, with preparation for those careers. The seminar meetings are weekly and discussion based, covering a range of issues and methods in financial economics. Students are expected to prepare a 30-minute research presentation once during the quarter. To be considered for enrollment in this course, students need to complete an application, found here: https://forms.gle/aLB279vF3DJUJSgAA.

FINANCE 201. Finance. 3 Units.

This course covers the foundations of finance with an emphasis on applications that are vital for corporate managers. We will discuss many of the major financial decisions made by corporate managers, both within the firm and in their interactions with investors. Essential in most of these decisions is the process of valuation, which will be an important emphasis of the course. Topics include criteria for making investment decisions, valuation of financial assets and liabilities, relationships between risk and return, capital structure choice, payout policy, the use and valuation of derivative securities, and risk management. This course is targeted to those students who are new to finance and for those with little quantitative background.

FINANCE 204. Finance - Accelerated. 3 Units.

This course covers the foundations of finance with an emphasis on applications that are vital for corporate managers. We will discuss many of the major financial decisions made by corporate managers, both within the firm and in their interactions with investors. Essential in most of these decisions is the process of valuation, which will be an important emphasis of the course. Topics include criteria for making investment decisions, valuation of financial assets and liabilities, relationships between risk and return, capital structure choice, the use and valuation of derivative securities (e.g., options and convertible securities), and risk management.No previous background in finance is required or expected, but in comparison with FINANCE 201, less time will be spent in class on the steps involved in solving basic problems. Therefore, students choosing this course should be relatively comfortable with basic mathematical operations (e.g., expressions involving multiplication of multiple terms, summation of multiple terms, etc.), though familiarity with the underlying finance concepts is not expected. A good diagnostic is to skim Section 4.2 "Rules for Time Travel" (pp. 98-104) in the course textbook, Corporate Finance by Berk and DeMarzo. If you are comfortable with the level of basic mathematics involved (even if the concepts are new), 204 is a good choice. If not, you should consider FINANCE 201.

FINANCE 205. Accelerated Managerial Finance. 3 Units.

This course covers the foundations of finance with an emphasis on applications that are vital for corporate managers. We will discuss many of the major financial decisions made by corporate managers, both within the firm and in their interactions with investors. Essential in most of these decisions is the process of valuation, which will be an important emphasis of the course. Topics include criteria for making investment decisions, valuation of financial assets and liabilities, relationships between risk and return, capital structure choice, payout policy, the use and valuation of derivative securities, and risk management. This course is targeted to those students who are new to finance and for those with little quantitative background.No previous background in finance is required or expected for this course. Content will be comparable to F201, but the majority of course lecture material will be delivered online, with in-class sessions devoted to applications of key concepts. This "flipped classroom" version of the course is intended for self-motivated students with an interest in applications. Prerequisite material for the course will be posted online in the fall.

FINANCE 207. Corporations, Finance, and Governance in the Global Economy. 3 Units.

As entrepreneurs, global leaders, and change agents tasked with developing transformative solutions of tomorrow, you will need certain skills and tools to interact with and navigate the complex and ever-changing financial landscape. This course focuses on the development of these skills and tools through the analysis of concise real-world financial situations around the globe. Topics include valuation of cash flows and control; the capital structure, payout policy and governance of both mature and entrepreneurial firms; restructuring and managing financial distress; the use of public markets to obtain liquidity and multiple share classes to retain control; financing and governance in venture capital and private equity; the rise of activism; and social responsibility and debates about the objectives of the firms of the present and future. This course is taught jointly by Professors Rauh and Seru.

FINANCE 211. Corporate Finance: Applications, Techniques, and Models. 3 Units.

This course will develop and apply the basic tools and models of corporate finance to real-world corporate decisions. This course is designed to be the second course in the standard finance sequence; that is, it is designed to be the natural follow-up to the Winter Managerial Finance course. This course will develop and extend standard tools and techniques of financial analysis, valuation, and model-building, and apply these methods to a wide range of cases. Case topics will include mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate governance, capital structure, agency conflicts, and corporate restructuring. For all of these applications, this course will emphasize the central importance of financial analysis, valuation, and modeling to guiding optimal decision making.

FINANCE 214. Accelerated Corporate Finance: Applications, Techniques, and Models. 3 Units.

This course will develop and apply the basic tools and models of corporate finance to real-world corporate decisions. This course is designed to be the second course in the standard finance sequence; that is, it is designed to be the natural follow-up to the Winter Managerial Finance course. This course will develop and extend standard tools and techniques of financial analysis, valuation, and model-building, and apply these methods to a wide range of cases. Case topics will include mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate governance, capital structure, agency conflicts, and corporate restructuring. For all of these applications, this course will emphasize the central importance of financial analysis, valuation, and modeling to guiding optimal decision making.

FINANCE 229. MSx: Finance. 3 Units.

This course covers the foundations of finance with an emphasis on applications that are vital for corporate managers. We will consider many important financial decisions made by corporate managers, both within the firm and in their interactions with investors. Essential to most of these decisions are financial valuations, which will be an important emphasis of the course. Topics include criteria for making investment decisions, valuation of financial assets and liabilities, relationships between risk and return, and capital structure choice.

FINANCE 305. Capital Markets and Institutional Investing. 3 Units.

This course teaches recent advances in asset allocation and management. We emphasize the practical implementation of asset allocation and management tools in allocating assets, selecting asset managers and managing risk. The course focuses on alternative asset classes. Students apply these tools to real-time data in the computer lab. Topics covered include Asset Allocation; Delegated Asset Management and Manager Selection applied to Mutual Funds, Hedge Funds and Private Equity Funds; Multi-factor models and Factor Investing. The class will be co-taught by Ana Marshall, the CIO of the Hewlett Foundation, and Hanno Lustig, who is on the Allocation Advisory Board of the NBIM.

FINANCE 306. International Finance and Macroeconomics. 3 Units.

An introduction to the global economy. We will cover a number of important topics for firms, banks, and policy makers: global capital flows, international financial markets, the role of the U.S. and US dollar in the international monetary system, reserve currencies history and future (stable coins?), exchange rates (floating, fixed, and monetary unions), financial crises, international financial policy (capital controls, bank regulation, FX intervention), currency wars, tax havens and global wealth dynamics, global trade, and trade wars. Emphasis will be on data driven approaches, no prior knowledge is assumed. An MBA class designed for those looking to understand today's global economic issues.

FINANCE 315. Innovating for Financial Inclusion. 3 Units.

This MBA elective explores innovative ways that start-ups are expanding the financial capacities of households and small businesses. What are the financial frictions that household/business facing impactful FinTech startups are addressing? What economic and behavioral forces are governing the successes of these startups? How is the choice of funding/business model impacting growth/scaling strategies? How is the competitive landscape evolving for traditional banks, established tech platforms, and FinTech startups? While the center of attention will be on disruption of financial services within the US legal and regulatory environments, we will frequently highlight recent innovations in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

FINANCE 319. Private Equity Investing Seminar. 3 Units.

The Investments courses comprise an intensive overview of active fundamental investing in both the public and private equity markets. They are relevant for students who intend to pursue careers in private or public equity investing, as well as those who want to better understand investing from the perspective of an entrepreneur or individual. The vast majority of sessions will feature an outstanding investor guest lecturer. Previous guests included Andreas Halvorsen (Viking Global), Jim Coulter (TPG), Hadley Mullen (TSG Consumer Partners), Ryan Cotton (Bain Capital), Bill Oberndorf (SPO Partners) and Tim Bliss (Investment Group of Santa Barbara), and this year's lineup will be substantially similar. Established and taught for 50 years by the legendary Professor Jack McDonald, the Investments courses will be taught by John Hurley, founder of Cavalry Asset Management and Professor Steve Grenadier in Autumn 2019. Students are required to take F319 and F321 concurrently for 5 total units during the Autumn Quarter. F321 is a 2-unit compressed course that meets MWF from 2:30-5:30pm during Weeks 1 and 8 of the quarter. It addresses real-world applications of business analysis and valuation tools and teaches the skills necessary to evaluate investment opportunities. F319 is a 3-unit course that meets Tu/Th 12:40-2:00 PM throughout the quarter. Students delve into specific topics in private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, mutual funds and principal investing. Students can elect to take F319 graded or pass/fail. The Investments courses will make use of original case studies and teaching notes authored by the late Professor Jack McDonald and a team of course alumni from prior MBA classes. Case discussions and lecture discussions will be led by the teaching team and investors/principals who were involved. The Investments courses enable MBA students to learn a broad investing skillset and study the careers of outstanding investors.

FINANCE 320. Debt Markets. 3 Units.

This course is intended for those who plan careers that may involve debt financing for their businesses or other investments, or involve trading or investing in debt instruments and their derivatives, including money-market instruments, government bonds, repurchase agreements, interest-rate swaps, corporate bonds, structured credit products, and credit derivatives. We will emphasize the institutional features of the markets, including trading, pricing, and hedging. The course includes a focus on distressed debt and restructuring. Most lectures will start with a cold-called student presentation of an un-graded short homework calculation. There will also be a series of graded homework, a take-home mid-term, and about seven graded 'pop quizzes' of 10 minutes or less.

FINANCE 321. Investment Management and Entrepreneurial Finance. 2 Units.

The Investments courses comprise an intensive overview of active fundamental investing in both the public and private equity markets. They are relevant for students who intend to pursue careers in private or public equity investing, as well as those who want to better understand investing from the perspective of an entrepreneur or individual. The vast majority of sessions will feature an outstanding investor guest lecturer. Previous guests included Andreas Halvorsen (Viking Global), Jim Coulter (TPG), Hadley Mullen (TSG Consumer Partners), Ryan Cotton (Bain Capital), Bill Oberndorf (SPO Partners) and Tim Bliss (Investment Group of Santa Barbara), and this year's lineup will be substantially similar. Established and taught for 50 years by the legendary Professor Jack McDonald, the Investments courses will be taught by John Hurley, founder of Cavalry Asset Management and Professor Steve Grenadier in Autumn 2019. Students are required to take F319 and F321 concurrently for 5 total units during the Autumn Quarter. F321 is a 2-unit compressed course that meets MWF from 2:30-5:30pm during Weeks 1 and 8 of the quarter. It addresses real-world applications of business analysis and valuation tools and teaches the skills necessary to evaluate investment opportunities. F319 is a 3-unit course that meets Tu/Th 12:40-2:00 PM throughout the quarter. Students delve into specific topics in private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, mutual funds and principal investing. Students can elect to take F319 graded or pass/fail. The Investments courses will make use of original case studies and teaching notes authored by the late Professor Jack McDonald and a team of course alumni from prior MBA classes. Case discussions and lecture discussions will be led by the teaching team and investors/principals who were involved. The Investments courses enable MBA students to learn a broad investing skillset and study the careers of outstanding investors.

FINANCE 326. Derivative Securities. 4 Units.

This course is an introduction to options, futures and other derivative securities. The goal is to learn a core set of principles that underlie the pricing and use of derivatives. In particular, we will cover the valuation and use, both for risk management and for speculation, of forwards, futures, swaps, and options; the Black-Scholes option-pricing formula; delta-hedging; credit derivatives; financial risk management; and the role of derivatives in the recent financial crisis.

FINANCE 327. Financial Markets. 4 Units.

The aim of this course is to develop a thorough understanding of financial markets. We explore how investors make decisions about risk and return, how financial markets price risky assets in equilibrium, and how financial markets can sometimes malfunction. The course puts particular emphasis on the role of real-world imperfections that are absent from the standard textbook view of financial markets. For example, we explore the role of illiquidity: Why are there liquid markets for some types of assets but not for others? Why does liquidity often disappear in times of market turmoil? We will also study recent insights from behavioral finance about investor psychology and market inefficiencies. Moreover, we will look at financial innovations such as credit-default swaps, securitization, and hedge funds that play important roles in financial markets these days. We use cases to develop these topics in the context of practical decision-problems in the areas of asset allocation, risk management, and financing.

FINANCE 329. Investment Seminar. 3 Units.

See FINANCE 321 course description.

FINANCE 331. Practical Corporate Finance. 4 Units.

(Note: this course was formerly known as FIN 230) The main aim of this course is to enable students to apply the fundamental ideas of finance to problems in the area of corporate finance with all the complexities the real world entails. The course is a follow-up to the Fall Managerial Finance course where students learnt basics of valuation tecyhniques and various finance applications. We will explore both how to make all this knowledge practical as well as how to deepen our knowledge of fundamental finance ideas. nnnThe main focus of this course is on the corporate financial manager and how he/she reaches decisions as to investments, dividends and financing of all sorts. Topics include leveraged buyouts, hostile takeovers, private equity financing and venture capital, financial distress and bankruptcy, mergers and acquisitions, managing working capital. The cases will be used to motivate our discussion of how to bridge the gap between rigorous finance theory and its application to practical problems in corporate finance.nnnThe course is case-based and more advanced than FINANCE 324. "Advanced" means that we will discuss a lot of subtle qualitative issues as well as explore deeper fundamental applications of core finance ideas. The course is intensive and will require students to prepare carefully all cases, read and understand a lot of materials, and actively participate in the class discussion. The main teaching method is cold calling.
Same as: Accelerated

FINANCE 332. Finance and Society. 3 Units.

This interdisciplinary course explores the economic, political, and behavioral forces that shape the financial system and, through this system, have a major impact on the economy and society. You will gain an in-depth understanding of how the complex interactions between individuals, corporations, governments, and the media can help markets work or, in turn, generate governance failures and inefficiencies. Visitors with varied experiences will enrich our discussions of key questions about the workings of capitalism in liberal democracies.

FINANCE 333. Financial Restructuring. 3 Units.

This course provides an intensive overview of financial restructuring transactions and processes from the perspective of distressed firms and their key stakeholders. It is intended for those who plan careers in general management, private equity, credit and special situations investing, banking, turnaround management, or financial advisory services. The course examines how companies may use in-court or out-of-court tools and processes to renegotiate their key contracts with creditors and other stakeholders when they encounter challenging business situations. Students will explore the financial, strategic, and legal implications of workouts, bankruptcies, asset/363 sales, and exchange offers, as applied in the context of financially distressed companies. Topics include valuation, absolute priority, creditor committees, intercreditor conflicts, debtor-in-possession (DIP) financings, 'blocking' strategies, avoidance powers, contingent claims, tax considerations, international insolvency, and distressed investment strategy. In exploring these topics, the course focuses on the key legal and contractual rights that creditors and other counterparties possess, and how they may use these rights to optimize their negotiated outcomes in a restructuring. Students will gain the tools to identify distress before it occurs, analyze distressed companies, and design restructuring plans which create enterprise value while navigating various considerations. They will also gain an understand of how to structure financial obligations upon origination in a way to lower the probability of financial distress. Finally, the course will examine the purpose of bankruptcy design and future policy implications. The course is lecture-focused in the beginning, but will become more interactive and case-focused later in the course as students acquire the skills they need to tackle key issues. Grading will be based upon class participation (50%), and a paper due at the end of the quarter (50%). For the paper, each student will select a distressed company currently in the market and design a restructuring plan for it.

FINANCE 335. Corporate Valuation, Governance and Behavior. 4 Units.

This course will develop a detailed knowledge of corporate valuation techniques, together with an understanding of the role such valuations play in a wide range of corporate financing decisions. First, the course will carefully consider different valuation techniques, the assumptions that underlie each of these methods, how they are applied in practice, how they are related to one another, and how to decide which method of valuation is appropriate for a given application. After developing these tools, they will then be applied to a wide range of corporate finance settings. Among the applications to be considered are mergers and acquisitions, international valuation, corporate governance, financial distress, agency conflicts, asymmetric information, and overvaluation. For all of these applications, this course will emphasize the central importance of valuation to understanding observed phenomena and to guiding optimal decision making, as well as the unique challenges to valuation posed by the particular application.

FINANCE 336. The Finance of Retirement and Pensions. 4 Units.

The financial economics of how retirement is financed, particularly in the US. Topics: basic finance concepts necessary for understanding individual retirement savings. Properties of financial instruments such as bonds and stocks. Optimization of individual retirement account or 401(k) portfolios. Defined benefit pensions. Measuring defined benefit pension liabilities. Impact of defined benefit pension liabilities on corporate, state, and local budgeting. The economics of national retirement policy including Social Security and government treatment of private retirement savings.

FINANCE 341. Modeling for Investment Management. 3 Units.

This course will combine practical and up-to-date investment theory with modeling applications. Understanding beautiful theory, without the ability to apply it, is essentially useless. Conversely, creating state-of-the-art spreadsheets that apply incorrect theory is a waste of time. Here, we try to explicitly combine theory and application. The course will be divided into 6 modules, or topics. The first day of each module will be a lecture on an investment topic. Also provided is a team modeling project on the topic. The second day of each module will be a lab. The lab day will begin with modeling concepts (tips) designed to help you use Excel to implement the module's investment topic. After the tips are provided, the remainder of the lab day is devoted to teams working on their modeling project and allowing for Q&A. On the third day of each module will be presentations and wrap-up.

FINANCE 345. History of Financial Crises. 3 Units.

Financial crises are as old as financial markets themselves. There are many similarities between historical events. The crisis of 2008, for example, is far from unique. More often than not financial crises are the result of bubbles in certain asset classes or can be linked to a specific form of financial innovation. This course gives an overview of the history of financial crises, asset price bubbles, banking collapses and debt crises. We start with the Tulip mania in 1636 and end with the recent Euro crisis. The purpose of the course is to understand the causes of past crises and to develop a conceptual framework that ties common elements together. We will discuss the lessons that we can draw for financial markets today.

FINANCE 346. Institutional Money Management. 3 Units.

The object of this course is to study the money management industry from the perspective of the user --- an investor who wants to invest money. This course will study the main components of the money management industry: mutual funds, hedge funds, private equity funds and venture capital funds. It will also examine important users of the industry such as non profits, endowments and defined benefit pension funds. The emphasis of the course will not be on how fund managers make money, but rather on how the industry is organized, how managerial skill is assessed, how compensation is determined, and how economic rents are divided between managers and investors. The course will explore how competitive market forces interact with managerial skill and other market frictions to give rise to the observed organization of the industry.

FINANCE 347. Money and Banking. 3 Units.

This course is designed to help students understand the connections between money (the Federal Reserve), financial markets, and the macroeconomy. How are interest rates determined, and how does the Federal Reserve conduct monetary policy? How do Federal Reserve actions impact the US as well as other economies? What economic factors drive the yield curves in different bond markets? We will pay particular attention to the banking system, with an eye toward understanding the function, valuation, and regulation of banks. We touch on a number of topics including the role of the Federal Reserve as a lender of last resort during financial crises, unconventional monetary policy tools such as quantitative easing and forward guidance, cryptocurrency, and emerging market financial crises. We will often begin class with a discussion of current macro-financial market events in the context of our course coverage.

FINANCE 350. Corporate Financial Modeling. 4 Units.

This course will expose students to the fundamentals, best practices, and advanced techniques of corporate financial modeling. We begin with basic operating and integrated financial statement models, and ultimately develop financial models to analyze major corporate transactions, including venture capital funding, mergers and acquisitions, and leverage buyouts. We will integrate theories presented throughout the MBA core, particularly those from accounting and finance, and take a hands-on approach to understand how the theory is implemented in practice.The focus of the course will be on developing critical financial modeling skills, understanding best practices, and recognizing common pitfalls. Students will work on a series of cases and build models that can be used for earnings and pro-forma financial statement forecasts, valuation, the assessment of financing needs, merger analysis, and LBO evaluation.Students will also gain experience presenting financial models and critically assessing them. By the conclusion of the course, students will develop the skills to construct complex financial models and the logical frameworks to utilize them for various organizational applications.

FINANCE 351. Advanced Corporate Financial Modeling. 4 Units.

Students will engage in the development of corporate financial modeling cases and solutions. Students will also develop materials to aid others in building financial models, and serve as case leaders during lab workshops. Extensive background in financial modeling and experience with Excel is required.

FINANCE 361. Behavioral Finance. 4 Units.

This course provides an introduction to behavioral finance, a discipline which integrates insights from psychology into the study of financial decisions and markets. There will be a focus on understanding the psychological underpinnings of financial decision-making as well as the institutional frictions that may allow these psychological mechanisms to influence economic outcomes. Applications include the pricing of assets relative to fundamental value, trading strategies, managerial behavior, and household savings and investment decisions. Conceptual issues will be emphasized through a mix of case discussions and lectures, and quantitative exercises will serve to develop analytical tools for making financial choices.

FINANCE 362. Financial Trading Strategies. 3 Units.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the different types of trading strategies employed by various money management institutions. These financial trading strategies are used to manage the risk and return profiles of specific portfolios. Throughout the sessions, students will be challenged to understand and explore the application and implementation of these different strategies. Trading simulations employed on the Rotman Interactive Trader and Rotman Portfolio Manager (using real market data and computer generated data) will be used extensively in this course as a way to learn and test different strategies. All classes will be held in the new Real-time Analytics and Investment Lab (RAIL), located on the third floor of the Bass Building (B312). Students are expected to attend all sessions. Grades are based on in-class simulation results, class participation, and two written assignments.

FINANCE 373. Entrepreneurial Finance. 3 Units.

This is a course about the financial decision-making process largely from the point of view of the CEO of an entrepreneurial venture, ranging from very early to very late stages. The course takes a two-pronged approach: First, we develop tools and concepts of corporate finance related to modeling, valuation, control, and investment decisions within an entrepreneurial context. Second, we use cases with firms at different stages of their life cycles from initial angel or venture capital investments through exit decisions, in order to see the issues that arise when these principles are applied in practice. In some cases we show the viewpoint of the entrepreneur and in others the perspective of the investor. After all, as an entrepreneur, one cannot negotiate effectively without understanding an investor's motivations. Conversely, an investor cannot evaluate a potential investment opportunity without appreciating the entrepreneur's perspective and incentives. Finally, we explore new developments in entrepreneurial finance such as crowdfunding and early liquidity provisions.

FINANCE 377. China's Financial System. 3 Units.

This course is a survey of China's financial system, including its banking industry, monetary policy structure, and financial markets (bonds, derivatives, equities, foreign exchange, alternative asset management, and related markets). The goal is an integrated view of how capital, risk, and liquidity are intermediated within China and cross-border. Current trends (including liberalization of markets and financial stability) will be emphasized. Coverage will be through lectures, reading of research, including primary source documents and secondary (journalistic and analyst) commentary. There will be a range of subject-matter-expert speakers. Using our special video-technology enabled classrooms at Stanford and at the Stanford Center at PKU, this course is able to draw live speakers in Beijing and to meet jointly with students at Beijing University. Students will participate actively in class discussion, make a 5-minute (per student in each group) research presentation, and submit a 10-page term paper.

FINANCE 381. Private Equity in Frontier Markets: Creating a New Investible Asset Class. 4 Units.

In 2001, Jim O'Neil of Goldman Sachs wrote a research note which underscored the importance of so-called Emerging Markets to a well-balanced investment portfolio. Still today, most investors have little or no investment exposure beyond North America, Europe, Japan and more recently India, China and Brazil. All of this is just beginning to change. The not yet fully formed investment category called frontier market private equity is emerging and within the next decade is likely to be an asset class of its own. Private equity investments are being made in southeast Asia, in MENA(Middle East/ North Africa), in sub-Saharan countries beyond South Africa and in Latin America. Even fund of funds are appearing across these markets. At the same time, investors face a world of diminished returns expectations in developed economies just as aging demographics and the need for continued growth, innovation and infrastructure renewal places increasing demands for payout. Suffice it to say, investors will be looking beyond traditional asset classes and geographies for sources of return. This new course is designed to expose you to the still emerging, not yet fully formed world of frontier market private equity. To set the context we will start by reviewing the fundamentals of economic growth and development globally. In addition we will discuss the fundamental concepts involved in constructing and evaluating the performance of a large scale investment portfolio. We will then review cases on the elements of the private equity cycle/process and specifically address the special demands of frontier markets in general. We will also focus on issues that are specific to various markets (e.g. Nigeria, Vietnam, etc.). Students taking the course will be given the opportunity to make important contributions to the knowledge base of this still very young field by working in small teams to research topics of personal and general interest, the results of which will be reported to the rest of the class. This course will not be offered next academic year, 2017-2018.

FINANCE 385. Angel and Venture Capital Financing for Entrepreneurs and Investors. 3 Units.

This course covers all the stages of funding for early stage high-growth companies, from seed funding to venture capital rounds to a successful exit. We will concentrate on how entrepreneurs and investors make and should make important decisions. Examples of issues that we will cover are: How can entrepreneurs raise funding successfully? What are typical mistakes entrepreneurs make in raising capital and negotiating with investors? How to choose your investor? How to pitch to an investor? How do angels and VCs generate and process their deal flow and select companies? How are VCs involved in business decisions such as recruiting talent and replacing CEOs? What are the important provisions of financial contracts between VCs and founders? How to value early-stage companies? The course is very applied and mostly case-based. We will discuss a lot of nitty-gritty details that is a must for founders and investors. Case protagonists, founders, angels, and VCs will be among guest speakers. No prior knowledge of the VC industry is needed.

FINANCE 548. The Political Economy of Banking Regulation in US and Europe. 1 Unit.

The 2007-09 financial crisis exposed the extreme fragility of the financial system and the harm financial crises can cause. Have regulatory reforms in the US and Europe been effective and, if not, how and why? Does it matter if some institutions are "too big to fail," and, if so, how and why? This course will discuss the economic and political forces that are shaping the financial system in US and Europe and evaluate recent and current events that will have important implications for the economy for many years. We will see how politics trumps economics in Washington, London and Brussels in different but broadly predictable ways.

FINANCE 555. Private Wealth Management and Personal Investing. 2 Units.

The Private Wealth Management and Personal Investing course will address issues that relate to the management of personal assets as opposed to institutional investing. Many investment courses at the GSB emphasize large institutional portfolios but this course is about portfolio decisions for individuals. It will cover the origins and growth of private wealth management as an industry, investment planning, risk management, inter-generational transfers of wealth, choice of wealth advisors and philanthropy. Special emphasis is on understanding how wealth managers may be evaluated, including potential conflicts of interest, and performance measurement. Classes will focus on case studies and various readings. Each class will include visits from professionals in the wealth management and personal investing business. Active class participation and a group project are required.

FINANCE 559. The World of Investing. 1 Unit.

This course is a speaker series, exposing students to the world of first-class investors and their philosophies. Each week will have a different visitor describing their investment strategy and experience. Attendance at all sessions is a requirement to pass the course.

FINANCE 562. Financial Trading Strategies. 2 Units.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the different types of trading strategies employed by various money management institutions. These financial trading strategies are used to manage the risk and return profiles of specific portfolios. Throughout the sessions, students will be challenged to understand and explore the application and implementation of these different strategies. Trading simulations employed on the Rotman Interactive Trader and Rotman Portfolio Manager (using real market data and computer generated data) will be used extensively in this course as a way to learn and test different strategies. All classes will be held in the new Real-time Analytics and Investment Lab (RAIL), located on the third floor of the Bass Building (B312). Students are expected to attend all sessions. Graded are based on in-class simulation results, class participation, and two written assignments. This course is designed to have a fast learning curve and is a pre-requisite for FIN563, the advanced extension of this course.

FINANCE 563. Financial Trading Strategies 2. 2 Units.

This course is an extension of FIN562, Financial Trading Strategies. Students will expand on introductory topics from the Financial Trading Strategies Course and be required to build extensive live-market models and risk management models. Class discussions will closely link current market events and pricing anomalies to theoretical and simulated markets and we will closely study the deviations between them.

FINANCE 587. Private Equity - An Overview of the Industry. 2 Units.

This 2-unit elective at the GSB is an "Overview" of the private equity industry including its reason for being, its growth and the various strategies for success that private equity firms employ. The course looks at all aspects of private equity partnerships and private equity investing. The course may be of particular interest to five groups of students: (i) students who aspire to be employed in private equity as a career; (ii) students who plan to be employed by companies that are owned by private equity firms; (iii) students who may invest in private equity partnerships as a limited partner; (iv) students who find private equity to be an interesting part of the financial services industry, and (v) students who expect to participate in corporate business development or mergers and acquisitions. The course will meet for nine classes. Each class will have at least one senior partner from a private equity firm to comment on the activities of his firm. In years past, some of the true leaders of the industry have participated. One class will be a mock investment review committee presentation as a final project.

FINANCE 620. Financial Markets I. 3 Units.

This course is an introductory PhD level course in financial economics. We begin with individual choice under uncertainty, then move on to equilibrium models, the stochastic discount factor methodology, and no-arbitrage pricing. We will also address some empirical puzzles relating to asset markets, and explore the models that have been developed to try to explain them.

FINANCE 621. Financial Markets II. 3 Units.

This course continues F620 and covers a number of main concepts in market microstructure. Among the topics that are covered are (i) Rational Expectations models and their foundations (ii) strategic trading models (iii) models of market and funding liquidity. In addition to the discussion of theoretic models time will be allotted to empirical applications.

FINANCE 622. Dynamic Asset Pricing Theory. 4 Units.

This course is an introduction to multiperiod models in finance, mainly pertaining to optimal portfolio choice and asset pricing. The course begins with discrete-time models for portfolio choice and security prices, and then moves to a continuous-time setting. The topics then covered include advanced derivative pricing models, models of the term structure of interest rates, the valuation of corporate securities, portfolio choice in continuous-time settings, and finally finally market design. Students should have had some previous doctoral-level exposure to general equilibrium theory and some basic courses in investments. Strong backgrounds in calculus, linear algebra, and probability theory are recommended. Problem assignments are frequent and, for most students, demanding. Prerequisite: F620 and MGTECON600 (or equivalent), or permission of instructor.

FINANCE 624. Corporate Finance Theory. 4 Units.

This course considers a wide range of topics in theoretical corporate finance (broadly interpreted). Topics include capital structure decisions, agency conflicts in the firm, dividend policy, security design, optimal financial contracting, the theory of the firm, the market for corporate control, and banking and financial intermediation, among others. The primary focus is on how asymmetric information, agency conflicts, strategic interactions, and incomplete contracting affect corporate financial decision-making. The course aims both to familiarize students with influential papers and current research, and to promote new research ideas in the area.

FINANCE 625. Empirical Asset Pricing. 3 Units.

This course is an introduction to empirical research in asset pricing. The focus of the course is on the interplay between financial economic theory, econometric method, and that analysis of financial market data. Topics include tests of asset pricing models, return predictability in time-series and cross-section, empirical studies of asset market imperfections, and studies of individual and professional investor behavior. Class discussions will draw on textbooks/monographs and original articles and working papers.

FINANCE 626. Advanced Corporate Finance. 3 Units.

This is a course on contemporary theoretical and empirical issues in corporate finance. Building upon the first-year courses in corporate finance theory and empirical methods in finance, we will examine issues in asset pricing applications to corporate finance, dynamic capital structure (dynamic financing decisions), financial distress, financing and investment interactions, and behavioral corporate finance. Both conceptual economic frameworks and econometric methods will be developed as needed. A requirement for this course is that students complete two written projects, one theoretical and one empirical, and at least one of these projects will be presented to the class.

FINANCE 627. Venture Capital and Finance of Innovation. 3 Units.

In this course we will study the theory and empirics of venture capital (VC) and, more broadly, finance of innovation. We will start by reviewing the way the VC and related markets function and then will dive into such topics as VC contracting, valuation, and impact on innovation. We will review most important research studies published in the field over the past 20+ years and pay particular attention to recent research.

FINANCE 628. Finance Pre-Seminar Reading Course. 1 Unit.

Finance Pre-Seminar Reading.

FINANCE 630. Empirical Corporate Finance. 3 Units.

This course provides an introduction to empirical research in corporate finance, with an emphasis on the application of cross-sectional and panel data econometric techniques for causal inference. Topics include investment policy, entrepreneurship and innovation, financing decisions, firm ownership, corporate governance, managerial incentives, financial contracting, and the structure and internal organization of firms. The course assumes knowledge of econometrics at the level of MGTECON 603.

FINANCE 632. Empirical International Finance. 3 Units.

This is an advanced graduate-level course in international finance and macroeconomics. The course focuses on empirical methods, stylized facts, new advances in large-scale empirical work, and applied theory. This course is targeted to advanced second year PhD students. The course assumes familiarity with the basics of graduate-level macroeconomics and finance. Students without the necessary familiarity with these techniques are welcome to take the course, but should expect to have to fill the gaps on their own (and with the help of their classmates!). Given the target audience above, the course has three main objectives. 1) To introduce and investigate both classic and new economic issues at the frontier of current research in international finance and macroeconomics. The purely pedagogical part of the course aims to make students familiar with the questions, the current state of research, and the empirical tools currently being used. 2) To create a mental framework and intuitive understanding of important and active questions. What makes a question interesting? What makes a paper a good paper? How to develop a reasoned view of new (and perhaps yet un-studied) issues in international finance and macroeconomics? This objective is less direct and less formal, but aims to transition the students into full-time researchers. 3) To kick-start students on independent research. For those interested in applied work the course makes you familiar and tries to connect you with existing data at the frontier of the field, both public and proprietary. For those interested in theoretical work the course staff acts as a sounding board for early research ideas.

FINANCE 633. Advanced Empirical Corporate, Banking and Household Finance. 3 Units.

This course discusses empirical aspects of major topics in corporate finance, household and consumer finance, housing, banking, financial regulation as well as political economy. The course is designed for students doing their PhD in finance, economics and accounting. The class is very interactive.

FINANCE 635. Advanced Topics in Empirical Asset Pricing. 3 Units.

This course will survey current research topics in empirical asset pricing. The emphasis will be on giving students exposure to active research areas and open questions rather than well-established areas and empirical techniques. Topics may include liquidity, capital market frictions, money management, volatility, investment-based asset pricing, return predictability, bubbles, and consumption-macro asset pricing models.

FINANCE 637. Macroeconomics and Financial Markets. 3 Units.

This PhD course will cover research topics at the boundary between macroeconomics and finance. Topics will include the study of macroeconomic models with financial frictions, the term structure of interest rates, conventional and unconventional monetary policy, sovereign debt crises, search frictions and segmentation in housing markets, (over)leveraging by households, heterogeneous expectations, excess volatility, financial bubbles and crises. Student presentations and course paper requirement. Designed for second year PhD students in economics or finance.

FINANCE 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

FINANCE 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

FINANCE 698. Doctoral Practicum in Teaching. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Teaching.

FINANCE 699. Doctoral Practicum in Research. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Research.

FINANCE 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: ACCT 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

GSBGEN 112Q. Leading Out Loud: an Exploration of Leadership Communication through an LGBT Lens. 3 Units.

Students of all sexual orientations are invited to apply for this unique new seminar looking at the distinct challenge LGBT leaders have faced in communicating effectively. Through the years, many individuals have led the struggle for gay rights and inclusion through a variety of different communication strategies and tactics; some were successful while others were not. This seminar course will explore some of the key leaders in the LGBT community and how they chose to communicate. Together we will search through a variety of film clips, transcripts, news reports, and other historical elements to see how the message, media, and moments work together. A number of guest speakers will also share their perspective on what it means to "Lead Out Loud." Heterosexual identified students as well as LGBT students are encouraged to apply; in fact, we seek to have a true diversity of opinions in the room as we explore this topic. All students will benefit from this exploration of how to communicate about controversial, sensitive, and personal subjects with greater strength and purpose.

GSBGEN 114Q. Changing Hearts and Minds. 3 Units.

Whether you are launching a start-up, leading an organization, or inspiring social action the need to communicate effectively is crucial to your success. This seminar, grounded in the work of Nancy Duarte's book Illuminate, will look at how leaders can effectively use speeches, ceremonies, stories, and symbols to lead change.n nYou will be able to apply course concepts to a change initiative within which they are already engaged and receive feedback from professor and peers to improve. Plans include field visits to Duarte's offices and other venues where change efforts are underway. You will also benefit from seeing the evolution of MBA students' presentations in the highly successful LOWkeynotes program.

GSBGEN 208. Ethics in Management. 2 Units.

With leadership comes responsibility. This course explores the numerous ethical issues faced by managers and organizations, and provides analytical frameworks as well as the latest findings on human behavior to inform ethical decisions and strategies. Readings involve controversial case studies, insights from experimental psychology and economics, and a brief introduction to some relevant philosophy. Through class exercises, rigorous discussion, and personal reflection, you will clarify your own ethical stance, think through ethical dilemmas, practice articulating recommendations compellingly, discover the diversity of ethical viewpoints, and find out how to avoid the social and cognitive pitfalls that come in the way of ethical leadership.

GSBGEN 259. MSx: Ethics. 1 Unit.

With leadership comes responsibility. This course explores the numerous ethical issues faced by managers and organizations and provides analytical frameworks as well as the latest findings on human behavior to inform ethical decisions and strategies. Readings involve controversial case studies, insights from experimental psychology and economics, and a brief introduction to some relevant philosophy. Through class exercises, rigorous discussion, and personal reflection, you will clarify your own ethical stance, think through ethical dilemmas, practice articulating recommendations compellingly, discover the diversity of ethical viewpoints, and find out how to avoid the social and cognitive pitfalls that come in the way of ethical leadership.

GSBGEN 305. Impact: Investing for Good. 3 Units.

Investing for Good will introduce students to the entire spectrum of purposeful, values-driven, and impact investing. We examine the field from the perspective of an institutional investor (i.e. fund manager, investment advisor, endowment manager, head of a family office, etc). Our goal is to have students emerge with a practical and analytical framework for: 1. evaluating impact and mission-aligned investments across multiple asset classes and sectors; 2. constructing a portfolio using impact as a lens; 3. designing an impact investment company; and 4. understanding the many practical and theoretical challenges confronting this exciting emerging field.We start by exploring some fundamental questions: what is a purposeful or impact investment; can impact investments be defined along a spectrum between conventional investing and philanthropy; whose money is it; what are the constraints and opportunities; how do we (re)define return and/or performance. We briefly analyze impact investing in the context of modern portfolio theory. We then develop a framework for portfolio construction and evaluation across four criteria: risk, return, liquidity, and impact. Through a combination of class dialogues, role plays, and case discussions, we will explore a wide variety of asset classes, impact themes, and investment challenges. A series of team-based investment committee simulations will comprise a significant portion of the course and will provide a significant experiential learning experience.Previous experience in finance, investing, social enterprise, entrepreneurship, or philanthropy is not required, but both helpful and welcomed. While first year students are encouraged to enroll, students who have limited familiarity with the basics of investing and corporate finance are strongly encouraged to purchase David Swensen's "Pioneering Portfolio Management" and cover the recommended chapters in advance of the course. It's is also important to note that this class will require financial modeling and detailed investment analysis.Many of the issues we'll be tackling have no unambiguous answers. Lively discussion and debate will be necessary and expected.

GSBGEN 306. Real Estate Investment. 4 Units.

The major objective of this course is to provide the student with an understanding of the fundamentals of real estate investment. The course covers land economics, market analysis, finance, taxation, investment analysis, investment vehicles, real estate risk, development and urban design. Major land uses are discussed including apartments, retail, office, and industrial. The course is designed for students with limited or no background in real estate.

GSBGEN 307. Policy Time. 4 Units.

Policy Time is about the policy choices faced by senior elected officials, especially in times of crisis. Our main perspective is American and executive: decisions faced by the U.S. President, Governors, and their advisors, but the lessons can extend to certain international settings as well. We have three main goals (1) building your personal policy approach, in which you will figure out how your own values translate into real-world policy choices; (2) learning what it's like to be a senior policymaker through Q&A sessions with them; and (3) learning about crisis management and leadership in government and policy.One session per week will be either a lecture and discussion of a particular policy issue, or a conversation and Q&A with a past or current senior policymaker. The second session each week will be a small group meeting (6-8 students per group) to discuss policy choices and the lessons presented by the guests in the first session. We will use policy "worksheets" as a tool to focus your thought process, frame the small-group discussions, and drive you to make hard choices. You will write 5-10 weekly short memos to explain your choices.Each week will cover a different policy topic. Likely topics include immigration reform, climate change, debt reduction, and the role of the corporation in a capitalist economy. Our exact topic schedule is flexible based on current events and guest speaker availability.

