University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business - Columbia Business School

Capital Markets and Investments

This course has three goals:
 
1. To introduce the principles of asset valuation from an applied perspective. While the majority of the class is concerned with the valuation of various marketable securities, it will be argued that all corporate finance transactions can be reasonably viewed as exercises in asset valuation, solvable with a straightforward application of the techniques and perspectives acquired in the class;
2. To introduce, in a structured and fairly detailed fashion, the following basic concepts and ideas: the term structure of interest rates and the notion of forward rates, the relationship of risk to return, the concept of diversification and the CAPM, the notion of a factor model, the empirical basis of efficient market theory, the notion and techniques of portfolio risk management and the notion of a derivative and the basic martingale methodology (in discrete time) used to price it; and
3. To outline the basic principles of portfolio risk management.

High-Technology Marketing

This course offers students the opportunity to develop skills and acquire experience in dealing with strategic marketing planning issues in technology-intensive environments. The first objective is to familiarize students with the problems inherent in marketing strategy formulation and execution in single and multiunit organizations and develop skills in using a variety of contemporary approaches to formulating strategic plans in such organizations. The second objective is to enhance students' skills in assessing marketing threats and opportunities, forecasting patterns of market evolution and developing strategies that are consistent with these assessments.
 
Topics covered include:
 
• The integration of marketing and technology strategy
• Marketing strategy and competition
• Product life cycle analysis
• Experience effect/learning curve analysis
• Network externalities
• R&D and marketing interface
• Forecasting
• The strategic use of information and information technology
• Value propositions for technology-intensive products

Entrepreneurship

This is a course about how to start a business; it will focus on those businesses that are not small by design and, with hard work and good luck, can be expected to develop into complex enterprises. Perhaps more than most courses, it depends heavily on input provided by students, who are graded on participation. Cases are used heavily and experts from the business community, some from out of town, come to class regularly. A well-prepared and intellectually aggressive group of students makes the experience enjoyable and valuable for all.

Executive Leadership

Beyond intelligence and technical savvy, what separates leaders from average managers is a set of individual skills, such as the ability to make sound decisions under ambiguous circumstances, and a set of social skills, such as the ability to cultivate productive working relationships. This course identifies these critical individual and social skills and illustrates how you may develop them—and your leadership potential—to gain an extra edge in your career.
 
Because the focus of this course is on directing, motivating and influencing other people within, and outside of, an organization, it is important that the introduction to the course concepts be rich and meaningful. Thus, much of the class consists of an assortment of experiential exercises and class discussion in addition to the conventional lecture format.

Management of Technology

There are no longer any low-tech industries. While low-tech companies still exist, they operate in high-tech industries, primarily due to the pervasiveness of information technology in the current economy. Moreover, the dramatic productivity increases that advanced technology confers on industry means that even traditionally low-tech industries like mining or shipping now employ some of the most advanced technology available, simply to remain competitive.
 
One result of the widespread adoption of technology is that much of general management is now technology management. This course provides the core skills needed for making informed technology management decisions regardless of the individual’s native skill set, whether managerial or technical. Students examine, in-depth, successful approaches for technology management decision-making at new as well as established companies across a range of industries. Emphasis is placed on the special requirements for creating and executing strategy in a setting of rapid technological change and limited resources. This course is particularly well suited to those who anticipate founding or operating a technology company.

Private Equity

This course offers the theoretical tools, real world insight, and practical knowledge necessary for funders and managers of early stage companies to make smart financing decisions in the context of such high-risk/high-reward environments. In the U.S., well over 50% of new businesses fail within their first 4 years of existence — fundamentally because they fail to capitalize on market opportunities and/or because they simply run out of financing. The course focuses on “early stage” financings — in particular, venture capital. It is targeted to those who have an interest in understanding the unique issues related to helping and financing a “startup” company from idea conception to harvesting. The course is equally appropriate for those interested in an entrepreneurial career; those interested in early stage private equity; or those who will be working in industries servicing entrepreneurs, startup companies, or venture capital and private equity firms.

Real Estate

This course covers important financial and economic concepts in real estate acquisition and development, beginning with the elements of real estate pro forma investment analysis. Next, the distinct fundamental locational considerations for valuation of development sites and existing properties are covered across four sectors: residential, retail, office and industrial. Third, the steps to completion of development projects and the contracts that arise among public’ and private’sector partners are covered. The final portion of the class is devoted to understanding the financing of real estate projects, with particular attention paid to different loan types and equity structures (e.g. Real Estate Investment Trusts), the secondary market for real estate debt and the role of real estate assets in broader investment portfolios.