The Portable MBA

A totally revised new edition of the bestselling guide to business school basics

The bestselling book that invented the "MBA in a book" category, The Portable MBA Fifth Edition is a reliable and information-packed guide to the business school curriculum and experience. For years, professionals who need MBA-level information and insight-but don't need the hassle of business school-have turned to the Portable MBA series for the very best, most up-to-date coverage of the business basics.

This new revised and expanded edition continues that long tradition with practical, real-world business insight from faculty members from the prestigious Darden School at the University of Virginia. With 50 percent new material, including new chapters on such topics as emerging economies, enterprise risk management, consumer behavior, managing teams, and up-to-date career advice, this is the best Portable MBA ever.

• Covers all the core topics you'd learn in business school, including finance, accounting, marketing, economics, ethics, operations management, management and leadership, and strategy.
• Every chapter is totally updated and seven new chapters have been added on vital business topics
• Includes case studies and interactive web-based examples

Whether you own your own small business or work in a major corporate office, The Portable MBA gives you the comprehensive information and rich understanding of the business world that you need.

List of Downloadable Materials vii

Preface ix

About the Authors xv

Introduction: The MBA Degree Experience 1

1 Accounting Principles 8

2 The Principles of Economics 28

3 Introduction to Business Ethics 47

4 Marketing Management 63

5 Financial Management 83

6 Operations Management 111

7 Managing People 134

8 Supply Chain Management 156

9 Strategy—Defining and Developing Competitive Advantage 169

10 Financial Analysis and Firm Valuation 187

11 Consumer Behavior 216

12 New Product Creation 227

13 Entrepreneurship 243

14 Emerging Markets and Development 259

15 Enterprise Risk Management 277

16 Leading from the Middle 301

17 Managing Teams 314

18 Starting Your New Career with an MBA 332

Index 339

"Comprehensive overview of all business basics and [an] excellent resource." (CPO Agenda, Summer 2010)

KENNETH M. EADES, Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

LYNN A. ISABELLA, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

TIMOTHY M. LASETER, Senior Lecturer, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

PETER RODRIGUEZ, Associate Dean for International Affairs and Associate Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

PAUL J. SIMKO, Associate Dean for the MBA for Executives Program and Associate Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

IAN SKURNIK, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

The most comprehensive and authoritative book of its kind, The Portable MBA, Fifth Edition gives you a complete business school curriculum in one convenient volume. Covering everything from the basics to the latest cutting-edge topics, this fully updated edition features leading content from faculty of the prestigious Darden School at the University of Virginia.

Continuing in the well-established tradition of the bestselling Portable MBA series, The Portable MBA, Fifth Edition offers the core essentials of any business education, including accounting, finance, marketing, economics, leadership, ethics, strategy, and more. With 50 percent new material added, this Fifth Edition also examines key new topics like emerging economies, enterprise risk management, consumer behavior, managing teams, and up-to-date career advice. Numerous case studies, real-world examples, and Web-based exercises make this the most interactive Portable MBA ever.

Whether you’re a small business owner or you work for a multinational corporation, The Portable MBA, Fifth Edition delivers as a one-stop reference on the knowledge, insights, and practices you need to succeed in today’s business world.