GSBGEN 309. Real Estate Finance: Politics, Regulation, and Technology. 3 Units.

Political gamesmanship, financial crises, and financial innovation come hand-in-hand with real estate finance, which has played a central role in the rise and fall of economies, financial institutions, and the lives of ordinary Americans. This course explores these issues in depth. We examine the past, present, and future of the complex political economy surrounding real estate finance, its impact on markets, and the business challenges and opportunities arising from it, both domestically and abroad, before and after the financial crisis. We then tackle recent trends like the rise of shadow banks, fintech, and proptech. Through a mix of speakers, case studies, and hands-on exercises, we examine the problems these industries are solving and creating.Greg Buchak is an Assistant Professor in the Finance group at Stanford. He received his PhD in financial economics and JD in law from the University of Chicago. His research focuses on the industrial organization of financial intermediation and it¿s consequences in the real estate industry.Chris Mahowald is actively involved in the real estate investment business as the managing partner of RSF Partners, a series of real estate private equity funds totaling over $1 billion in equity. The firm invests across product types throughout the U.S. During his career, he has focused on value investing with deep experience in distressed mortgage debt. He also teaches real estate investment at the GSB (GSBGEN 306: Real Estate Investment).

GSBGEN 310. The Impact of AI on Productivity and Personal Performance. 3 Units.

There is no denying that we are already in the AI-era, and though it may seem like a bit of overhyped technology to some, the truth is that around 90% of tech executives are currently working to expand AI¿s capabilities. Whether you plan to directly work with it or not, AI will undoubtedly have a large business, social, and economic impact as it becomes more and more advanced, bringing about the so-called ¿future of work.¿ This course invites guest speakers at the forefront of AI use to speak with you, so that regardless of prior experience or knowledge, you gain the expertise needed to grasp AI implications for your business career. Our speakers range from serial entrepreneurs to leaders within well-known companies, all aimed at offering valuable insights on many of the pertinent questions being asked today about AI. For example, how should a company change its internal and external strategy to take advantage of evolving AI and big data? Has COVID quickened the adoption or investment of AI? Is an AI product/tool a worthy investment in the first place (even after COVID), and how would one go about determining that? Spread out in between these guest speakers are Socratic seminars to review and explore nuance with classmates, with grading focused around three written memos, one consulting-like group project, and class participation.

GSBGEN 312. I'm Just a Bill. 3 Units.

This is a class on how public policy gets made at the highest levels of the federal government. In the first part of the quarter, lectures and discussions lead in to classroom simulations, in which students role-play as advisors to a U.S. president. You will learn how to analyze policy problems and design solutions, taking into account the multi-dimensional aspects of making federal policy and the many constraints upon those decisions. The second part of the class is a multi-week role-playing legislative simulation. Students will role-play as Members of the House of Representatives and Senate, or as senior advisors to a president. You will participate in legislative debate, voting, offering amendments, and extensive policy and legislative negotiation, with the goal of enacting a new law. As this course requires extensive in-person interaction, students will be required to physically attend every class session that meets in-person. Zoom participation will be all-or-nothing for all students in the class, as determined by the instructor. There is no option to participate virtually when the rest of the class is meeting in person.

GSBGEN 315. Strategic Communication. 4 Units.

Business leaders have marketing strategies, expansion strategies, finance strategies, even exit strategies. Successful leaders, however, also have communication strategies. This course will explore how individuals and organizations can develop and execute effective communication strategies for a variety of business settings. This course introduces the essentials of communication strategy and persuasion: audience analysis, communicator credibility, message construction and delivery. Deliverables will include written documents and oral presentations and you will present both individually and in a team. You will receive feedback to improve your communication effectiveness. This practical course helps students develop confidence in their speaking and writing through weekly presentations and assignments, lectures and discussions, guest speakers, simulated activities, and videotaped feedback. An important feature of this course is that there are two faculty members working in concert to ensure that students get rigorous and individualized coaching and feedback. In this course you will learn to: - Create communication strategies at an individual and organizational level - Develop clearly organized and effective presentations and documents - Diagnose and expand your personal writing and oral delivery style - Adapt your delivery style to different material and audiences - Enhance oral delivery through effective visual aids Students at all levels of comfort and expertise with public speaking and business writing will benefit from this course.

GSBGEN 316. Civic Workshop. 4 Units.

Small teams of students will propose and implement projects to provide immediate volunteer civic assistance to a group or community dealing with the effects of coronavirus. We assume most or all of this assistance will be online or otherwise virtual. The first goal of this course is to channel your skills, abilities, and civic impulses to provide immediate practical assistance to communities struggling with new, unsettling, and painful coronavirus realities. The second goal is to allow you to practice leadership, management, problem-solving, and interactive skills in a small team through a project they build from scratch and implement immediately. The third goal is to build and strengthen your interest in participating in leadership roles in the civic layer of society after graduation. Students will form teams of four, either before or shortly after the course begins. A team will propose a target group to assist: a place, a group of people, or a non-governmental civic organization. Your team will interact directly with leaders of that target group to discover what value you can provide immediately and virtually. Weekly class sessions will include some guest speakers and work sessions in which the various teams will share their ongoing efforts, to cross-fertilize ideas and assist each other. Teams will also meet extensively outside of class hours to build and implement their project. This course is an active learning experience. Teams will be evaluated in part based on their ability to deliver rapid results of value to a target community. Doing so will require significant commitment and effort from the team, and a willingness to adapt to difficult, changing conditions. All projects must be targeted entirely at addressing new needs created by the coronavirus crisis, not at solving problems that existed before then. They should be easy to begin initial execution in the first 2-3 weeks of the quarter, to provide rapid assistance to the target group. Projects must be nongovernmental and apolitical: no politics, no government work or government services, no interest groups whose primary purpose is to influence public officials. Teams should instead aim to provide direct benefits to a community in the civic layer between individuals and government including businesses, volunteer groups, community organizations, non-profits, clubs, charities, religious and fraternal organizations. Many of these efforts are arising spontaneously each day; our goal is to foster and amplify this trend. Since projects must be feasible with the team dispersed and in self-isolation, most efforts will be online or virtual, and teams are encouraged to think of creative uses of tools like Zoom, Google Apps, social media, and simple database setups. Interdisciplinary teams from across Stanford graduate programs are encouraged, as long as three of the four team members are from the GSB. International students are strongly encouraged to participate, both in joining teams with an American focus and in forming teams to target communities for assistance outside the U.S. Teams are encouraged to look at opportunities to form bridging capital, aiding groups and communities that might not overlap much with the Stanford student population. We hope several teams will be geographically-focused, targeting the people who live in a specific place for assistance. In addition to the project itself, each student will be expected to keep a project journal and to write an end-of-project memo to those considering similar civic efforts in the future.

GSBGEN 317. Reputation Management: Strategies for Successful Communicators. 3 Units.

Successful leaders have to conceive, author, rebuild, pivot, differentiate, and finally maintain a personal reputation to make a lasting, recognizable and powerful identity. Reputation Management will explore how you can effectively communicate to create, adapt and maintain your personal reputation. Your reputation remains fluid as you navigate your career decisions and interact with different professionals along your journey. The course is designed along three interlocking elements: reputation management literature, relevant case studies, and curated guest speakers. Students will learn the fundamentals of strategic corporate communication and the risk of not managing reputation effectively. These frameworks will be extended with specific case studies to illustrate where individuals, groups, and firms have faced the challenge of managing reputation effectively. We will focus on both traditional and virtual components of communication including the relevancy of online reputation management. Finally we will invite well-known leaders from a range of industries who have built and sustained their reputations, through effective communication. Each leader has had to manage their reputations in the public eye, and alongside their peers, supervisors, and employees. Guests will be invited to discuss their conscious and unplanned strategies of how to successfully communicate the kind of person, leader, innovator, or public figure they strive to be. Students will benefit from a rich blend of frameworks, cases, and speakers enabling them to successfully enter the work force and create their own, personal reputations. Students will create a case study drawn from their own experience (or personal network), of a reputation dilemma. A final assignment requires students to research their own reputation history by projecting what they think their reputation is, creating their own survey for friends, colleagues and employers to take, conduct three interviews about their personal reputation with three individuals who have worked closely with them, and then synthesize all this feedback into a cohesive paper and short video that reflects their authentic work and personal reputation. Throughout the course students will post at least one blog drawn from class concepts and respond to posts by peers in the class.

GSBGEN 319. Strategic Philanthropy and Impact Investing. 3 Units.

The course will be structured around the perspective of a foundation or a high net worth individual who has decided to devote substantial resources to philanthropy and wishes to decide which philanthropic goals to pursue and how best to achieve them. Although there are no formal prerequisites for the course, we will assume that students have experience working at a foundation, nonprofit organization, impact investing fund, or similar organization, or have taken an introductory course in strategic philanthropy such as GSBGEN 381. (With the exception of several classes on strategy and evaluation, there is no substantial overlap with Paul Brest's course, Problem Solving for Social Change (GSBGEN 367), which has a different focus from this one.).

GSBGEN 323. Media Entrepreneurship. 3 Units.

The disruptive nature of the Internet has set in motion the destruction of business models that have supported traditional media organizations. This course will examine the current state and broader economic challenges facing the media industry. These include: the impact of technology, changing consumer behavior, the rise of mobile, social networks, big data, real-time metrics, innovations in digital advertising and distribution channels, and new business models. Students will analyze new digital media ventures and hear from industry experts facing innovation challenges at the intersection of content, technology and business. The course also will identify paths for entrepreneurs interested in building a media business. And experiment with prototyping new digital media ventures.

GSBGEN 324. Leading with Mindfulness and Compassion. 3 Units.

The course explores the role of mindfulness and compassion in the workplace, and the contribution of these qualities to leadership. Topics addressed will include: How can mindfulness enhance clarity in purpose and productivity? What is the connection between mindfulness and compassion? Is compassion in the business world a strength or a weakness? Are compassion and profit motives fundamentally incompatible, or can they support each other? What does compassionate leadership look like? Can mindfulness and compassion be trained at the individual level, and built into company policy? How does self-compassion support effective leadership and recovery from setbacks? Guests from the corporate or non-profit sectors will discuss the challenges of integrating mindfulness and compassion into business strategy and the work environment. Guests from the scientific field will discuss research on mindfulness and compassion as they relate to real-world challenges. Participants in the course will engage with exercises from evidence-based programs targeting the development of mindfulness and the various facets of compassion.

GSBGEN 332. Sustainable Energy: Business Opportunities and Public Policy. 3 Units.

This course examines trends and opportunities in the sustainable energy sector with a particular focus on low carbon energy. We examine these trends in the context of technological change, emerging business opportunities and the parameters set by public policy. nSpecific topics to be examined include: (i) the impact of regulatory policies and tax subsidies on the energy mix (ii) the growing competitiveness of renewable energy, in particular solar PV and wind, (iii) sustainable transportation (iv) adaptation by fossil fuel energy sources, (v) innovative financing mechanisms for energy projects, (vi) the venture capital perspective (vii) the changing role of utilities in the energy landscape.

GSBGEN 333. Technology Licensing. 3 Units.

Licensing of technology and its corresponding intellectual property is big business, and integral to the business plans and competitive strategies of start-ups and Fortune 500 companies alike. Although the annual dollar magnitude of licenses of patents and other technology-related IP is difficult to estimate due to the proprietary nature of much of the data, academic studies peg the U.S. IP licensing market at ~$66B, and the global market at ~$180B. The development and evolution of technology standards and interoperability requirements, regulatory overlays that require technologies outside a company's core competencies, the proliferation and widespread enforcement of patents, the rapid expansion of IP-based business models, and the staggering expense and uncertain benefits of internal R&D, among other things, have combined to weigh heavily on the buy side of the make/buy scale, and to amplify the importance of inbound and outbound licensing arrangements for both start-up and Fortune 500 companies. Because licenses are complex legal agreements with important legal consequences, it is tempting for business executives to delegate to lawyers the negotiation of the non-economic terms of their companies' technology license agreements. The problem with such an approach, however, is that so-called "non-economic" terms can have significant and occasionally mortal economic and business consequences. While no business person should grapple with such issues in the context of a large or complex license agreement without legal counsel, it is critical that the business person understand the consequences, negotiating levers and trade-offs themselves, for at their core, the decisions to be made on these issues are business decisions, not legal ones. This course is organized around two hypothetical companies seeking to negotiate a technology license agreement. Both parties operate under a common set of "public" facts, and each responds as well to "private" facts relevant to various business priorities and issues. Students are divided into three-person teams, each representing one or the other of the hypothetical companies, and collaborate over multiple sessions to develop a strategic business approach and then to negotiate a licensing agreement. Lectures are focused on the business, and to a lesser extent, legal issues arising in complex licensing arrangements, and are designed to give students the context and perspective they need to participate effectively in licensing strategy development and negotiation. By immersing teams of business students in a multi-session licensing negotiation, it is the objective of this course to enable them to better understand and think critically about the principal issues that arise in the conceptualization and negotiation of technology license agreements.

GSBGEN 334. Family Business. 3 Units.

Believe it or not, the "Silicon Valley model" has little or nothing to do with most businesses. Most businesses are not started by MBAs; most startups are not funded by VCs; most employees don't work for tech firms; and most businesses don't sell out to other businesses or go public. Rather, the vast majority of businesses world-wide are started, funded, and owned by families, and these firms create most of the employment in the global economy. Despite the prominence of family firms, teaching and research have traditionally focused on analyzing the widely-held or Silicon Valley model of the firm. This course explores the challenges and opportunities faced by family businesses. It is taught by Leo Linbeck III, Lecturer since 2005 at the GSB and President and CEO of Aquinas Companies, LLC. This course is an outlier in a world obsessed with tech startups and venture capital; it is a "Minority Report" from the heart of Silicon Valley. The course is intended for four main audiences: (1) Students whose family owns a business. (2) Students who are considering working for a family firm. (3) Students who are interested in acquiring or consulting with a private firm either directly (search funds, management consultants, etc) or indirectly (private equity, etc). (4) Students who are sick of only learning about cool, sexy startups and the geniuses who get rich from them. The course uses a combination of case studies, guest speakers, lectures, movies, and student presentations to explore the central ideas of the course, which are likely to appear irrelevant to everyone (save the instructor).

GSBGEN 335. Clean Energy Project Development and Finance. 3 Units.

This case study-oriented course will focus on the critical skills needed to evaluate, develop, finance (on a non-recourse basis), and complete standalone energy and infrastructure projects. The primary course materials will be documents from several representative projects - e.g. solar, wind, storage, carbon capture - covering key areas including market and feasibility studies, environmental permitting and regulatory decisions, financial disclosure from bank and bond transactions, and construction, input, and offtake contracts. Documents and economic models tend to be highly customized. By taking a forensic approach, looking at several different projects, we can learn how project developers, financiers, and lawyers work to get deals over the finish line that meet the demands of the market, the requirements of the law, and (sometimes) broader societal goals, in particular climate change, economic competitiveness, and energy security.

GSBGEN 336. Energy Markets and Policy. 3 Units.

This is a course on how energy and environmental markets work, and the regulatorymechanisms that have been and can be used to achieve desired policy goals. The courseuses a electricity market game as a central teaching tool. In the game, students play the roleof electricity generators and retailers in order to gain an understanding of how market rules(including environmental regulations and renewable energy mandates) affect the businessstrategy of market participants¿and in turn economic and environmental outcomes.The goal of the course is to provide students with both theoretical and hands-onunderstanding of important energy and environmental market concepts that are critical tomarket functioning but not always widely appreciated. Concepts covered include: 1)regulated price-setting versus price-setting through market mechanisms, 2) BTU arbitragein input energy choices, 3) uniform price vs. pay-as-bid auctions, 4) the ability andincentive to exercise unilateral market power, 5) unilateral versus cooordinated exercise ofmarket power, 6) transmission congestion, 7) forward contracts and their effect on marketfunctioning, 8) dynamic pricing of electricity and active involvement of final demand, 9)the nature of energy reserves, 10) carbon pricing mechanisms including taxes and cap-andtradesystems, 11) renewable portfolio standards and other renewable energy incentives,12) determination of levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and its impact on new capacityinvestment decisions, and 13) interactions between environmental mechanisms andregulations. We will also discuss the key features of the markets for major sources ofenergy such as oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear, solar, wind, and biomass.The course is useful background for private sector roles in energy production,research, management, trading, investment, and government and regulatory affairs;government positions in policymaking and regulation; research and policy functions inacademia, think tanks, or consultancies; and non-profit advocacy roles related to energy and the environment.

GSBGEN 337. Business Decision Making. 3 Units.

This experiential course will focus on how to make a business decision correctly. The theory will focus on common behavior biases and mistakes. Students will practice making business decisions by analyzing a business case each week.

GSBGEN 339. Negotiation Dynamics in Sports, Entertainment and Media. 3 Units.

Negotiation is a central part of business in the worlds of sports and entertainment. This course will examine negotiation dynamics and key takeaways for general management from multiple different settings where negotiations had an important role--these will include preparing for a negotiation, the negotiation process itself, contractual outcomes of negotiation and their execution and in some cases litigation. The settings will include negotiations over player and actor contracts, negotiations between leagues and players associations, negotiations between investors and movie companies, and negotiations between content providers (both in sports and entertainment) and distribution partners (such as cable stations, international media companies, and online companies such as Netflix). Each of the six sessions is planned to include at least one and in some cases two guests that have had extensive experience in negotiations.

GSBGEN 343. The Power of Stories in Business. 3 Units.

To grow and innovate, you not only need a big idea, you also need stake-holder buy in and action. However, many companies fail in this regard because stakeholders are not aligned, the real problem that the innovation seeks to solve has not been identified, and the story has not been defined. Story can fuel stakeholder buy-in by painting a clear picture of what is and what could be for everyone - from employees, to investors, to customers. In other words, an excellent story means that you can delegate tactical aspects effectively because it clarifies how to execute specific functions against the story (e.g., digital marketing, advertising, design). Further, when the stakeholder becomes part of the story, they are more likely to act, which generates momentum and create a culture of optimism.nnStory is equally important for leaders of companies, who often need to act as editors - shaping the stories told by employees and customers - to align with a shared vision. A secondary goal of the class is to demonstrate how personal stories can be used by leaders to build high performing teams and companies. By creating powerful stories, you'll see how your company can gain momentum and how you can help your employees and customers become more connected. nnBy the end of the class, you will have gained insight into:n- How to use stories as an asset in businessn- What makes for a good and bad storyn- Pitching stories.

GSBGEN 345. Disruptions in Education. 3 Units.

Never before has higher education been as severely disrupted as it has in the past year, surfacing novel needs, while at the same putting decades long trends in sharper focus. This course explores the contemporary higher education industry, focusing especially on the places where disruptions of all kinds present significant opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs, investors, and the businesses that serve this huge global market, as well as for faculty, students, and higher education institutions and leaders. Using a variety of readings and case studies to better understand recent disruptions and the unbundling occurring across the postsecondary landscape, from outside and inside the academy, both for-profit and non-profit, the course will examine technology in teaching and learning; the future of the degree and alternatives to the traditional credential; accreditation; competency based education; affordability, student debt, and education financing models; investing in the education space; workforce, skills development, and lifelong learning; and tertiary products and platforms that serve the student services market. Guests will include higher education leaders and practitioners, as well as investors, entrepreneurs, and social entrepreneurs.

GSBGEN 346. Freedom, Democracy, and Capitalism. 4 Units.

This is an American civics course for future business leaders, intended to briefly (re-)introduce students to a few of the ideas that form the foundation of the American implementation of "the Western model" of freedom, liberal democracy, capitalism, and a rules-based international order. As time permits, we will learn to apply and combine these concepts to examine current policy topics in the news.

GSBGEN 347. Education Policy in the United States. 3 Units.

The course will provide students from different disciplines with an understanding of the broad educational policy context. The course will cover topics including a) school finance systems; b) an overview of policies defining and shaping the sectors and institutional forms of schooling, c) an overview of school governance, d) educational human-resource policy, e) school accountability policies at the federal and state levels; and f) school assignment policies and law, including intra- and inter-district choice policies, desegregation law and policy.

GSBGEN 348. The Economics of Higher Education. 4 Units.

(Same as EDUC 347) Topics: the worth of college and graduate degrees, and the utilization of highly educated graduates; faculty labor markets, careers, and workload; costs and pricing; discounting, merit aid, and access to higher education; sponsored research; academic medical centers; and technology and productivity. Emphasis is on theoretical frameworks, policy matters, and the concept of higher education as a public good. Stratification by gender, race, and social class.

GSBGEN 349. Introduction to the Politics of Education. 4 Units.

The relationships between political and economic analysis and policy formulation in education; focus is on alternative models of the political process, the nature of interest groups, political strategies, policy efficiency, the external environment of organizations, and the implementations of policy. Applications to policy analysis, implementation, and politics of reform. (APA).

GSBGEN 350. International Internship. 1-2 Unit.

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GSBGEN 352. Winning Writing. 3 Units.

This once-a-week full-quarter workshop will offer techniques and practical in-class exercises for writing better -- better memos, emails, cold-call letters, speeches, feedback for colleagues, news releases, responses to questions from the media and from interviewers, and opinion pieces. Glenn Kramon, an editor who has helped New York Times reporters win 10 Pulitzer Prizes, will teach the course along with accomplished journalists with expertise in powerful, persuasive writing for business. They will provide not only helpful tips but constructive feedback on students' work. They will also share thoughts on how best to work with the news media.

GSBGEN 356. Dynamics of the Global Wine Industry. 3 Units.

This course will examine the world of wine with a fresh and contemporary lens. It will explore the market dynamics of this fascinating global industry. The goal of the course is to provide insight into the branding, marketing, and distribution dynamics that shape what consumers can buy and consume with a focus on the strategies of some of the world's leading wine brands. Attention will also be paid to the legal, regulatory, and market dynamics that define the U.S. wine industry as well as to issues of contested authenticity in the world of wine.

GSBGEN 360. Sports Business Management. 4 Units.

This course will examine the diverse management challenges facing the sports industry. The course will cover issues at the league level, the team level, the athlete/agent level, and the college level. The diverse constituencies with interests in sports issues (athletes, fans, media companies, advertisers, and legislators to name a few) will be discussed. Sports issues at a global level (the IOC) and both U.S. and outside U.S. will be covered. There will be coverage of evolving business ventures related to the sports industry (such as venture backed sports companies and sports networks). A key focus is on how the sports industry is similar to and different from other industries. Key concepts underlying the course are: value creation/value sharing; revenue ecosystem; virtuous circles and vicious circles; disruptive technologies; growth facilitators and growth inhibitors; leveragable assets/inherited liabilities; and entrepreneurship/new product innovations. Over 80% of the sessions typically will include a guest co-lecturer from the sporting industry.

GSBGEN 363. American Economic Policy. 4 Units.

One of every five dollars in the American economy will be spent by the federal government this year. This course will examine how federal spending, taxes, deficits and debt affect the U.S. economy and global financial markets, and how the economy affects the federal budget. We will look inside the federal budget to understand entitlement spending, what causes it to grow so fast, how it could be reformed, and why that's so hard to do. We'll understand where the money goes -- how much goes to infrastructure, education, housing, health care, energy and the environment, parks, scientific research, national defense, and other needs. We'll look at the stimulus vs. austerity debate, both within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Europe. We'll look beyond partisan battle lines and explore various fiscal philosophies that sometimes split the political parties. We'll cover the federal budget process from developing the President's budget to enacting individual spending and tax bills, and discuss process reforms including spending and deficit reduction targets, a balanced budget amendment, and line item veto. We'll cover the major players in the budget debate and understand where the big and small budget decisions are made. We'll look at federal taxation, where the money comes from, how it affects the economy, and how it might be restructured. We'll examine the recommendations of the President's budget commission and see if we can predict what will become of its recommendations. And we'll see if we, as a class, can solve our nation's fiscal problems as Washington has so far been unable to do.

GSBGEN 367. Problem Solving for Social Change. 3 Units.

Stanford graduates will play important roles in solving many of today's and tomorrow's major societal problems'in areas such as education, health, energy, and domestic and global poverty''that call for actions by nonprofit, business, and hybrid organizations as well as governments. This course teaches skills and bodies of knowledge relevant to these roles, covering topics such as designing, implementing, scaling, and evaluating social strategies; systems thinking; decision making under risk; psychological biases that adversely affect people's decisions; methods for influencing behavior; and pay-for-success programs. The large majority of the course will be devoted to students' working in teams to apply these concepts and tools to an actual problem, with teams choosing whatever problem interests them.

GSBGEN 368. Managing Difficult Conversations. 3 Units.

This elective 3- unit course is offered to JD law students and other selected graduate students, and to MBA students who aspire to improve their ability to deal effectively with difficult interpersonal situations. The course will be taught by William F. Meehan III, the Lafayette Partners Lecturer in Strategic Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business and Charles G. Prober, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology & Immunology and Senior Associate Vice Provost for Health Education, Stanford School of Medicine. The course, which will be case-based, will involve frequent student-to-student and student-to-instructor role-playing in authentic medical interactions and difficult interpersonal situations. Topic-specific experts often will be present to participate as class guests. Relevant principles of professionalism, leadership, and psychology underlie the course pedagogy. Students will be expected to attend all classes unless excused in advance. Class preparation will include reading of assigned cases; analysis of the cases and recommendations as to how to confront specific difficult conversations (consistent with assigned study questions); and reading of assigned background material. It is important that all students participate actively in classroom discussions. For GSB students, 50% of the final grade will depend on classroom performance; the remainder will be based on a final written assignment of 3-5 pages. GSB students will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis. The course will be ungraded for medical students, residents and fellows. All students will be expected to complete the written assignment. Class size will be limited to 40 students per the following: (1) a maximum of 20 MBA students and (2) a maximum of 20 non-GHB graduate students.

GSBGEN 370. Power of You: Women in Leadership. 3 Units.

All leaders face a host of challenges, but women leaders encounter an additional set of obstacles and considerations-institutional, economic, cultural-that their men counterparts most likely never will. Women from underrepresented groups experience these challenges even more acutely. GG370 Power of You: Women in Leadership will prepare students to successfully identify and respond to these challenges, and, ideally, transform them into opportunities for growth and advancement. Students will come away from this course with a vast portfolio of strategies, tools and tactics to not only meet these workplace challenges head-on, but also create more inclusive processes, policies and cultures for the future. The course is based on the instructor's `accessible leadership' model that inspires and equips students to access the leader within themselves, empower others to access their own leadership potential, and create greater access through their giving. Through readings and guided, weekly written reflections, students will deeply explore issues including, but not limited to: the likeability paradox; sexism in the workplace; diversity, inclusivity, and belonging; intersectional identities; managing voice, narrative and reputation; negotiation through a gendered lens; leadership styles and adaptivity; mentorship and sponsorship; and creating social value. Students will engage directly with industry leaders such as Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook), Meg Whitman (Quibi), Dr. Priscilla Chan (Chan Zuckerberg Initiative), Mary Barra (General Motors), Judy Smith (Smith & Company) and Indra Nooyi (Pepsi Co.), among others.

GSBGEN 377. Diverse Leadership as an Imperative for Impact. 3 Units.

Our society implicitly prizes a particular approach to leadership - but today's cross-sectoral, impact-oriented leader cannot afford to be restricted to a single approach. If we aspire to address challenges across social, economic, and political arenas, with highly charged moral implications and multiple stakeholders, we have an imperative to use all available tools by discovering, celebrating, and advancing diversity in leadership.In this course, we will: (1) study a range of effective leadership approaches; (2) develop broad, transportable skills and frameworks required to lead in any complex setting - business, public sector, nonprofit sector; (3) delve into leadership tradeoffs and tensions; (4) explore and understand our own values and tacit and explicit decision-making criteria; and (5) recognize barriers to diversity and tactics to address them. Guiding questions will include: How does the context shape the solution set? What does inspired and inspiring leadership look like? How do race/gender/other identities enter into the equation? How do I develop my own brand of leadership? We will examine contemporary leaders and controversies in education and elsewhere, draw upon timeless historical thinkers, enjoy the wisdom of guest speakers, and work intensively in small groups to highlight challenges, opportunities, and tradeoffs. By exploring a range of approaches and situations, we will strive for deeper understanding of ourselves and of the context to become a more capable, empathetic and effective leaders.

GSBGEN 381. Individual Philanthropy: Giving Models, Purpose & Practicum. 3 Units.

A philanthropist is anyone who gives anything- time, expertise, networks, credibility, dollars, experience- in any amount to create a better world. Philanthropy is resource, background, age, profession, and industry agnostic, and "Individual Philanthropy: Giving Models, Purpose & Practicum" will amplify your ability to make your giving, volunteering, service and leadership matter more. You have extraordinary potential to create social change, and this course will empower you with the perspective, experience and inspiration to actualize that potential both immediately and over your lifetime. You will be exposed to a diverse array of giving models and approaches, and be given structured space to weigh and appraise your individual philanthropic point of view and approach. Through deep introspection, you will define and/or refine your social change purpose and create a theory of change that maps how you will transform your values, beliefs and resources (including intellectual, human, network, experiential and financial capital) into measurable social value. Class activities will include debates and simulations such as discussing the benefits and challenges of diverse giving models, creating personal giving strategies, giving fundraising pitches and assessing actual foundation grant proposals. Each student will select and complete due diligence on a local nonprofit and create a formal grant proposal. Students will peer-review grant proposals, participate in a multi-stage grantmaking process and allocate $20,000 of grants funded by the Learning by Giving Foundation and Andreessen Philanthropies. Students will also have the unique opportunity to directly connect and engage with globally renowned philanthropic leaders, including Darren Walker (Ford Foundation), Laura Muñoz Arnold (Arnold Ventures), Justin Steele (Google.org), Crystal Hayling (Libra Foundation) and Holden Karnofsky (Open Philanthropy Project), among others.

GSBGEN 382. Social Innovation Practicum: Designing an Impact Model. 3 Units.

Social Innovation Practicum is an experiential learning course. Through the format of an interactive workshop, students will learn about the social sector by researching a problem or unmet need in society and then developing, testing, and refining a new idea or innovative approach that aims to address that problem. We will explore in-depth the elements of successful interventions in the social sector that can achieve outsized impact. This will be achieved through lectures by the instructor on the topics at hand; discussion of illustrative case studies of many of today¿s award-winning impact models, and class-time in which students will be able to develop their ideas and benefit from guidance and feedback from the instructor, their classmates, and class guests. Students will work in teams as appropriate. Those students that have a pre-conceived idea for a new intervention will be encouraged to recruit others (from the GSB and/or from other disciplines across Stanford) to join their team. Any student who does not yet have an idea should contact the instructor to be paired with a team working on an area of interest to that student. Our point of view will be that of the students as the designer of a new intervention and - presuming the intervention proves to be compelling and merits advancement - future founder(s) of a new social venture (nonprofit, for-profit or hybrid) or champion of a new intervention adopted by an existing social sector organization.

GSBGEN 383. Practical Policy and Politics. 4 Units.

This is a skills / toolbox class, designed for beginners. It is a practical course about policy-making in the U.S. federal government. It will cover three broad subject areas: (1) an assortment of current policy topics; (2) governing processes ¿ how policy gets made in an environment constrained by politics and elections; and (3) practical skills business leaders may need in interacting with government and with policymakers. This class is for beginners and assumes you have no prior experience or knowledge of policy or politics.

GSBGEN 390. Individual Research. 1-4 Unit.

Need approval from sponsoring faculty member and GSB Registrar.

GSBGEN 490. Leadership for Society: Reflections on History in the Making. 2 Units.

Reflections on History in the Making (GSBGEN 490) provides students the opportunity to reflect on, and create an account of their experience of the historic transformations societies around the world are undergoing in the wake of the COVID pandemic, related economic recession, and growing civil unrest. The world hit pause and gave us a unique opportunity to think deeply about how we, as a society, might resume life. This course provides the space for students to process their personal experience, to reflect on their place and role in society, and to envision what the world could look like when we emerge from these crises. The class will share the unique perspective of the Stanford GSB community through the creation of a class blog.

GSBGEN 495. Leadership for Society: Race and Power. 1 Unit.

This course aims to deepen our collective awareness of profound racial disparities in the United States and around the world. Through a series of conversations with a diverse array of prominent leaders, we will explore the role of race in society, how race interacts with structures of power, and how systemic racism manifests itself in day-to-day business and policy decisions. Candid and honest conversations with class guests will expose students to concrete examples of how their future decisions might lead to different outcomes for different people, based on race. Our hope is that this course supports your personal growth and helps prepare you to become the kind of leader our society needs.

GSBGEN 496. Leadership for Society Seminar. 1 Unit.

In this quarter long seminar, we explore the structures of society from the perspective of leaders interested in the effective design and delivery of policy initiatives with public purpose in government, private sector, and non-profit realms. This seminar is designed to help students take a step back and contemplate the big picture and hone their vision as a leader. The course is designed to support the work of the Stanford GSB Leadership for Society Scholars and includes an asynchronous lecture component by guest experts. Participants are expected to complete readings and to submit questions for the visiting expert ahead of each session. Resources (articles, papers, suggested electives) will be provided for further independent exploration of the topics discussed. The course empowers aspiring leaders for Society to design their Stanford GSB learning journey with their societal leadership goals in mind. By the end of the course, students will: -Begin to develop an understanding of the world in terms of systems and to identify leverage points in the system - Have a better understanding of the landscape of US public institutions, their strengths and weaknesses as it relates to serving society - Understand the necessity and challenges of tri-sector (business, government, non-profit) collaborations and identify the skills needed to facilitate public/private partnerships - Be able to define the core problem to be addressed and to identify the underlying theory of change of proposed policies - Make sense of the US policy development process - Understand US public finance and be able to identify sources of funding that can be leveraged for social issues - Understand the portfolio of options available to business to get involved in social problem solving - Be able to understand a variety of effective research methodologies and to develop a research project plan - The lecture component is open to all students and is offered on a remote basis. It is recorded and can be taken asynchronously as needed.

GSBGEN 498. Faculty Lecture & Discussion Series. 1 Unit.

This class features GSB instructors discussing their research and its applications to the business world. Each session will present one speaker. To earn the 1 unit credit, students must commit to attend at least 6 out of the 8 talks. This is done on the honor system. If you enroll, you enter your attendance in Canvas. You can "attend" by watching the video of the lecture within two days. Attending synchronously is preferred and allows you to submit questions. The class will be graded pass/fail.

GSBGEN 499. The Last Lecture Series. 1 Unit.

This class is an opportunity to hear a Last Lecture from esteemed GSB instructors. Each session will present one speaker. To earn the 1 unit credit, students must commit to attend at least 7 out of the 9 talks. This is done on the honor system. If you enroll, you enter your attendance in Canvas. You can "attend" by watching the video of the lecture within two days. Attending synchronously is preferred and allows you to submit questions. The class will be graded PASS/FAIL.

GSBGEN 501. Principles of Effective Decision Making for Sustainability. 2 Units.

The overall goal of this short course is to develop students ability to (i) decide which issues around sustainability and the environment are worth spending time and energy on in their careers and personal lives, and (ii) effectively promote such change. Particular emphasis will be placed on issues around food choices, and on decisions within corporate organizations. Class size limited to 40.

GSBGEN 503. The Business of Healthcare. 2 Units.

Healthcare spending is now nearly 18% of the entire GDP of the U.S. economy. The S&P healthcare sector has been one of the best producing segments of the market for the last five years, and growth of healthcare expenditures continue to escalate at a rapid pace. This has triggered an abundance of opportunities for those interested in a career in healthcare management, investing, or entrepreneurialism. The Business of Healthcare-2017-18 will present the current market framework from the eyes of a clinician and with the perspective of the consumer-patient, but with the experience of a successful business builder and investor. Course will begin with the discussion of the channels of distribution of healthcare delivery, from providers, to practitioners, to consumer-facing ¿healthcare lite¿ sectors of the market. Impact of the regulatory environment, with specific focus on the Affordable Care Act and the impending plans to Repeal/Replace, will be evaluated. High-level exploration of international health care markets and how they compare to the American market will be included. Overview of venture and private equity investing will be deeply probed, with many specific market examples of how investors develop an investment thesis, identify specific targets, diligence companies, and close an investment. Discussion around building financial modeling for target acquisitions will be presented, and the course will delve into the burgeoning area of healthcare analytics and outcomes management, including Artificial Intelligence, and its future impact on positioning, reimbursement and clinical outcomes. Sectors that will be discussed include: Healthcare services, Healthcare IT, Life Sciences, Pharma and Biotechnology, and Managed Care. The topic of the emerging importance of consumerism will be probed and consumer-directed healthcare related products and services will be explored, e.g. nutraceuticals, wellness, fitness, etc. Course will include preparatory readings, presentations from successful and powerful industry leaders, and robust in-class discussion and case studies requiring student engagement. Final grade will consist of class participation, one minor in-class presentation, and a final paper developing either a new healthcare business start-up proposition or presenting an identified investment target in the healthcare industry. Course will be especially valuable for those interested in a career in starting a healthcare company, healthcare investing, healthcare administration, or other healthcare-related management and goal of class will be provide an in-depth overview of how to get started or advance a professional interest in the industry.

GSBGEN 508. Strategic Pivoting for your Next Chapter. 2 Units.

Many students come to the GSB with the intent to pivot upon leaving the institution. Some students feel they have outgrown their position or business, or they feel drawn to a new area that better suits their values and interests, where they can make a greater contribution. Some students have no idea what they want to do after graduating, they just know they want to make a purposeful change. And finally, some students want to strategically change their direction for reputation reasons. The average U.S. employee tenure is only 4-5 years and job roles often change dramatically within that timeframe. Pivoting is an intentional, methodical process for nimbly navigating career changes. A recent Gallup study revealed that almost 90% of workers are either ¿not engaged¿ or ¿actively disengaged¿ from their jobs. A pivot is a change made of your own volition when you have reached a point in your career when you are ready for increased challenge and impact.Strategic Pivoting is a course specifically developed for any student who already plans to pivot in their career and wants to figure out how to successfully build and create their next chapter. In this course we will discuss four stages for how to best pivot: 1) Planting, how to assess and set a strong foundation of values, strengths and interests. 2) Scanning, researching new and related skills, talking to others, and mapping potential opportunities. 3) Piloting, students conduct small, low-risk experiments to test their new direction, as well as gather real-time data and feedback. And 4) Launching, pulling the trigger, fully committed, to your carefully plotted pivot.The ultimate pay-off to Strategic Pivoting is acknowledging and adapting to a rapidly changing society when it comes to career paths. Because our careers are so fundamentally tied to our livelihood and sense of confidence, purpose and meaning, changes can be traumatic without a road map for traversing them. "Navigating this accelerated pace of change and this transitional career state, and learning to embrace it instead of resisting it, can become an edge and advantage." Alex Rodriguez, Major League Baseball icon, ABC/Fox Sports/ESPN commentator, entrepreneur, and CEO of A-Rod Corp will be a featured Guest Speaker in this course. Alex has also had a history of successfully pivoting his career and defying expectations. He is presently getting ready to host his own ESPN interview show called, "Pivot.".

GSBGEN 511. Making Social Ventures Happen by Attracting Financial and Human Capital. 2 Units.

