Mike Wright

Before Earth, before UNIT, before exile, the Second Doctor enters into a dangerous bargain in return for his freedom... This is the first in a new range for Big Finish, The Second Doctor Adventures. These stories will take the Second Doctor into brand new territory, while also giving the stories a fully eraauthentic feel.

This book deals with risk capital provided for established firms outside the stock market, private equity, which has grown rapidly over the last three decades, yet is largely poorly understood. Although it has often been criticized in the public mind as being short termist and having adverse consequences for employment, in reality this is far from the case. Here, John Gilligan and Mike Wright dispel some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about private equity. The book provides a unique and authoritative source from a leading practitioner and academic for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers that explains in detail what private equity involves and reviews systematic evidence of what the impact of private equity has been. Written in a highly accessible style, the book takes the reader through what private equity means, the different actors involved, and issues concerning sourcing, checking out, valuing, and structuring deals. The various themes from the systematic academic evidence are highlighted in numerous summary vignettes placed alongside the text that discuss the practical aspects. The main part of the work concludes with an up-to-date discussion by the authors, informed commentators on the key issues in the lively debate about private equity. The book further contains summary tables of the academic research carried out over the past three decades across the private equity landscape including: the returns to investors, economic performance, impact on R&D and employees, and the longevity and life-cycle of private equity backed deals.

This book deals with risk capital provided for established firms outside the stock market, private equity, which has grown rapidly over the last three decades, yet is largely poorly understood. Although it has often been criticized in the public mind as being short termist and having adverse consequences for employment, in reality this is far from the case. Here, John Gilligan and Mike Wright dispel some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about private equity. The book provides a unique and authoritative source from a leading practitioner and academic for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers that explains in detail what private equity involves and reviews systematic evidence of what the impact of private equity has been. Written in a highly accessible style, the book takes the reader through what private equity means, the different actors involved, and issues concerning sourcing, checking out, valuing, and structuring deals. The various themes from the systematic academic evidence are highlighted in numerous summary vignettes placed alongside the text that discuss the practical aspects. The main part of the work concludes with an up-to-date discussion by the authors, informed commentators on the key issues in the lively debate about private equity. The book further contains summary tables of the academic research carried out over the past three decades across the private equity landscape including: the returns to investors, economic performance, impact on R&D and employees, and the longevity and life-cycle of private equity backed deals.

There has been a substantial rise in the number of entrepreneurship courses and programs at colleges and universities. Despite the rapid rise of undergraduate entrepreneurship, there have been few academic studies of this phenomenon. Little is known about the antecedents and consequences of these activities. Student Start-Ups: The New Landscape of Academic Entrepreneurship is the first book of its kind on student entrepreneurship. It sets out to provide a structured approach to understanding the development of the phenomenon by synthesizing and offering the best available quantitative data and new case studies from a range of countries and universities. In doing so, they present the evolution of different models of student entrepreneurship with insights and implications for practice, policy and research.

There has been a substantial rise in the number of entrepreneurship courses and programs at colleges and universities. Despite the rapid rise of undergraduate entrepreneurship, there have been few academic studies of this phenomenon. Little is known about the antecedents and consequences of these activities. Student Start-Ups: The New Landscape of Academic Entrepreneurship is the first book of its kind on student entrepreneurship. It sets out to provide a structured approach to understanding the development of the phenomenon by synthesizing and offering the best available quantitative data and new case studies from a range of countries and universities. In doing so, they present the evolution of different models of student entrepreneurship with insights and implications for practice, policy and research.

A Framework for Examining the Heterogeneous Opportunities of Value Creation in Private Equity Buyouts reviews the literature on value creation in buyout investments and proposes an overall framework for mapping the heterogeneous opportunities to create value. Based on this wide-ranging literature review, the authors identify seven distinct value creation drivers: the financial, operational, strategic, governance, cultural, commercial and institutional drivers. The identification of these drivers allows the authors to capture and systematize the findings of all fields of research, even those that have not been included in existing frameworks. The findings of each paper are first assigned to one of the seven drivers and then to one of the sub-drivers, which are narrower classifications containing the findings of papers related one another.

Increasingly, entrepreneurship research recognizes a wide variety in entrepreneurial behaviour. One such difference is marked between experienced or habitual entrepreneurs and novices. This book, authored by established experts in the field, introduces and explores the habitual entrepreneur phenomenon. Building upon an international body of research, the authors analyse business behaviour to demonstrate how experience relates to the performance of new ventures. In employing a range of methodological techniques, the authors provide insight into how prior business ownership experience produces different outcomes when it comes to the key success factors associated with entrepreneurial ventures. With detailed coverage of finance, networking, opportunity discovery, and learning, the book is a uniquely comprehensive resource. This concise book is a complete research guide which provides an introduction for advanced students and researchers of entrepreneurship worldwide.