Social ventures require leadership, funding, expertise, skills and networks to get off the ground, grow and scale. This course will focus on the key strategies for building and leveraging a network of champions to capitalize a social venture at early-stage, and for sustaining and growing that network as the venture grows. This class is applicable to intrapreneurs, changemakers within major institutions, (private or public), board members, impact investors, those who aspire to be senior leaders within social ventures and social entrepreneurs (founders). Co-led by a practicing venture philanthropist and a social entrepreneur, this interactive, pragmatic course will: - Discuss the critical financial and human capital needs of organizations and companies at different life stages. - Explore the concept of champions and the different types of champions including board chairs, co-founders, mentors, faculty advisors, donors, investors, community evangelists, and fellow entrepreneurs. - Learn about effective networks and how to build them, including the role of communications, relationship-building, and crisis management. - Explore the concept of a powerful vulnerability and the art of "influence without authority" in attracting financial and human capital to the mission and making social ventures happen. Special emphasis will be given to developing co-founders and founding teams, boards and funders/investors as champions. - Develop a roadmap for the ways you will support social ventures throughout your career. - Meet social entrepreneurs and their champions who promote them within various power structures (major corporations, government, the institutional funding community) to learn about the successes and failures of their partnerships. Guest speakers will be posted prior to start of class. - Invite you to join instructors, guest speakers and fellow students for casual dinner on both Wednesdays after class.- Get to know your fellow classmates who share a passion for addressing the world's intractable problems and for creating systemic change.

GSBGEN 513. Using Technology and Market Interventions to Solve Social Problems. 2 Units.

This course will focus on finding solutions to social problems enabled by technology, where market failures prevent the solutions from being provided by the private market, and where market-based interventions can be used to create the appropriate incentives for the solutions to be created and implemented. We will provide a conceptual framework that identifies strong candidates for market shaping interventions, and review a number of problem areas and categories of solutions. Students will research and evaluate potential technological solutions to social problems.

GSBGEN 514. Creating and Scaling High Potential Ventures in Developing Economies. 2 Units.

GSBGEN 514 - Creating High Potential Ventures in Developing Economies (2 Units) This course addresses the distinctive challenges and opportunities of launching high-potential new ventures in developing economies. Developing economies are attractive targets for entrepreneurs because many are just starting to move up the growth curve, and they offer low-cost operating environments that can be great development labs for potentially disruptive innovations. They increase in attractiveness when their political institutions stabilize and they become more market-friendly. At the same time, developing economies pose serious challenges. Pioneering entrepreneurs take on significant risks to gain early mover advantages. Specifically, entrepreneurs will not be able to count on the same kind of supportive operating environments that we take for granted in the developed world. They often face cumbersome permit and licensing processes, poorly developed financial and labor markets, problematic import and export procedures, unreliable local supply chains, weak infrastructure, corruption, currency risks, limited investment capital, lack of financial exits and more. This course is designed to help would-be entrepreneurs - both founders and members of entrepreneurial teams - better understand and prepare for these issues as they pursue the opportunities and address the challenges to start, grow, and harvest their ventures in these environments. GSBGEN 514 is a seminar/discussion format in which students will read about and discuss the key challenges described above and potential solutions. Guests will describe their own startup and investing experiences in developing economies and answer questions. A framework based on the World Economic Forum (WEF) report on "Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Around the Globe and Company Growth Dynamics" will be used to structure the course. Each student will prepare a short write-up as a final assignment on a case chosen from a selection provided by the instructors. Note: Groups of students who want to work as a team to investigate a specific new venture idea in addition to participating in the seminar/discussion sessions should also consider enrolling in GSB534, offered in Spring term.
Same as: Cases

GSBGEN 515. Essentials of Strategic Communication. 2 Units.

Successful leaders understand the power of authentic, memorable communication.This course uses the lens of oral communication and presentations, to introduce the essential elements of the strategic communication strategies that make authentic, memorable communication work.Focusing on oral communication and presentation, we introduce the essentials of communication strategy and persuasion: audience analysis, message construction, communicator credibility, and delivery.Deliverables include written documents, focusing on individual and team presentations, with students receiving continuous feedback to improve their communication effectiveness, and to sharpen their authentic leadership voice. This highly interactive, practical course, is focused on feedback to help students at all levels of communication mastery develop confidence in their speaking and writing. Course includes presentations, assignments, lectures, discussions, simulated activities, in-class feedback, and filmed feedback. In this course you will learn to:-Recognize strategically effective communication-Implement the principles of strategic communication across different platforms-Develop clearly organized and effective presentations and documents-Diagnose and expand, your personal authentic communication style. As you make your super round selection, keep in mind that wait lists have been long for this course.

GSBGEN 518. Dynamics of the Global Wine Industry. 2 Units.

This course is a compressed version of GSBGEN 356. We will examine the world of wine with a fresh and contemporary lens. It will explore the market dynamics of this fascinating global industry. The goal of the course is to provide insight into the branding, marketing, and distribution dynamics that shape what consumers can buy and consume with a focus on the strategies of some of the world's leading wine brands. Attention will also be paid to the legal, regulatory, and market dynamics that define the U.S. wine industry as well as to issues of contested authenticity in the world of wine.

GSBGEN 520. Designing Solutions by Leveraging the Frinky Science of the Human Mind. 2 Units.

The thrust of this course is about designing effective and innovative solutions by leveraging deep insights into the workings of the human brain, specifically the emotional brain. Designing solutions for markets so as to identify promising business ideas; for existing organizations, fostering a competitive advantage, loyalty, customer life-time-value, etc. Designing solutions for customer engagement and behavior change. Designing solutions for leaders, who need to be effective at making decisions and influencing others' decisions. Designing solutions for organizations- for example, "How do we design effective solutions that will foster innovation and risk-taking in large organizations?" The course will explore these topics by unraveling the workings of the human brain, leveraging frameworks that essentially capture the way emotional brain systems shape our decisions, experiences and behaviors. Filled with mini-case studies and in-class exercises to illustrate the various topics, the course features one individual and one group assignment (the group assignment is geared toward applying the learnings in this course to identifying a promising business idea).

GSBGEN 523. Media Entrepreneurship. 2 Units.

The disruptive nature of the Internet has set in motion the destruction of business models that have supported traditional media organizations. This course will examine the current state and broader economic challenges facing the media industry. These include: the impact of technology, changing consumer behavior, the rise of mobile, social networks, big data, real-time metrics, innovations in digital advertising and distribution channels, and new business models. Students will analyze new digital media ventures and hear from industry experts facing innovation challenges at the intersection of content, technology and business. The course also will identify paths for entrepreneurs interested in building a media business.

GSBGEN 524. Leading with Mindfulness and Compassion. 2 Units.

The course explores the role of mindfulness, self-compassion and compassion in the workplace, and the contribution of these qualities to leadership. Topics addressed will include: How can mindfulness enhance clarity in purpose and productivity? What is the connection between mindfulness and compassion? Is compassion in the business world a strength or a weakness? Are compassion and profit motives fundamentally incompatible, or can they support each other? What does compassionate leadership look like? Can mindfulness and compassion be trained at the individual level, and built into company policy? How does self-compassion support effective leadership and recovery from setbacks? Participants in the course will engage with exercises from evidence-based programs targeting the development of mindfulness and the practical application of the skills of self-awareness, self-compassion, and perspective taking in the context of work and relationships.

GSBGEN 527. Global eCommerce. 2 Units.

Global eCommerce represents a vast market, driven by advances in internet and smartphone penetration, improving supply chains, lower online prices and variety and a growing, aspirational middle class with increasing demand for branded goods. This class will deep dive into the eCommerce industry to understand its competitive dynamics, success factors, business models and strategic dimensions. The class will have a global perspective, focusing on various aspects of eCommerce in the US as well as Asia, including China and India in particular. More broadly, the class will use the industry as a microcosm for how to build and succeed in modern data and technology driven markets. This is important because success in eCommerce requires bringing together in a meaningful way several disparate aspects including efficient supply chains, well functioning product marketplaces, frictionless payment systems, meaningful content, hardware and devices, as well as facilitating advanced search, advertising and marketing technology. Additional factors such as managing vendor and supplier relationships, fraud, user reviews and private labels make the industry complex and provide learnings for several other verticals. For instruction, we will use a mix of cases and lectures, and leverage significant participation from several eCommerce industry leaders.

GSBGEN 528. Communicating for Credibility: An Introduction to Thought Leadership. 2 Units.

Many students are prepared to be leaders, but few are prepared to be thought leaders. Yet, that's precisely what many of our students will become. This communications course focuses on the risks and the rewards of stepping into a thought leadership role as a subject matter expert or change agent in a domain of the student's choice. From the very first class students will tackle different communication elements (blogs, op-ed pieces, keynote talks, video blogs, conference panels, etc.) and receive feedback from professors and peers. By the end of this course students will: -Understand the risks and rewards of thought leadership -Identify and clearly articulate their own niche and "What-If?" future -Know the communication channels available to exercise thought leadership -Codify best practices and lessons learned into a forward-thinking document or framework that they can share widely -Craft a distinct message with an authentic voice across multiple channels -Build their ripples of influence by engaging their first followers and building a tribe -Begin to activate well-respected advocates who will champion their ideas -Define how to measure the success of their efforts (ex: reach, resonance) -Create a resource list of vendors, tools, technology and communities to support their thought leadership efforts -Overcome what may hold them back from stepping into the spotlight and assuming the role of thought leader in their niche. A prequalification assignment is required for this course. See https://goo.gl/forms/mAPC5izvC5gABJ2K2 for details and submit the survey by September 18.

GSBGEN 531. Global Trip Leadership Skills A. 1 Unit.

This course is open only to leaders of the Global Study Trips. This course is experiential and designed to support the leadership learning and development of students leading Global Study Trips. Lectures, role plays, cases, and exercises will be used to demonstrate and practice the skills needed to successfully lead a group of peers as they develop into a learning community to explore an academic topic in locations around the world. Topics covered in the class include high performing teams, setting expectations, feedback and the influence process, culture, managing crises on the ground, and more. In addition to the weekly course meeting, students will be required to meet with their teammates and coaches for at least an additional 3.5 hours.

GSBGEN 532. Clean Energy Opportunities. 2 Units.

This course examines business models and opportunities related to clean energy, specifically to low-carbon energy. We examine emerging trends for this sector in the context of technological change, business opportunities and the parameters set by public policy.

GSBGEN 533. Technology Licensing. 2 Units.

Licensing of technology and its corresponding intellectual property is big business, and integral to the business plans and competitive strategies of start-ups and Fortune 500 companies alike. Although the annual dollar magnitude of licenses of patents and other technology-related IP is difficult to estimate due to the proprietary nature of much of the data, academic studies peg the U.S. IP licensing market at ~$66B, and the global market at ~$180B. The development and evolution of technology standards and interoperability requirements, regulatory overlays that require technologies outside a company¿s core competencies, the proliferation and widespread enforcement of patents, the rapid expansion of IP-based business models, and the staggering expense and uncertain benefits of internal R&D, among other things, have combined to weigh heavily on the buy side of the make/buy scale, and to amplify the importance of inbound and outbound licensing arrangements for both start-up and Fortune 500 companies.Because licenses are complex legal agreements with important legal consequences, it is tempting for business executives to delegate to lawyers the negotiation of the non-economic terms of their companies¿ technology license agreements. The problem with such an approach, however, is that so-called ¿non-economic¿ terms can have significant and occasionally mortal economic and business consequences. While no business person should grapple with such issues in the context of a large or complex license agreement without legal counsel, it is critical that the business person understand the consequences and negotiating levers and trade-offs themselves, for at their core, the decisions to be made on these issues are business decisions, not legal ones.This course is organized around two hypothetical companies seeking to negotiate a technology license agreement. Both parties operate under a common set of ¿public¿ facts, and each responds as well to ¿private¿ facts relevant to various business priorities and issues. Students are divided into three-person teams, each representing one or the other of the hypothetical companies, and collaborate over multiple sessions to develop a strategic business approach and then to negotiate a licensing agreement. Lectures are focused on the business, and to a lesser extent, legal issues arising in complex licensing arrangements, and are designed to give students the context and perspective they need to participate effectively in licensing strategy development and negotiation. By immersing teams of business students in a multi-session licensing negotiation, it is the objective of this course to enable them to better understand and think critically about the principal issues that arise in the conceptualization and negotiation of technology license agreements.

GSBGEN 534. Creating and Scaling High Potential Ventures in Developing Economies. 2 Units.

This course addresses the distinctive challenges and opportunities of launching high-potential new ventures in developing economies. Developing economies are attractive targets for entrepreneurs because many are just starting to move up the growth curve, and they offer low-cost operating environments that can be great development labs for potentially disruptive innovations. They increase in attractiveness when their political institutions stabilize and they become more market-friendly. At the same time, developing economies pose serious challenges. Pioneering entrepreneurs take on significant risks to gain early mover advantages. Specifically, entrepreneurs will not be able to count on the same kind of supportive operating environments that we take for granted in the developed world. They often face cumbersome permit and licensing processes, poorly developed financial and labor markets, problematic import and export procedures, unreliable local supply chains, weak infrastructure, corruption, currency risks, limited investment capital, lack of financial exits and more. This course is designed to help would-be entrepreneurs - both founders and members of entrepreneurial teams - better understand and prepare for these issues as they pursue the opportunities and address the challenges to start, grow, and harvest their ventures in these environments. GSB534 will utilize a framework based on the World Economic Forum (WEF) report on "Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Around the Globe and Company Growth Dynamics" with an updated Note written by the lecturers. The weekly sessions are team-based exercises for students who either have a specific idea or want to join a team of classmates to pursue more deeply an understanding of the team's country of focus and an initial investigation of the idea's viability. Students must come in willing to be team players and do the work necessary to complete this exercise over the full quarter. Each team member's contributions will be assessed by fellow teammates. Teams of AT LEAST 3 STUDENTS EACH will be formed before the start of class or on the first day of class at the latest so students can decide if they want to enroll. The team will describe, in a final presentation, the challenges and opportunities in their country using the WEF framework. The final presentation will also include the team's thoughts on the viability of their proposed venture and how it capitalizes on their country's assets and addresses its challenges. A detailed business plan is not required; however, specific recommendations and plans for next steps that would be carried out during a 3 to 6 month field and market research study in the country will be part of the final presentation. Note: Students are encouraged to enroll GSB514 to gain more detailed information through case studies, guest lecturers and further discussion.
Same as: Cases and Team Project

GSBGEN 535. Global Trip Leadership Skills. 1 Unit.

This course is open only to leaders of Global Study Trips. It is designed to support GST leaders as they design and deliver a new version of GSTs that accommodate current pandemic limitations on travel. The course will support leaders in emergent design as well as leadership team considerations over Autumn and Winter quarters. A seminar format will enable cross-fertilization of approaches among trips. Some combination of lectures, role plays, cases, and exercises will be used to demonstrate and practice skills needed.
Same as: B

GSBGEN 538. Power in Finance. 2 Units.

There is a growing sense that both capitalism and democracy are in crisis. How do power structures in the private and public sectors determine economic and political outcomes? Is the focus on financial metrics and markets to blame for the eroding trust in corporations and governments? This interdisciplinary course explores these issues by developing in-depth understanding of the interactions between individuals, corporations, and governments that shape economic and political systems and their evolution. Topics will include the power of media, culture and corporate governance, corporate and investor power, the role of watchdogs, the special power of central banks, whistle-blowers and the justice system. Visitors with extensive relevant experiences and discussions of current events will enrich each class.

GSBGEN 539. Negotiation Dynamics: Lessons from the Sports and Entertainment Industries. 2 Units.

Negotiation is a central part of business in the worlds of sports and entertainment. This course will examine negotiation dynamics and key takeaways for general management from multiple different settings where negotiations had an important role--these will include preparing for a negotiation, the negotiation process itself, contractual outcomes of negotiation and their execution and in some cases litigation. The settings will include negotiations over player and actor contracts, negotiations between leagues and players associations, negotiations between investors and movie companies, and negotiations between content providers (both in sports and entertainment) and distribution partners (such as cable stations, international media companies, and online companies such as Netflix). Each of the six sessions is planned to include at least one and in some cases two guests that have had extensive experience in negotiations.

GSBGEN 541. Innovation and Problem Solving. 2 Units.

This project-based seminar is a rare opportunity for students to focus on a significant, currently ongoing problem from their work/lives: with the help of classmates, participants spend 5 weeks exploring how various problem-solving methods and frameworks can apply to their chosen projects. Problems that students have brought to the course in the past range from business challenges (e.g., designing part of a complex project, evaluating a business opportunity, creating a marketing plan), to problems of a more personal nature (e.g., determining one's career path). Each seminar session is divided into two parts: whole-group discussion and practice of a particular problem-solving tool, followed by a practicum, where students work pairwise in partnerships and receive feedback and assistance on their progress. The course is designed to achieve two goals. First, it will give you tools that should increase the probability that you'll make (hopefully substantial) progress on your problem. Second, it will introduce you to research that explains why it's sensible to try those tools on hard problems, i.e., the point of those tools.[1] Please note that the first goal is stated rather cautiously. There are good reasons for this. I expect that most students will be working on hard problems. (Everyone in the class will be getting help from classmates on their particular problem; why bother your peers with an easy problem that you could solve yourself?) An important idea in cognitive science, Newell¿s Law, says that magic doesn't exist: if a problem-solving method is powerful (very likely to solve a certain type of problem), then it only works on a narrow class of problems. So this course will not give you tools that are both powerful and general. It can't: such tools don't exist. Happily, improving your problem-solving skills, at least in certain domains, is possible, and that's what the course aims to do. Progress on hard problems usually requires help from friends and colleagues. Virtually all researchers of creativity agree that most innovations that are both bold and useful involve multiple problem solvers. This course will implement this important pattern by requiring every student help a classmate with their problem. Another important empirical regularity in the field of innovation is that when problems are hard many (perhaps most) candidate-solutions don't work out. It's easy to accept that about other people's ideas; about my own, not so much. So a vital component of effective problem-solving is tough-minded evaluation. This implies rejecting bad ideas or bad parts of a would-be solution. Hence, at the end of the course you will be required to evaluate the progress that a classmate has made on his/her problem and to explain your assessment. (For obvious reasons you will not evaluate the same person you're helping.) In sum, every student will do three things in this course: generate new ways to make some progress on a problem of their own choosing; help somebody else work on their project; evaluate somebody¿s progress. Implementing this design effectively requires that everybody sign on to a social contract: everybody agrees to take all three roles seriously. [1] Some students taking GSBGEN 541 might expect a d.school style course. There are similarities: e.g.,GSBGEN 541 is project-based, as are many d.school courses. But there are also important differences. In particular, this course explains why some problem-solving techniques work better than others by introducing students to key research on cognition and organizational decision making.

GSBGEN 544. How Software Ate Finance. 2 Units.

Software is eating the world, with radical consequences for financial services. This course will give you a foundation for understanding the future of financial services, and guide you in creating fintech businesses in the 2020s and beyond. The course has three objectives. First, we study the transformation of financial services through software, surveying payments, deposits and credit cards, securities and derivatives, capital markets, digital assets (including cryptocurrencies and blockchain mechanisms), financing and lending, wealth and asset management, and regulation and compliance. Second, we invite leading innovators to address how software has shaped their experiences; identify fundamental drivers; and forecast trends, challenges, and opportunities. Third, we present a roadmap for the evolution of the financial system, where traditional dichotomies -- trader / engineer, buy side / sell side, regulated / non-regulated, infrastructure provider / infrastructure user, data provider / data consumer -- give way to an ecosystem organized around producers and consumers of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), the rise of platforms and financial cloud providers, and the transformation of Wall Street economics into software economics. The lecturer is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, executive, investor, and risk manager. As a Stanford doctoral student, he worked on machine learning and probabilistic inference in the late 80s. Over the past 19 years, he has held multiple roles as a partner and senior leader of Goldman Sachs, including Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and global co-head of the Firm's largest and most complex business, the Securities Division. He also founded and led Kiodex, an early software-as-a-service company for risk analytics. Kiodex became a part of SunGard (now FIS) in 2004.

GSBGEN 546. Freedom, Democracy, and Capitalism. 2 Units.

This is an American civics course for future business leaders, intended to briefly (re-)introduce students to a few of the ideas that form the foundation of the American implementation of "the Western model" of freedom, liberal democracy, capitalism, and a rules-based international order. As time permits, we will learn to apply and combine these concepts to examine current policy topics in the news.

GSBGEN 550. Leadership Demystified. 2 Units.

This seminar will explore the nature and role of leadership in organizations. We will examine such questions as (1) What is leadership? (2) Why is it important? (3) What is it that leaders actually do? (4) How do they do it? (5) How are leaders developed? (6) Why do leaders succeed or fail? (7) What about your potential for leadership and your strategy for developing it?Our primary objective in this seminar is to achieve a deeper understanding of the nature and role of leadership in organizations. Our approach will be to examine a small sample of the literature, together with the amazing story of Ernest Shackleton and his Endurance crew, and then to probe several key questions through lively class discussion. The discussion, informed by the readings and also by our collective experiences, will seek to develop some general principles and observations about leadership - particularly about how you might better develop yourself as a leader.

GSBGEN 551. Innovation and Management in Health Care. 2 Units.

The health care system accounts for 18% of US GDP and is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy. This two unit class focuses on the interplay and tension between the main players in the health care field - providers of health care services (individual doctors, group practices, integrated health care systems), payors (insurances companies, employers, consumers, and government), patients, and innovator companies (biopharma, medical device, diagnostics, and health care IT). The course is designed for students with a broad diversity of backgrounds and interests who want to better understand the health care business and system. No prior experience in the health care or medical field is assumed or needed. The focus of the class will be primarily on the US health care system, but there will be limited discussion of non-US systems as well. The course is divided into four modules: An overview of the US Health Care System and the interplay between payers, providers, innovators, and patients, Provider delivery models, health care information technology, and incentive structures - The relationship between quality, cost, and access - Integrated systems, value-based, and fee for service models - New IT technologies, including electronic data records - The role of information and incentives - Innovator business models and issues - Financing and managing new product development - Clinical trial management and gaining regulatory approval - Marketing, reimbursement, and sales strategies - Business models to drive innovation - Health care system reform The class will be taught primarily from the perspective of a business person operating a company rather than that of a policy maker, academic, or investor. While there will be a few lectures to provide background and frameworks for course topics, most classes will involve a case discussion and prominent guest speakers from the health care industry. Speakers will include CEOs and senior executives from Genomic Health, Blue Shield of California, Tenet Health, Venrock, Burd Health, Verily (Google Health), Myovant, and Stanford Medicine.

GSBGEN 552. Winning Writing. 2 Units.

This two-week, six-session workshop will offer techniques and practical in-class exercises for writing better -- better memos, emails, feedback for colleagues, news releases, responses to questions from the media and from interviewers, and opinion pieces. Glenn Kramon, an editor who has helped New York Times reporters win 10 Pulitzer Prizes, will teach the course along with accomplished journalists with expertise in powerful, persuasive writing for business. They will provide not only helpful tips but constructive feedback on students' work. They will also share thoughts on how best to work with the news media.

GSBGEN 559. The Politics, Policy, and Finance for Solving Global Warming. 2 Units.

There is increasing scientific consensus that global warming threatens our world. This course explores how the next generation of leaders can use a combination of forward-looking public policy, political power, and financing new technologies to solve this vexing challenge. The course will integrate public policy and politics with finance and real life cases on companies from Nest to Tesla. The instructor will bring regulatory leaders, elected officials and venture capitalists to class to explain how each of these leaders drive change and discuss what obstacles they must overcome in the process. There will be a heavy emphasis on class participation and students will be asked to apply what they've learned in every aspect of their GSB education, from finance and accounting to marketing and organizational behavior. Students will be asked to make their own case on which new technology, piece of legislation, or regulatory mandate will have the greatest impact on solving global warming and what role they see themselves playing in making change.

GSBGEN 561. Sports Investment Analysis. 2 Units.

Course examines investment and financing issues that face a diverse set of participants in the sports industry (defined very broadly). A key theme is using general financial concepts to better structure decision making in the sports industry. Specific topics illustrate the broad set of perspectives considered: Player Payroll Financial Dynamics; Asset Appreciation Opportunities; Assessing the Value of Players (& General Managers); Investment Syndicates in Sports; Investing in Startup Leagues; Financial Valuation of Sporting Clubs; Financial/Strategy Analysis for a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Venture; and On-Line Sports Venture Evaluation. One hand in requires feedback to the CEO's of several new sporting ventures about ways to expand their opportunity set; the CEO's come to a class and present their venture. The second hand in is a case study of a sports investment where there was sizable value creation or value destruction. Each session typically is co-taught with an industry visitor.

GSBGEN 562. Sports Marketing. 2 Units.

This Sports Marketing course combines (a) a focus on key marketing themes (such as branding, customer attraction/retention, and celebrity power) and (b) an analysis of marketing in diverse areas of the sporting industry: the league level, the team level, the player level, the network level, the advertiser level, the sponsor level, the fan level, and the media level. The nine sessions cover the following: Corporate Sponsorship; Online Marketing; Events as Brand Building Investments; Marketing to Youth; Sports/Entertainment Nexus; Club Marketing Strategies; Brand Revitalization & Strengthening; Motor Sports Marketing; Marketing in a Web 2.0/Social Networking World. Each session is typically taught with an industry visitor.

GSBGEN 564. The Entertainment Industry - An Intersection of Art and Commerce. 2 Units.

In this seminar we will explore the intersection of art and commerce in the entertainment industry. We will look at creating films and television programing that are artistically meaningful and/or have the potential for commercial success. The class will also look in depth at the rapidly changing business of entertainment. Films are increasingly used as a tool for social change, and we will examine this power. The entertainment industry is one of enormous importance - both from a business and cultural standpoint, and has influence on virtually every sphere of our society. Sometimes the industry can seem baffling, mercurial, and characterized more by madness than method. But despite its uncertainties, Hollywood does have its own rules, rhythms, methods and strategies ¿ and examining and evaluating them will be a key part of this seminar. This is a time when many existing formulas are being reconsidered, retooled, or jettisoned, and new technologies and expanding markets are having a profound impact on the industry - and tracking and analyzing this will be a key part of the course.I will also bring some of my professional experiences into the classroom (including directing, writing, and producing for film and television, etc.), and discuss these experiences through the intersection of the business and creative sides of the industry. We will discuss the entertainment industry's future, and address varied and effective paths for creating entertainment product with artistic and/or commercial merit. Students taking the course will be asked to be part of an in-class group exercise, and also complete a final group project where they will present their work in class.

GSBGEN 565. Political Communication: How Leaders Become Leaders. 2 Units.

This year -- 2020 -- will be a fascinating backdrop for the upcoming Presidential and Congressional races. Implications of the pandemic, its dramatic economic impacts, and four years of a non-traditional president are a contextual backdrop not seen in decades. Politics, perhaps like no other arena, provides a rich and dramatic laboratory for studying the art and science of influential communication. Whether it is a local school bond election or a Congressional race, a Presidential debate or a State of the Union Address, the demanding communications of politics provide insights into our own strengths and gaps as a communicator and leader. Political campaigns, by their very nature, are highly visible, oriented toward very specific objectives, and increasingly leverage a variety of new media platforms. They are often emotionally charged, and rife with conflict and drama. The principles of political communications transcend politics, and are useful guides for leaders in business, the non-profit community, as well as government. How candidates, elected officials, and leaders in all kinds of organizations communicate vision, values, and experience, as well as how they perform in very fluid environments, not the least of which may be during a crisis, has a great deal to do with their career success. In its 12th year, this highly interactive course allows students to explore both theory and practice behind effective positioning and presentation. Students will analyze and evaluate both successful and unsuccessful communications strategies of political campaigns and candidates. They will explore historic examples of US Presidential debates, from Nixon/Kennedy to the present. Further they will experience political events as they happen -- with each class drawing lessons from political developments around the nation and the world. Students will also hone their own strategic communications skills in activities requiring both written and spoken communication. This is not a course in political science, American government, or in public speaking. However, the engaged student will gain insights into those areas as well.The course is taught by David Demarest, former Vice President of Public Affairs for Stanford University. Demarest has broad communications experience across the public and private sector in financial services, education, and government. After serving as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, and Assistant Secretary of Labor in the Reagan Administration, in 1988 he served as Communications Director for Vice President George H. W. Bush's successful presidential campaign. He then became a member of the White House senior staff as White House Communications Director. After leaving government in 1993, he spent the next decade leading communications for two Fortune 50 companies, before coming to Stanford in 2005.

GSBGEN 566. Dilemmas and Decisions. 2 Units.

GSBGEN 566 is an elective course offered to 2nd-year MBA and MSx students. The goal of this course is to improve students' judgment in confronting challenging, real business situations encountered in the normal progression of corporate activities. The course aims to sharpen moral reasoning and build judgment without favoring a particular position. The course will be taught by Mark Leslie and Peter Levine, Lecturers.The course is taught using ¿vignettes¿. At the beginning of each class students will be given a one-page reading that describes a business situation which requires a decision to be made. After in-depth discussion, a second page will be handed out, describing how the situation actually unfolded and challenges the class with new information. This new information typically changes the dynamics of the case and requires a new decision to be made. Often there is a third and fourth page that continues the dialogue. Frequent student-to-student and student-to-instructor role-playing will be employed in the development of the session. Note that for most classes there is little or no advanced preparation required, which is often the case when making real-world business decisions.Cases are drawn from a wide selection of ACTUAL BUSINESS SITUATIONS with protagonists joining the class as guests whenever available. Vignettes are based on topics such as raising venture capital, managing major industrial customers, product distribution agreements, board of director and fiduciary conflicts, developing financial instruments, palace revolt / mutiny, work/life balance, rape accusation of an executive, etc.The class is extremely engaging - it is quite usual to find continuing discussion of the day's case outside the classroom among small groups of students.This class is for two GSB credits and will be graded on a pass/fail basis. Sixty percent of the final grade will be derived from classroom performance; the remainder will be based on a final written assignment describing a personal ethical situation that the student has faced in their careers.

GSBGEN 568. Managing Difficult Conversations. 2 Units.

This elective 2-unit course is offered to all medical students, residents, and fellows, and to GSB students who aspire to improve their ability to deal effectively with difficult interpersonal situations. The course will be taught by William F. Meehan III, the Lafayette Partners Lecturer in Strategic Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business and Charles G. Prober, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology & Immunology and Senior Associate Vice Provost for Health Education, Stanford School of Medicine. The course, which will be case-based, will involve frequent student-to-student and student-to-instructor role-playing in authentic medical interactions and difficult interpersonal situations. Topic-specific experts often will be present to participate as class guests. Relevant principles of professionalism, leadership, and psychology underlie the course pedagogy. There will be seven classes held on Wednesdays beginning April 10th and concluding on May 22nd. Students will be expected to attend all classes unless excused in advance. Class preparation will include reading of assigned cases; analysis of the cases and recommendations as to how to confront specific difficult conversations (consistent with assigned study questions); and reading of assigned background material. It is important that all students participate actively in classroom discussions. For GSB students, 50% of the final grade will depend on classroom performance; the remainder will be based on a final written assignment of 3-5 pages. GSB students will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis. The course will be ungraded for medical students, residents and fellows. All students will be expected to complete the written assignment. Class size will be limited to 40 students per the following: (1) a maximum of 20 GSB students and (2) a maximum of 20 medical students, residents, and fellows.

GSBGEN 569. The Open Road: Innovation in Cars, Driving, and Mobility. 2 Units.

This course will look at ongoing and upcoming innovation in cars, driving, and mobility from three perspectives: (1) technology, (2) economics & business models, and (3) policy. We'll survey changes in powering vehicles (e.g. electrification and biofuels), in-vehicle connectivity and communications, and most especially changes in autonomy and self-driving vehicles. We'll examine at changes in the economics of cars, vehicles, and driving¿new business models, shared ownership, mobility as a service, as well as who some of the major players are in this nascent field and what they are doing/developing. And we'll explore the interactions of technology and economics with policy and broader societal changes¿direct effects like safety, legal liability, and who can drive; indirect effects on traffic, insurance, infrastructure needs, fuel taxes, and the environment; as well as longer-term and even bigger changes in daily life and where and how we live, work, and drive.The class is structured a bit like a large seminar. At the beginning of the quarter each student will, with the instructor, choose a topic to research. The student will interview experts on that topic and then write a memo. Most of our class sessions will be dedicated to discussing the memos written by you and your peers.

GSBGEN 574. Effective Virtual Communication: Presenting via the web, video, and teleconference. 2 Units.

Ever wonder if your online audience is paying attention to your web presentation or meeting? Have you wanted more engagement from your participants? Communicating virtually - using conference or video calls, web tools, and mobile devices is very challenging. Yet more and more communication is happening with presenter and audience connecting electronically.nInformed by scholarly research and industry best practices, this workshop will provide a hands-on, practical introduction to immediately applicable techniques that will help you prepare and deliver engaging, participative, and impactful virtual presentations.nnSpecifically, you will learn techniques for confidently delivering virtual presentations, how to create content that invites engagement, and how to facilitate speaker-audience interactions that invite collaboration without losing control. We will also cover best practices for responding to audience input and questions that will amplify your message and for handling challenging interactions and questions. With these virtual-presenting skills, you will feel more confident presenting and your audience will be more connected and engaged.

GSBGEN 576. Work and Family. 2 Units.

This course examines the strategies that highly educated women and men use to combine work and family and the strategies that managers and policy makers can use to help others strike a balance. Topics include the tradeoffs in becoming a stay-at-home parent, the economic value of unpaid labor, the consequences of balancing two high-powered careers and children, the economics of marriage, fertility, child care, and elder care, the gendered division of labor in the home, time-management , workplace innovations, and policy initiatives. Guest speakers add their own perspectives on these issues and describe the roles their organizations play.

GSBGEN 578. Is the Internet Broken?. 2 Units.

This interdisciplinary course examines the promise, peril, and possible future of the Internet and the impact of the World Wide Web on our lives. We will explore the most pressing contemporary issues facing the Internet, including debates on privacy, antitrust, freedom of speech, access, neutrality, and regulation. We will also unpack the claim that "decentralization," as it has grown with new technologies such as blockchain and crypto assets, captures the original vision of the Internet. A key question we will address is: What should be the roles of markets, governments, and different stakeholders in shaping the Internet? Students will have the opportunity to reflect on their own motivations and roles as digital consumers, potential innovators, and future leaders in this process. Guests from the tech sector and elsewhere will enrich our discussion. Co-Instructor: Jonathan Dotan.

GSBGEN 581. Philanthropy, Inclusivity and Leadership. 2 Units.

A philanthropist is anyone who gives anything-time, expertise, networks, credibility, influence, dollars, experience-in any amount to create a better world. Regardless of one's age, background or profession, everyone has the potential to lead in a way that both tackles the complex social problems our interconnected world faces and creates greater inclusivity, access and impact. This demanding two-week, compressed course will provide passionate students with a brave space to develop and refine a plan for their own social change journey and amplify their potential to give, live and lead in a way that matters more. Using design thinking, students will challenge their preconceptions and wrestle with their social change approach, their privileged position as future Stanford graduates and philanthropy's role in society. Lectures and class discussions will inspire and prepare students to create social value with greater intentionality and humility. For the first class, students will submit a proposed social impact plan for their professional, philanthropic and civic lives. Over the course¿s six sessions, students will refine their plan, creating a formal theory of change that strategically utilizes their unique leadership platform and asset portfolio to advance opportunity and justice for a target population. Potential guest speakers include Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation; Justin Steele, Principal at Google.org; Crystal Hayling, Executive Director of the Libra Foundation; Rob Reich of Stanford PACS and Laura Muñoz Arnold, Co-Chair of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.

GSBGEN 585. Project You: Building and Extending your Personal Brand. 2 Units.

GSB Graduates will be entering and re-entering the workforce needing to know and understand how to build, broadcast, maintain and protect their personal brand. Project You will help each student realize: What is a personal brand and how can it be unleashed as a valuable, competitive advantage? Why do you need a personal brand? How do you differentiate yourself and create a brand identity and strategy? How do you use social and traditional media to enhance your brand effectively as well as measure the metrics of social media responses? And how do you know when to pivot and evolve your brand for sustainability? GSB Lecturer, Allison Kluger, a former Television Executive and Co-Lecturer, Tyra Banks, Supermodel/Entrepreneur/Television Executive/Business CEO, will lead this class. They will help students create their own specific image to support their brand, teach them how to navigate on-air exposure, and help them create a long-term strategy for how to promote their personal brand across several media platforms. Within a highly interactive learning environment, image transformations, live broadcasting of presentations at a television station, live streaming of portions of the class on Facebook Live, and YouTube recordings of presentations will all be part of the assignments and requirements. The class culminates with the students sharing their honed personal brand to the public via three viable platforms (Facebook Live, local television, YouTube) to jump-start their personal brand extension. A 1:30 video stating "Who you are, what your personal brand is, and what you want it to be" will be a mandatory requirement before Class #1.

GSBGEN 595. High-Stakes Decision Making. 1 Unit.

Effective decision making is a critical skill for political and business leaders. Decisions must be made under pressure and often with incomplete information. George Osborne was Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, and this class will study three of the biggest challenges global economic policy makers faced during this time. Students will gain a framework for how senior leaders approach decision making, and will be given the chance to put this into practice. Each class will include a simulation where students are put in the role of a senior policy maker facing a key decision.

GSBGEN 596. Designing AI to Cultivate Human Well-Being. 2 Units.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to drive us towards a better future for all of humanity, but it also comes with significant risks and challenges. At its best, AI can help humans mitigate climate change, diagnose and treat diseases more effectively, enhance learning, and improve access to capital throughout the world. But it also has the potential to exacerbate human biases, destroy trust in information flow, displace entire industries, and amplify inequality throughout the world. We have arrived at a pivotal moment in the development of the technology in which we must establish a foundation for how we will design AI to capture the positive potential and mitigate the negative risks. To do this, we must be intentional about human-centered design because, ¿Only once we have thought hard about what sort of future we want, will we be able to begin steering a course toward a desirable future. If we don¿t know what we want, we¿re unlikely to get it.¿ Thus, building AI must be an inclusive, interactive, and introspective process guided by an affirmative vision of a beneficial AI-future. The goal of this interdisciplinary class is to bridge the gap between technological and societal objectives: How do we design AI to promote human well-being? The ultimate aim is to provide tools and frameworks to build a more harmonious human society based on cooperation toward a shared vision. Thus, students are trained in basic science to understand what brings about the conditions for human flourishing and will create meaningful AI technologies that aligns with the PACE framework:·has a clear and meaningful purpose ·augments human dignity and autonomy ·creates a feeling of inclusivity and collaboration·creates shared prosperity and a sense of forward movement (excellence)Toward this end, students work in interdisciplinary teams on a final project and propose a solution that tackles a significant societal challenge by leveraging technology and frameworks on human thriving.

GSBGEN 597. Growth in the Developing Countries, Emerging Economies and the Global Economy. 2 Units.

This course deals with growth, or slightly more broadly with growth patterns. It starts with developing country growth, a distinctive features of the post WWII global order. The economics, the policies and the political economy for growth and development will be addressed. We then turn to the so-called emerging economies and the middle to high income transitions that are underway in a wide range of countries. The course then shifts to more general characteristics and issues associated with growth patterns, including in developed economies: specifically distribution or inequality, major technological changes and transitions, especially the digital one currently underway, and finally sustainability, as a large fraction of the world's population converges on high income country patterns of production, consumption and energy use.

GSBGEN 598. Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program. 1 Unit.

This course is open only to students participating in the Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program and is required of those students. Requirements include researching and reporting on companies to be visited, planning the business meetings during the Beijing and Stanford weeks, and attending lectures and discussions at Stanford and Tsinghua. Offered Pass/No Pass only. 1 unit. Autumn quarter.
Same as: A

GSBGEN 599. Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program. 1 Unit.

This course is open only to students participating in the Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program and is required of those students. Requirements include researching and reporting on companies to be visited, planning the business meetings during the Beijing and Stanford weeks, attending lectures and discussions at Stanford and Tsinghua, and completing the peer evaluations and reflection videos. Offered Pass/No Pass only. 1 units. Winter quarter.
Same as: B

GSBGEN 622. Presentation and Communication Skills for Academics. 2 Units.

Academics must effectively communicate the importance of their research to a wide range of audiences, including colleagues, students, stakeholders, and the general public, as well as in a variety of contexts, from academic conferences and job talks to one-on-one conversations, news interviews, and social media. This highly interactive course is designed to equip PhD students with the skills to confidently present their research and connect with varied audiences. Students will craft an elevator pitch for academic settings, create a 3-min TED-like talk aimed at the general public, learn how to document and tell the "story" of their research, and practice responding to Q&A and research critiques. This class combines best practices from public speaking with elements from related fields, including the art of improv and the science of communication.

GSBGEN 641. Advanced Empirical Methods. 3 Units.

This course covers various advanced quantitative methods with applications in marketing and economics. Topics include simulation-based estimation, dynamic decision processes, and other topics relating to empirical models of demand and supply. The course stresses the conceptual understanding and application of each technique. Students will learn to apply these techniques using Matlab or an equivalent language.

GSBGEN 646. Behavioral Economics and the Psychology of Decision Making. 3 Units.

This seminar examines research on the psychology of judgment and choice. Although the normative issue of how decisions should be made is relevant, the descriptive issue of how decisions are made is the main focus of the course. Topics of discussion include choice, judgment heuristics and biases, decision framing, prospect theory, mental accounting, context effects, task effects, regret, and other topics. The goal of the seminar is twofold: to foster a critical appreciation of existing knowledge in behavioral decision theory, to develop the students' skills in identifying and testing interesting research ideas, and to explore research opportunities for adding to that knowledge.

GSBGEN 675. Microeconomic Theory. 3 Units.

This course provides an introduction to microeconomic theory designed to meet the needs of students in the GSB non-Economics PhD programs. The course will cover the standard economic models of individual decision-making, models of consumer behavior and producer behavior under perfect competition, the Arrow-Debreu general equilibrium model, and some basic issues in welfare measurement. This class assumes a basic knowledge of undergraduate intermediate microeconomics, comfort with multivariable calculus and linear algebra and some exposure to real analysis.

GSBGEN 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

GSBGEN 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

GSBGEN 697. Research Fellows Practicum. 1-6 Unit.

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GSBGEN 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

HRMGT 203. People Analytics. 2 Units.

How can we use big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence to inform design, hiring, promotion and human resource management processes in organizations? We will discuss the theoretical and practical challenges that these issues present, and the ways by which data can help resolve them. In doing so, we will explore various data analytic methods and different data types, as well as the pitfalls and ethical issues their use introduces.

HRMGT 210. Org 2.0: The Analytics of Organization Design. 2 Units.

This elective will bring you to the cutting edge of how organizations are (re)-designed using analytics. You will learn about a variety of tools which enable Perception (i.e. understanding what is happening in the organization right now), Prediction (i.e. forecasting what is likely to happen in the future, based on sophisticated extrapolation of past data) and Prototyping (i.e. determining which decisions are likely to be successful based on pilot tests) in organizations. This is a hands-on class: we will rely extensively on group exercises, in which you will be able to learn enough about analytical tools and programming to be able to collaborate with analysts and evaluate their work. You will also have the chance to interact with industry speakers who have been applying these techniques in practice. The suite of new ideas that characterize ¿Org2.0¿ represents a major departure from the mainstream approach to organization design, which relies extensively on copying ¿best practices¿ from other companies, represents organizations as ¿boxes and arrows¿ organization charts, and is typically obsessed with incentive compensation and reporting as the key organizational/HR decisions. In Org2.0, you will learn how to use analytics to find out what works specifically for your company (rather than what worked in others), develop detailed models of interactions among employees (rather than among boxes) to help them collaborate successfully, and think of organization design as a combination of factors which can all be better understood through analytics. This approach has been made possible both by recent theoretical developments in organization design and by access to vast computational power and data arising from digitalization. Some of the skills you will learn include: -Thinking about complex organizations by breaking them down into a few basic building blocks or ¿micro-structures¿ -Using graph theory to map networks of interaction within organizations -Using machine learning to answer the fundamental ¿people¿ questions in organizations: whom to hire, develop and retain? - Prototyping organizational changes in silico using agent-based computational models -Using A/B testing (a.k.a. Randomized Controlled Trials) to know rather than guess which organizational designs will be effective Who should take this course? If you are likely to be involved in strategy execution, post-merger integration, re-organizations, or HR in either a direct or advisory role (regardless of how big or small your company is), this course will put you at the cutting edge of thinking and methodology in these areas. Some of the exercises will involve programming (in the Python language, specifically). However, you DO NOT need to know statistics (beyond that covered in core courses) or computer programming to take and benefit from this course. We will provide technical support and will design exercises in a way that you can focus your energies on mastering the concepts and thinking of solving business problems. The course won't turn you into data analysts, but it will help you manage them.

HRMGT 282. People Operations: From Startup to Scaleup. 4 Units.

This course focuses attention on human resource strategies for startups. It discusses recruitment, incentives, design of jobs, development of talent, leadership and empowerment challenges in startups. We will deal with questions ranging from equity splits to founding team dynamics, hiring talent to the sequencing of hires. We will use a mix of "live cases" from the field, and lectures.

HRMGT 284. People Management Strategy in Startups and Growing Firms. 2 Units.

The average CEO, C-suite manager, or funder, will say that a firm¿s success hinges on hiring and motivating the right people. Therefore, this class aims to examine the people management strategies you might choose from as you build a young firm, or as you grow a larger firm. There are three facets to this course. The first is to acknowledge that the People Management Strategy that you choose must be selected with the overall external strategy of the firm in mind. Technology-based firms will have different strategies than brick-n-mortar retail firms. The second facet is to discuss the evolution of people management strategies as the firm grows over time: a very small firm will have few formal processes; a large firm typically can¿t live without them and may need to change them over time. The third facet covered is an analysis of the detailed issues you should consider as you set up your HR practices surrounding hiring, compensation, and promotion. Classes will have guest speakers, and cases will draw from LinkedIn, Box, Royal Bank of Canada, Tesla, the Gap, and various startups.

HRMGT 286. Managing People in the Global Context. 2 Units.

The world of work has changed fundamentally - firms are now integrally linked to the global economy and many of you will manage teams of people located in different countries. What are the typical "people" challenges that arise when working across borders? We will answer this question by looking at topics such as hiring, job design, teamwork, training, pay and promotions. We will use exercises, cases from both developed and developing economies and guest lectures.

HRMGT 302. Incentives and Productivity. 4 Units.

This course is designed to teach the student how to use economics to solve practical personnel problems that affect worker productivity. Topics include: selecting the best workers to hire, training workers, turnover, setting compensation strategically, structuring salespersons' commissions, downsizing, using promotions as an incentive mechanism, and other topics. Examples and cases will be presented to demonstrate the importance of using economic techniques to structure human resources programs. The course will appeal most to the student who expects to be a general manager or who hopes to run his or her own business. Although the human resources specialist may benefit from this course, the emphasis will be on decisions that affect personnel, but are made primarily by general managers. The class format is somewhat unusual. Most classes consist of lecture with questions, but two are class workshops. The lecture will present a theoretical development of a topic. The questions discussed during the last part of the lecture period will involve practical business application of the theory presented in lecture. This course is more technical than other human resources courses, but should be accessible to anyone who has successfully completed the economics and statistics courses in the MBA core. Every student is expected to know calculus and basic probability and statistics. Although I will not emphasize the technical aspects on the final exam, the problem sets will require some knowledge of mathematics. To ease your fears, many "poets" have taken variants of this course in the past and have done well.There will be graded team problem sets and a final exam.

HRMGT 382. People Operations: From Startup to Scaleup. 4 Units.

This course focuses attention on human resource strategies for startups. It discusses recruitment, incentives, design of jobs, development of talent, leadership and empowerment challenges in startups. We will deal with questions ranging from equity splits to founding team dynamics, hiring talent to the sequencing of hires. We will use a mix of "live cases" from the field, and lectures.

HRMGT 384. Understanding the Trends Transforming the World of Work: Lab for HR Startups. 4 Units.

The purpose of the course is to review the key trends transforming the world of work in a post-covid environment, and then get students to define and sharpen their definition of entrepreneurial opportunities to improve the world of work. It will be offered as a 'lab' - in that in each session will focus on the transition from a transformative trend to an entrepreneurial opportunity.

HRMGT 503. People Analytics. 2 Units.

How can we use big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence to inform design, hiring, promotion and human resource management processes in organizations? We will discuss the theoretical and practical challenges that these issues present, and the ways by which data can help resolve them. In doing so, we will explore various data analytic methods and different data types, as well as the pitfalls and ethical issues their use introduces.

HRMGT 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

HRMGT 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

HRMGT 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

MKTG 240. Marketing Management. 3 Units.

The objectives of this course are to introduce students to the substantive and procedural aspects of marketing management and to sharpen skills for critical analytical thinking and effective communication. Specifically, the goals are to introduce students to marketing strategy and to the elements of marketing analysis: customer analysis, competitor analysis, and company analysis; to familiarize students with the elements of the marketing mix (product strategy, pricing, advertising and promotion, and distribution), and to enhance problem solving and decision-making abilities in these operational areas of marketing; and to provide students with a forum (both written and verbal) for presenting and defending their own recommendations, and for critically examining and discussing the recommendations of others.

MKTG 243. Marketing Management, Accelerated. 3 Units.

The objective of this course is to introduce you to modern marketing practice at an accelerated level. Marketing is key to the success of an organization and requires an ability to design and execute a coherent strategy across a number of different dimensions. Specifically, we study in depth each of the tactical P's "price, promotion, product, and place (distribution)" and do so through the structural lens of the three C's "customer, competition, and company, with a particular focus on the customer." Going beyond the fundamentals, the course emphasizes two specific areas of specialization and learning throughout. First, it focuses on data-driven techniques for assessing markets and teaches you which of these techniques apply to different marketing decision problems. Second, the course takes seriously the idea that consumers often want different things. It therefore focuses on how you can generate company value by understanding and serving heterogeneous consumer wants and needs.

MKTG 249. MSx: Marketing. 3 Units.

Every business has two kinds of problems: 1) Not having customers and 2) everything else. Marketing addresses the first problem. With increased access to information and fast-changing technology the role of marketing has broadened significantly. To attract and retain profitable customers, managers must identify and measure consumers' needs and wants, assess the competitive environment, select the most appropriate customer targets, and then develop multi-faceted marketing programs that satisfy consumers' needs better than the competition. The objective of this class is to provide you with perspectives on classical and modern day marketing, and to teach you how to take both a strategic and analytical approach towards contemporary marketing challenges.

MKTG 326. Customer Acquisition for New Ventures. 3 Units.

The focus of this course is on the strategies and methods used by early-stage companies to acquire customers (through outbound or inbound marketing) and to activate and retain them (i.e., to encourage repeat behavior and/or increase the frequency of interaction). Throughout the course, we will examine topics such as search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, affiliate marketing, social media campaigns, mobile applications, freemium strategies, and the use of web analytics for tracking customer acquisition and conversion. The focus will be mainly on digital marketing channels, and the emphasis will be more B2C than B2B. Instruction will consist of case discussion, exercises and simulations, and guest lectures, with students working in groups to apply their learning to improve the process of customer acquisition.

MKTG 335. Product Launch. 3 Units.

Our focus is on the question, "When launching a product, what are the framing issues that will help determine success?" In particular, we will provide you with tools to analyze market situations and determine whether it makes sense to launch a product or engage in a marketing-related investment. The course is not designed to cover issues such as execution of a strategy (although we will touch on this a bit), but on whether to enter a market to begin with. Thus, the course is decision oriented; we want you to think about market entry decisions and how you would make them. The tools that you will be provided won't consist of equations; instead, we'll arm you with a set of questions to ask, whose answers will help you make better decisions.nnnThis course is an advanced applications marketing course. Unlike the base core course that is designed to cover every basic topic in marketing, here we focus on a number of basic questions and explore them in depth. Although we will have some lectures for background, the bulk of this endeavor will be accomplished through case discussions. In other words, we can't and won't cover everything, as this course is not designed to be comprehensive. We are going to rely on your academic background in marketing to cover the basics; here and there, it is possible that some material will be a review of what you've done before (there's nothing wrong with a little de ja vu). Unfortunately, due to the tight schedule we will not be able to cover any of the basics that are not already included in the course material.nnThe course includes, cases, lectures, and guest lectures.

MKTG 337. Applied Behavioral Economics. 3 Units.

The field of behavioral economics couples scientific research on the psychology of decision making with economic theory to better understand what motivates economic agents, including consumers, managers, public policymakers, investors, and employees. In this course, we will examine topics such as the ¿¿"irrational"¿? patterns of how people think about products, money and investments, designing strategies and offerings to change behavior, and the drivers of happiness and the role of emotions in decision-making. This highly interdisciplinary course will be particularly relevant to students with interests in general management, entrepreneurship, Marketing, Strategy, Behavioral Finance, public policy, and nonprofit. Topics covered will include: Rationality and choice, choice complexity, intertemporal choice, emotional influences on choice, the role of behavioral economics in marketing, spending and savings behavior, social welfare, choice architecture, and defaults. The goals of this course are threefold: a) to study the basic principles of behavioral economics, b) To learn the application of the principles to various aspects of business and policy, and c) to think about a framework for developing products, programs, and tactics that are behaviorally informed. The course is composed of a mixture of lectures, exercises, academic paper reviews, and in-class case discussions. The purpose of the lectures is to present and discuss theories, concepts, analytical techniques and empirical findings. In-class exercise will be used to apply the concepts and techniques covered in the class. We will discuss a few business cases. In addition, students working in teams will prepare an analysis and recommended behavioral strategy for a company/startup of their choice.

MKTG 344. Marketing Research. 3 Units.

How large is the market for a product, what is important for the target segment? How does change in the product design affect profitability? This course aims to help students ask such business questions and find data-driven answers to them. The main objectives are to equip students with: 1) an understanding of the value of data - what intelligence it can and cannot provide, 2) exposure to state-of-the-art quantitative tools including conjoint analysis, and unsupervised machine learning techniques such as cluster analysis to analyze the data, and 3) sufficient hands-on experience with these tools for answering students' own marketing research questions from the perspective of an entrepreneur, marketer or a consultant. The course is designed to address substantive marketing problems such as: market segmentation, targeting, forecasting demand, pricing, and developing new products. We will use a mix of lectures, exercises, cases and a project to learn the material.

MKTG 346. Humor: Serious Business. 3 Units.

YOU, oh fearless leader of the future (and maybe present), are very important. You will make critical and far-reaching economic, political, and social decisions in your quest beyond Stanford to change lives, change organizations, and change the world. That's serious stuff. So, why humor? The late journalist Eric Sevareid said "Next to power without honor, the most dangerous thing in the world is power without humor." Our goal is to pin you down and not let you leave Stanford without a healthy dose of humanity, humility, and intellectual perspective that only humor can bring. This class is about the power (and importance) of humor to make and scale positive change in the world, and also - surprise! - to achieve business objectives, build more effective and innovative organizations, cultivate stronger bonds, and capture more lasting memories. We will explore various aspects of levity and humor, reveal insight into what makes people laugh, and provide tools to harness humor safely and effectively in business. By the end of class, you should: Discover: (Re)discover humor in your stories and life; understand your unique style and the styles of others. Play: Apply techniques from comedians and play with incorporating humor into otherwise unfunny moments. Lead: Embed humor into your leadership style; understand the nuance of how to do this as your status shifts across roles and contexts. Activate: Amplify humor, using it to create cultures of levity in teams, organizations, and in the world. Welcome to your (re)introduction to humor.

MKTG 353. Social Brands. 4 Units.

As savvy consumers are increasingly participating in brands rather than merely receiving their messages, how do leading organizations stoke conversations, co-create experiences and stories, and build engaging relationships with consumers? Moreover, how do they harness social media to build a brand, and empower employees and consumers to share these brand stories with others?n nSocial Brands is a hands-on, project-based course that will draw brain power from the GSB, School of Engineering, and other Stanford graduate programs to collaboratively and creatively explore these questions. While we examine various inspiring examples of social brands, we will find that the rules are yet to be written. This emerging genre of social commerce and marketing is the "Wild West" and students working in mixed teams will be challenged to design and launch their own social experiments to form their own hypotheses. n nAssignments will push student teams to audit a brand, focus on a strategic goal, and design a social interaction that invites people on campus to participate in an extraordinary personal experience with that brand. Teams will then capture this experience in short videos and compile them into a story -- one that highlights the brand experience they orchestrated, its impact, and their key learnings. This course will integrate approaches from the d.school and marketing curriculum - including brand strategy, storytelling fundamentals, human-centered methods, rapid prototyping, and a bias toward action. This is a class for those that want to learn by doing and creating.nnMKTG 353 - Social Brands class website: http://www.stanford.edu/class/mktg353/.

MKTG 365. Marketing Analytics. 3 Units.

Firms operate in an increasingly challenging business environment, with greater competition, more informed customers and rapidly changing market trends. Simultaneously, they also have access to more information about their customers, the marketplace and their competitors than ever before. In this environment, knowing how to use this information to make optimal business decisions is a crucial competitive advantage. Firms often have access to data that they do not know how to use. The objectives of this course are to introduce students to state-of-the-art marketing analytics and to teach them how to practically apply these analytics to real-world business decisions.nnnThe following are examples of the types of questions that the course will address: How should a firm determine the prices for its products and services? What is the effect of television advertising on a brand's sales and how should advertising be optimized? What can a firm learn about its customers from online browsing behavior and how can this knowledge be used for targeted advertising and promotions? How should a firm allocate its sales force? How should a firm manage the allocation of its promotional budget in order to maximize its returns? How should the mailing of catalogs or direct mail be targeted to increase response rates?nnnThe course will use a mix of lectures, cases, homework assignments and a course project to learn the material. Students do not need to have an advanced statistical background to take this course. Familiarity with the material in an introductory marketing course and an introductory statistics course will be assumed, but necessary material will be reviewed during the course of the quarter as necessary.

MKTG 366. Marketing Analytics. 3 Units.

This course is focused on advanced methods and approaches to marketing analytics. Firms often operate in an increasingly challenging environment, with greater competition, more informed customers and rapidly changing market trends. They also operate in a data-rich environment, with information often at the individual customer level. Knowing how to use this information to optimize business decisions is a competitive advantage.nnnThe course will take a hands-on approach to learning advanced techniques and methods in marketing analytics. The course will set a broad set of topics including pricing, advertising, channel management and customer relationship management amongst others. Students will use a mix of approaches including statistical methods, experimental and quasi-experimental approaches. This course will use a hybrid model, with a mix of case studies, exercises and flipped classrooms, where students will read/view material in advance of the class, with the class sessions focusing on discussing the topics at a deeper level. A major component of the course will be a project that students will work on in partnership with a firm on solving a business problem using the methods and approaches learned in this course.nnnThe course will be a good fit for students who have a background in advanced statistical methods and programming, or are willing to acquire these skills on their own in advance.

MKTG 368. Consumer Search and Marketing: Business Models in the Information Economy. 3 Units.

This class will explore the role of consumer search and firms' information provision with a focus on online markets and companies. Because the amount of information available to consumers has increased dramatically, it has become paramount for companies to facilitate consumers search process. We will cover both the relevance for companies to reach consumers through their presence on third-party search platforms such as Google as well as how companies help consumers navigate through their own assortment by means of recommendation algorithms (e.g. Netflix, Spotify). Furthermore, we will discuss business models of companies that facilitate search by aggregating and presenting results from other vendors such as Kayak or eBay. Finally, we discuss new sources of information such as online reviews and consumer word-of-mouth on social media and how firms can effectively influence and manage those sources of information.

MKTG 373. Monetization. 3 Units.

This course examines the fundamental issues of creating a strategy for monetization and revenue growth within an organization. Students learn about setting an organization's business model design, aligning various functional areas within the company to implement a monetization strategy, and the tradeoffs that occur when choosing amongst profitable monetization policies for the firm. They master concepts, frameworks, and tools to assess an industry and a firm's pricing strategy and business models, and to craft alternatives. They also study the interplay between marketing and sales, advertising and data and analytics in shaping a winning monetization policy. Topics we will cover include monetizing online content and strategies in ad-driven industries, understanding freemium models and installed-base competition, monetization of consumer data, SaaS models and enterprise business, business models from the perspective of investors and venture capitalists, regulatory considerations, and linking monetization to the ability to measure and capture value. We will use a mix of cases and lectures along with extensive participation from industry leaders to bring to light the various issues in class. There is a bias towards technology-driven markets.

MKTG 375. Consumer Behavior. 4 Units.

Contemporary approaches to marketing emphasize the importance of adopting a consumer focus, from determining consumers' wants and needs to shaping their attitudes and ensuring their loyalty. This course provides insight into consumer psychology and the means by which consumer behavior can be influenced or altered. The course has both theoretical and practical objectives in that it will: (1) explore theory and research that is relevant to understanding consumer psychology and behavior, and (2) apply these theories and findings to generate ideas for developing effective marketing techniques and tactics. By shedding light on the psychological underpinnings of consumers' thoughts, attitudes, preferences, needs, and decision-making styles, this course will help students make more insightful and effective marketing decisions. Moreover, because this course takes a broad psychological perspective, it highlights novel ideas for grabbing attention, shaping behavior, and changing people's minds both within and outside of traditional marketing contexts.

MKTG 526. Customer Acquisition for New Ventures. 2 Units.

The focus of this course is on the strategies and methods used by early-stage companies to acquire customers (through outbound or inbound marketing) and to activate them (i.e., to encourage repeat behavior and/or increase the frequency of interaction). Throughout the course, we will examine topics such as search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, affiliate marketing, social media campaigns, mobile applications, freemium strategies, and the use of web analytics for tracking customer acquisition and conversion. The focus will be mainly on digital marketing channels, and the emphasis will be more B2C than B2B. Instruction will consist of case discussion and guest lectures, with students working in groups to apply their learning to improve the process of customer acquisition.

MKTG 532. Persuasion: Principles and Practice. 2 Units.

The aim of this course is to provide insight into the psychology of persuasion. We will take an evidence-based approach and explore research and theory in this domain to identify powerful techniques for changing people's attitudes and behaviors. We will apply our insights broadly to examine the features that make for an effective persuasive appeal in a wide range of settings (e.g., an ad, a pitch to investors, etc.), and students will practice designing and implementing persuasive messages. In each session, I will share classic and cutting edge research on persuasion emanating from the fields of social and consumer psychology. These insights will be organized around a few basic principles. We will then work together to brainstorm and practice the application of the insights to real world persuasion settings.

MKTG 534. The Travel and Airline Industry. 2 Units.

This class provides an overview of the travel and airline industry focusing on strategy, business models, operations and trends. Topics we will cover include competition, service delivery, distribution, pricing, planning and the use of analytics within verticals such as airlines, hotels, online travel agencies and cruises. We will also discuss trends such as the sharing economy and the role of user generated content in facilitating travel. We will hear from several C-level executives who have started or led businesses in the Travel Industry.

MKTG 535. Product Launch. 2 Units.

Our focus is on the question, "When launching a product, what are the framing issues that will help determine success?" In particular, we will provide you with tools to analyze market situations and determine whether it makes sense to launch a product or engage in a marketing-related investment. The course is not designed to cover issues such as execution of a strategy (although we will touch on this a bit), but on whether to enter a market to begin with. Thus, the course is decision oriented; we want you to think about market entry decisions and how you would make them. The tools that you will be provided won't consist of equations; instead, we'll arm you with a set of questions to ask, whose answers will help you make better decisions.This course is an advanced applications marketing course. Unlike the base core course that is designed to cover every basic topic in marketing, here we focus on a number of basic questions and explore them in depth. Although we will have some lectures for background, the bulk of this endeavor will be accomplished through case discussions. In other words, we can't and won't cover everything, as this course is not designed to be comprehensive. We are going to rely on your academic background in marketing to cover the basics; here and there, it is possible that some material will be a review of what you've done before (there's nothing wrong with a little de ja vu). Unfortunately, due to the tight schedule we will not be able to cover any of the basics that are not already included in the course material.The course includes, cases, lectures, and guest lectures.

MKTG 539. Algorithmic and Digital Marketing. 2 Units.

Leveraging digital technologies to drive customer acquisition, engagement, and long-term value is an important factor for success of firms operating in the current environment. The ability to collect consumer-level behavioral data, rapid evolution of public cloud infrastructure, and programmatic access to platforms and marketplaces such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Snap etc., have provided marketers the ability to take a customer-centric view and personalize marketing activities at very large scale. The uber-personalized nature of decision-making necessitates that firms take an algorithmic and data-analytic approach to marketing. nnIn this course, we will explore algorithmic and analytic tools that firms can use to making marketing decisions. Some topics the course will focus on include marketing intelligence, pricing at scale, targeted advertising, search, recommendation systems and personalization of product experience. It will adopt a mix of lectures, case studies, exercises, guest lectures, and a course project to explore these topics.

MKTG 541. Social Brands. 2 Units.

A hands-on two-week survey of Marketing's cutting edge, where bold brands are becoming ever more open, participatory, experiential & experimental. nnnInspired by a smattering of provocative real-world examples and mind-blowing guests, diverse student teams will employ design methods to conceive of and visualize their own creative proposals for how the Stanford GSB itself might engage with the world in radical new ways. Teams will ultimately pitch their final concepts to the GSB's Chief Marketing Officer for consideration, feedback and potential real-world implementation. nnn.

MKTG 547. Strategic Marketing Communication - Compressed. 2 Units.

The course is designed to sharpen students' grasp of the strategic and tactical aspects of Marketing Communications that lead to competitive advantages in the marketplace. The course will begin a focus on strategy and introduce students to frameworks that address two broad goals of any firm: (1) Establish a competitive advantage by offering a superior customer value proposition and (2) Generate sustainable organic growth. The course will then segue into marketing communication tactics that will enable the firm effectively accomplish its strategic objectives. Here, the concepts and frameworks will only be applicable to traditional approaches (such as the use of television, print, and point-of-purchase promotions) but also to emergent approaches (such as the use of the internet, mobile media, etc.). Designed from the perspective of executives who are often involved in making strategic as well as tactical marketing decisions to solve contemporary business problems, this course is intended for students whose career plans include consulting and entrepreneurial ventures, apart from those thinking of careers in marketing.

MKTG 552. Building Innovative Brands. 2 Units.

Building Innovative Brands is a hands-on two-week dive into how leading brands may leverage a Design Thinking approach to become ever more participatory, experiential and experimental. Together, we will explore how leading organizations stoke conversations, co-create experiences, spark stories and build engaging relationships with consumers. Inspired by provocative real-world examples and industry guests, diverse student teams will employ human-centered design methods to conceive of and visualize their own creative proposals for how a brand could engage in innovative, brand-enhancing new ways. Teams will ultimately pitch their experience design concepts to the program leadership for feedback, consideration and potential real-world implementation.

MKTG 554. Branding in the Digital Era. 2 Units.

A strong brand is the most valuable and irreplaceable asset for a firm. Apple, Google, Coca Cola, Nike, VISA, McDonalds, and Disney, are a few prominent examples of legendary brands. Many companies recognize that the investment they make in the creation and communication of their brand will become a strategic differentiator in the future.n nThis course is designed to provide students with theoretical as well as applied appreciation and understanding of what it takes to build and sustain strong bands. To achieve these goals, the class will be co-taught by two academic and industry experts who will not only provide basic insights into branding basics but will also discuss cutting-edge research and technological developments in the area.n nProf. Khan will lead the first half of the course. This week will focus on conceptual and strategic frameworks for understanding basic branding concepts and answering core challenges such as, how to define and establish brand meaning and personality; how to measure and leverage brand equity; how to manage brand architecture; and how to establish brand leadership.n nIn the second week, the focus will switch to digital aspects of branding. This week will be led by Mr. Gopi Kallayil, Chief Evangelist, Brand Marketing, at Google. Mr. Kallayil will explore contemporary issues in brand marketing such as, how to construct and maintain brand meaning in the high customer involvement digital space; how to seize the opportunity of your super fans actively expressing brand love on digital; and how to leverage new customer experiences created with digital in branding strategy.n nStudents are required to attend and come prepared to all classes.

MKTG 555. Designing Happiness. 2 Units.

We assume happiness is stable, an endpoint to achieve or a goal to "chase." It's not. Recent research suggests that the meaning of happiness changes every 3-4 years. Understanding happiness is crucial to building successful products, organizations and relationships. In this MBA seminar, we explore the data-driven research on happiness, revealing insights about (a) anticipating, (b) understanding, (c) visualizing, (d) spreading, (e) remembering, and (f) creating happiness. Students will work together to use an iterative design-thinking approach to understand our own current definition of happiness, uncover what really makes us happy (vs. what we think makes us happy), prototype solutions/products to increase our present happiness, and develop tools to continually understand and foster happiness as our lives change. The seminar will be data-driven, drawing on multiple methodologies including blogs (http://www.wefeelfine.org/), experiments and surveys.

MKTG 559. Designing for VR/AR. 2 Units.

Put on a headset or glasses, and you will be transported to an entirely different world. You could be moving through a business room in China, following a girl through a Syrian refugee camp, or saving the world as a superhero. As a medium, Virtual Reality (VR) has the potential to be the ultimate empathy machine, connecting humans to other humans and nature in a profound way never before seen in any other form of media. In this class, we will draw on behavioral science and immersive experiences to shed light on the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). Students will be given a foray into the applications of VR/AR in different industries, understand how the virtual world affects perceptions of self and others, and then reflect on these insights to incorporate these learnings into the real world. Students will walk away with an understanding of the potential of VR/AR, insights into designing experiences in those worlds, and reflections that will hopefully enable students to reframe their own lives and make more meaningful choices. nnNote, the focus of this compressed class is not technical. Also, although we will briefly cover AR, VR will be more of the focus.

MKTG 568. Recommendations, Ratings and Reviews: How Platforms Provide Information to Consumers. 2 Units.

This class will explore the role of consumer search and firms information provision with a specific focus on online markets and companies. Because the amount of information available to consumers has increased dramatically, it has become paramount for companies to facilitate consumers search process. We will cover both the relevance for companies to reach consumers through their presence on third-party search platforms such as Google as well as how companies help consumers navigate through their own assortment by means of recommendation algorithms (e.g. Netflix, Spotify). Furthermore, we will discuss business models of companies that facilitate search by aggregating and presenting results from other vendors such as Kayak or eBay. Finally, we discuss new sources of information such as online reviews and consumer word-of-mouth on social media and how firms can effectively influence and manage those sources of information.

MKTG 574. Rethinking Purpose. 2 Units.

We assume happiness is stable, an endpoint to achieve our goal to chase. It's not. Recent behavioral research suggests that the meaning of happiness changes every 5-10 years, raising the question: how might we build organizations and lives that cultivate happiness? Research suggests it is better to aim for meaning. In Rethinking Purpose, we explore how to rethink purpose in work and life. Students will hear from guests and take a field trip to see how Google has reconsidered purpose. Building on the principles for Solve for X (www.solveforx.com), a platform encouraging moonshot thinking to solve huge problems in the world, we'll harness design thinking principles to create personal moonshots and a path to continue to find those moonshots over the life course. Lastly, we'll map out how to use time in ways that would help build innovative teams, products, and ultimately lives that have positive, meaningful, lasting impact in the world.

MKTG 575. Consumer Behavior. 2 Units.

Contemporary approaches to marketing emphasize the importance of adopting a consumer focus, from determining consumers' wants and needs, understanding their motivation, to shaping their attitudes and ensuring their loyalty. This course provides insight into consumer psychology and the means by which consumer behavior can be influenced or altered. The course has both theoretical and practical objectives in that we will: (1) explore theory and research that is relevant to understanding consumer psychology, and (2) apply these theories and findings to generate novel ideas for effective marketing techniques. By shedding light on the psychological underpinnings of consumers' motivation, attitudes, preferences, and decision-making styles, this course will help students make more insightful and effective marketing decisions, as well as developing novel ideas for grabbing attention, shaping behavior, and changing people's minds.

MKTG 576. Digital Marketing. 2 Units.

There has been a rapid evolution of digital means of communicating with consumers and advertising to them, driven by changes in technologies and consumer behavior. Readership of traditional print media has gone down dramatically, and television is consumed very differently now than even a few years ago, with the advent of digital video recording and streaming video platforms. This has led to a dramatic growth of marketing using digital platforms. Furthermore, a variety of avenues for digital marketing has emerged, including display advertising, search advertising, advertising on online video platforms, advertising and other forms of engagement on social networks etc. A recent trend has been the rapid growth of mobile platforms, which include these different avenues also available. An integrated view of using these different media to market to consumers is important to effective digital marketing. With the rapid acceptance of numerous "Big Data" technologies by large enterprises, online marketing is also evolving to incorporate a customer-centric view rather than a campaign centric view. This course will explore these issues.

MKTG 577. Creativity in the Business Ecosystem. 2 Units.

This course explores where creativity occurs in the value chain or business ecosystem more broadly. The concepts of both creativity and the business ecosystem are independently developed, but the primary insights derive from how the ecosystem can promote creativity. Focus is placed on the make or buy decision with an exploration of examples on both sides. Value capture vs. value creation perspectives are applied to understand strategic decisions involving product development, branding, advertising and even process innovation. Applications include video distributors producing movies and shows; brands bringing creative agency work in-house; and the acquisition of new brands and products such as craft beers.

MKTG 622. Behavioral Research in Marketing III: Consumer Behavior Classics. 3 Units.

The purpose of this seminar is to provide PhD level coverage of the major research work carried out in consumer behavior. For each topic considered, a selection of articles with a specific focus on "early classics" will be distributed and discussed. For each topic, our goals will be to determine the main ideas and research questions driving work in each topic area, how these authors positioned their work and tested their ideas, what made these papers "classics," where the gaps are, and what ideas for new research those gaps imply.

MKTG 641. Behavioral Research in Marketing I. 3 Units.

This course prepares the student to do empirical behavioral research. It will cover all aspects of the research process, from hypothesis generation to experimental design to data analysis to writing up your results and submitting them for publication.

MKTG 642. Behavioral Research in Marketing II: Consumer Behavior. 3 Units.

This PhD seminar provides coverage of the major research carried out in consumer research both in marketing and psychology. A vast set of topic will be covered including conscious and non-conscious consumer goals, motivations, emotions, attention and perception and consumer decision processes. The course will help students hone their ability to conceptualize, operationalize, and develop research idea and will provide a grasp of what it takes to be a successful academic in the field of consumer behavior.

MKTG 644. Quantitative Research in Marketing. 3 Units.

The goal of this seminar is to familiarize students with the quantitative marketing literature and develop the process of generating research ideas and topics. Sessions will involve a mix of: i) a discussion of papers in a particular area in quantitative marketing; and/or ii) a discussion of students' research ideas with respect to topics.The format will mix student presentations of papers with lectures by the instructor(s). When discussing papers in the literature, the focus will be on the topic and research question and not the methodological approach. When discussing research ideas, students should be able to articulate why their question is interesting, where it fits in the literature and how they would address their question.

MKTG 645. Empirical Analysis of Dynamic Decision Contexts. 3 Units.

This course will focus on empirical tools for analyzing dynamic decision contexts, wherein current actions of firms or consumers have effects on future payoffs, profits and/or competitive conduct. The course will build the relevant material generally, but our applications will be mostly focused on empirical marketing, operations and industrial organization problems. We will have an applied focus overall, emphasizing the practical aspects of implementation, especially programming. The overall aim of the class is to help students obtain the skills to implement these methods in their research. By the end of the class, students are expected to be able to formulate a dynamic decision problem, program it in a language such as Matlab or C, and to estimate the model from data. The course starts with discrete choice markovian decision problems, and continuous markovian decision problems, and focus on building the computational toolkit for the numerical analysis of these problems. We then move on to specific applications, and discuss multi-agent dynamic equilibrium models. Finally, we discuss recently proposed advanced methods for alleviating computational burden in dynamic models.

MKTG 646. Bayesian Inference: Methods and Applications. 3 Units.

The course aims to develop a thorough understanding of Bayesian inference, with a special focus on empirical applications in marketing. The course will start with a brief theoretical foundation to Bayesian inference and will subsequently focus on empirical methods. Initial topics would include Bayesian linear regression, multivariate regression, importance sampling and its applications. Subsequently, the course will focus on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods including the Gibbs Sampler and the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm and their applications. The overall focus of the course will be on applying these methods for empirical research using a programming language such as R.

MKTG 661. Attitudes and Persuasion. 3 Units.

The goal of this course - geared toward graduate students in behavioral marketing, psychology, and related disciplines - is to explore the issues and questions that currently engage researchers in the domain of attitudes and persuasion. We will cover classic topics in this domain, but in each case we will emphasize new findings or recent directions. Students who take this course will become familiar with research methods and major issues in attitudes research and will have a better understanding of how individuals form, use, change, and maintain their attitudes. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to critique existing research and formulate new research ideas.

MKTG 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, OB 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

MKTG 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, OB 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

MKTG 698. Doctoral Practicum in Teaching. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Teaching.

MKTG 699. Doctoral Practicum in Research. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Research.

MKTG 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, OB 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

OIT 245. Optimization and Simulation Modeling. 3 Units.

This course provides basic skills in quantitative modeling. The objective is to familiarize students with the main steps in an analytical approach to business decision making: constructing an abstract model for a relevant business problem, formulating it in a spreadsheet environment such as Microsoft Excel, and using the tools of optimization, Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis to generate and interpret recommendations. The class will be taught in a lab style, with short in-class exercises done in small teams, focusing on a variety of applications drawn from online advertising, healthcare, finance, supply chain management, revenue and yield optimization.

OIT 247. Optimization and Simulation Modeling - Accelerated. 3 Units.

The course is aimed at students who already have a background or demonstrated aptitude for quantitative analysis, and thus are comfortable with a more rapid coverage of the topics, in more depth and breadth, than in OIT 245.

OIT 248. Optimization And Simulation Modeling - Advanced. 3 Units.

This course constitutes an advanced option in the menu of classes satisfying the Management Perspectives requirement in Optimization and Simulation Modeling (OSM). The course is a superset of OIT 245 and OIT 247, starting with a very fast paced overview of basic concepts, and quickly diving into more advanced topics and software tools. By the end of the course, students should (1) leave with a good understanding of different types of optimization and simulation models and when they are useful; (2) be able to solve real-world models using up-to-date software; (3) when faced with a business problem, be able to identify what type of optimization model is appropriate, and how to set it up most efficiently; (4) be able to understand and discuss model outputs in a critical fashion. The class is taught in an interactive style, focusing on a variety of applications drawn from advertising, healthcare, finance, supply chain management, revenue management and pricing, scheduling, and risk management. We will be using Python as the basic software, complemented with suitable packages for formulating and solving optimization models (e.g., the Gurobi software) and for conducting Monte Carlo simulation. Students should be comfortable using these software packages by the end of the class, but no specific prior experience with these packages is necessary. Some prior coding experience is helpful, but is not a strict requirement for the course.

OIT 249. MSx: Data and Decisions. 2 Units.