Good strategies can fail because they are poorly implemented. Behind this straightforward statement is a complex reality. This innovative volume explores various aspects of strategy implementation, a process that is as challenging as it is important. For strategies to be implemented effectively, firms must have the right resources and capabilities available. Available resources must be integrated in ways that create the capabilities needed and then those capabilities must be leveraged to effectively implement the strategy in order to create and sustain a competitive advantage. This handbook focuses on how strategy implementation is influenced by resources and governance, human capital and management of it, and accounting-based control systems. It examines how the dynamic, competitive, and international environment increases the importance of knowledge and its acquisition, effective governance as a signal of proper incentives, the interaction of legality and legitimacy, and the connections between compliance and enforcement. Because people implement the strategies through the completion of their job tasks and achievement of their job-related goals, the second section explores how changes in workforce demographics have influenced and may influence strategy. Major factors include the greater proportion of older workers and the increasing role women play in leadership. Acquiring, developing, and having a motivated work force is critical to implementation, whether and how best practices spread is explored, as is the effectiveness of setting goals. Controlling managerial behavior plays a critical role in the implementation of strategies, and is the focus of the third section on accounting-based control systems. These can be helpful both in identifying inappropriate behaviors and in promoting positive managerial actions to achieve desired financial outcomes. They can also encourage experimentation and creativity. The effectiveness of accounting and accountability systems is influenced by four dimensions, including the intended users, standards of compliance, enforcement criteria, and the assurance process.

Increasingly, entrepreneurship research recognizes a wide variety in entrepreneurial behaviour. One such difference is marked between experienced or habitual entrepreneurs and novices. This book, authored by established experts in the field, introduces and explores the habitual entrepreneur phenomenon. Building upon an international body of research, the authors analyse business behaviour to demonstrate how experience relates to the performance of new ventures. In employing a range of methodological techniques, the authors provide insight into how prior business ownership experience produces different outcomes when it comes to the key success factors associated with entrepreneurial ventures. With detailed coverage of finance, networking, opportunity discovery, and learning, the book is a uniquely comprehensive resource. This concise book is a complete research guide which provides an introduction for advanced students and researchers of entrepreneurship worldwide.

Within a practical business context of the changing, competitive climate, this book details the implications for marketing strategy. New chapters cover topics such as credit cards and customer care, while several relevant case studies have also been added. Combining analysis of principles, concepts and techniques with sound practical advice, 'Marketing Financial Services' is ideal for students on degree and postgraduate courses, including Chartered Institute of Bankers. There is also a tutor resource pack to accompany the case studies in this textbook.

There has been an explosion of interest in entrepreneurs in the popular media, as well as in business, policy, and education. But what do entrepreneurs do? What is entrepreneurship and why is it important? What is distinctive about entrepreneurs? And where do they come from? In this Very Short Introduction Paul Westhead and Mike Wright weave a pathway through the debates about entrepreneurship, providing a guide to the entrepreneurial process. They look at how the actions of entrepreneurs are shaped by the external environment and availability of resources, consider the types of organizations in which entrepreneurs can be found, and look at the diversity in their backgrounds, experience, and how they think and learn. Lastly, they consider the impact that entrepreneurs have on modern market economies and look at the future of entrepreneurship in our increasingly globalized world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

In Venture Capital Investors and Portfolio Firms venture capital firms are considered as investors in young growth-oriented companies. The authors focus on the later phases of the venture capital (VC) investment process. They therefore emphasize monitoring, value adding, and exiting activities. They also include a review of the literature on the outcome of venture capital investment activities. Research findings are drawn principally from refereed journal papers in entrepreneurship, finance, and management. The monograph is divided into six principal areas: 1. What venture capital firms do. 2. The impact of VCs on portfolio firms and other stakeholders. 3. The role of syndication. 4. The nature and timing of exit from VC investments.5. The role of VCs in portfolio companies that undergo an initial public offering (IPO). 6. The returns from investing in VC. Venture Capital Investors and Portfolio Firms concludes with a detailed agenda for further research. To aid the reader who wishes to pursue particular papers in more detail, the authors provide a summary of the main papers in this literature in a set of tables where they identify the authors, publication date, the journal, the main research question, the theoretical perspective, data, and the principal findings.

Entrepreneurship is a hot topic, yet there is no agreed definition of entrepreneurship. There is even debate about whether entrepreneurship can be taught! This text and case study collection is designed to stimulate critical thinking and reflective learning relating to entrepreneurship. This book enables you to focus on the key issues that need to be considered with regard to new ventures and/or a business plan module, as well as courses on theory and policy relating to entrepreneurship and small businesses.