Data and Decisions teaches you how to use data and quantitative reasoning to make sound decisions in complex and uncertain environments. The course draws on probability, statistics, and decision theory. Probabilities provide a foundation for understanding uncertainties, such as the risks faced by investors, insurers, and capacity planners. We will discuss the mechanics of probability (manipulating some probabilities to get others) and how to use probabilities to make decisions about uncertain events. Statistics allows managers to use small amounts of information to answer big questions. For example, statistics can help predict whether a new product will succeed or what revenue will be next quarter. The third topic, decision analysis, uses probability and statistics to plan actions, such as whether to test a new drug, buy an option, or explore for oil. In addition to improving your quantitative reasoning skills, this class seeks to prepare you for later classes that draw on this material, including finance, economics, marketing, and operations. At the end we will discuss how this material relates to machine learning and artificial intelligence.

OIT 262. Operations. 3 Units.

This course focuses on basic managerial issues arising in the operations of both manufacturing and service industries. The objectives of the course are to familiarize students with the problems and issues confronting operations managers and to introduce language, conceptual models, and analytical techniques that are broadly applicable in confronting such problems. The spectrum of different process types used to provide goods and services is developed and then examined through methods of process analysis and design.

OIT 265. Data and Decisions. 3 Units.

This is the base version of D&D. This course introduces the fundamental concepts and techniques for analyzing risk and formulating sound decisions in uncertain environments. Approximately half of the course focuses on probability and its application. The remainder of the course examines statistical methods for interpreting and analyzing data including sampling concepts, regression analysis, and hypothesis testing. Applications include inventory management, demand analysis, portfolio analysis, surveys and opinion polls, A/B testing, environmental contamination, online advertising and the role of analytics in business settings more generally. The course emphasizes analytical techniques and concepts that are broadly applicable to business problems.

OIT 267. Data and Decisions - Accelerated. 3 Units.

Data and Decisions - Accelerated is a first-year MBA course in probability and statistics for students with strong quantitative backgrounds. Probability provides the foundation for modeling uncertainties. Statistics provides techniques for interpreting data, permitting managers to use small amounts of information to answer larger questions. In statistics, we focus on the linear regression model. Regression analysis provides a method for determining the relationship between a dependent variable and predictor variables. We introduce topics from non-linear models and machine learning model selection. Students taking this course need to be comfortable with mathematical notation, algebra, some calculus, and be open to learning to write short programs in statistical software (eg R or Stata). If you are not confident with your quantitative abilities, then you should enroll in OIT 265. Accelerated D&D will cover material covered in OIT 265 plus some additional topics such as discrete dependent variable models. While OIT 267 focuses on real world applicability, we will explore the mathematical underpinnings of these topics in more depth than OIT 265 as an avenue for deeper understanding. The group regression project is a key component of the course.

OIT 269. MSx: Operations and Strategies. 3 Units.

Operations refer to the processes through which businesses produce and deliver products or services. Managing operations well is necessary in order for these processes to be completed in a timely manner, consume minimal resources and costs, and achieve their goal effectively. This course focuses on managerial issues arising in the operations of manufacturing and service industries. The objectives of the course are to introduce operational problems and challenges faced by managers, as well as language, conceptual models, analytical techniques and strategies that are broadly applicable in confronting such problems.

OIT 271. Operations - Accelerated. 3 Units.

This course, which is an accelerated version of OIT 262 (Operations), focuses on basic managerial issues arising in the operations of both manufacturing and service industries, and on strategic issues arising in global supply chains. The objectives of the course are to familiarize students with the problems and issues confronting operations managers and to introduce language, conceptual models, and analytical techniques that are broadly applicable in confronting such problems.

OIT 272. Online Marketplaces. 2 Units.

How does Uber match drivers to passengers? How does Airbnb select the set of listings to show to a guest in a search? How does eBay manage trust and reputation between buyers and sellers? How does Google optimize auctions for billions of dollars' worth of online advertising? This course focuses on the basic analytic and data science tools used to address these and other challenges encountered in the most exciting online marketplaces in the world. With hands-on exercises we will open and understand the "black-box" of online marketplaces' operations. We will cover application areas such as transportation, rentals, sharing, e-commerce, labor markets, and advertising, leveraging tools from D&D, OSM, and Micro (all base). In particular, the course will use tools from R covered in D&D. Overall, the course will provide basic business knowledge for future investors, product managers, sales and marketing managers, operation managers, and anyone interested on online marketplaces.

OIT 273. Value Chain Innovations in Developing Economies. 2 Units.

This course is about how to use entrepreneurship and innovations in the value chains to create values in developing economies. The course will cover important principles and ways in which the value chains can be re-engineered or new business models can be designed to create values. In addition to materials covering a diversity of industries and geographical regions, the course will also enable students to be exposed to some of the interventions that the Stanford Institute of Innovation in Developing Economies (SEED) is working on in West Africa. Work and exam requirements: Students are expected to develop a project report on either portfolio companies related to SEED or other enterprises to show how value chain innovations can be advanced.

OIT 274. Data and Decisions - Base. 3 Units.

Base Data and Decisions is a first-year MBA course in statistics and regression analysis. The course is taught using a flipped classroom model that combines extensive online materials with a lab-based classroom approach. Traditional lecture content will be learned through online videos, simulations, and exercises, while time spent in the classroom will be discussions, problem solving, or computer lab sessions. Content covered includes basic probability, sampling techniques, hypothesis testing, t-tests, linear regression, and prediction models. The group regression project is a key component of the course, and all students will learn the statistical software package R.
Same as: Flipped Classroom

OIT 275. Online Marketplaces, Accelerated. 2 Units.

How does Uber match drivers to passengers? How does Airbnb select the set of listings to show to a guest in a search? How does eBay manage trust and reputation between buyers and sellers? How does Google optimize auctions for billions of dollars' worth of online advertising? This course focuses on analytics and data science tools used to address these and other challenges encountered in the most exciting online marketplaces in the world. With hands-on exercises we will open and understand the "black-box" of online marketplaces' operations. We will cover application areas such as transportation, rentals, sharing, e-commerce, labor markets, and advertising, leveraging tools from D&D, OSM, and Micro. In particular, the course will use tools from R covered in D&D. Overall, the course will provide business knowledge for future investors, product managers, sales and marketing managers, operation managers, and anyone interested on online marketplaces. [This is the accelerated version of OIT 272 and knowledge from D&D and OSM is expected at the accelerated (or advanced) level.].

OIT 276. Data and Decisions - Accelerated. 3 Units.

Accelerated Data and Decisions is a first-year MBA course in statistics and regression analysis. The course is taught using a flipped classroom model that combines extensive online materials with a more lab-based classroom approach. Traditional lecture content will be learned through online videos, simulations, and exercises, while time spent in the classroom will be discussions, problem solving, or computer lab sessions. Content covered includes sampling techniques, hypothesis testing, t-tests, linear regression, and prediction models. The group regression project is a key component of the course, and all students will learn the statistical software package R. The accelerated course is designed for students with strong quantitative backgrounds. Students taking this course need to be comfortable with mathematical notation, algebra, and basic probability. Students without quantitative backgrounds should consider enrolling in the base version of the course.
Same as: Flipped Classroom

OIT 333. Design for Extreme Affordability. 4 Units.

Design for Extreme Affordability is a two-quarter project-based course hosted by Stanford's d.school and jointly offered by the Graduate School of Business and the School of Mechanical Engineering. We focus on the development of products and services to improve the lives of the our poorest citizens. This multidisciplinary project-based experience creates an enabling environment in which students learn to design products and services that will change lives. Topics include user empathy, product and service design, rapid prototype engineering and testing, social entrepreneurship, business modeling, ethics, equity, partnerships, team dynamics and project management. Since the course was first offered, we have executed 168 projects with 72 partners. Many of the projects have been implemented and are achieving significant social impact. This year we will launch for the first time, Extreme Local, where we will team up with local Bay Area partners to address some of their challenges, We will continue to publish latest information for prospective students here: https://extreme.stanford.edu/prospective-students.

OIT 334. Design for Extreme Affordability. 4 Units.

Design for Extreme Affordability is a two-quarter project-based course hosted by Stanford's d.school and jointly offered by the Graduate School of Business and the School of Mechanical Engineering. We focus on the development of products and services to improve the lives of the our poorest citizens. This multidisciplinary project-based experience creates an enabling environment in which students learn to design products and services that will change lives. Topics include user empathy, product and service design, rapid prototype engineering and testing, social entrepreneurship, business modeling, ethics, equity, partnerships, team dynamics and project management. Since the course was first offered, we have executed 168 projects with 72 partners. Many of the projects have been implemented and are achieving significant social impact. This year we will launch for the first time, Extreme Local, where we will team up with local Bay Area partners to address some of their challenges, We will continue to publish latest information for prospective students here: https://extreme.stanford.edu/prospective-students.

OIT 344. Design for Service Innovation. 4 Units.

Design for service innovation is an experiential course in which students work in multidisciplinary teams to design new services (including but not limited to web services) that will address the needs of an underserved population of users. Through a small number of lectures and guided exercises, but mostly in the context of specific team projects, students will learn to identify the key needs of the target population and to design services that address these needs. Our projects this year will focus on services for young adult survivors of severe childhood diseases. For the first time ever, children who have cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, major cardiac repairs, organ transplants, genetic metabolic disorders, and several forms of cancer are surviving. The first wave of these survivors is reaching young adulthood (ages 18-25). Many aspects of the young adult world are not yet user-friendly for them: applying to and then entering college, adherence to required medication and diet, prospects for marriage and parenthood, participation in high school or college sports, driving, drinking, drugs, and more. Our aspiration is to develop services to improve these young adults? options for a fulfilling and satisfying life. The course is open to graduate students from all schools and departments: business (MBA1, MBA2, PhD, Sloan), Medicine (medical students, residents, fellows and postdocs), engineering (MS and PhD), humanities, sociology, psychology, education, and law. Students can find out more about this course at: http://DesignForService.stanford.edu; GSB Winter Elective BBL Jan 10th, 12 noon - 1 pm; D-School Course Exposition Feb 3rd, time TBA. Admission into the course by application only. Applications will be available at http://DesignForService.stanford.edu on Jan 13th. Applications must be submitted by Feb 4th midnight. Students will be notified about acceptance to the course by Feb 7th . Accepted students will need to reserve their slot in the course by completing an online privacy training course. Details about online training will be provide to accepted students. The training is related to the protection of our partners' privacy. Application Deadline: Noon, Feb 4th.

OIT 356. Electronic Business. 3 Units.

The course focuses on the analysis and design of business models that are enabled by Information Technology (IT). It considers the impact of IT on multiple industries and ways to take advantage of new opportunities that are enabled by new technologies. Preparation includes case studies involving both qualitative and quantitative analyses; homework assignments involving quantitative and some qualitative analyses; pre-class online quizzes and a group project involving the design of a new business model that takes advantage of modern IT. A typical class will cover an aspect of a business model which is enabled by IT in an industry which is transformed by technology. Sample topics include the transformation of retail, media, electronic commerce logistics, transportation and healthcare. Some classes will focus on the interaction of strategy and IT, building on what you learned earlier in the program. Students opting to go into technology would probably benefit the most from the course, but this will require a significant time commitment. For students rooted in technology, some of the classes will reinforce and structure things they have experienced already, and others would introduce them to new applications. MSx students are invited to petition to take the course.

OIT 364. Global Operations. 3 Units.

Globalization of businesses has resulted in companies having to manage global networks of suppliers, integrators, contract manufacturers, logistics service providers, distributors, and service support operators in geographically dispersed locations. The customer network is also globally distributed. This course will focus on (1) how global and international companies can overcome the geographical, cultural, and organizational barriers, and leverage the strengths of the network to create values, (2) how these companies should best structure their network, like in-sourcing or outsourcing, and off-shoring or on-shoring, to give the best competitive advantage, and (3) how operations can support the overall business strategies.. The course will be based on cases on innovative strategies and tactics used by global and international companies, including how they can do so in emerging economies.

OIT 367. Business Intelligence from Big Data. 3 Units.

The objective of this course is to analyze real-world situations where significant competitive advantage can be obtained through large-scale data analysis, with special attention to what can be done with the data and where the potential pitfalls lie. Students will be challenged to develop business-relevant questions and then solve for them by manipulating large data sets. Problems from advertising, eCommerce, finance, healthcare, marketing, and revenue management are presented. Students learn to apply software (such as Python and SQL) to data sets to create knowledge that will inform decisions. The course covers fundamentals of statistical modeling, machine learning, and data-driven decision making. Students are expected to layer these topics over an existing facility with mathematical notation, algebra, calculus, probability, and basic statistics.

OIT 368. Design for Disruption. 3 Units.

"Disruption" is a widely used and frequently misunderstood term. Understanding it better can help you think about your organization or team¿s strategy whether you're trying to disrupt, avoid being disrupted, or simply scanning the horizon for new trends in your industry.This course takes a unique view on disruption by combining disruption theory research, innovation strategy, and the ways that business practitioners and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have redefined disruption over the last decade. We'll bring these perspectives together in a framework for gauging the disruptive potential of an innovation - that is, how likely the innovation is to fundamentally change the structure of an industry. You'll learn the critical roles that customers, value chains, and technologies play in driving such changes.While the popular press tends to focus on disruption in the technology sector, you'll see that it happens in every industry and sector, it can be done by mature, established companies, and it's not just for technology startups. We'll study disruption in a wide variety of industries, like nonprofits, pharmaceutical companies, food processing companies, airline manufacturers (Boeing) and chemical manufacturers. And of course, we'll talk about Uber, Airbnb, Microsoft, and Amazon too.In some cases we'll take a very futuristic view of disruption in which you will see how a very recent discovery can lead to fascinating possibilities for disruption that may be 10-20 years down the line. Distinguishing between developments that will last and drive changes vs. developments that are temporary fads is something the frameworks in this course will help you unpack.You'll also have the opportunity to investigate how established firms (we call them incumbents) can avoid the perils of being disrupted and left behind. You will identify the qualities of incumbents that have faced disruption successfully, and the missteps of those that have not.Finally, you will work on a capstone mini project in which you will apply the course frameworks to develop a disruption hypothesis for the industry of your choosing. This could be the industry you worked in the past or an industry you plan to work in the future, an industry that you may want to disrupt, or simply an industry that's compelling to you. Topics covered include:The Disruption Framework and the Three Pillars of DisruptionDisruption via new entrantsIncumbent self-disruption, and when incumbents miss the disruptionNonprofit vs. for-profit disruptionThe Five Forces FrameworkDeveloping and testing a new disruption hypothesis using design thinking and lean startupCases and examples we¿ll examine include:Impossible FoodsHIV treatment pharmaceuticalsWarby ParkerStarbucksAmazon Web ServicesFundboxBoeingDow CorningMicrosoftCalifornia Health Care FoundationKodakFastbrick RoboticsPelotonPokémon GoKodakUberAirbnb.

OIT 384. Biodesign Innovation: Needs Finding and Concept Creation. 4 Units.

In this two-quarter course series (OIT 384/5), multidisciplinary student teams from medicine, business, and engineering work together to identify real-world unmet healthcare needs, invent new health technologies to address them, and plan for their development and implementation into patient care. During the first quarter (winter 2021), students select and characterize an important unmet healthcare problem, validate it through primary interviews and secondary research, and then brainstorm and screen initial technology-based solutions. In the second quarter (spring 2021), teams screen their ideas, select a lead solution, and move it toward the market through prototyping, technical re-risking, strategies to address healthcare-specific requirements (regulation, reimbursement), and business planning. Final presentations in winter and spring are made to a panel of prominent health technology industry experts and investors. Class sessions include faculty-led instruction and case studies, coaching sessions by industry specialists, expert guest lecturers, and interactive team meetings. Enrollment is by application only, and students are expected to participate in both quarters of the course. Visit http://biodesign.stanford.edu/programs/stanford-courses/biodesign-innovation.html to access the application, examples of past projects, and student testimonials. More information about Stanford Biodesign, which has led to the creation of more than 50 venture-backed healthcare companies and has helped hundreds of students launch health technology careers, can be found at http://biodesign.stanford.edu/.

OIT 385. Biodesign Innovation: Concept Development and Implementation. 4 Units.

In this two-quarter course series (OIT 384/5), multidisciplinary student teams from medicine, business, and engineering work together to identify real-world unmet healthcare needs, invent new health technologies to address them, and plan for their development and implementation into patient care. During the first quarter (winter 2021), students select and characterize an important unmet healthcare problem, validate it through primary interviews and secondary research, and then brainstorm and screen initial technology-based solutions. In the second quarter (spring 2021), teams screen their ideas, select a lead solution, and move it toward the market through prototyping, technical re-risking, strategies to address healthcare-specific requirements (regulation, reimbursement), and business planning. Final presentations in winter and spring are made to a panel of prominent health technology industry experts and investors. Class sessions include faculty-led instruction and case studies, coaching sessions by industry specialists, expert guest lecturers, and interactive team meetings. Enrollment is by application only, and students are expected to participate in both quarters of the course. Visit http://biodesign.stanford.edu/programs/stanford-courses/biodesign-innovation.html to access the application, examples of past projects, and student testimonials. More information about Stanford Biodesign, which has led to the creation of more than 50 venture-backed healthcare companies and has helped hundreds of students launch health technology careers, can be found at http://biodesign.stanford.edu/.

OIT 521. Data Science for Platforms. 2 Units.

This is an MBA compressed course that covers analytic and data science tools that are currently being used to operate some of the most exciting online platforms and marketplaces in the world. This course will consist of guest lectures from industry leaders involved in these efforts, emphasizing practical challenges associated with implementing analytics and data science projects. Guest lecturers will be heads of data science, heads of product, founders, or investors, among others. We will cover online platforms and marketplaces in diverse application areas such as transportation, rentals, sharing, e-commerce, labor markets, media, and advertising.

OIT 536. Data for Action: From Insights to Applications. 2 Units.

Data for Action is an MBA short course dedicated to identifying value in and creating value from data. It deals with the technical, legal, regulatory and business strategic decisions that must be considered when delivering solutions to customers.

OIT 554. Seminar on IT for Business. 2 Units.

This course offers an overview of information technologies for enterprises and supply chain management. The course has two key components - a series of guest speakers and a set of readings. Students are expected to have read the assigned note on related technologies before class, and prepare to discuss technologies with the guest speaker in class. We will not discuss the technology per se in class, so students who enroll are expected to have some exposure to technologies in order to digest the materials on their own. The main topics of technologies are: DBMS (Database Management System), ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), EAI (Enterprise Application Interface), data mining, Big Data, platform-based business model, cloud computing, RFID/NFC, mobile technologies, and mobile payment. In particular, students are encouraged to think hard about potential new businesses around the technology and discuss them in class.

OIT 587. Global Biodesign. 3 Units.

Seminar examines the development and commercialization of medical technologies in the global setting focusing primarily on Europe, India and China. Faculty and guest speakers from industry and government discuss the status of the industry, as well as opportunities in and challenges to medical technology innovation unique to each geography. Topics related to development of technologies for bottom of the pyramid markets will also be addressed.

OIT 601. Fundamentals of OIT. 3 Units.

The goal of this course is to provide first-year Ph.D. students in OIT with sufficient fundamentals to subsequently take advanced research seminars. The course covers the very basics of six topics: queueing theory, inventory theory, multi-echelon inventory theory, game theory, stochastic dynamic programming and econometrics. Lectures will be given by advanced Ph.D. students in OIT.

OIT 602. Dynamic Pricing and Revenue Management I. 2 Units.

In tandem with OIT 603, this course explores the application of stochastic modeling and optimization to two closely related problem areas: (a) dynamic price selection, and (b) dynamic allocation of limited capacity to competing demands. As background, students are assumed to know stochastic process theory at the level of Statistics 217-218, microeconomics at the level of Economics 202N, and optimization theory at the level of MS&E 211, and to have some familiarity with the basic ideas of dynamic programming. Additional dynamic programming theory will be developed as needed for the applications covered. Emphasis will be on current research topics, especially in the realm of airline revenue management.

OIT 603. Dynamic Pricing and Revenue Management II. 2 Units.

In tandem with OIT 602, this course explores the application of stochastic modeling and optimization to two closely related problem areas: (a) dynamic price selection, and (b) dynamic allocation of limited capacity to competing demands. As background, students are assumed to know stochastic process theory at the level of Statistics 217-218, microeconomics at the level of Economics 202N, and optimization theory at the level of MS&E 211, and to have some familiarity with the basic ideas of dynamic programming. Additional dynamic programming theory will be developed as needed for the applications covered. Emphasis will be on current research topics, especially involving customized pricing of financial services. OIT 602 is not a prerequisite for OIT 603 but is highly recommended.

OIT 604. Data, Learning, and Decision-Making. 3 Units.

This aim of this course is to cover modern tools for data-driven decision making. Most decision making tasks involve uncertainty that is directly impacted by the amount and complexity of data at hand. Classical decision models rely on strong distributional assumptions about the uncertain events. But in recent years, and due to growing availability of rich data, there has been a rapid adoption of models from machine learning and statistics that provide more accurate and personalized picture of uncertainty which in turn lead to better decisions. The interplay between the multiple objectives of modeling the data, personalization, and decision optimization has created a number mathematical models that the course aims to cover. Examples of topics include contextual multi-armed bandits and non-parametric decision learning.

OIT 605. Behavioral Operations Management. 2 Units.

Behavioral Operations incorporates insights from cognitive psychology, social psychology and behavioral economics to study how individuals make decisions in an operational context. Two major goals of Behavioral Operations are to provide a better understanding of (and make better predictions about) behavioral regularities in operational settings, and to provide guidance to firms on how to design mechanisms that will lead to better decisions and improved performance. This course has several aims: (1) To survey foundational research from economics and psychology on important behavioral factors such as bounded rationality and decision heuristics, folk intuitions about random processes, preference regularities such as loss aversion and reference dependent preferences, and interpersonal factors such as trust and fairness. (2) To apply behavioral insights to core operational settings such as inventory decision making, queueing systems, supply chain relationships, contracting, etc. (3) To discuss how to conduct behaviorally-inspired research using a range of methodologies including analytical modeling, laboratory and field experiments, and observational empirics. There will be a particular emphasis on laboratory experimental design, and in in many cases we will examine series of experiments to see how experiments can build on each other ¿ especially when researchers with different theoretical predispositions look at the same issue. Our goal is to help students identify behavioral issues to incorporate into their research interests, as well as opportunities to engage in experimental research as an extension of their current research agenda. This course meets the behavioral requirement for OIT PhD students.

OIT 611. The Drift Method: from Stochastic Networks to Machine Learning. 3 Units.

Overview: This course is an introduction to the drift method in sequential decision-making and stochastic systems, a family of simple, yet surprisingly powerful, meta-algorithms that in each step the greedily and incrementally minimizes some potential function. Manifested in various forms, the drift method powers some of the most popular algorithmic paradigms in stochastic networks (MaxWeight, BackPressure), oneline learning, optimization and machine learning (SGD, Langevin dynamics, TD-learning). Using the Drift Method as a unifying theme, we will survey major developments in these areas and answer questions such as: What may explain the method¿s effectiveness? How can we rigorously evaluate its performance? We will develop rigorous probabilistic and optimization methodologies for answering these questions, such as Lyapunov functions and stability theory, state-space collapse, weak convergence and Stein¿s method. In terms of application topics, the course is roughly evenly divided between stochastic queueing networks versus optimization + machine learning. Objective: For students to acquire fundamental methodologies that can be applied to tackling problems in dynamic decision-making, stochastic modeling and machine learning. Target Audience: Graduate students / advanced undergraduates with a solid grasp of probability and stochastic processes (Stat 310A / MS&E 321, or equivalent). Strong background and interests in queueing networks is highly recommend.

OIT 624. Models and Applications of Inventory Management. 3 Units.

The first part of the course reviews fundamental models in inventory management. Topics include deterministic models (EOQ, power-of-two policies, ELS, serial and assembly networks), Newsvendor, multi-period stochastic models under backlogging and lost-sales, multi-echelon and supply chain models, and infinite-horizon formulations. In the process, the course also reviews several fundamental mathematical concepts in inventory theory, including convexity, duality, finite / infinite state Markov decision processes, and comparative statics.nThe second part discusses advanced modeling concepts, and several new application areas. Topics include distribution-free and robust models, supply uncertainty and disruptions, flexibility and supply chain design, joint pricing and inventory, and problems at the interface of supply chains and finance.

OIT 643. Special Topics in Supply Chain Management. 3 Units.

To compete successfully in today's market place, companies need to manage effectively the efficiency of activities to design, manufacture, distribute, service and recycle their products or services to their customers. Supply chain management deals with the management of materials, information and financial flows in a network consisting of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and customers. The coordination and integration of these flows within and across companies are critical in effective supply chain management. nnnIn parallel to the development of new practices and concepts in industry, there have been emerging research that are based on (1) structuring new processes and supply chain networks with the new technologies; (2) exploring ways to do planning and make decisions consequently; (3) quantifying the benefits as a result; and (4) aligning the incentives of multiple players in a supply chain when the costs and benefits to these players are different. nnnThis course will examine evolutionary research that focuses on the above themes. We will explore how such problems can be formulated, models can be structured, and analysis can be performed to address information-based supply chain management issues. You are all challenged to think, discuss, share, and debate on the issues brought up. The end result of this course is, hopefully, that we can start defining new, interesting and exciting research paths, and maybe even beginning to pursue some of the research ideas generated.

OIT 644. Research in Operations, Information and Technology. 1 Unit.

This year-long course takes a hands-on approach to learning about conducting research in Operations, Information and Technology. It will cover a broad spectrum of cutting-edge research in OIT from conceiving an idea to formulating a research problem, deriving results, and publication. The topical content will be customized to the specific interests of the enrolled students, but generally will be concerned with questions of operational interest.

OIT 647. Empirical Methods in Operations Management / Management Science. 2 Units.

This course focuses on studying a broad set of econometric methods to conduct empirical research in Operations Management and related fields in Management Science. The course complements formal econometrics and statistics classes by focusing on the application of different econometric methods and identification strategies to research problems that are relevant in different areas within Operations Management, including Supply Chain Management, Service Operations, Healthcare and Retail. Although statistics/econometrics classes provide a rigorous revision of the methods, they put less emphasis on how to apply these methods in different settings. This course aims to fill that gap by providing a problem-oriented approach, where the focus is on identifying empirical questions relevant to Operations Management and choosing an appropriate empirical strategy to address them. The course has a seminar format combining paper presentations by students, computer assignments and a short research proposal.

OIT 648. Empirics of Online Markets. 2 Units.

In this course we cover current research on the empirics of platforms and online marketplaces. We will study diverse topics relevant to the design of these markets such as search and matching, review and reputation systems, demand estimation, and pricing. We will do so in the context of different application domains such as rentals, sharing, e-commerce, labor markets, and advertising. The course will be eclectic in terms of approaches, using reduced-form and structural econometrics, machine learning, and experimentation. The course will mostly consist of recent papers presented by the instructor, guests, and students. Some background knowledge required to understand current work will be provided as needed.

OIT 652. OIT Modeling. 3 Units.

This course is designed for OIT students of all cohorts. It will focus on alternative approaches to modeling the types of problems that arise in OIT research, based on the analysis of papers in the area.

OIT 655. Foundations of Supply Chain Management. 3 Units.

This course provides an overview of research in supply chain management (SCM). It has three parts. The first part reviews basic tools of SCM research through selected readings in economics, IT and operations research. The second part reviews the literature in SCM, covering topics such as inventory models, information sharing, information distortion, contract design, value of integration, performance measurement, risk management, and the use of markets for procurement. The last part is devoted to recent advances in SCM research.

OIT 660. Applied OIT. 4 Units.

Description is currently unavailable because of ongoing review of the OIT PhD program by OIT faculty. Description will become available when the review is completed at the end of the Summer.

OIT 661. Causal Inference. 3 Units.

This course covers mathematical and statistical underpinnings of causal inference, with a focus on scientific experimentation and data-driven decision making. Topics include randomization, potential outcomes, observational studies, double robustness, semiparametric efficiency, treatment heterogeneity, policy learning, bandit algorithms, instrumental variables, regression discontinuities and graphical models. We will also discuss the relevance of optimization and machine learning tools to causal inference.

OIT 663. Methods of Operations/Information Systems. 4 Units.

This course covers basic analytical tools and methods that can be used in research in operations and information systems. The emphasis is on foundations of stochastic inventory theory. Basic topics include convexity, duality, induced preference theory, and structured probability distributions. Much of the course is devoted to Markov decision processes, covering finite and infinite horizon models, proving the optimality of simple policies, bounds and computations, and myopic policies.

OIT 664. Asymptotics in Operations Management. 3 Units.

This course provides an overview of asymptotic models and methods used in various areas of operations management. It includes traditional heavy traffic asymptotics for queueing networks, the Halfin-Whitt regime, the supermarket model, inventory theory, revenue management, applications of measure-valued processes in queues, and applications of mean field equilibrium models in matching markets and auctions for ad exchanges. The lectures will focus on modeling and performance analysis, and not on convergence proofs. Prerequisites: Statistics 217 and 218, or consent of instructor; some prior exposure to stochastic models in general, and queueing theory in particular, is useful but not essential.

OIT 665. Seminar on Information-Based Supply Chain Management. 3 Units.

This seminar will highlight the research evolution and advances on the smart use of information in supply chain management. Advances in technologies like real-time information systems, decision support methodologies, the internet and mobile technologies such as RFID (radio-frequency identification) have also enabled visibility and structural changes that result in significant supply chain performance enhancements. In parallel to the development of new practices and concepts in industry, we will examine emerging research that are based on (1) structuring new processes and supply chain networks with the new technologies; (2) exploring ways to do planning and make decisions consequently; (3) quantifying the benefits as a result; and (4) aligning the incentives of multiple players in a supply chain when the costs and benefits to these players are different.

OIT 666. Engineering Online Markets. 3 Units.

This class will explore topics the intersection of operations, engineering, and economics relevant to modern internet marketplaces, including those for dating, labor, accommodation, services, and rides. The objective of the class is to introduce and revisit technical tools traditionally used in the operations literature that may help advance the research frontier, as well as to expose students to recent developments and state-of-the-art research in online markets. The class will not cover the important and heavily studied topics of stable marriage and auctions. List of topics (preliminary): Intro to two-sided platforms and search frictions in matching markets; Design of the "search environment" and information disclosure policies on platforms; Balancing supply and demand in a spatio-temporal environment; Pricing issues in platforms; Service platforms; Reputation systems.

OIT 668. Networks and Markets. 3 Units.

In recent years network models have been used in different application domains, ranging from social networks to supply chains and from financial networks to transportation networks. Examples of existing work in networks include exploring how to leverage available social network information to (i) develop targeted pricing/advertising strategies, and (ii) combat misinformation. Further illustrating the ubiquity of network interactions, there is a growing literature aiming to study the propagation of shocks in supply chains and financial networks, which also sheds light on different approaches for mitigating the market-wide adverse effects of such shocks. Although much progress has been made, our understanding of how network interactions affect market-wide outcomes is still very much nascent. For instance, there is a lot of promise for impactful research that may change the way we think about the design of supply chain networks or the interactions between different modes of transportation in the context of urban planning. The main objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent research developments in the area of networked markets. We will cover foundational work, classical models, and also various applications. In addition, we will discuss exciting directions for future research, and try to prepare you to conduct research in the area. As such, the course involves a (team) research project as well as presentations (by instructors and/or students) of select papers from the recent literature followed by a critical review of their modeling assumptions and results.

OIT 671. Operational, Economic, and Statistical Modeling in the COVID-19 Crisis. 3 Units.

The COVID-19 crisis revealed many fundamental structural, cultural, and operational challenges in the world. Many of these challenges, for example managing patient care in a limited resource environment, were well-known before COVID-19 and the crisis simply highlighted the importance of developing effective strategies to handle them. Others, such as the design and adherence to non-pharmaceutical mitigation strategies like lock-downs, quickly appeared as countries took differing approaches to handling the pandemic. This course will discuss how operational, economic, and statistical modeling can be used to better understand different COVID-19 responses and strategies. This is a PhD seminar that will cover prior research that can shed light onto the COVID-19 crisis, current/ongoing research that directly addresses COVID-19 pressing issues, and will also explore new research directions in this space.The course will consist of a combination of lectures by the instructors, guest lectures by researchers from all over the world, and of students¿ presentations of their research projects. The course will be eclectic in terms of approaches, including tools from operations research, machine learning, statistics, econometrics, and microeconomics. The course will be co-taught via live virtual sessions by Prof. Carri Chan and Prof. Gabriel Weintraub and will be available to Business, Economics, Statistics, and Engineering PhD students from Columbia and Stanford University.

OIT 672. Stochastic Control in Operations and Economics. 3 Units.

The first half of this course will cover (i) the basic theory of Brownian motion, (ii) Ito stochastic calculus, and (iii) the rudiments of continuous-time stochastic control, all undertaken at a brisk pace, aimed at students who already know the basics or else have a strong enough math background to learn them quickly. The text for this part of the course will be Brownian Models of Performance and Control, by J. Michael Harrison, Cambridge University Press, 2013, which can be ordered from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Brownian-Performance-Control-Michael-Harrison/dp/1107018390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395420072&sr=8-1&keywords=Brownian+Models+of+Performance+and+ControlnnnThe second half of the course will explore in depth some models arising in operations research, finance and economic theory, such as the McDonald-Siegel investment model (an optimal stopping problem, treated in Chapter 5 of the textbook), Brownian versions of the classic cash balance problem (a family of stochastic control problems, treated in Chapter 7 of the textbook), and Yuliy Sannikov’s continuous-time principal-agent model (Review of Economic Studies, 2008). The course will be rather informally organized, more of a collaboration between students and instructor than a top-down lecture format, with at least half of the class time devoted to presentation of problems by students and auditors.

OIT 673. Data-driven Decision Making and Applications in Healthcare. 4 Units.

This course aims to introduce students to research topics in data-driven decision making with specific attention to healthcare applications. However, most concepts are applicable in areas beyond healthcare as well. Examples of topics are: prediction and risk adjustment, computational and statistical challenges associated with large-scale data, and dynamic decision making under uncertainty.

OIT 674. Decision-making and Learning under Model Uncertainty: Theory and Applications. 3 Units.

In most real-world problems, decision-makers often face uncertainty with respect to the underlying models that drive the rewards/costs associated with potential strategies. The uncertainty in the problem can be modeled in a number of ways (e.g., a probability distribution over some parameters or an uncertainty set for some variables) and a selection of an appropriate framework depends on various considerations ranging from the availability of historical data (or lack thereof) to the robustness of resulting strategies or the tractability of the formulation. In addition, once a framework is selected, further challenges often arise when considering dynamic settings, in which the level of uncertainty may be updated from one period to another. The high-level objectives of this course are: (1) to introduce various frameworks for decision-making under model uncertainty (2) to introduce tools to solve such problems, including ones to develop optimal or near-optimal learning strategies (3) to discuss the various trade-offs that arise such as tractability vs. performance, exploration vs. exploitation, and remembering vs. forgetting (4) to explore research papers that demonstrate applications of discussed methods and models to various problems areas such as dynamic pricing, revenue management, product recommendations, and assortment selection.

OIT 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

OIT 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

OIT 698. Doctoral Practicum in Teaching. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Teaching.

OIT 699. Doctoral Practicum in Research. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Research.

OIT 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

.
Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

OB 110N. Savvy: Learning How to Communicate with Purpose. 3 Units.

Our seminar is designed for students interested in improving their communication skills. Right now, you probably don't spend much time thinking about the way you communicate, nor are you likely, in the academic setting, to get much feedback on the messages you send. Yet the quality of your communication will have a large impact on your overall effectiveness in building relationships and getting things done, both in the university setting and later in your career. Each of the sessions in our seminar will help you appreciate the nature and complexity of communication and provide guidelines for both improving your communication style and recognizing the unique styles of others.In each class session, we'll consider a number of well-studied forms of interpersonal communication. And, we'll rely heavily on experiential learning to bring the concepts to life. For example, to better understand the dynamics of unstructured, spontaneous communication, we will participate in an improvisational theatre workshop, taught by one of the artists-in-residence at the Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. To better understand persuasive communication tactics, we'll participate in role-play exercises, competitive games, and negotiation simulations. For each tactic, we'll talk about why it works, when it works best, and what its limitations might be. We'll discuss how you can put these approaches to work in order to support your goals.After taking this course, you will be better able to: (1) identify strategies for crafting effective communication in the form of everyday conversation, written work, and public presentations, (2) develop techniques for building strong, long-term relationships with your peers, and (3) become more persuasive in advancing an agenda, acquiring resources, or gaining support from others. These skills will be invaluable to you as you grow and develop here at Stanford and beyond.

OB 115N. Games, Decisions and Negotiations. 3 Units.

Human thinking is geared toward understanding and mastering social interactions. OB 115N explores cognitive, affective, behavioral, social and organizational processes that shape how we manage strategic interactions. The course builds on concepts and research findings from decision theory, behavioral game theory, negotiation research, and other relevant streams of investigation in the social sciences. By the end of this course, participants should have a better understanding of the structural and psychological factors that underlie competition and cooperation, bargaining, contracting, social influence, dispute resolution, and other types of social and organizational interactions. In addition to understanding how to analyze human thinking, feeling, and action in interactive contexts, participants will have opportunities to develop their behavioral skills through in-class exercises and simulations. Participants will play assigned roles in simulated interactions that will allow them to try out tactics that might feel uncomfortable trying in actual situations, get constructive feedback from other participants, and learn how they come across. The course readings, which are aimed to complement the in-class exercises, debriefs, and discussions, are aimed to further stimulate participants' interest in human cognition, emotion, and behavior in interactive contexts.To understand how decisions happen, we will use a combination of experiential exercises in class and in-depth discussions of theory and new and exciting research findings on cognitive and emotional aspects of decision making (e.g., what does "bounded-rationality" mean? how does power shape our negotiation behavior? how do our emotions influence our decisions?). We will play interactive games in our meetings to understand how various conditions, such as time pressure, power and uncertainty, influence our decisions. So, if you enjoy in-class exercises, you will enjoy our simulations. At the same time, if you enjoy analyzing human behavior and social interactions, you will like the readings and our discussions. After taking this course, you will be better able to identify and avoid common traps in strategic decision making and have a deeper understanding of other people's thinking and decision making processes.

OB 205. Managing Groups and Teams. 1 Unit.

This virtual course introduces you to the science of teams. Particularly, the learning in the course focuses on structures and processes that affect team performance and highlights some of the common pitfalls associated with working in teams. Topics include team composition, team process and member coordination, team decision making, intra-team conflict and creativity, and influence and team leadership. You will participate in a number of exercises to illustrate principles of teamwork and to give you practice not only diagnosing team problems but also taking action to improve total team performance.

OB 206. Organizational Behavior. 2 Units.

Building on the discipline of social psychology, this course helps you cultivate mindsets and build skills to understand the ways in which organizations and their members affect one another. You will learn frameworks for diagnosing and resolving problems in organizational settings. The course relates theory and research to organizational problems by reviewing basic concepts such as individual motivation and behavior; decision making; interpersonal communication and influence; small group behavior; and dyadic, individual, and inter-group conflict and cooperation.

OB 209. Leadership Laboratory. 2 Units.

In the Leadership Labs class we ask you to consider the question, "Why would someone follow YOU?" This is a course in which you consider what kind of leader you want to be, what kind of leader you are, and how to align your leadership behavior with your leadership goals. In this class you will have an opportunity to share in the leadership of your squad and, in doing so, to discover your strengths and challenges as a leader. You will receive feedback about your approach to leadership and have the opportunity to try out new skills and tools. Students will be placed into 5-6 person "squads" with the majority of class time spent in these squads. Your squad will complete a project and work on basic leadership challenges (e.g. individual and group dynamics and differences, assessing a team's progress). Working on the project and on weekly Labs assignments will provide you the opportunity to solicit a great deal of feedback so you can achieve a deeper understanding of the impact of your behavior on others. The squads will deliver a project, engage in role-play cases and group exercises designed to help you think more deeply about the dynamics in your workgroup and to allow you to practice and experiment with new ways of leading. In each Lab session, one or two squad members will be the Meeting Lead for the session. MBA1 squad members will rotate through the Meeting Lead position. Your squad will have a dedicated MBA2 Leadership Fellow who will also be present for these meetings in order to provide coaching to the meeting lead and to the squad as whole. A number of activities in the weekly Lab will focus on assessing and reflecting on how you and your squad are working together in the Labs. Finally, the quarter culminates with the Executive Challenge, an opportunity for you to further refine your leadership skills by engaging with alumni judges in role plays that test your ability to lead effectively. The alumni will provide you feedback and evaluate your performance.

OB 219. MSx: Organizational Design. 2 Units.

This course examines fundamental issues of general management and leadership within an organization. You will learn about setting an organization's strategic direction, aligning structure to implement strategy, and leading individuals within the firm. You will study the interplay among formal structure, routines, informal networks, and culture in shaping organizational performance and how to make changes to these facets to adapt and change to the environment in order to build more innovative companies.

OB 278. MSx: Organizational Behavior. 2 Units.

Building on the discipline of social psychology, this course helps you cultivate mindsets and build skills to understand the ways in which organizations and their members affect one another. You will learn frameworks for diagnosing and resolving problems in organizational settings. The course relates theory and research to organizational problems by reviewing basic concepts such as individual motivation and behavior; decision making; interpersonal communication and influence; small group behavior; and dyadic, individual, and inter-group conflict and cooperation.

OB 289. MSx: Negotiations. 2 Units.

Effective managers and leaders should be familiar with the strategy and psychology of conflict and negotiate effectively with other persons, departments, organizations, and stakeholders. Hence, a first aim of the course is to develop your ability to analyze conflicts. Concepts from the course will enable us to look beneath the surface rhetoric of a conflict, to isolate the important underlying interests at stake, and to determine what sort of negotiated settlement (if any) is feasible in a given conflict. In addition to understanding how to analyze a conflict, to manage conflict effectively, you must have a broad repertoire of behavioral skills that can be applied to the various conflict situations you are likely to encounter. Therefore, a second aim of the course is to allow you to experience various bargaining situations by playing a role in simulated conflict. Our exercises will allow you to try out tactics that might feel uncomfortable trying in an actual conflict, get constructive feedback from your counterparts and classmates, and learn how you come across. This course is an intense, compact version longer negotiation courses (electives OB381 and OB581); thus, students should not take either of these courses as there is considerable overlap among the three. Attendance and participation in the negotiation exercises are mandatory.

OB 317. Leading Creativity and Innovation. 3 Units.

This course helps students become more effective leaders of creativity and innovation in organizations. Successful innovations begin as creative ideas, but creative ideas can be difficult to generate and accurately evaluate. Based on the latest research, this course teaches students a set of data-driven tools for generating creative ideas, forecasting which ideas are most likely to succeed, and implementing new ideas successfully. Through experiential exercises, students learn about their own personal strengths in developing and evaluating new ideas, and how to leverage the strengths of individuals, teams, and crowds to foster creativity and innovation in their organizations.

OB 324. The Psychology of Startup Teams. 3 Units.

9 out of 10 start-up teams fail. The majority of these failures lie not in the product or in the market, but rather in the people dynamics within the start-up team. This course focuses on how start-ups can manage these problems and challenges that arise in the people-side of start-up life. We explore the psychological dynamics specific to startup teams and identify ways to effectively lead startup teams to their optimal performance. We will discuss topics such as creating the 'dream team', leadership in start-ups, the art of vision in startups, managing a startup's culture and climate, navigating virtual interactions, and solving common interpersonal problems in startup teams. To address these topics, the course will use a mix of experiential exercises, cases, and exciting guest speakers (including well-known CEOs and venture capitalists).

OB 330. Leadership Fellows I. 4 Units.

The Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program plays an integral role in the GSB leadership curriculum by bringing together a group of talented second years to support the leadership development of the first-year class. OB330, an 8 unit two-quarter MBA2 elective course (in combination with OB331), is the academic component of this program and runs the entirety of both Autumn and Winter Quarters. Both quarters must be completed to receive any units of credit. The course is open only to those students who have applied and been accepted into the Leadership Fellows Program. Interested students apply at the start of Winter Quarter of their first year and undergo a competitive application process, after which successful applicants are invited to take part in the program. Informational meetings are held late in Autumn Quarter and during the first week of Winter Quarter and Fellows are selected from the first year class in mid- Winter Quarter. Knowing how to develop others is a crucial leadership competency. In this class, Fellows develop the advanced leadership skills of leading leaders and developing others through coaching and mentoring. Among the competencies developed in this class are: 1) Team Coaching Skills (e.g. facilitating a group, diagnosing group dynamics, debriefing, coaching without undermining the leader), 2) Individual Coaching Skills (e.g. effective inquiry, asking powerful questions, balancing support and challenge, providing effective feedback, holding others accountable, utilizing, valuing and connecting across differences and power differentials, using oneself in service of another's development) and 3) Personal Development Skills (e.g. self-reflection and self-awareness, leveraging strengths, stretching outside one's comfort zone.) In the Autumn Quarter Fellows are assigned to a squad of six MBA1s in Leadership Labs. Fellows guide their MBA1 squad through the learning process in the Labs and provide both individual and team coaching to their MBA1 squad members. In addition to the work with their MBA 1 squad, Fellows provide in-depth 1:1 coaching to three additional MBA1 students who are not members of their squad. This 1:1 coaching begins after Autumn midterms and continues through the end of Winter Quarter. Fellows classes meet twice a week for 105 minutes. There will be a reading list of conceptual material which will be supplemented during class with lectures discussions and activities. Students will apply concepts through role-playing and experiential exercises during class time as well as in their coaching and mentoring of their MBA1 coachees. Additionally, Fellows will attend weekly Leadership Labs with the first year squad to which they have been assigned and meet 1:1 with MBA1 coachees. Fellows meet regularly with five of their peers in "clinics," standing groups led by Leadership Labs Instructors who are also GSB Leadership Coaches. Fellows meet with their Leadership Coach and clinic approximately every other week during regular class time to discuss specific strategies for working with their first year students. Fellows also periodically meet with their Leadership Coach one-on-one to hone their skills and explore their areas for specific improvement. Note: OB374, Interpersonal Dynamics, is a PRE-REQUISITE for this course; students who want to be Fellows are advised to assess whether that is a class they want to take in the spring quarter of their first year. Additionally, signing up for 1:1 coaching by a Fellow as an admit strengthens a MBA1 student's application to the Arbuckle Leadership Fellows program.

OB 331. Leadership Fellows II. 4 Units.

This course is the continuation of Leadership Fellows I, an 8-unit course that begins in Autumn Quarter. During this quarter Fellows will continue to deepen their coaching and mentoring skills, and will focus exclusively on in-depth 1:1 coaching with three MBA1 coachees (who were not members of their MBA1 squad.) Classes and clinics continue as in Autumn Quarter.

OB 333. Acting with Power. 3 Units.

The ability to function effectively within a hierarchy is a crucial determinant of managerial success, yet many people struggle with "authority issues" that make certain hierarchical roles and positions difficult for them. This course draws on the craft of acting and the science of psychology to help students learn to use themselves to develop the characters that can play these roles effectively. This class is designed specifically for students who have trouble "playing" authoritative roles: those who find it difficult to act with power, status, and authority. It will also be useful for students who find it difficult to share power and authority, which involves accepting and deferring to the power and authority of others. Participants will be asked to read, think deeply about, and share some of their own feelings about power and authority, and the origins of those feelings. They will also be asked to prepare for and present a series of in-class performances that involve playing characters with and without power, in scenes that highlight the interactions and relationships between high and low power characters. These performances will take up much of our time during class. Out-of-class assignments will include reading important works on psychology, and on the theory and practice of acting, as well as writing short essays analyzing their own and others' performances.

OB 336. Insight to Outcome. 3 Units.

Getting from "strategic insight" to "desired outcome" (achieving the right result) continues to be a core challenge for many organizations and leaders. In this course, we develop a framework and approach for the "insight to outcome" sequence, study some of the key levers available to managers, and learn from some common pitfalls. The bulk of the course will be devoted to the practical application of the approach to a number of important business processes, such as merger integration, corporate and business unit transformation, and strategy development. Some class sessions will involve class visits by topical experts in these applications. nnThe course is designed for second-year MBAs. It will appeal to students interested in an exploratory course - more of a "how to think about it" course than a "toolkit" course. Grades will be based on class participation and a group project.

OB 345. Leadership Coaching. 3 Units.

The ability to coach others is an often over-looked core competency for leaders. This course will give students an opportunity to learn the fundamental skills of coaching, so they can become coaching leaders. This course is designed to be very experiential. While conceptual frameworks will be introduced through readings, lectures, demonstrations and discussions, the only real way to learn coaching skills is to both practice coaching, and to be coached. Every class session will provide opportunities to do both: coach and be coached. Because the in-class coaching practice will not be role plays but will actually be real coaching sessions between students, this course will demand a high level of engagement and participation from each student.

OB 346. Inside Life and Leadership. 3 Units.

We created this class around the premises that 1) you have great potential, 2) you have had, and will continue to have, numerous opportunities to affect the world, and 3) to maximize your potential you need a reliable framework to gain self-insight and develop yourself and those around you.nnIn this class we seek to aid you in customizing a framework for yourself, based on a model to increase your self-knowledge and guide your ongoing development. In particular, this class is designed to help you swiftly identify and resolve gaps between your current and desired state, and to help you inspire others to do the same. We will accomplish this by facilitating your active engagement and full participation in interactive exercises and assignments, case studies, and self-reflection.

OB 348. Leading and Managing Health Care Organizations: Innovation and Collaboration in High Stakes Settings. 3 Units.

Leading and managing in complex, high stakes settings, like health care, where lives and livelihoods are on the line, presents distinctive challenges and constraints. This course challenges you to apply seminal and contemporary theories in organizational behavior to evaluate managerial decisions and develop evidence-based strategies for leading and managing health care teams and organizations. Topics include leading systems that promote learning; implementing change; and interdisciplinary problem-solving, decision-making, and collaboration. Group work and exercises will simulate high pressure and risk-taking under uncertainty. While the focus of this course will be on health care situations, lessons are relevant to other settings including consulting, banking, and high tech, and prior experience in the health sector is not required.

OB 353. Cultural Imperative: The Ideal of Organizational Design. 3 Units.

Business doesn't just happen, significant amounts of time are spent creating business plans, executing them, and ultimately trying to figure out what went wrong in order to correct them. This class argues, that similarly, organizational culture shouldn't be allowed to just happen; organizational culture should be designed. In this class we suggest that there is an ideal, a cultural imperative, which organizations should strive for. nnWe believe that individuals have near infinite problem-solving ability, and, that all else equal, organizations that tap into this potential will outperform those that only see people in terms of labor hours and dollars. Thus, the class focuses on learning to see the role of organizational culture in creating an environment that engages, stimulates, and drives growth of the people in the organization, and aligns this engagement with the organization's mission.n nWe will accomplish this through class discussion, case analyses, and a group project designed to provide hands-on experience.

OB 363. Leadership Perspectives. 4 Units.

What does it mean to be a principled leader? What role do values play in an organization, and how do successful leaders apply their values in their daily business lives? This course examines the concept of principled leadership and the various ways that leaders try to institutionalize particular values within the organizations they lead. Equally important, it explores the difficult challenges that leaders sometimes face when trying to apply their principles in a tough, fast-paced business environment, where others may not share the same expectations. Through assigned readings, interactive lectures with visiting executives, and weekly small group discussions, students will learn how practicing leaders implement their principles, while reflecting the realities of different cultural expectations and meeting business demands. The course will provide a forum for students to learn directly from practicing leaders and to think introspectively about their own personal values, leadership styles, and long-term aspirations.

OB 368. How to Make Ideas Stick. 4 Units.

Having a good idea is not enough, we must also be able to convey our ideas in a way that people can understand and act on them. But often our messages don't persuade or persist. This course assumes that we can craft more effective messages by understanding the principles that make certain ideas stick in the natural social environment: Urban legends survive in the social marketplace without advertising dollars to support them or PR professionals to spin them. How could we make true or useful information survive as well as bogus rumors? We will use research in sociology, folklore, and psychology to analyze what kinds of ideas survive the selection process in the marketplace of ideas and to develop a set of strategic tools to craft ideas that are more likely to survive. Topics covered include crafting messages for complex information that don't exceed the capacity of human attention and memory, using emotional appeals that inspire people and motivate action, acquiring attention in a crowded environment, and gaining legitimacy for new ideas, approaches, and technologies.

OB 372. High-Performance Leadership. 4 Units.

This course asks the question: "What does it take to build high-performance?" The focus is on middle and upper-middle management in contemporary organizations that have complex tasks, exist in a rapidly changing environment, and have highly skilled subordinates. The premise of the course is that traditional methods of management may produce adequate levels of performance but prevent excellence from developing. New approaches to leadership will be presented that are more likely to lead to a truly high-performing system. Time will be spent discussing the components of effective leadership, what a manager can do to build a compelling vision, strong teams, and mutual influence sideways and upwards as well as with direct reports. Also, what members can do to support the leader who wants to initiate such changes. In addition to class, students will meet for 2 1/2 hours each week in a Skill Development Group to apply the course material to their own personal development. (While there is minimal overlap in content between OB 372 and OB 374 and these two classes are highly complementary, both require Journals and an evening group. We recommend against taking both classes in the same quarter for workload reasons.) Students will have a choice as to when their SDG will meet. The expectation is full attendance at all SDG meetings. Only one excused class absence. Attendance is required in EIS Simulation and the Consulting Project classes.

OB 374. Interpersonal Dynamics. 5 Units.

PRE-QUALIFICATION REQUIRED (see link at bottom of course description). NOTE FOR AY 2020-21: Given current expectations about the need for social distancing, our current plans for Autumn quarter (and potentially Winter and Spring quarters as well) include the following modifications to the course: Lectures will take place virtually on Zoom. T-group meetings during daytime class time will also be virtual. Evening T-group meetings will be in person (with social distancing and masks). Groups will be 7-8 students instead of the usual 12 in order to allow for productive discussions in the context of social distancing. Students who cannot attend evening t-group in person may participate virtually. Beyond these modifications the course remains focused on increasing one's competencies in building more effective relationships. Learning is primarily through interactions with other group members and reflection on those interactions. This course is very involving, and, at times, can be quite emotional. However, this course is not a substitute for therapy. If you are in therapy, please talk this over with your therapist and get their advice before enrolling in this course. Students are divided into t-groups of 7 or 8 students. T-groups meet during part of class-time as well as in the evening. The class has a weekend retreat toward the end of the quarter which will take place on campus. It is very important to note that when you decide to take this course, you make an explicit contract to be actively involved. ATTENDANCE: Because of the highly interactive nature of this course, it is very important that all students attend all sessions. Missing class, class T-group, evening T-group, or any portion of the weekend for an unexcused absence will negatively influence your grade and may result in your grade being dropped one grade level (for each absence). Attendance at the first class is required for all sections and failure to attend the first class will result in an automatic drop. WAITLIST: Waitlisted students must attend the first class to maintain their place on the waitlist and should check with individual instructors on whether attendance at another section can meet this requirement. It is the student's responsibility to notify respective OB 374 faculty of your attendance and wish to fulfill your waitlist requirement. SECTION SPECIFIC INFORMATION: See section schedules for details on class days, T-group evening, and weekend retreat dates; it is your responsibility to make sure you can fulfill all attendance requirements before enrolling. PRE-QUALIFICATION: Students must pre-qualify before taking the class through an assignment on Canvas (due approximately five weeks prior to the quarter). Go to https://canvas.stanford.edu/enroll/H8WJ8X, then select "Enroll in Course".

OB 377. The Paths to Power. 3 Units.

Power and influence processes are ubiquitous and important in organizations, so leaders need to be able both to understand power and to act on that knowledge. This course has three objectives: 1) increasing students' ability to diagnose and analyze power and politics in organizational situations; 2) increase students' skills in exercising power effectively; and 3) helping students come to terms with the inherent dilemmas and choices, and their own ambivalence, involved in developing and exercising influence. Topics covered include: the sources of power, including individual attributes and structural position; dealing with resistance and conflict; obtaining allies and supporters; maintaining power; how and why power is lost; living in the limelight--the price of having power; preparing oneself to obtain power; and the use of language and body language in exercising power.The class involves a reasonably large number of written, self-reflective assignments as well as two individual projects (doing a power diagnosis on an external organization that is important to the person) and a doing-power project (using the class material during the quarter to gain power in some group or organization). The class emphasis is on both learning the conceptual material and also incorporating it into one's own strategies and behaviors.

OB 381. Conflict Management and Negotiation. 3 Units.

Conflict is unavoidable in every organization. The key question is how it will be handled: will it escalate to dysfunctional levels or will it be effectively managed? Hence, a first aim of the course is to develop your ability to analyze conflicts, to look beneath the surface rhetoric of a conflict, to isolate the important underlying interests, and to determine what sort of agreement (if any) is feasible. We'll analyze which negotiation strategies are effective in different conflicts. We'll also examine psychological and structural factors that create conflict and often pose a barrier to its resolution. But understanding how to analyze a conflict is not enough. To manage conflict effectively, you need a broad repertoire of behavioral skills. Developing these is the second aim of the course. To achieve this, negotiation exercises are used in every session. When playing a role in a simulated conflict, you will be free to try out tactics that might feel uncomfortable in a real one. You will get feedback from your classmates about how you come across. In sum, you can use this course to expand your repertoire of skills, to hone your skills, and to become more adept in choosing when to apply each skill.

OB 383. Lives of Consequence: How Individuals Create Happy, Meaningful and Successful Lives. 3 Units.

This Bass Seminar and Experiential Workshop will examine what it means to live a life of consequence. Using theories and evidence from the latest and best research on happiness, meaning and success, we will collectively develop a conceptual framework for thinking about how you personally can design a happier and more meaningful life for yourself. In addition to building a solid conceptual foundation on which to think about your life, you will have substantial opportunities to work individually and in small groups on a variety of reflective and experiential exercises designed to stimulate your imagination regarding how to create greater happiness and meaning in your own life. These engaging and enjoyable exercises include personal writing and public speaking exercises, as well as out-of-class experiential exercises. The seminar will be very discussion oriented and student participation quite lively. The goal of this seminar and workshop is to change how you think about yourself and your life! THIS WORKSHOP IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO FIRST- AND SECOND- YEAR MBA STUDENTS at the GSB. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE PERMITTED AND AUDITING IS NOT PERMITTED.

OB 387. Redesigning Work for 21st Century Men and Women. 4 Units.

Research on the Millennial Generation (i.e., those born between 1980-2000) shows that millennials, as compared to earlier generations, have quite different values and priorities when it comes to work. For instance, millennials report that they place a high value on autonomy and creativity at work, and prefer to self-manage their personal productivity. They also report that they value being a good parent and having a good marriage over having a high-paying career. Despite this research, our organizations have been slow to respond to a new generation of workers. This has led to high levels of disengagement, and lower levels of productivity in many organizations. This class will explore the gap between how our organizations are designed, and what a new generation of workers desire in terms of work. Students will work in teams to design a new workplace that is reflective of what workers want in terms of their work. The first part of the course will focus on what the issues and problems are in how organizations are designed for an earlier generation of workers, while the second part of the course will be set aside for team-based project work and presentations.

OB 388. Leadership in the Entertainment Industry. 3 Units.

The entertainment industry is one of the largest and most important industries in the world - both from a business and cultural standpoint. It is characterized by tremendous opportunities and great uncertainties. The industry is undergoing great change as new technologies and expanding markets transform the way entertainment is produced and disseminated throughout the world. For these reasons, this dynamic industry creates opportunities for entrepreneurial students interested in leaving an artistic or creative imprint on the world. This course is designed to help prepare students for careers in the media industries, and to explore leadership within them. The industry is truly an intersection of art and commerce, and the major portion of the course will involve bringing to the class leaders who represent key areas of the entertainment industry, on both the business and creative sides. As with any business, the entertainment industry is driven by the vision of its leaders. These leaders make financial and artistic decisions daily, and manage staff and productions with the goal of producing entertainment product meant to be seen as widely as possible, and meant to make a profit. It is hoped that through interaction with these speakers, students will see the potential of strong leadership and how it works to advance entertainment companies and the films and TV programming they produce. Topics to be examined include project development, production, and marketing; emerging technologies and their impact on the industry; the roles of studio, network and gaming executives, directors, film and television producers, writers, actors, agents, and others play in the making and distribution of film and television productions; and the intersection of Silicon Valley and Hollywood. The theory behind this course is that by listening to, and questioning the class speakers, coupled with class research papers, students will emerge with a deeper understanding of the entertainment industry. The class is also intended to give students a view of first-rate leadership in general, and to present what it takes to be a successful, inspiring, and forward-thinking leader in entertainment.

OB 393. Leadership in Diverse Organizations. 4 Units.

How improve capacity to exercise leadership and work effectively with others within the context of culturally diverse groups and organizations. Premise is that diversity presents challenges and opportunities that pushestudents to develop leadership skills relevant across a variety of situations. What social and psychological obstacles limit people's ability to work effectively across identity-based differences? What can people do to build the relational and organizational capacity to enable these differences to be a resource for learning and effectiveness within teams and organizations? Focus is on dynamics of race and gender; attention to other dimensions of identity and difference in organizations, including sexual orientation, nationality, class, and religion.

OB 512. Creating, Building, and Sustaining Breakthrough Ventures. 2 Units.

This course is designed to provide students with a summary of entrepreneurial processes that have successfully created, developed, and sustained breakthrough ventures. By "breakthrough" we mean ventures that have a lasting and positive impact, touching millions of lives. Examples are based on the experiences of Norman Winarsky, formerly President of SRI Ventures, Charles O¿Reilly, and invited speakers who are leading investors and entrepreneurs. They include companies like Siri, Nuance, Intuitive Surgical, Sandisk, Facebook, and others. Think of this course as a ¿master class¿. You will work with the professors and invited speakers to create and build your venture concept. We focus on all elements of building a breakthrough company, starting with the source of breakthrough venture ideas, advancing to building a great value proposition and business plan, recruiting a team, finding investors and board members, scaling the company, deciding whether to sell or go IPO, and ending with what it takes to build a company that can sustain itself through continuous innovation. At each step, we follow examples of companies we've helped build, and provide lessons of success as well as failure. The course will be highly interactive, and engage students in elements of building their own venture concepts.

OB 513. Beyond Disruption: Entrepreneurial Leadership Within Existing Organizations. 2 Units.

Why do large, successful companies often have such difficulty in disrupting themselves (e.g., Kodak, Blockbuster, Borders)? How do you maintain an entrepreneurial edge within an existing enterprise? How do you sustain core businesses while simultaneously adapting to disruptive threats? In this course, students will build the skills to spot threats and opportunities earlier and capture them faster. The course will take a look at some of the most successful "creators within corporations" and discern why some strategies succeed when others do not. We will explore the framework that some companies have developed to simultaneously compete in their core business while exploring new ones. To do this we will interact with guests from firms like Walmart, Amazon, General Motors, Flex and IBM as well as venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Our objective is to help students understand in some detail what it takes to help organizations stay ahead of disruptive threats and to avoid problems that often lead companies into decline.

OB 518. Leading Through Culture. 2 Units.

This course examines organization culture, how and why managers can use culture to maximize results within an organization, and how culture can undermine results. The course begins by situating cultural leadership and management within a culture-shaping framework and the opportunities, obligations and methods for leaders to impact culture. It also focuses on what is different in cultural management and why so many contemporary firms attempt to use it. We analyze the relationship between culture and strategy, seeking alignment between the two. The course also explores different kinds of cultures seen in high performing and low performing organizations, and seeks to understand how cultural content affects behavior and business results. Students will be asked to describe and define the culture of an organization needed for a given business and strategy, and to define the role of executives in shaping culture. The class identifies and analyzes the tools or levers that leaders can use to build an effective culture. We will spend a session on each of the following: culture and strategy alignment, architecture for shaping culture, selecting people for cultural alignment, aligning organizational practices, culture and society, cultural inflection points from start-up to scale, cultural aspects of high performance and cultural diagnostics. The course will end with a session on culture issues in merger and acquisition.

OB 522. Managing Social Networks in Organizations. 2 Units.

This course is designed to improve your effectiveness a manager by introducing you to both the concepts and tools that are part of the "new science of social networks" as they apply to organizations. In this course, you will develop the skills to understand social networks and recognize social capital, both offline and online, as well as be able to identify key elements of your own and others? social networks that enhance competitive capabilities. Topics to be covered include how social networks affect power and influence, leadership, innovation and the generation of novel ideas, careers, organizational change and competitive advantage. Additional topics to be covered include the increasing importance of online social networks in organizational life and the importance of social cognition and how it can be used to enhance social capital. At the conclusion of this course you will have the skills to map out social networks, diagnose features of the networks that either help or hinder the performance of individuals, groups and companies, and be able to manage important features of social networks in organizations.

OB 527. The Art of Self-Coaching. 2 Units.

In 2009 a student who was about to graduate said to me, "Being coached at the GSB helped me grow over the last two years, but after I leave school and no longer have access to these resources, how will I continue to coach myself?"This course is an attempt to help you answer that question. I define self-coaching as the process of guiding our own growth and development, particularly through periods of transition, in both the professional and personal realms. In this course you'll explore a range of practices and disciplines intended to help you build on what you've learned about yourself at the GSB and continue that process after graduation. Classes will consist of a mix of short lectures, exercises, small group discussions, and conversations in pairs.While this is a self-directed process, it's also highly social and interactive. You'll work with in pairs and small groups in every class session, so be prepared to discuss meaningful personal issues with your fellow students.Because every class session involves extensive interaction with other students, missing a class would negatively affect other students¿ learning. As a result, your are obligated to attend every class session. One unexcused absence will lower your grade a full level, and more than one unexcused absence will result in a U. For students taking the class Pass/Fail, an unexcused absence may result in a failing grade.

OB 533. Acting with Power. 2 Units.

This course combines insights from psychological research and theater practice to explore how power and status play a role in most social and professional interactions. Exercises drawn from actor training will illustrate how power is decoded and performed, while lectures from organizational behavior highlight the most relevant conceptual frameworks and empirical findings. Students will use scenes from actual plays, and situations they have found especially challenging to experiment with new ways of showing up. In the process, this course will allow students to explore their comfort with playing high vs. low power, to consider the associations they have with power, and to question the potential tension between behaving authentically and acting in ways that best serve their group and values.

OB 536. Insight to Outcome. 2 Units.

Getting from "strategic insight" to "desired outcome" (achieving the right result) continues to be a core challenge for many organizations and leaders. In this course, we develop a framework and approach for the "insight to outcome" sequence, study some of the key levers available to managers, and learn from some common pitfalls. The bulk of the course will be devoted to the practical application of the approach to a number of important business processes, such as merger integration, corporate and business unit transformation, and strategy development. Some class sessions will involve class visits by topical experts in these applications. This course will appeal to students interested in an exploratory course - more of a "how to think about it" course than a "toolkit" course. Grades will be based on class participation and a group project. Class size is limited to 40.

OB 547. Hacking Entrepreneurship. 2 Units.

How do some people turn ideas into enterprises that endure? Why do some people succeed why so many others fail? Based on more than 200 interviews with leading entrepreneurs conducted over the past five years by Amy Wilkinson, this course will focus on the six skills of successful entrepreneurs. The class will include brief lectures, experiential cases, personalized skills assessment through a diagnostic tool, and class discussions with a set of the successful entrepreneurs featured in a recent book authored by the instructor, "The Creator's Code." The class is designed to help students integrate these skills into their own future ventures.

OB 555. Mastering Life's Moments: The Challenge of Optimizing your Experience. 2 Units.

Our personal and professional lives are made up of a series of moments. Some of these moments present great opportunity, with the prospect of personal change and even transformative growth. Other moments contain the seeds of setback and even derailment of our most coveted plans. Some of life's moments are planned, while others catch us completely by surprise. Whatever moments we are afforded, we must make the most of them. This new seminar will explore what we know about the psychology of "optimal experience." We will examine how and why some individuals harvest so much joy, zest and sense of attainment from their moments, while others squander their moments or dig themselves into deeper holes when trying to respond to them. We will also examine how and why some people respond brilliantly to adversity, mastering even the most tragic moments that life presents, while others flounder and fold. To inform our thinking on this vital topic, the seminar will include a series of rich and provocative readings from psychology, behavioral economics, organizational theory and philosophy. Additionally, the seminar will include a series of compelling video cases illustrating both optimal and suboptimal responses to experience. To make the seminar more personally involving and useful to you, you will also engage in a series of reflective writing and experiential exercises. Whenever I offer a new course, I make a promise to the students who take it. For this course I promise you an intellectually deep and personally meaningful exploration of what it means to "use up" your life well. Put another way, I promise you some great educational moments in your GSB life! THIS COURSE IS OPEN TO GSB MBA STUDENTS ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS CAN BE MADE TO THIS POLICY.

OB 568. How to Make Ideas Stick. 2 Units.

This class will explore the properties shared by ideas that stick with people and change the way they think and act. The course is based on the framework in the book Made to Stick and focuses on hands-on exercises that will teach you how to transform your messages to make them stick: How do you get attention for your idea in a crowded marketplace of ideas? How can you convey complex information quickly? How do you make a broad, abstract idea concrete and tangible enough for people to understand? How do you provide credibility for your idea without resorting to dry statistics? Although the exercises in this course are fun and generally short, students in the past have said that they do require a lot of thinking time outside of class in order to apply the course principles to a specific message. This is particularly true of the final project which involves improving the message of a specific live client (e.g., a friend with a start-up business, the recruiting materials of a former employer). This course will be especially useful for entrepreneurs who must pitch their ideas to customers, investors, and potential employees and for students in the nonprofit sector where resources for spreading ideas are often thin.

OB 581. Negotiations. 2 Units.

This course is designed to improve students' skills in all phases of a negotiation: understanding prescriptive and descriptive negotiation theory as it applies to dyadic and multiparty negotiations, to buyer-seller transactions and the resolution of disputes, to the development of negotiation strategy and to the management of integrative and distributive aspects of the negotiation process. The course is based on a series of simulated negotiations in a variety of contexts including one-on-one, multi-party, and team negotiations. When playing a role in a simulated conflict, you will be free to try out tactics that might feel uncomfortable in a real one. You will get feedback from your classmates about how you come across. You will have an opportunity to reflect on your experience in your negotiation paper. In sum, you can use this course to expand your repertoire of conflict management and negotiation skills, to hone your skills, and to become more adept in choosing when to apply each skill. This course represents a shorter, more intense version of OB 381-Conflict Management and Negotiations. Students should not take both courses, as there is considerable overlap in course content. Attendance and participation in the negotiation exercises is mandatory.

OB 601. Organizational Ecology. 3 Units.

This seminar examines theoretical and methodological issues in the study of the ecology of organizations. Particular attention is given to the dynamics that characterize the interface between organizational populations and their audiences.
Same as: SOC 366A

OB 602. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Academe: Confronting Bias. 2 Units.

This seminar will explore the ways in which conscious and unconscious bias impacts the careers of underrepresented minority, LGBTQ, and women academics. We will study topics such as unconscious bias, stereotype threat, ambient belonging, microaggressions, and everyday racism with a lens toward understanding how these impact academics. We will also consider ways to confront bias so that we can design a more equitable and diverse academe for the future.

OB 612. Careers and Organizations. 3 Units.

The careers of individuals are shaped by their movement within and between organizations, whether those be established employers or entrepreneurial ventures. Conversely, organizations of all sizes are shaped by the flows of individuals through them as individuals construct careers by pursuing different opportunities. This course will examine sociological and economic theory and research on this mutually constitutive relationship. Possible topics include inequality and attainment processes, internal labor markets, mobility dynamics, individual and organizational learning, ecological influences, gender and racial segregation, discrimination, and entrepreneurship as a career process.

OB 622. Topics in Social Network Analysis: Structure and Dynamics. 3 Units.

This course provides coverage of both introductory and intermediate topics in social network analysis with a primary focus on recent developments in theory, methods and substantive applications. We will begin the course with a brief overview of introductory themes and concepts from various disciplines that have contributed to social network theory, including sociology, anthropology, social psychology, and organizations. Introductory topics to be included: centrality, cliques, structural and regular equivalence and cognitive social structures. The primary topics to be covered in this course include the application of network theory to the study of careers, competition, innovation, inequality/stratification, and recent research on IT mediated networks, as well as an examination of network formation and dynamics. The course will also provide hands-on experience applying social network methods in empirical research. Students will have an opportunity to learn some modern network analysis methods and apply them to network data using the R programming language. No prior experience with social network analysis or software is required.

OB 625. Economic Development and Economic Sociology. 4 Units.

As a field, economic sociology has had little to say about economic development. Much of this quietude stems from the latter's identification with "backward," "poor" or "developing" economies, and the former's interest in many of the advanced features of the richer economies. This state of affairs not only sets up a false dichotomy but also makes it difficult by construction to theorize or research the issue of economic decline, seemingly a necessary piece of any coherent theory of development.nnnThe (admittedly ambitious) goal of this seminar is to move toward a better theory of economic development. We will review several of the more common strands of thought on development in related literatures and then consider some alternative perspectives that might bridge this research and contemporary sociology. No guarantees are made that we will have a full-fledged theory by the end of the quarter, but with luck we will have breathed some new life into an often marginalized but critically important strain of social thought and research.nnnThe class will be a seminar based around the readings. Grading will be a combination of class participation, a take-home midterm and a final paper.

OB 626. Strategy and Organizations. 3 Units.

Why are some organizations more competitive than others? This is the defining questions of the interdisciplinary research field known as "strategic management." In this PhD seminar, we will survey the field of strategic management as seen from the perspective of "macro" organizational behavior. The course takes a broad view of the field of strategic management, reflecting the diversity of perspectives that is seen in this field worldwide. Across this diversity, however, it is possible to identify four distinct theoretical approaches by noting the mechanisms that researchers think are generating outcomes. The course is structured around these four theoretical approaches, and one of the main objectives of the course is to help you identify, critique, and improve these theoretical approaches. Most work in strategic management pays less attention to particular theoretical perspectives, and is organized more by the topic - the phenomenon being studied - such as market exit, growth, performance, mergers and acquisitions, innovation, and the like. I have catalogued the research in strategic management both according to theoretical perspective and topic, and the skeleton of that structure can be seen in this syllabus. I encourage you to use a similar structure as you try to make sense out of the strategy field.

OB 630. Social Norms. 3 Units.

This course covers research and theory on the origins and function of social norms. Topics include the estimation of public opinion, the function of norms as ideals and standards of judgment, and the impact of norms on collective and individual behavior. In addition to acquainting students with the various forms and functions of social norms the course will provide students with experience in identifying and formulating tractable research questions.

OB 632. Social Movements. 3 Units.

Social movement activists frequently target organizations (e.g., corporations, universities) in order to bring about political and social change. Because most organizations are not democracies, movements must find ways to penetrate their closed boundaries if they are to have an influence inside organizations. At the same time, social movements create organizational structures that help them carry out their goals, reproduce their missions and tactics, and effectively generate collective action. The purpose of this course is to examine the complex relationship between social movements and organizations. In order to understand the empirical link between movements and organizations, we will rely on social movement and organizational theory. Like the phenomena they seek to explain, these theories are strongly intertwined. In this course, we will cover topics related to how movements use organizations to propel change, and topics related to how movements help generate social change by targeting organizations. We will also evaluate the theoretical developments at the nexus of these two literatures, identifying the major innovations as well as looking for new research opportunities.

OB 636. Economic Sociology of Markets and Organizations. 3 Units.

This PhD course provides an overview of economic sociology as it pertains to the behavior of individuals as atomistic agents and collective actors, in the context of markets and organizations. Students will study foundational texts as well as recent research in order to gain an understanding of how to further advance the field. Topics include networks, categories, labor markets, product markets, inequality, and others. Throughout the course students will be expected to generate "mental maps" to demonstrate they have gained a comprehensive understanding of the field, weekly memos, and to complete a final project.

OB 637. Modeling Culture. 3 Units.

What is culture, and how can we model it? This course will survey theoretical frameworks for studying culture from a multidisciplinary perspective, ranging from evolutionary biology through sociology to economics. We will explore various methods for measuring culture and modeling cultural processes, including ethnography and survey data. Our focus, however, will be on measurement and modeling strategies that are made possible by the internet revolution and big data, including agent-based modeling, natural language processing and machine learning. Our class discussions will transition between theoretical abstraction and hands-on data analysis.

OB 652. Statistical Methods for Behavioral and Social Sciences. 3 Units.

For students who seek experience and advanced training in empirical research methods. Analysis of experimental data with methods ranging from simple chi-square to multiple regression models, including an introduction to mixed models. Uses the free statistical computing package R. Prerequisite: An intro stats class (Same as PSYCH 252 -- Co-taught with Ewart Thomas).

OB 654. Organizational Behavior Pro Seminar. 1 Unit.

This pro-seminar is primarily for OB-macro PhD students who are developing dissertation ideas. The focus is on the theoretical argument underpinning the dissertation research. Students will regularly present and comment upon one another's ideas. Students can and are encouraged to take the pro-seminar multiple times.

OB 660. Topics in Organizational Behavior: Individual Processes. 3 Units.

This course will focus on psychological processes that occur within individuals that cannot be seen but whose existence can be inferred on the basis of people's behavior. Such processes, referred to as individual processes, include personality, emotions, perception, and learning. This course aims to introduce Ph.D. students to both theoretical and applied background on individual processes, with a special emphasis on person vs situation and nature vs nurture debates, evolutionary perspective, and free will. Additionally, we will discuss psychological assessment and its principles, and review both traditional (e.g., tests and questionnaires) and modern (e.g., digital behavioral footprints) approaches to collecting data and measuring psychological constructs. .

OB 661. Topics in Organizational Behavior: Intragroup processes. 3 Units.

This course will be run as a seminar. Each week a different form of intragroup behavior will be discussed. The type of group will vary, as will the context in which it operates (e.g., school vs. corporation). The weekly topics will include whistleblowing, bullying, charitable giving, paying it forward, workplace sabotage, emergent leadership, internal group threat, external group threat, single sex education and corporate mergers. Each week students will be required to post on the course website a short (no more than one page) reaction paper to one or more of the readings. These papers should be posted by 6pm on the Tuesday night preceding the class. Each student will serve as discussion leader for two of the 10 weeks. Discussion leaders are responsible for beginning the discussion of the papers by summarizing the comments of the other class members and offering their own thoughts and analysis of the papers as well as the issues they raise. Students are also required to write a 10-page double-spaced paper on a topic relevant to intragroup behavior.

OB 662. Topics in Organizational Behavior: Intergroup Processes. 3 Units.

The primary objective of this course is to provide an overview and organizing framework of the micro-organizational behavior literature. This entails reading many foundational pieces that will cover the classic areas of research in the field. We will also read more cutting-edge papers that reanalyze and reframe many of the classic variables of micro-OB, trying to alter the dominant perspective, bring in new theory, and integrate conflicting approaches.

OB 670. Designing Social Research. 3 Units.