This book advances our understanding of university spin-off creation and development in environments outside the high-tech clusters of the US. While there has been substantial university spin-off activity internationally in recent years, a number of major aspects are little understood. The authors argue that the nature of universities is changing as reduced public funding reflects a public debate on their role in society. An important aspect of this international phenomenon is an increased emphasis on the commercialization of university research and on academic entrepreneurship. These new ventures therefore involve the spinning-off of technology and knowledge generated by universities. The authors adopt a multi-level approach in their examination of university spin-offs. European case studies are specifically selected to reflect the diversity of the institutional environment. In particular, units of analysis involving universities, technology transfer offices, spin-off firms, finance providers and individual entrepreneurs and teams are extensively analysed in quantitative and qualitative studies. To conclude, policy implications for the future successful development of spin-offs are identified. This fascinating book will appeal to a wide-ranging audience including academics, policy makers, researchers and practitioners with an interest in academic entrepreneurship and university spin-offs, and, more generally, in business and management and entrepreneurship.

This book advances our understanding of university spin-off creation and development in environments outside the high-tech clusters of the US. While there has been substantial university spin-off activity internationally in recent years, a number of major aspects are little understood. The authors argue that the nature of universities is changing as reduced public funding reflects a public debate on their role in society. An important aspect of this international phenomenon is an increased emphasis on the commercialization of university research and on academic entrepreneurship. These new ventures therefore involve the spinning-off of technology and knowledge generated by universities. The authors adopt a multi-level approach in their examination of university spin-offs. European case studies are specifically selected to reflect the diversity of the institutional environment. In particular, units of analysis involving universities, technology transfer offices, spin-off firms, finance providers and individual entrepreneurs and teams are extensively analysed in quantitative and qualitative studies. To conclude, policy implications for the future successful development of spin-offs are identified. This fascinating book will appeal to a wide-ranging audience including academics, policy makers, researchers and practitioners with an interest in academic entrepreneurship and university spin-offs, and, more generally, in business and management and entrepreneurship.

Despite a number of success stories presented in the media, not all habitual entrepreneurs (entrepreneurs who have owned at least two businesses) are consistently successful. This book is inspired by the apparent dearth of rigorous research to underpin - or in some cases challenge - the popular perception of habitual entrepreneurs. It seeks to address the gap in the literature by shedding light on the phenomenon of habitual entrepreneurship. Deniz Ucbasaran, Paul Westhead and Mike Wright use a combination of theory and empirical evidence to illustrate why it is so important for researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors to distinguish between novice (i.e. first time) entrepreneurs and habitual entrepreneurs. Issues tackled include human capital characteristics, information search and opportunity identification behaviours, and the performance of different types of entrepreneurs. The book also highlights the heterogeneity of habitual entrepreneurs by drawing attention to serial and portfolio entrepreneurs. Developing a conceptual framework and an agenda for future research, Habitual Entrepreneurs will prove a significant reference tool for academics, students and researchers with an interest in entrepreneurship and SMEs. Its systematic analysis of the role of prior entrepreneurial experience in the venturing process will also be invaluable to practitioners such as policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors.

Richmond became the capital of the Confederacy when Virginia joined the Southern cause, marking the city as a prime target for the Union army. General McClellan was the first Union leader to lay siege to Richmond, and that was just the beginning. The attractive and genteel city of Richmond would be transformed into a refugee camp, a scene of riots, and a city-sized hospital before the war was over. Making use of diaries, letters, and newspaper accounts from the era, Wright brings readers face to face with the men and women who fought for the city, endured starvation, observed Lee's defeats and Grant's progress, and witnessed the Confederacy's last days.

"Zeroes in on the interesting, irreverent, long-ignored tidbits that shape behavior in all conflicts and important periods of history."--The Denver Post What made the founding fathers so great (or were they?). And don't forget the founding mothers. We have intrigue and skullduggery with spies from Nathan Hale to Benedict Arnold, with enlightening stops on the distaff side of espionage for Patience Wright (no relation to our esteemed author), Lydia Darragh, and Ann Bates. " Mike] Wright uncovers the gamut of the revolutionary era with a highly readable, breezy narrative style, and some of his speculations eloquently illustrate the ironies always present in grand historical movements. . . . This work will inform, amuse, and provide an interesting perspective on the Revolution."--Booklist

Packed with personal anecdotes and details you won't find anywhere else, this is the secret history of World War II. "A fast-moving overview stuffed with interesting factoids and historical tidbits . . . Casual readers will find themselves carried along, and hardened military buffs will learn much that is new."--Library Journal "It's almost guaranteed to make you so interested in the subject you'll want to learn . . . By including hundreds of interesting anecdotes and facts, Mike] Wright not only piques our interest repeatedly, he also gives areal feel for the war era."--Manchester Journal Inquirer "An excellent overview . . . with] interesting chapters on spies, POWs, censorships, and the building of the atomic bomb . . . Wright's style is accessible."--The Post and Courier

Instant coffee was invented during the Civil War for use by Union troops, who hated it; holding races between lice was a popular pastime for both Johnny Reb and Billy Yank; 13% of the Confederate Army deserted during the conflict. These are three of the hundreds of bits of knowledge that Mike Wright makes available in his informative and entertaining What They Didn't Teach You About the Civil War, which focuses on the lives and ways of ordinary soldiers and of those they left behind.