This is a course in the design of social research, with a particular emphasis on research field (i.e., non-laboratory) settings. As such, the course is a forum for discussing and developing an understanding of the different strategies social theorists employ to explain social processes, develop theories, and make these theories as believable as possible. In general, these issues will be discussed in the context of sociological research on organizations, but this will not be the exclusive focus of the course. A range of topics will be covered, for example: formulating and motivating research questions; varieties of explanation; experimental and quasi-experimental methods, including natural experiments; counterfactual models; conceptualization and measurement; sampling and case selection; qualitative and quantitative approaches. This course is particularly oriented toward developing an appreciation of the tradeoffs of different approaches. It is well suited to Ph.D. students working on qualifying papers and dissertation proposals.

OB 671. Social Psychology of Organizations. 3 Units.

This seminar focuses on social psychological theories and research relevant to organizational behavior. It reviews topics in micro-organizational behavior, linking these to foundations in cognitive and social psychology and sociology. Topics include models of attribution, decision making, emotion, coordination, influence and persuasion, and culture. Prerequisites: Enrollment in a PhD program. Also listed as Sociology 361.

OB 672. Organization and Environment. 3 Units.

This seminar considers the leading sociological approaches to analyzing relations of organizations and environments, with a special emphasis on dynamics. Attention is given to theoretical formulations, research designs, and results of empirical studies. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a PhD program. Also listed as Sociology 362.

OB 673. Perspectives on the Social Psychology of Organizations. 3 Units.

This seminar focuses on topics relevant to organizational behavior, drawing primarily on social psychological and some sociological research. Topics vary from year to year. In Fall 2014 the seminar will focus on group and team dynamics. Topics will include diversity, power and status dynamics in teams, expertise and knowledge utilization, information processing, trust and respect in teams, team leadership, and multi-level perspectives on team and group dynamics, among others. Prerequisites: Enrollment in a PhD Program. Cannot be audited or taken pass/fail.

OB 674. Perspectives on Organization and Environment: Social Movement Organizations and Environments. 3 Units.

This course examines the interaction between organizations and their environments. It is given every year by a different faculty member. What follows is the description of the course for the academic year 2012-13:nnnThis research seminar explores recent theory and research on social movement organizations and their environments. We'll consider the way in which organizational theories help us to explain social movement phenomena, and the way in which social movement theories help us to explain organizational phenomena.

OB 675. Micro Research Methods. 3 Units.

This course helps students gain foundational knowledge on several different methods used in micro-OB research, including surveys, experiments (field and lab), longitudinal studies, content analysis, qualitative interviews, ethnography, cases, and archival datasets. The course will cover the benefits and limitations of each method, and how to creatively mix and match methods to address ambitious research questions.

OB 676. Social and Political Processes in Organizations. 4 Units.

Social psychological and sociological research at the meso, or intermediate between micro and macro, level of analysis. Topics vary from year to year, but usually include organizational routines and learning; mobility and attainment processes; gender and race inequality and discrimination; social networks; cultural perspectives on organizations, and related topics. Prerequisite: Ph.D. student.

OB 678. The Design and Process of Experimental Research. 1 Unit.

This year-long course takes a hands-on approach to learning about experimental research. It will cover the entire process of experimental research from idea and hypothesis generation to study design, analysis, and publication. The topical content will be customized to the specific interests of the enrolled students, but generally will be concerned with questions about behavioral phenomena in organizational contexts.

OB 680. Introduction to the Behavioral Theory of the Firm and its Contemporary Applications. 3 Units.

The course will focus on the Behavioral Theory of the Firm and the contemporary research areas it influences, especially research on organization design. The course will introduce students to an active research area whose scholars have largely been inspired by the late Jim March. We will study the basic elements of behavioral approaches to organizations and consider how new contributions can be made in this area. The course will also give students opportunities to familiarize themselves with agent-based modelling, which has been one of the preferred methods of behavioral theorists. Students will be able to discuss papers based on such models, but also develop simple models to formalize theoretical arguments.

OB 681. Creativity Research. 3 Units.

This course covers theories and methods used in research on individual and group creativity. Several different approaches to studying creativity will be discussed, ranging from small-scale experiments to large-scale datasets. The goal is for students to come away with an understanding of the scholarly literature on creativity, as well as actionable tools for conducting their own research on creativity and related concepts.

OB 684. Full-Cycle Research Design. 3 Units.

In this class, you will learn how to effectively combine qualitative research methods, including ethnographic observation and interviews, with experimental methods, including lab, natural and field experiments, to investigate questions of interest in the study of work, organizations and markets.

OB 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691, STRAMGT 691

OB 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692, STRAMGT 692

OB 698. Doctoral Practicum in Teaching. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Teaching.

OB 699. Doctoral Practicum in Research. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Research.

OB 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

.
Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802, STRAMGT 802

POLECON 230. Strategy Beyond Markets. 2 Units.

Politicians, regulators, and voters place limits on - and present opportunities for - nearly every business. Firms like Uber, Airbnb, and Google do not only remain cognizant of existing laws, they also look for opportunities to change the law in ways that help their business. In this class, we will learn how businesses can influence political decision-making and develop frameworks for political strategy. We will examine firms' interactions with competitive firms, market incumbents, customers, and institutions, including interest groups, legislatures, regulatory agencies, courts, international organizations, and the public. Case studies include intellectual property, health care reform, carried interest in private equity, ride-sharing, and peer-to-peer lending. Students will complete the course with a better appreciation of how politics works, of the opportunities and perils associated with alternative political goals, and of tactics likely to achieve those goals. Special emphasis is given to beyond market strategy for start-ups and how to integrate market and beyond-market strategies.

POLECON 231. Strategy Beyond Markets: Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Economies. 3 Units.

This course shares significant material with POLECON 230 and the goal of developing integrated strategies for optimal firm performance that combine elements within and beyond markets. POLECON 231 diverges from the base course to delve deeper into issues that are particularly salient for entrepreneurs in emerging and frontier markets. Using a combination of cases from developed and developing countries, we will expand the list of topics considered to include managing political risk and protecting the firm in the face of uncertain and discretionary regulatory environments. The objective is to provide a solid grounding in the techniques explored in 230, while refining skill sets and whetting appetites for investment in higher risk environments.

POLECON 239. MSx: Strategy Beyond Markets. 3 Units.

This course addresses managerial issues in the social, political and legal environments of business. Cases and readings emphasize strategies to improve the performance of companies in light of their multiple constituencies, both within the US and internationally. Most core courses focus on firms' interactions with customers, suppliers, and alliance partners in the form of mutually beneficial voluntary exchange transacted in markets. In contrast, this course considers the strategic interactions of firms with comparably important constituents, organizations, and institutions beyond markets. Issues considered include those involving activist and interest groups, the media, legislatures, regulatory and antitrust agencies, and other forms of political risk. In many of the class sessions, we will draw on theoretical and empirical research in political economy, a field that is particularly relevant for understanding relationships between firms and governments, because (unlike most of economics) political economy focuses on interactions that are neither voluntary nor transacted via money.

POLECON 342. Finding Spiritual Meaning at Work: Business Exemplars. 3 Units.

This course explores the experience of respected business leaders who have been able to integrate their spiritual and business lives successfully. It also provides an explicit opportunity for students to discuss their own intentions to find deep meaning in and through their business careers. Difficulties, struggles and barriers will be examined as well. Readings will include both biographies of specific business people and background materials on the major religious and philosophical traditions represented. A number of the exemplars whose biographical information will be examined, like Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, will be invited to class -- initially to listen to the class discussion, and then to provide feedback to students, expand on their own biographies and the background resources read in preparation for each class, and respond to questions and answers. This course will help students elucidate how their business careers fit into what ultimately matters most to them and how to build moral courage and long-term commitment to their ideals.

POLECON 349. The Business World: Moral and Spiritual Inquiry through Literature. 3 Units.

This course uses novels and plays as a basis for examining the moral and spiritual aspects of business leadership and of the environment in which business is done. On the one hand literature is used as the basis for examining the character of business people, while on the other hand literature provides illumination of the cultural contexts of values and beliefs within which commercial activities take place in a global economy. The course is organized around the interplay of religious traditions and national identities. Classes are taught in a Socratic, discussion-based style, creating as much of a seminar atmosphere as possible. A two-text method is used, encouraging students to examine their own personal stories with as much care as the stories presented in the literature. This course will be graded on the basis of class participation, weekly reflection papers (1 page), and a final paper. There will be no exam.

POLECON 351. Global Business, Religion, and National Culture. 3 Units.

What does one need to know about Islam to do business effectively in an Arab country? How can understanding the Protestant ethic help Mexican managers deal with U.S. partners? How does Confucianism influence Chinese business ethics? What are the business advantages of knowing how different countries rate on the spectrum of individualist versus communitarian values? These are the kinds of issues discussed in this course, which seeks to help students who will be engaged in international business during their careers. It aims to examine the deeper levels of attitudes and beliefs, often unconscious, which lie beneath the way business is done in various countries. Information will be provided on major religious and philosophical traditions like Confucianism, Shinto, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Some cross-cultural frameworks will also be considered. Case studies and background readings are set in nations like China, Japan, India, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Mexico and the United States. The class will be discussion-based, drawing on students¿ own life experiences as well as the cases and readings. The hope is to provide a competitive advantage, both theoretically and practically, to students through understanding certain unspoken rules of the game in global business.

POLECON 515. Energy: Innovation, Policy & Business Strategy. 2 Units.

The future of the energy industry is deeply intertwined with politics and the formation of policy. In this class we'll take a deeper dive into the market and beyond-market (policy) strategies in the energy industry. Our focus will be on new clean energy technologies as they attempt to break into the industry. Each session will address a business problem and analyze the interaction of market structure and the beyond-market environment. The business problem will either come from a written case or a guest speaker. Topics covered: 1) Mapping the regulated energy landscape: the politics and innovation of the renewable energy industry. 2) Working with State Regulators and Using the beyond-market to dislodge entrenched incumbents. 3) Beyond State Politics: The US & Australian Federal Government. 4) The Utilities from inside and outside. 5) Investing in a highly regulated industry. This course is led by Steve Callander, GSB professor of public and private management & political economy and Josh Richman, VP of global business development and policy at Bloom Energy.

POLECON 531. The Future of Cities: Entrepreneurship, Policy & Business Strategy. 2 Units.

Cities are where billions of people live and they are the engine for innovation and economic growth. They are also going through enormous change and battling with fundamental problems, like housing, transportation, urban planning, the environment, safety, transparency and more. Innovation offers the promise of exciting solutions. But for that change to happen, it must serve the interests of the people who live in a city and overcome the challenges of politics and policymaking. The class will focus on this intersection. We will analyze cities as a distinct phenomenon, look at what is possible technologically, and explore how change can be made to happen. The class will consist of a combination of case studies, guest speakers, and class discussion. It will be led by Steve Callander, GSB Professor of Political Economy, and Sarah Hunter, the director of Global Public Policy at X, the google Moonshot Factory.

POLECON 538. Disruptive Innovation. 2 Units.

Disruptive innovation is challenging to bring to market because of the power of entrenched incumbents and their political advocates. This course will discuss market and non-market strategies for effectively deploying and scaling up disruptive technologies. We will focus on developed products and initial business/company building. Pedagogical techniques include case studies, historical analysis, strategic frameworks, and interactive group presentations. The course will feature guest speakers as well as the co-instructor's experience as the first business leader (and now CFO) of Dropbox as it grew from an early stage company to a multi-billion dollar enterprise.

POLECON 584. Managing Global Political Risk. 1 Unit.

In a globalized world, managers and investors are increasingly realizing that politics matter as much as economic fundamentals. Micro-level decisions made by local politicians in Brazil or India, national-level strategies of countries like China and Russia, and multi-national regimes, policies, and norms are all affecting global businesses in significant and often surprising ways. This course examines the full array of political risks confronting businesses today, from creeping expropriations to sudden shocks like national debt defaults and coups to emerging threats like cyber exploitation. Students will learn about impediments to assessing political risk and how to tackle them; develop strategies for managing political risk in a systematic way; and craft tools for mitigating the downside effects of political risk to business. Each session will include customized case studies and mini-simulations for students to walk in the shoes of senior managers confronting these challenges.

POLECON 660. Behavioral Political Economy. 3 Units.

This course studies the cognitive scientific foundations of political economy. It builds on the explosion of research in cognitive psychology, evolutionary anthropology, and allied fields over the last few decades to provide perspectives on political beliefs and behavior that are not tweaks on theories of complete rationality; they are distinct ideas with their own premises of how humans think, plan, and decide. These premises do not posit that we are irrational. Such claims are wildly off the mark; they cannot explain how we have become the dominant species on this planet. Instead, they describe a clever but computationally constrained primate whose evolution, cultural as well as biological, has produced a characteristic configuration of mental software and external symbol systems (writing, numbers). The representational and computational capacities of this software and these symbol systems, combined with our unusual ability to cooperate with unrelated strangers, has in a remarkably short time produced massive knowledge-intensive political institutions that can deploy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and can use epidemiology and molecular genetics to combat epidemics. Such achievements warrant explanations. In short, we are boundedly rational, but that's only half the story; we're also really really clever problem-solvers. This course explores theories that explain both halves in a unified way.

POLECON 680. Foundations of Political Economy. 4 Units.

This course provides an introduction to political economy with an emphasis on formal models of collective choice, public institutions, and political competition. Topics considered include voting theory, social choice, institutional equilibria, agenda setting, interest group politics, bureaucratic behavior, and electoral competition. Also listed as Political Science 351A.

POLECON 681. Economic Analysis of Politics. 4 Units.

This course extends the foundations developed in P680 by applying techniques of microeconomic analysis and game theory to the study of political behavior and institutions. The techniques include information economics, games of incomplete information, sequential bargaining theory, repeated games, and rational expectations. The applications considered include agenda formation in legislatures, government formation in parliamentary systems, the implications of legislative structure, elections and information aggregation, lobbying, electoral competition and interest groups, the control of bureaucracies, interest group competition, and collective choice rules.

POLECON 682. Workshop on Institutional Theories and Empirical Tests in Political Economy. 3 Units.

This course critically surveys empirical applications of formal models of collective-choice institutions. It is explicitly grounded in philosophy of science (e.g., Popperian positivism and Kuhn¿s notions of paradigms and normal science). Initial sessions address the meanings and roles of the concept of institutions in social-science research. Historically important works of political science and/or economics are then considered within a framework called Components of Institutional Analysis (or CIA), which provides a fully general way of evaluating research that is jointly empirical and formal theoretical. The course concludes with contemporary instances of such bridge-building. The over-arching objectives are to elevate the explicitness and salience of desirable properties of research and to illustrate the inescapable tradeoffs among the stipulated criteria. Although this is a core course in the GSB Political Economy PhD curriculum, its substantive foci may differ across years depending on the instructor. For Professor Krehbiel¿s sessions, the emphasis is on legislative behavior, organization, and lawmaking, and on inter-institutional strategic interaction (e,g, between executive, legislative, and judicial branches in various combinations). Students should have taken POLECON 680. POLECON 682 is also listed as POLISCI 351C.

POLECON 683. Political Development Economics. 3 Units.

This course surveys emerging research in political economics as it applies to developing societies, emphasizing both theoretical and empirical approaches. Topics will include: corruption and "forensic" political economics, institutional reform and democratization, ethnicity, conflict and public goods provision, and the role of trade and financial innovations in political development. The aim of the course is to bring students to the frontier of the field and develop their own research. Graduate level proficiency in microeconomics and empirical methods will be required.

POLECON 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, OIT 691, STRAMGT 691

POLECON 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, OIT 692, STRAMGT 692

POLECON 698. Doctoral Practicum in Teaching. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Teaching.

POLECON 699. Doctoral Practicum in Research. 1 Unit.

Doctoral Practicum in Research.

POLECON 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, OIT 802, STRAMGT 802

STRAMGT 110Q. Making Sense of Strategy. 3 Units.

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 focuses 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.

STRAMGT 202. Strategic Leadership: Crafting and Leading Strategy. 2 Units.

This course is about the process of crafting, assessing and implementing strategies to win in the market. It is designed to help you understand, shape, and lead your organization's strategy by providing you with a framework for thinking about the issues that shape your organization's economic prosperity. In addition to an analytical framework, the course will provide you with insight into the process of formulating and assessing strategy for roles with cross-functional responsibility at all levels. The emphasis will be on how to articulate what the organization's strategy is, how to create alignment between the strategy, organizational design, and market environment, and the process of growing, managing and transforming organizations. The course is particularly well suited for students who have limited exposure to strategic analysis and/or who anticipate pursuing roles with primary responsibility for the success of products and services in both new and established organizations.

STRAMGT 205. Strategic Leadership: Creating and Sustaining Growth. 2 Units.

Many organizations are fundamentally committed to growth. This course examines how leaders and their organizations can create and sustain growth. Initially, entrepreneurial companies grow by discovering product-market fit, and then capitalize on that discovery by aligning their strategy and organization to their environment. As they mature, established companies grow by innovating anew, exploring possibilities and changing their organizations into new alignments with new opportunities. This course covers how leaders shape the process of discovery, change, and growth, and how strategy and organization combine to scale success. The course is geared toward students who seek to become entrepreneurs, students who want to join a growing firm in a strategic role, and for students who want to innovate to create new growth opportunities in an established firm.

STRAMGT 207. Strategic Leadership. 3 Units.

This course examines fundamental issues of general management and leadership within an organization. You will learn about setting an organization's strategic direction, aligning structure to implement strategy, and leading individuals within the firm. You will master concepts, frameworks, and tools to assess an industry and a firm's competitive environment, and to craft alternatives. You will study the interplay among formal structure, informal networks, and culture in shaping organizational performance. By integrating leadership theory, the lessons of practical application, and your own experience, you will develop skills and capabilities essential to leading others. And you'll gain a better understanding of your own leadership preferences, strengths, and weaknesses.

STRAMGT 210. Managerial Skills. 1 Unit.

In the Managerial Skills Labs we examine several common managerial challenges faced by executives. Together with Faculty, students explore these topics using five case examples, each asking students to evaluate a series of situations, develop alternatives for their resolution, and ultimately recommend and implement a course of action from the point of view of the company's owner/manager. We have selected small to midsized businesses as the context for these discussions in order to highlight the impact that key decisions and their implementation can have on the broader organization. Class preparation should include not only analysis and conclusions, but also specific recommendations on implementation. Students should come to class prepared to role play important conversations between management and other key individuals.

STRAMGT 258. MSx: Strategic Management. 3 Units.

This course deals with the overall general management of the business enterprise. Extensive case studies of a variety of companies of differing size, industry, and current conditions provide the basis for the comprehensive analysis and establishment of a strategic management approach for the organization. Frameworks are presented for strategy identification and evaluation; assessing industry attractiveness; evaluating the firm's capabilities, resources, and position; determining the optimal horizontal and vertical scope of the firm; entering into strategic alliances and joint ventures; and formulating and implementing strategy in multi-business organizations.

STRAMGT 259. MSx: Generative Leadership. 2 Units.

There are three major sections to this course - Design Thinking, The Improvisational Mindset, and High Performance Communication. || Design Thinking || Outcome: Participants learn to employ User Centered Design as promoted by the Stanford d.school. They become adept at Empathizing with the end user, practicing focused Need Finding, Defining the Problem, Ideating, Rapidly Prototyping and Adapting to Feedback. || Experiences: Participants learn the Design Thinking process through a hands-on, collaborative design challenge, like redesigning the Briefcase for a specific user. || The Improvisational Mindset || Outcome: The participants increase their ability to respond flexibly to novel situations and to generate innovative solutions on a collaborative, creative team. The mindset is cultivated by practicing 5 key principles. Say "Yes, and". Treat Mistakes as Gifts. Inspire your Partner. Dare to be Obvious. Notice the World. || Experiences: The key principles are taught through a series of immersive theater exercises derived from Johnstone, Spolin, and Ryan. Valuable readings include IMPROV WISDOM, by Patricia Madson and journal articles on improv and brainstorming. || High Performance Communication || Outcome: The final segment of the class is a chance to apply the principles of User Centered Design and the Improvisational Mindset to design and deliver messages that go beyond just transmitting information - they get results. Participants successfully use a version of the Design Thinking process to rapidly develop content that is tuned to the audience's needs, and that they can deliver in a way that is agile and responsive to real time feedback. || Experiences: Generative Leadership culminates in a group presentation designed to influence key stakeholders. To be successful, participants will have to draw on all sections of the course. AS WE SPEAK is our text.

STRAMGT 305. Game Theory and Competitive Strategy. 3 Units.

This course is an advanced applications economics course. The course has two main components, game theory and competitive strategy. Game theory is the field of study of interactive strategic decision making. In recent years it has become a prominent approach in both research and in practice. We will apply game theoretical models to a variety of industry, market and other relational settings. Beyond the use of game theory in competitive strategy in general, we will spend a significant part of the course studying competitive advantages in depth. In particular, we will cover the various types of competitive advantages and barriers to entry, attributes of an advantage, the creation and dynamics of advantages and more.

STRAMGT 306. Food, Health & Nutrition Entrepreneurship. 3 Units.

Americans spend nearly 7% of their income on food items and another 5% on food services annually (US Census). Food spend is at the intersection of two of the most important industries in the US: health care and agriculture. Food production today supports the food consumption causing our extraordinary burden of disease; 75 cents of every dollar of the $4.8 billion spent annually on health care is for diet-related disease. The health care system accounts for over 17% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Agriculture and agriculture-related industries contributed 4.8% to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012. This course focuses on the shifting landscapes across these industries and subsequent market opportunities in food, health, and nutrition. The course is designed for students with a broad interest in the food or health systems and/or who are interested in careers in related fields. We will examine the food system from three points of view: the consumer, nutritional science, and policy. The class will focus on solving for consumer needs from the perspective of a health-promoting entrepreneur. The class will involve lecture, discussion, and prominent guest speakers who are entrepreneurs themselves or industry leaders.

STRAMGT 307. Innovation in Healthcare Venture Capital Investing. 3 Units.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with insights into the newest innovations in healthcare service delivery, information technology, biotech and medical devices and how venture and private equity investors evaluate and determine where to invest their money among these areas to maximize return, minimize risk, and capitalize on a highly fluid marketplace that represents nearly 20% of the U.S. GDP. Through presentations by leading entrepreneurs in the field, students will be challenged to reach conclusions regarding which healthcare sectors are the most promising for venture investing and which individual companies presented reflect the best opportunities, particularly in light of the seismic shifts currently underway within the healthcare industry driven by both public and private considerations. This is not primarily a finance class, but more substantively about the nuances of emerging healthcare businesses and venture finance as applied to this very unique sector.

STRAMGT 308. Entrepreneurship from Diverse Perspectives. 3 Units.

This seminar showcases the diversity of entrepreneurs and the range of entrepreneurial paths they pursue. Thirty-five entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, primarily woman and under-represented minorities, will share their personal and professional journeys, and how each embodies the entrepreneurial mindset. Case studies, readings and videos, will complement in-class discussions with the speakers in exploring the entire entrepreneurial process from finding an idea and forming and building a team, to being an inclusive leader, raising money, assembling a board, and overcoming setbacks and challenges. The class teaches the entrepreneurial mindset, and how everyone can be entrepreneurial in their lives. Teams will work on creating an idea for a company during the quarter.

STRAMGT 309. Strategies of Effective Product Management. 3 Units.

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.

STRAMGT 315. From Launch to Liquidity. 3 Units.

This course considers the challenges faced by start-ups in achieving liquidity. We take the perspectives of organizational behavior, marketing, and finance, and examine forks in the road faced by firms that have already launched products. Marketing topics include how to market firms for sale and calculating the addressable market. Organizational topics include hiring and firing, and the role of founders after sales. Finance topics include how the choice between sale and IPO affects value realized, and private equity exits.

STRAMGT 316. Fundamentals of Effective Selling. 3 Units.

The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamentals of how to sell and to what selling is truly about. The course is appropriate for anyone who wants to understand and show proficiency with the skills required by different selling situations (e.g., direct sales of products and services, selling oneself in an interview, raising money for a new venture, running a company as CEO, etc.). The course looks at the entire selling process of lead generation, prospecting, qualification, discovery, understanding value, customizing presentations, objection handling, negotiation and closing. This is not a typical GSB case-study-based course. Students who have taken the class describe it as a hands-on, practical, skills-based class. Students will work by themselves and together in groups to complete individual and team-based exercises designed to introduce them to and give them practice with selling fundamentals in each stage of the selling process. Students will be practicing and utilizing newly learned skills in real life each week; the focus will be on doing stuff (e.g., using curiosity in a situation outside the classroom) rather than thinking about and talking about stuff. Students will then come together in class with the instructors to share and process the learning from these exercises.nn.

STRAMGT 319. Equity By Design: Building Diverse and Inclusive Organizations. 3 Units.

This course equips you to create and build equitable organizations. We will discuss the power of inclusion as it relates to the employee and customer experience. We will study effective strategies for building diverse and inclusive companies, and will address the barriers that can often exist. We'll look at approaches to organizational design that limit unconscious bias and produce more objective decisions across the employee experience - from engaging and hiring candidates to retaining employees and helping them thrive. Finally, we'll dive into how to create inclusive cultures and a sense of belonging. Experts in diversity and inclusion, and executives at companies that have successfully incorporated inclusion programs, will join us for the class discussions.

STRAMGT 321. Create a New Venture: From Idea to Launch I. 3 Units.

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 from within Stanford who bring expertise of particular relevance to the idea being pursued, e.g. engineering, CS or medicine. 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 test, 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, successes, and findings as they relate to the process of new venture creation. The teaching method is through a structured process of relevant mini-lectures, exercises and active in-depth team learning by doing (LBD). Extensive field research and prototype product development are integral to the course. Learning is further enhanced through meetings with the instructor, coaching by their assigned experienced mentors, experts, and review by peers. Informal student meetings/mixers will be held in the autumn quarter to further facilitate the formation of teams and assist in idea generation. The application process for S321/322,-Create A New Venture: from Idea to Launch- is described on the course website.

STRAMGT 322. Create a New Venture: From Idea to Launch II. 3 Units.

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 from within Stanford who bring expertise of particular relevance to the idea being pursued, e.g. engineering, CS or medicine. 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 test, 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, successes, and findings as they relate to the process of new venture creation. The teaching method is through a structured process of relevant mini-lectures, exercises and active in-depth team learning by doing (LBD). Extensive field research and prototype product development are integral to the course. Learning is further enhanced through meetings with the instructor, coaching by their assigned experienced mentors, experts, and review by peers. Informal student meetings/mixers will be held in the autumn quarter to further facilitate the formation of teams and assist in idea generation. The application process for S321/322,¿Create A New Venture: from Idea to Launch¿ is described on the course website.

STRAMGT 323. Organizational Psychology of Design Thinking. 3 Units.

We'd like to introduce you to Samantha Palmer, a recent Stanford graduate who took several classes at the d.school. Each class further confirmed the importance of the design thinking process, methodology, and community. By the end of her Stanford career she truly believed that design thinking had the potential to change her life.n nAs graduation approached, Samantha found a position at a large tech company in Silicon Valley and was excited to bring the design thinking methodologies with her. A few weeks into her new job, she asked her team if they wanted to talk to some users before launching into their next big project. She was met with a room of blank stares and apprehensive questions. n nHow might we give Samantha the skills she needs to change the mindset of her colleagues, spark design thinking at her company, and get her first design-driven project off the ground? n nWhen you take a class at the d.school, you walk away confident in your creative skills and fluent in the design process. However, when recent graduates (re)enter the workforce, they quickly become discouraged by the stagnancy of company cultures. They see the need to trigger and sustain change, but don¿t have the understanding of organizational psychology to do so. Organizational Psychology of Design Thinking asks you to take on Samantha¿s challenges. n nOver the course of the semester, students will engage in 2 large-scale projects:n- Project 1 (Empathy - Synthesis) - Working with partner companies, students will apply organizational psychology and design frameworks to better understand company culture.n- Project 2 (Ideation - Testing) - Using their work from Project 1, students will prototype and test organizational changes in real company settings.nn**Please note** Our class will take an experimental approach Organizational Psychology of Design Thinking. The majority of classes will be conducted in the field allowing students to take a hands-on approach to design thinking. Please be aware and build travel time into your class schedule.

STRAMGT 325. Formation of Impact Ventures. 3 Units.

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.

STRAMGT 328. Social Ventures Practicum. 3 Units.

The Social Ventures Practicum is an experiential learning course for student teams actively working to launch a social venture (nonprofit or for-profit or tbd). SVP is often a useful follow-on for social venture start-up teams after product/service ideation courses such as STRAMGT 356: Startup Garage, the Design for Extreme Affordability sequence, or other startup/design thinking. In all cases, this course will focus on the additional elements of business planning needed to launch your venture successfully. Students who are beginning with a less-developed product/service idea for a social venture but are interested in taking this course are encouraged to reach out to the instructors, who will try to match them with existing teams. Other students who wish to take SVP to learn about social ventures but do not have a product/service idea similarly should reach out to instructors to see if they can be matched.In weekly sessions throughout the quarter, teams will work through topics unique to social ventures (e.g. mission, theory of change, impact measurement) as well as topics common to any venture, (e.g. product/service market fit, business/economic model, financial planning, early-stage financing, logistics, sales/distribution, and board/talent development). Each team will receive significant one-on-one coaching from the instructors, as well as opportunities to share their work with peers and learn from/present to guest speakers.

STRAMGT 330. Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital: Partnership for Growth. 3 Units.

This 3 unit course is designed for students interested in early-stage investing, venture capital, and/or entrepreneurship. The course content and projects are designed to be complementary to the dozens of great GSB courses about entrepreneurship such as Start-up Garage, Entrepreneurial Finance, Formation of New Ventures and Lean Launchpad. Our course, S330 -- Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital; Partnership for Growth, is one of a handful of GSB courses that delivers the investor's and entrepreneurs' viewpoint in a very candid format. The course takes the student on a journey divided into 3 different segments (investor strategies, current issues that affect your start-up, and best practices as you build your company). We have carefully selected 5 relevant topics for each segment. In the first segment of the course, we invite 5 different investors to illustrate the range of investor strategies as well as their differences in how they select their next big investment opportunity. These investors represent Funds who are leaders in each of their specialties, such as Floodgate, Founder's Fund and the venture debt firm, WTI. The second segment of the course highlights 5 current issues that affect entrepreneurs as they launch their idea in this rapidly changing investor environment. These topics range from how to build an effective board to why there are not more women in VC to the consequences of 'too much money' in the VC ecosystem. The third segment of the course covers 5 tactical steps that are important to entrepreneurs as they build their company. We begin with how co-founders split their founder equity and then hear Mike Maples reflect on best practices for idea formation and scaling. We conclude with trade-offs in negotiating that first term sheet. Please see the syllabus for more specifics about course content and the business idea project. nThe majority of the classes are case-based, where the guest speakers (who are often the case protagonists) discuss how the issues in each case are relevant to today's start-up. We encourage challenging and meaningful class discussion to take the guests 'off-script' and focus on sharing the 'street smarts' of the entrepreneur and investor community. The course attracts students from many different backgrounds - those who are experienced entrepreneurs to those students who are experimenting with the idea of entrepreneurship for the first time. We also see students with significant investment experience share their start-up experience as they add to the class dynamic.

STRAMGT 335. Entrepreneurial Approaches to Education Reform. 3 Units.

In this course, students will investigate opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurial ventures trying to make a positive impact in public education. The course requires a basic level of understanding of the U.S. K-12 public school system. The first session will analyze the structure of the public education as an industry, with a special emphasis on understanding the achievement gap. Subsequent sessions will explore challenges in increasing efficacy, ensuring financial sustainability, and scaling for entrepreneurs who have sought to change student outcomes, solve pain points, and innovate. The course will feature a variety of ventures (including schools, education technology, training, and supplemental services) and organizational models (for-profit, not-for-profit, and benefit corporation). This course is suitable for students aspiring to be entrepreneurs, leaders in entrepreneurial organizations, leaders in educational organizations, Board members, donors or investors. (Note: this is not a "how-to" course on starting an entrepreneurial venture.).

STRAMGT 340. POWer: Building the Entrepreneurial Mindset from the Perspective of Women. 3 Units.

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.

STRAMGT 345. Impact: Taking Social Innovation to Scale. 3 Units.

How do you get the best new social innovations to reach the hundreds of millions of people who need it the most? And how do ensure that they are developed, deployed and scaled in a way that is relevant, appropriate and sustainable? Innovators tackling the world's most difficult problems often ignore, misunderstand, and under-invest in the critical business challenges involved in crossing 'the middle of the value chain.' This is innovation's valley of death: product and system adaption and evaluation; evidence generation and design validation; business and partnership planning; formal or informal regulatory approval and registration. How do you design, introduce, and optimize the intervention's uptake before it can be taken to scale by markets, governments or other systems? The class is taught be Steve Davis, Senior Advisor & Interim China Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Distinguished Fellow, World Economic Forum. We take an interdisciplinary approach to look at the factors that pull innovation forward, push it from behind, and (often to the world's detriment) block its successful implementation and scaling. First grounding the discussion in research on innovation and social change, we then apply business principles, real world experiences and several important case studies in global health to examine the way good ideas get stuck, and how good ideas can turn into innovation that matters. We focus on root causes for failure, success factors, and business practices and tools to enable millions of lives to be impacted by social innovation. The seminar combines lectures, case studies, visiting practitioners and team projects focused on the business case for scaling specific social innovations. The goal is to help the next generation of social innovation leaders think more about some of the mistakes of the past, lessons for the future, and new ways of approaching old problems, all from a practitioner's point of view.

STRAMGT 350. Global Value Chain Strategies. 3 Units.

This course addresses how the increasingly large number of firms that use or provide outsourcing and "offshoring" can create a sustainable competitive advantage. Students who complete the course will have a framework and a set of concepts that can be used to position a firm for strategic advantage in these supply networks. Positioning in and strategic analysis of product markets is covered in a variety of courses and books. A distinguishing feature of this course is that it addresses positioning and strategic analysis for firms operating as part of a network of providers, sellers and buyers... the factor markets. The course takes a general management perspective and provides examples through cases and discussions with visitors. The major theme of the course is that these firms must carefully consider how they position themselves in both the product and factor markets.

STRAMGT 351. Building and Managing Professional Sales Organizations. 4 Units.

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.

STRAMGT 353. Entrepreneurship: Formation of New Ventures. 4 Units.

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: Ellis, Saloner - Diverse types of ventures; Foster, Brady - Diverse types of ventures; Reiss, Chess - Very early stage ventures.

STRAMGT 354. Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital. 4 Units.

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.

STRAMGT 355. Managing Growing Enterprises. 3 Units.

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.

STRAMGT 356. The Startup Garage: Design. 4 Units.

Startup Garage is an intensive hands-on, project-based course, in which students will apply the concepts of design thinking, engineering, finance, business and organizational skills to design and test new business concepts that address real world needs . Our aspiration is to help teams identify an unmet customer need, design new products or services that meet that need, and develop business models to support the creation and launch of startup products or services. Even those teams that do not successfully launch a venture, or individuals who decide not to move forward, will learn critical, cutting-edge techniques about starting and launching a venture. Collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams will identify and work with users, domain experts, and industry participants to identify and deeply understand customer needs, then proceed to design products or services and a business model to address those needs. Each team will conceive, design, build, and field-test critical aspects of both the product or service and the business model. This course is offered by the Graduate School of Business. It integrates methods from human-centered design, lean startup, and business model planning. The course focuses on developing entrepreneurial skills (using short lectures and in-class exercises) and then applying these skills to specific problems faced by those users identified by the teams. Teams will get out of the building and interact directly with users and advisers to develop a deep understanding of the challenges they face and to field test their proposed services, products, and business models.

STRAMGT 359. Aligning Start-ups with their Market. 4 Units.

Most everyone associated with technology start-ups would agree that the most important initial characteristic of a successful endeavor is a compelling vision. The journey from vision to escape velocity is highly dependent on management's ability to translate that vision into a product or service that closely and economically addresses a customer's significant point of pain. Without a tight product market fit, the start-up's offering will not be able to break through the market's gravitational forces which strongly favor existing solutions, resulting in likely failure. With tight product/market fit, it is far more likely the company will achieve repeatable and growing sales success. Conventional wisdom dictates that a start-up launching a new product should focus its energy understanding what the market wants (problem) and then translating that knowledge into an optimal set of product features (solution). This is the ideal strategy if one is attacking a market that already exists. However if the start-up pursues an entirely new market or re-segments an existing market, customers are unlikely to be able to articulate the benefits and features they will need. The approaches required to pursue new or re-segmented markets are radically different from those applied to existing markets. As a result it is not relentless execution and exploitation of a well understood market that will lead to success, but discovery of a new market or segment that is in need of the product as envisioned. If done well, this process of finding the optimal product/market fit has a disproportionate impact on success. Our course explores the many issues associated with optimizing product/market fit. A take-home midterm, a group paper, and an in-class exercise comprise 50% of a student's grade with class participation representing the remainder. STRAMGT 353 is recommended prior to taking this course.

STRAMGT 360. Strategic Educational Research and Organizational Reform Practicum A. 4 Units.

This is a two-quarter clinical course offered in the Winter and Spring Quarters that brings together upper-level graduate students in business, law, and education from Stanford to collaborate with their peers at other universities (Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan) and provide strategic research and consulting to public education organizations. Participants engage in a rigorous and rewarding learning experience, including:nn(i) An intensive seminar in the design, leadership and management, and transformation of public school systems, charter management organizations, start-ups, and other K-12 public- and social-sector institutions;nn(ii) Comprehensive skills training in team-based problem solving, strategic policy research, managing multidimensional (operational, policy, legal) projects to specified outcomes in complex environments, client counseling, and effective communication; andnn(iii) A high-priority consulting project for a public education sector client (e.g., school district, state education agency, charter management organization, non-profit) designing and implementing solutions to a complex problem at the core of the organization's mission to improve the educational outcomes and life chances of children. The participant's team work will allow public agencies throughout the nation to receive relevant, timely, and high-quality research and advice on institutional reforms that otherwise may not receive the attention they deserve.

STRAMGT 361. Strategic Educational Research and Organizational Reform Practicum B. 4 Units.

This is a two-quarter clinical course offered in the Winter and Spring Quarters that brings together upper-level graduate students in business, law, and education from Stanford to collaborate with their peers at other universities (Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan) and provide strategic research and consulting to public education organizations. Participants engage in a rigorous and rewarding learning experience, including:nn(i) An intensive seminar in the design, leadership and management, and transformation of public school systems, charter management organizations, start-ups, and other K-12 public- and social-sector institutions;nn(ii) Comprehensive skills training in team-based problem solving, strategic policy research, managing multidimensional (operational, policy, legal) projects to specified outcomes in complex environments, client counseling, and effective communication; andnn(iii) A high-priority consulting project for a public education sector client (e.g., school district, state education agency, charter management organization, non-profit) designing and implementing solutions to a complex problem at the core of the organization's mission to improve the educational outcomes and life chances of children. The participant's team work will allow public agencies throughout the nation to receive relevant, timely, and high-quality research and advice on institutional reforms that otherwise may not receive the attention they deserve.

STRAMGT 364. Health Information Technology and Strategy. 4 Units.

Health Information technology was intended to help reduce cost and improve the quality of health care services. To date, this is little evidence that this goal has been achieved. This course is designed to explore economic frameworks that can help us to understand how health IT can achieve it's intended goals. These frameworks build from general business and economic models used successfully in other industries. The course will utilize both business cases and lecture to prepare students to propose potential novel applications of health information technology solutions. Each student will have a team-based final project.

STRAMGT 366. The Startup Garage: Testing and Launch. 4 Units.

Teams that concluded at the end of the fall quarter that their preliminary product or service and business model suggest a path to viability, continue with the winter quarter course. In this course, the teams develop more elaborate versions of their product/service and business model , perform a series of experiments to test the key hypotheses about their product and business model, and prepare and present an investor pitch for a seed round of financing to a panel of seasoned investors and entrepreneurs. The key premise for the course is that a robust venture creation process involves development and validation of a series of hypotheses about a new product or service, its value proposition, and how the business will acquire customers, make money, scale up to achieve profitability, and raise funds to achieve the key milestones to profitability. In Startup Garage: Testing and Launch, teams will learn how to precisely formulate these hypotheses and early stage milestones, and how to test them using one or more of the following low-cost approaches: a) online experiments with minimally viable products; b) interviews with partners, advisors, investors, and business experts; c) analogies from existing businesses that were successful in proving hypotheses that are analogous to what the new startup wants to prove. The course focuses on further developing entrepreneurial skills using the same pedagogical approach used in S356: short lectures, extensive in-class exercises focused on each team's specific projects, and 'get out of the building' assignments. Teams will have the opportunity to:- Get out of the building and interact with users, advisors, investors and partners to develop a deep understanding of the challenges they face, to field test their proposed services, products, and business models, and to gather data.- Interpret the data and make important startup decisions in the context of their own project: pivot, persevere, or perish- Develop creative go-to-market strategies and test their effectiveness- Develop and deliver in front of real investors an investor pitch, elevator pitch and executive summary- Negotiate term sheets with venture investors- Develop a hiring plan for their first year of operation and consider equity and other compensation plan.

STRAMGT 368. Impact: Strategic Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations and Social Ventures. 3 Units.

This course seeks to provide a survey of the strategic, governance, and management issues facing a wide range of nonprofit organizations and their executive and board leaders, in the era of venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. The students will also be introduced to core managerial issues uniquely defined by this sector such as development/fundraising, investment management, performance management and nonprofit finance. The course also provides an overview of the sector, including its history and economics. Cases involve a range of nonprofits, from smaller, social entrepreneurial to larger, more traditional organizations, including education, social service, environment, health care, religion, NGO's and performing arts. In exploring these issues, this course reinforces the frameworks and concepts of strategic management introduced in the core first year courses. In addition to case discussions, the course employs role plays, study group exercises and many outsider speakers.

STRAMGT 371. Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation. 3 Units.

This course focuses on the strategic management of technology-based innovation in the firm. The purpose is to provide students with concepts, frameworks, and experiences that are useful for taking part in the management of innovation processes in both startups and large technology-focused organizations. The course examines how leaders can manage fast-changing technological innovations effectively. Specific topics include: assessing the innovative capabilities of the firm, managing the technical function in a company, navigating the interfaces between functional groups in the development function in the firm, understanding and managing technical entrepreneurs, building technology-based distinctive competencies and competitive advantages, technological leadership versus followership in competitive strategy, institutionalizing innovation, attracting and keeping entrepreneurs.

STRAMGT 381. Leading Strategic Change in the Health Care Industry. 3 Units.

In this seminar we will study the structure and dynamics of the U.S. health care industry, especially in the face of ongoing regulatory change, and ways it intersects with the global health care industry. The seminar's aim is to develop participants' ability to create strategically informed action plans that are imaginative, inspiring and workable in this highly dynamic environment. The seminar's pedagogy involves informed debate to evaluate and hone well-researched views by the participants and instructors, as well as the writing and presentation of position papers by small groups of seminar participants on the key dynamics of the industry.In the course of the seminar discussions, we aim to deepen our understanding of strategic dynamics and transformational change at the societal, industry and organizational levels of analysis. After developing a complete picture of the structure of the health care industry and the strategic relationships among the key players ("the strategic landscape"), the seminar will focus on how health care reform and other external forces will affect the strategic opportunities and challenges of four types of players in the strategic landscape: (1) incumbents; (2) entrepreneurial startups; (3) cross-boundary disruptors; and (4) international health care providers. World-class leaders in health care will be brought in to supplement our understanding of each one of these players. Student teams will be formed to focus on one of the four types of players. Each team will prepare a research paper focused on determining how their type of player can take advantage of the regulatory, technological, social, cultural and demographic changes, and who will be the likely winners and why.

STRAMGT 502. Systems Leadership for the Digital Industrial Transformation. 2 Units.

This course explores the details of how leaders at the world's biggest companies are driving frame-breaking transformational change inside of organizations that have grown up with an industrial foundation, or who are moving into the industrial sector as a new entrant. The course will delve into the need for systems thinking at multiple levels - of products, organizations, cultures and individuals. We will draw upon both academic theories of transformational organizational change and also the real-world implementation challenges that confront leaders who are moving simultaneously with both unprecedented scale and speed. The sessions will examine a variety of firms and industries being affected by the blend of digital and physical in order to lay out the unique operational and organizational challenges in a global context. How specifically should operating rhythms be changed and adjusted during this radical transformation? How does management both train a workforce with new skillsets and also hire new employees with different talents? What are the unique internal challenges for industrial firms as they add digital products and services? What are the likely forces of resistance to these changes, and how should leaders effectively move companies whose histories have spanned over 100+ years? How should management ensure that existing revenue streams do not atrophy prematurely and how should these challenges be communicated to public markets? In addition, from the perspective of new entrants, we will study how companies can quickly grow and scale when leadership has the benefit of being unencumbered by legacy systems, but also face unexpected challenges when they do not have the deep industry and domain knowledge or institutional culture that can provide insights into the demands of customers, channels and governments.

STRAMGT 503. Spontaneous Management. 2 Units.

In this class, you will learn techniques for improving your spontaneity, creativity, presence, and collaboration skills, all of which contribute to your becoming a more effective and inspirational leader. This class combines research on social psychology and techniques from improvisational theater to help you develop your leadership skills. The interactive exercises are based on the techniques that improv actors use on stage when they make up scenes, songs, or even entire plays on the spot. Improv teaches you to do many things at once: be completely present, think on your feet, quickly get in sync with others, read the room, and be agile at using what the situation presents you. As a leader in business, you will benefit from this same skill set. Whether you are presenting to your board, brainstorming & designing with colleagues, or mentoring new talent - learning some building blocks of improv will give you valuable new tools for interacting effectively with others. The course will cover topics such as spontaneity, risk taking, authenticity, nonverbal behavior, storytelling, effective brainstorming, understanding and using status, and creative collaboration.

STRAMGT 504. Innovation and Non-founder CEOs. 2 Units.

This course examines how companies innovate after the success of their first product, and why non-founder led companies are often less successful at this than founder led companies. We focus on how non-founder CEOs can drive more innovation while managing risk and potential failure. Our emphasis will be primarily on lessons that can be applied to technology companies, although many are relevant to other industries. Our goal is to help develop successful non-founder CEOs.

STRAMGT 509. Strategies of Effective Product Management. 2 Units.

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.

STRAMGT 510. Conversations in Management. 2 Units.

This case-based course is offered for students who want to refine their ability to manage challenging professional conversations. The class, which is limited to 32 students, will focus on the preparation for and execution of role-played dialogue as well as on postmortem analysis. Most of the respondent roles will be external to one¿s company, and some will be front line or mid-level people with limited educational credentials. Broad utilization will be made of background readings plus visiting case protagonists and experts. There will be nine class sessions, each of one hour and forty-five minutes.

STRAMGT 511. Protecting Ideas. 2 Units.

Today, the assets of many businesses are largely intangible, such as brands, data, software and trade secrets. More and more we live in an economy based on intangibles and much of business involves creating, exploiting and managing those intangible assets. Intellectual property rights (patents, trade secrets, copyright, trademarks design rights and so on) and data rights are a set of legal rights and assets that establish ownership of and protect tangible and intangible assets from copying and other acts¿for example copying of software or counterfeiting of designer handbags. Equally, intellectual property in the hands of third parties may pose a risk to a business developing a new product or brand. Most businesses start with an idea. It is critical to understand when and under what circumstances ideas, creative works and technology can be protected from third party use by intellectual property, and what limits apply to that protection. It is equally critical to recognize what must be done to secure ownership. In this course you will learn about IP rights-what they are, what they do, their limitations and how they are useful from a strategic perspective-well beyond the typical idea of a patent being nothing more than an invitation to a messy and expensive lawsuit. We will also discuss the all-too-common mistakes that can frustrate these objectives. To put these issues into a business setting, we will be joined by experienced business executives and investors in markets ranging from biosciences to software to sound engineering. This course is designed for business students, not law students. It is the objective of this course to help business students to think critically about when and how to invest in intellectual property protection, to recognize its limits, and to avoid the common mistakes that can frustrate such investments and undermine the value of the company. Although we will have to introduce you to legal concepts, the focus of the course is on putting these concepts into a business setting and explaining how IP may be used strategically¿enabling you to be part of the conversation with legal and intellectual property experts and to consider how IP can support management of the assets and strategy of a business or other enterprise. No prior knowledge or experience with intellectual property is needed.The format of this course is under review for best adaption to the possibility of distance learning but will include reading before each class, live or recorded presentations by the guest speakers, and Q&A and discussion. Guest speakers will share their experiences in the areas of IP investment, management, deployment, strategy and risk.

STRAMGT 512. The Yin and Yang of Family Business Transitions. 2 Units.

This seminar provides students with practical solutions to some of the challenges faced in family business transitions.Family businesses are by far the dominant form of commerce world-wide, albeit the majority are small "mom and pop shops." Some research shows that large businesses, whatever the form of ownership, have an average lifespan of around forty years, while small businesses (at least in Japan and Europe) average around twelve years. So, if businesses in general do not survive, then it is a wonder that any family business can survive from one generation to another, let alone two, three, four or more.There are three essential requirements to succeed in a family business transition. First, it may seem obvious that the business must succeed, but it is less obvious what advantages a family business has over its non-family-owned counterparts. Second, the ownership structure must effectively maintain family cohesion and support the business. Finally, family members need to organize in thoughtful ways to work effectively with one another.The beauty of a family business is that it can be more profitable than companies with non-family ownership. Two fundamentals, at least, provide this advantage - a strong value system and a long-term economic perspective. The operative word above, however, is "can"; it is by no means a foregone conclusion that a family business will be more successful. Families must thoughtfully develop their advantages, while at the same time avoiding the pitfalls that are inherent in any family business.Accordingly, this course is offered for students whose families own a family business or who are interested in the special challenges faced by family businesses. International students are encouraged to register as different cultural perspectives to family business will enrich the experience for everyone. Particular focus will be given to the transitions from one generation to another and the lessons learned that can be applied during the entire life of the business.

STRAMGT 514. Product/Market Fit. 2 Units.

The premise of this course is the success of a startup (and even a large company launching a new product) is most dependent on finding a market that is desperate for its product. Focusing on product/market fit conflicts with the conventional view that a startup¿s limited resources should be applied to perfecting the execution of day to day activities. Interestingly almost every successful product driven technology company followed a similar path to find its product/market fit, but it was usually by accident. In this course we attempt to define the consistent process each successful company pursued, which in most cases is highly counterintuitive, and how to apply it to different situations. Our class highlights the potential conflict between pursuing a conventional approach and optimizing product/market fit. In order to really bring out this conflict, we employ a seminar format with only 25 students so every issue can be evaluated in detail. Our lessons are limited to information technology-based companies, but we have been told they may be more broadly applicable. That being said, this course has been designed for someone who is truly interested in technology-based entrepreneurship. Students who choose to take this course must be committed to read all the assigned articles and books to have the proper foundation to address the frequent counterintuitive learnings. In some cases that might require an entire (although relatively short) book be read for an individual class. A written assignment addressing at least one of the learnings from each reading will be required to be submitted at least four hours prior to each class. Failure to submit even one of the written assignments will result in a U. In addition to the daily written assignments, there will be a large individual project required at the end of the course. In other words, this course requires far more commitment than a typical GSB course, especially for one that offers only two credits. However I promise this course will be invaluable should you choose an operating or investment career in the technology business.

STRAMGT 516. Fundamentals of Effective Selling. 2 Units.

The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamentals of how to sell. The course is appropriate for anyone who wants to understand and show proficiency with the skills required in different selling situations, both traditional (i.e., direct sales of products and services) and non-traditional (e.g., selling oneself in an interview, raising money for a new venture, convincing a job candidate to join your company, etc.). The course looks at the entire selling process of prospecting, qualification, discovery, understanding value, customizing presentations, objection handling, and closing.This is not a typical GSB case-study-based course. Students who have taken previous versions of this class describe it as a practical, hands-on, skills-based class. Students will work by themselves outside of class to prepare for group exercises and role-plays that will take place in class. These exercises are designed to give students practice with selling fundamentals in each stage of the selling process, and to give them the opportunity to observe and provide feedback to others. Our goal is to provide students the time in class to focus on doing stuff (e.g., practice using curiosity) rather than just thinking about and talking about stuff. After taking this course, you should understand what is involved in all of the following steps of the selling process: - Preparing a value-based prospecting script. - Using an advanced questioning methodology and note-taking strategy for discovering a customer's most important business priorities and motivations. - Developing a curiosity-based approach to handling objections in all stages of the selling process. - Creating and delivering effective customized presentations. -Understanding the most effective ways to create engagement and interaction when selling. - Developing a strategy and building the confidence to ask the hard questions when closing a deal. - Using a value-based mutual plan to control the sales cycle and move a deal forward. - Identifying the most valuable categories for qualifying an opportunity. - Accelerating the process of relationship building.- Understanding a customer¿s entire decision making process (DMP). - Discovering limiting beliefs and seeing how they impact your ability to accomplish your objectives. - Applying these fundamentals of effective selling to your personal selling situations with confidence.

STRAMGT 518. Advertising and Monetization. 2 Units.

Advances in advertising technology, such as online publishing, digital and mobile advertising platforms, as well as new ways of consuming video content are driving a rapid evolution of the advertising market. We analyze this evolution from the perspective of three main constituents: 1) Marketers who rely on advertising to launch and sustain product sales, 2) Publishers and media owners for whom advertising often represents the largest source of monetization, and 3) Advertising agencies who design, plan and buy media for advertising campaigns. We will review challenges and opportunities from each of the three perspectives, including challenges in measurement for advertisers as well as forces that make it hard for small and medium sized publishers to monetize solely through advertising. Guest speakers provide a perspective on current trends and technologies.

STRAMGT 519. Equity By Design: Building Diverse and Inclusive Organizations. 2 Units.

This course equips you to create, build and lead equitable organizations. We will learn the power of iD&I - that is, how we can be change agents by involving key stakeholders, casting the right vision, and constructing the right interactions to unlock the true potential of diversity in teams and organizations. We will discuss the power of inclusion as itrelates to the employee and customer experience. We will study effective strategies for designing diverse and inclusive companies, and will address the barriers and myths related to meritocracy. We'll look at approaches to organizational design that limit unconscious bias and produce more objective decisions across the employee experience - from engaging and hiring candidates to retaining employees and helping them thrive. We'll dive into how to create inclusive cultures and a sense of belonging. Finally, we will learn tools and techniques to empower change for ourselves and others. Experts in diversity and inclusion, and executives at companies that have successfully incorporated inclusion programs, will join us for the class discussions.

STRAMGT 520. The Industrialist's Dilemma. 2 Units.

This course explores how digital disruptions are having tectonic shifts on large, successful and established companies, whether they have a digital foundation or not. Both new and existing high technology firms such as Google, Amazon, Stripe, Airbnb and others are reshaping industries as disparate as life sciences and transportation. The management principles, competitive strategies, partnerships, and core competencies of the 20th century are being challenged in a world of bits and the global network in which all companies are forced to compete. In this course we will explore some of the fundamental technological changes impacting these industries, such as scaling assets without owning them, partnerships with digital leaders and new distribution strategies for goods and services. We will hear from executives of both leading Fortune 500 companies and new disruptors about what it takes to survive and thrive in this new digital economy.

STRAMGT 524. Longevity: Business Implications and Opportunities. 2 Units.

People age 50 and over account for over 50% of consumer spending in the US and 83% of household wealth, with both number expected to increase significantly due to a combination of increased longevity and the aging of the baby boomer generation. It is the largest and one of the fastest growing business opportunities US and worldwide. Many business managers and entrepreneurs, however, do not consider the over 50 demographic in their plans, and those that do often do not understand how best to design products and services for this group. It is a huge missed opportunity. This class will explore how managers and entrepreneurs should consider the older population in their strategies, in product and service design, in managing their work force, and in their own careers. Class topics will include: - The over age 50 opportunity and how it will grow over the coming years - The map of life and segmenting the older population - Considerations for developing products and services that are multi-generational and appealing to older consumers - New business opportunities created by the growth in the over 50 population, social trends, and technology - Managing older workers - Career considerations in a world where individuals live longer and healthier lives. The course would be two units offered Winter quarter, and would be taught using a mix of new cases developed for the class, guest speakers (some in conjunction with cases), and lectures.

STRAMGT 529. Marketplaces for Goods and Services. 2 Units.

In this class we will analyze the economics and strategy of marketplaces and platforms for goods and services. We will consider the forces that have led to the proliferation of these marketplaces, as well as the economics behind which ones are likely to succeed and become profitable. We will analyze the economic costs and benefits of these marketplaces for society, and consider the regulatory environment and challenges. We will also study the microeconomics of managing these marketplaces: how should matching work, how can marketplace design solve problems of congestion or market thinness, and how a platform should trade off the welfare of the different sides of the market as it enters and grows. Applications include ride-sharing and transportation; room-sharing and vacation rentals; on-demand labor and services such as babysitting, massage, manual labor, and dog-sitting; dating; and organized labor markets.

STRAMGT 532. Intellectual Property: Financial and Strategic Management. 2 Units.

In today's competitive marketplace, companies -- from Fortune 500 firms to early stage start-ups -- rely on intellectual property (IP) to keep them one step ahead of the game. Yet, critical IP decisions are usually made by lawyers with very little input from management. The purpose of this class is to provide business leaders with the tools, models and institutional knowledge to actively participate in managing and growing their company's IP assets as strategic business assets (with a focus on patents). This class will explore the value of corporate IP assets by thinking strategically on how to effectively leverage the knowledge, trade secrets, patents, technologies, trademarks, structures and processes that are critical across industries. We will focus on the elements of a successful IP strategy, and how that strategy is shaped by economic, technology, legal, regulatory, and market factors. Through a combination of case studies (including a group strategy project), analysis of current events, class discussion and guest speakers, we will cover a variety of issues shaping a successful IP strategy in today's global business environment. Some of the topics covered include: * Building and managing an IP portfolio that is aligned with business objectives;* Understanding the forces shaping the IP marketplace in the US and in foreign markets;* The innovation cycle and technology transfer mechanisms;* Using big data analytics in making IP decisions;* IP portfolio monetization strategies (e.g., licensing, sale, enforcement);* IP considerations in Mergers & Acquisitions;* IP valuation and current trends in patent transactions;* Managing corporate IP litigation risk (patent trolls, incumbent litigation);* IP strategies for start-ups & entrepreneurs.Ms. Efrat Kasznik is an IP valuation and strategy expert with more than twenty years of experience advising companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 100s, on extracting value from their IP. She is the founder and President of Foresight Valuation Group, an IP consulting and startup advisory firm providing valuation and strategy services for a range of purposes, including M&A, financial reporting, technology commercialization decisions, tax compliance, transfer pricing, and litigation damages. Ms. Kasznik has been a co-founder, CFO and advisor to several startups and incubators in the US and Europe, including the Stanford Venture Studio at the GSB. She is listed on the IAM 300 list of World Leading IP Strategists, and is Chair of the High Tech Sector, Licensing Executives Society.

STRAMGT 537. Leading Change in Public Education. 2 Units.

Public education in America is at a crossroads. Does our education system have what it takes to produce graduates who are prepared for college, career, and citizenship in our increasingly digital and pluralistic world? Will income and ethnic achievement gaps continue to be pervasive and persistent in our nation's largest urban cities? Will family zip code determine educational destiny for the next generation of students? Which strategies and reforms are truly demonstrating results and which are merely passing fads? As in all large-scale enterprises undergoing rapid, transformative change, leadership matters greatly. Fortunately, over the last decade, the reform of American public education has been led by a number of innovative and results-oriented leaders at the state, district and charter levels. These leaders are bringing additional urgency, strategies, and ideas designed to prepare America's schools and students for the century ahead. Some ideas are proving to be critical levers for change, others are facing significant political challenges, and others have not delivered on expected results. Many of them hold lessons for how future educational leaders can contribute to transforming public education for the next generation of K-12 students. This course will focus on school system leadership for education reform. The course will provide an overview of the critical issues facing K-12 public education in America today, and what is going on across the U.S. during this transformative period of change. Once this context is set, students will study education leaders and systems change strategies from the last 10-15 years at the state, district and charter levels. We will focus on leaders across five domains: Leadership in crisis situations, strategic leadership, "china-breaking" leadership, sustaining leadership, and next generation leadership. We will also look at leadership examples from outside K-12 education to broaden our thinking about what leadership styles and strategies could be successfully applied to education. Students will debate the strategies and efficacy of how different leaders approached systems-level change and will form their own working hypotheses of what is needed to help transform the American education system. Case studies in school system leadership will form the primary basis for classroom assignments and discussion. We will examine what went right and what went wrong in each case, focusing particularly on the decisions that school system leaders faced and the implications of their decisions. Most cases will be supplemented with research publications, technical notes, news clips, and/or videos to deepen students¿ understanding of the context or issues discussed in the cases. Dan Katzir worked for Bain & Company, Teach for America, Sylvan Learning Systems and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation before joining Alliance College-Ready Public Schools as its CEO in 2015. He is an experienced case study teacher and the editor of The Redesign of Urban School Systems: Case Studies in District Governance.

STRAMGT 538. Financial Technologies. 2 Units.

This class will provide an overview of the rapidly evolving world of financial technologies. New market entrants are promising to change the way we borrow, save, invest, and transact. Incumbents enjoy substantial market power but are struggling to keep up technologically as they wrestle with antiquated core infrastructure. We will analyze the emerging competitive landscape and the strategic dynamics in play. The class will begin with a short review of digital platform economics in which we will cover basic concepts such as network effects and economies of scale. We will then dive into a series of case studies and industry analyses. Particular attention will be paid to the areas of payments, alternative credit, and virtual currencies.

STRAMGT 539. Leadership in the Arts and Creative Industries. 2 Units.

Leaders of arts and creative organizations face unique challenges. Taking the perspective of the CEO, Chairman of the Board and Artistic/Creative Director, and drawing on various cases and in-class exercises, students will learn about advancing artistic excellence and creative innovation while expanding audiences and achieving financial goals. We will survey a variety of settings from non-profit museums and performing arts organizations to start-ups and large players in the music, theater and film industries. Among the topics explored will be governance and management; reaching multiple audiences; managing fiscal and creative tradeoffs; maintaining relevance in the age of online consumption; standing out in real and virtual spaces; and achieving growth amidst rising costs and diminishing revenues.

STRAMGT 542. Marketplaces for Goods and Services: Trust, Branding, and Regulation. 2 Units.

This course is the second course in the sequence of marketplaces for goods and services (the first course is STRAMGT 529). The course will dig deep into issues of building trust and marketplace branding, as well as regulatory challenges of online marketplaces. The first two thirds of the class will focus on the challenges these marketplaces face in developing trust and delivering high-quality service, as well as fighting with fraudulent activities on the platform. We will discuss marketplace design ideas that can improve trust and create a safe environment, and analyze the economics of rating systems. The rest of the class is focused on the economics of regulatory issues around marketplaces. We will review the theory of monopoly power and negative externalities, and apply them to online marketplaces. We will also discuss recent labor market regulatory developments around these platforms. Applications include ride-sharing and transportation; room-sharing and vacation rentals; dating; passion economy; food deliveries; and organized labor markets.

STRAMGT 543. Entrepreneurial Acquisition. 2 Units.

For aspiring entrepreneurs who don't have a burning idea or desire to start a company from scratch, acquiring a small business can provide a direct route to running and growing a business. This class will explore entrepreneurial acquisition (EA). As the course covers topics such as what makes a good industry, raising capital, how to source deals, dealing with investors, due diligence, and negotiation, the course is also applicable to those interested in private equity, venture capital, start-ups, and general management. The class relies heavily on the case method, and each class includes guests (often the case protagonists) who bring practical and current experience to the classroom. The two group projects are intended to be highly practical, simulating real-world situations.

STRAMGT 544. Scaling Excellence. 2 Units.

The premise of the course is that managers are concerned with how to scale excellence in organizations and that scaling skills are essential for any leadership role. It will be taught with Shantanu Narayen, the CEO of Adobe. The course is designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences: students seeking to build new organizations, or turn around poorly performing organizations, or grow existing organizations to greater heights. We will focus on how to transform the footprint of a firm, and yet, not lose the mindset. Executives also need to think about to spread 'good behaviors' and make them widespread very quickly, and conversely, on how to shrink bad behaviors and make them small very quickly. This course aims to train students into becoming effective leaders of organizational change. We will use a mix of cases written specially for the course, and 'live cases' with guest speakers from the C-Suite.

STRAMGT 545. Taking Social Innovation to Scale. 2 Units.

How do you get the best new social innovations to reach the hundreds of millions of people who need it the most? And how do ensure that they are developed, deployed and scaled in a way that is relevant, appropriate and sustainable? Innovators tackling the world's most difficult problems often ignore, misunderstand, and under-invest in the critical business challenges involved in crossing "the middle of the value chain." This is innovation's valley of death: product and system adaption and evaluation; evidence generation and design validation; business and partnership planning; formal or informal regulatory approval and registration. How do you design, introduce, and optimize the intervention's uptake before it can be taken to scale by markets, governments or other systems? The class is taught be Steve Davis, President & CEO of PATH (www.path.org), a leader in global health innovation, and former global Director of Social Innovation at McKinsey & Company. We take an inter-disciplinary approach to look at the factors that pull innovation forward, push it from behind, and (often to the world's detriment) block its successful implementation and scaling. First grounding the discussion in research on innovation and social change, we then apply business principles, real world experiences and several important case studies in global health to examine the way good ideas get stuck, and how good ideas can turn into innovation that matters. We focus on root causes for failure, success factors, and business practices and tools to enable millions of lives to be impacted by social innovation. The seminar combines lectures, case studies, visiting practitioners and team projects focused on the business case for scaling specific social innovations. The goal is to help the next generation of social innovation leaders think more about some of the mistakes of the past, lessons for the future, and new ways of approaching old problems, all from a practitioner's point of view.

STRAMGT 546. Strategies for Growth. 2 Units.

This course will develop Business Strategy frameworks, some of which will be familiar from the core Strategy class and others of which will be new, and apply them to growing businesses. We will look at companies attempting to grow, as well as family businesses and some enterprises that will always be small. Each session, we will spend some time developing frameworks based on required reading. Then we will analyze individual companies using a combination of written case studies, video and audio excerpts of interviews with business owners, and guest speakers (or, if feasible, company visits). Issues we will consider include:nn- What makes a business scalable?nn- When are barriers to entry feasible and sustainable?nn- How can a firm differentiate itself? How might that limit growth?nn- What can small firms do effectively that large organizations cannot?nn- How do organizational issues such as incentives, hiring, and delegation limit growth and/or create advantages for small and growing enterprises?nnnGrades will be based on class participation, a group written assignment applying concepts from the class, and a take-home exam.

STRAMGT 547. Riding The Next Wave in Developing Economies. 2 Units.

Today, innovative ventures in developing economies are providing compelling new products and services to a growing middle-class as well as to the lower part of the economic pyramid. These offerings provide consumers ways to better their lives and companies to grow their businesses. As older industries around the world are being disrupted, and entrepreneurial ecosystems in developing economies are evolving, entrepreneurs and investors now have reference points and "basecamps" to explore unique opportunities. These newly formed networks that include universities, incubators, accelerator programs, angel investor organizations and small venture capital firms are still lacking in breadth and depth, despite their attempts to follow the lead of Silicon Valley. Consequently, investors and founders face distinct and more numerous challenges that they would not encounter in Silicon Valley, such as small local markets, lack of scale-up funding, uncertain exit opportunities, inadequate talent pools and complex legal and political environments.Yet these developing economies are growing and becoming more connected. We are witnessing new technology-based products in these locations allowing problems to be solved at a scale never seen before. AI and machine learning, blockchain, smart sensors, IoT devices, natural language interfaces and AR and VR are just a few of the technologies not only being developed in Silicon Valley, but all over the world. Of course, smartphones, with their multi-faceted sensors, are now becoming ubiquitous. These trends present opportunities such as: replicating business models proven elsewhere; leapfrogging legacy technologies; targeting the base of the pyramid; and starting venture capital firms. Despite this fertile ground for new endeavors, success not only requires an exceptional product/market fit but great execution to start and scale a venture in problematic and sometimes adverse environments.This case-driven course is designed to help students identify new opportunities in developing economies around the world and across industries and to expose them to the challenges they will face. It is targeted at students who are thinking about creating, joining or investing in new ventures in developing economies.The cases and guests will reveal entrepreneurial challenges through the eyes of founders and investors who have seized these opportunities at different stages of the venture: ideation, launch and scaling. This course is designed to showcase innovative companies in high growth industries such as consumer internet, financial services, health care and education. It will feature the latest trends and opportunities in Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. By taking this course, you will be better equipped to observe, explain and participate in developing economy ecosystems and the opportunities and challenges they present.

STRAMGT 549. Search Fund Garage. 2 Units.

Search Fund Garage is an intensive hands-on, project-based course for students planning to pursue a search fund directly after or within a few years of graduation. Students will learn from the instructors, course peers, and class visitors, particularly top current search entrepreneurs, CEOs, attorneys and investors. This course is designed to assist students who are seriously pursuing a search fund, although some enrolled students will likely end up deciding not to pursue one. Those who have taken Entrepreneurial Acquisition (S543) or researched search funds extensively and engaged in meaningful conversation with the teaching team will benefit the most from this more advanced, experiential course. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to or will already have raised search capital and launched their search, if they choose to do so. Pursuing custom self-developed work plans that target the aspect of the search fund path most relevant to them at the time of the course, students will evaluate and attract investors, structure their search entity, set up their process and outreach materials, identify attractive industries and companies, begin to reach out to business owners, and develop wisdom about what makes a deal attractive or unattractive, among other things. Students will work with business owners, mentors and industry experts to deeply understand the search fund model. Each student, or team, will contact real business owners and receive feedback on how they can be a more effective search fund entrepreneur. This course is offered by the Graduate School of Business. The class will combine the processes taught in Entrepreneurial Acquisition (S543) and detailed in the Primer on Search Funds (2016) with elements from the discovery process taught in Startup Garage (in particular, running preliminary experiments to test proposed methodologies). The course provides a supportive yet challenging environment that will help students step outside of their comfort zone and accelerate learning. By the end of the course each will be better prepared to launch a search than many of the searchers who have come before.

STRAMGT 556. Venture Studio for Credit. 2 Units.

Venture Studio for Credit is a self-guided project-based course in which students apply the concepts of design thinking, engineering, finance, business and organizational skills to design and test new business concepts. Students will work one-on-one with instructors and coaches to move through a workbook(s) and attend Thursday afternoon workshops where they will have team-to-team interaction. nnThis course integrates methods from human-centered design, lean startup, and business model planning. Outside of meetings and workshops, teams will get out of the building and interact directly with users to develop a deep understanding of the challenges they face and to field test their proposed services, products, and business models.nnPrequalifications: 1. Projects must be exploring the commercialization of a technology innovation pioneered at a Stanford lab. 2. Teams must be a minimum of three people with at least one student enrolled for credit and representing a minimum of two schools. 3. All team members must be available to attend mandatory workshops on Thursdays from 3-4:20pm. Failure to meet all three prequalifications will result in an automatic drop.

STRAMGT 567. Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation. 2 Units.

This course examines individuals and organizations that use entrepreneurial skills and approaches to develop innovative responses to social problems. Entrepreneurship has traditionally been seen as a way of creating wealth for the entrepreneur and for those who back her/his work. Social entrepreneurs employ "entrepreneurial skills," such as finding opportunities, inventing new approaches, securing and focusing resources and managing risk, in the service of creating a social value. As the intensity and complexity of social and environmental problems has grown in recent years social entrepreneurship, defined as innovative, social value creating activity that can occur within or across the nonprofit, government or business sectors, has become increasingly prominent. While virtually all enterprises, commercial and social, generate social value, fundamental to this definition is that the primary focus of social entrepreneurship is to achieve social impact above all else. We will study some of the most promising and the best-proven innovations for improving people's lives. We will also examine mature projects that are now tackling the issue of "scale", moving from local innovations to solutions that create deep systemic changes for larger numbers of economically disadvantaged individuals and communities throughout the world. This year we will focus on what are the constraints and opportunities for creating a social enterprise at scale. The process of "scale" poses tremendous challenges. Even when organizations manage to overcome the many obstacles to growth, and achieve appreciable scale, this approach is seldom sufficient to achieve significant social impact on its own. This year our course will pay particular attention to network approaches which require the mobilization of a vast array of actors and resources, but have the potential to generate rapid and sustained social impact.

STRAMGT 573. Moore's Law and the Convergence of Computing and Communications; Strategic Thinking in Action. 2 Units.

This six-session (2-unit) Bass seminar focuses on strategic leadership and builds on core strategic leadership coursework in the MBA program. The course uses the seminar format with expectations of extensive contributions from all students to the discussion in each session. Through seminar discussions, we aim to deepen our understanding of strategic dynamics and transformational change at the industry and organizational levels of analysis in dynamic environments. The seminar's aim is to improve participants' ability to develop strategically informed action plans that are imaginative, inspiring and workable. The seminar's conceptual frameworks include traditional tools of strategic and competitive analysis from the core MBA course on strategic leadership, conceptual frameworks developed by the instructors that help understand the role of strategy-making in the evolution and transformation of organizations and industries, and theoretical frameworks that help understand the interplays between technology strategy and corporate strategy. Three of the six session will feature discussions with senior executives from key industry players. The seminar's pedagogy involves informed debate including with the guest executives to evaluate and hone well-researched views by the participants as well as the writing and presentation of position papers by small groups of seminar participants concerning the seminar's analytical topics.In this fall's seminar we will examine the evolution of the global semiconductor industry in light of the ongoing impact of Moore's Law and the convergence of computing and wireless communications industries, and how it has been and will be affected by strategic actions of entrepreneurial startups, incumbent corporations, and governments in multiple geographies.Several interrelated topics will be discussed as they impact three key industry segments of the global semiconductor industry that are the focus of the seminar.

STRAMGT 574. Strategic Thinking in Action - In Business and Beyond II. 2 Units.

This six-session Bass seminar is about strategic leadership driving the transformation of the advanced automotive industry. It will build on what students have learned in their MBA core strategic leadership course but will also provide additional conceptual frameworks developed by the instructors to help examine the major seminar topics.The seminar¿s pedagogy involves informed debate to evaluate and hone well-researched views by the participants. Consequently, there will be an expectation of extensive contributions from all students to the discussion in all of the sessions. Small groups of seminar participants will also be expected to write and present position papers concerning the seminar¿s analytical topics.The industry scope of the seminar is twofold: First, it is about autonomous, electric, and shared vehicles. And second, it is about the manufacturer and supplier incumbents as well as the tech industry and startup new-entrants. In the course of the seminar discussions, we aim to deepen our understanding of strategic dynamics and transformational change at the societal, industry and organizational levels of our analysis.
Same as: Automotive Industry Disruption

STRAMGT 579. The Political Economy of China. 2 Units.

The evolving organization of the Chinese economy, with special emphasis on the following topics: the integration of the Communist Party organization with government entities and enterprises; the successive phases of market reform; the evolution of ownership and the nature of property rights; corporate restructuring and corporate governance; banking and finance; taxation and government revenue; the strengths and weaknesses of the national development model and the current domestic and international challenges to China's economic rise.

STRAMGT 582. Building Strategic Competence: Observations from Battlegrounds Overseas and in Washington, D.C.. 2 Units.

This course addresses the issues faced in assuming executive responsibility, developing clear visions and missions, understanding complex problem sets, building teams, and developing strategies to overcome obstacles and take advantage of opportunities. It is offered for students who might lead large, complex organizations or pursue opportunities leading to partial or full ownership and control of a business as well as those who want to serve in senior positions in government. The course draws on the experience of the lecturer as a general officer in the Army and as the 26th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs to illuminate critical aspects of leadership, strategy development, and effective implementation. The course places personal experiences in historical context and in context of select leadership and management literature.

STRAMGT 583. The Challenges in/with China. 2 Units.

The general objective of the course is to develop a better understanding of the changing socio-economic and political situation in China (with its challenges both for China and for the rest of the world) in order to make less difficult to define and implement sustainable strategies for managing effectively in China and for handling the complex and sensitive interdependence between China and the US, between China and the rest of the world. From assessing, critically, the performance of China today, its achievements and challenges, students will get an insight in the current complex dynamics of China renaissance/transformation and we will discuss alternative scenarios, with their business and socio-political consequences on the medium term. From this analysis and with a prospective perspective in mind, we will discuss responsible management practices required to build, overtime, a mutually rewarding, growing interdependence.nMore specifically, the course will initially identify the multi-causality behind China's achievements and discuss some of the dysfunctions associated, today, with such performance. The conditions of management effectiveness required to enter and succeed overtime in the Chinese market will be identified while the challenges faced by competition ¿ particularly in terms of management of innovation - and by the global expansion of Chinese firms overseas will be illustrated. The course will rely upon different pedagogical methods; it will create conditions to share and leverage participants' experience and it will make use of cases and research results. Auditors will be admitted, but they will have to be present (and prepared) in all the sessions.

STRAMGT 584. Assessing High Impact Business Models in Emerging Markets. 2 Units.

In recent years, we've seen an explosion of innovative business models blazing new trails in emerging markets. Many of these models are achieving commercial success while transforming the lives of low-income populations. Using nine cases of both early-stage, entrepreneur-led ventures and later-stage, public or large-cap firms, this course will examine best practices for scaling new enterprises in emerging markets. It will do so primarily through the lens of a potential investor. It will also explore what is required to spark, nurture and scale entire sectors that serve rapidly growing, often low-income markets. What does it mean to work in markets with limited infrastructure? What common mistakes are made - whether in business model design, in supply chains, or in dealing with government - and how can we avoid them? Which are the best business models to serve markets that corporations have traditionally ignored, and in which government has failed to deliver? Who might be threatened by the success of these new businesses? The seminar is a good match for Stanford students interested in working or investing in emerging markets. It will be taught by Matt Bannick, who led Omidyar Network (a $1 billion impact investing fund) and is the former President of eBay International and of PayPal.

STRAMGT 691. PhD Directed Reading. 1-15 Unit.

This course is offered for students requiring specialized training in an area not covered by existing courses. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the reading.
Same as: ACCT 691, FINANCE 691, GSBGEN 691, HRMGT 691, MGTECON 691, MKTG 691, OB 691, OIT 691, POLECON 691

STRAMGT 692. PhD Dissertation Research. 1-15 Unit.

This course is elected as soon as a student is ready to begin research for the dissertation, usually shortly after admission to candidacy. To register, a student must obtain permission from the faculty member who is willing to supervise the research.
Same as: ACCT 692, FINANCE 692, GSBGEN 692, HRMGT 692, MGTECON 692, MKTG 692, OB 692, OIT 692, POLECON 692

STRAMGT 802. TGR Dissertation. 0 Units.

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Same as: ACCT 802, FINANCE 802, GSBGEN 802, HRMGT 802, MGTECON 802, MKTG 802, OB 802, OIT 802, POLECON 802