My Own Reading & Research

1. Computer Science and Programming (with Python) MOOC by MITx . Smart !rowth "or Pri#ate $u%ine%%e% MOOC by &arden Schoo' o" $u%ine%%( Cour%era ). *oundation% o" $u%ine%% Strategy MOOC by &arden Schoo' o" $u%ine%%( Cour%era +. Introduction to *inance MOOC by ,ni#er%ity o" Michigan( Cour%era

1. Computer Science and Programming (with Python) What &ecided to pur%ue an introductory CS cour%e on'ine to bru%h up my ba%ic programming %-i''% (the "ir%t %tep toward% achie#ing my 'ong.term p'an o" gaining pro"iciency in programming and CS re'ated concept%) Why $eing in /0&( it i% o"ten extreme'y u%e"u' to per"orm ta%-% computationa''y. *or examp'e( it1% %ometime% nece%%ary to go beyond the ba%ic 2xce' "unctiona'ity to write macro%( and other program% inter"acing with it. P'u% in %ome ca%e%( it i% more e""icient to go about %o'#ing a prob'em u%ing programming a'one in%tead o" thin-ing in term% o" 2xce'. My wor- in /0& in#o'#e% wor-ing with *23 0 C*&( both o" which e%%entia''y are numerica' a'gorithm% imp'emented on a computer. 2#en though I1'' be u%ing *23 0 C*& mere'y a% too'% with !,I %o"tware pac-age%( it he'p% to gain an under%tanding o" how it i% a'' imp'emented 4behind the %cene%4( and actua''y go beyond the 4b'ac- box4 approach o" the %o"tware%. In addition( with the programming experience( it open% up the po%%ibi'ity o" u%ing %o"tware% 'i-e Open*oam . much more power"u' than the regu'ar %o"tware pac-age%( but need %ub%tantia' coding "rom the u%er. I opted "or the Python programming 'anguage to %tart with a% it i% a %cripting 'anguage. It can thu% wor- a% a "ree and open.%ource a'ternati#e to M3T53$( and i% u%ed a% %uch by many in the %cienti"ic and engineering community. The on'ine cour%e I4m pur%uing i% a MOOC (Ma%%i#e'y Open On'ine Cour%e) o""ered by MIT a% part o" it% on'ine 'earning #enture6 2d7. Thi% o""ering "rom MIT i% o" high 8ua'ity( and ha% the %ame rigorou% %tandard% a% the cour%e o""ered at it% campu%. Key ta eaways !rom the course computationa' thin-ing (the three 3%) o ab%traction (%uppre%%ing the detai'% and "ocu%ing on the big picture) o a'gorithm (thin-ing in a mechanica' way %e8uence o" in%truction%) o automation (mechani9ing a'gorithm%) proce%% o" computationa' thin-ing o identi"ying u%e"u' ab%traction% and inter"ace% o u%ing ab%traction%( "ormu'ate %o'ution to the prob'em a% a computationa' experiment o de%ign and con%truct a %u""icient'y e""icient imp'ementation o" the experiment o #a'idate the experiment debugging o run experiment o e#a'uate re%u't%

o repeat i" needed %ome -ey examp'e% o" computationa' thin-ing o how di""icu't i% the prob'em( how be%t can I %o'#e it (CS theory gi#e% preci%e meaning to the term :di""icu'ty1) o thin- recur%i#e'y6 brea-ing down a %eeming'y di""icu't prob'em into %ma''er( more tractab'e prob'em%

Speci!ic "earning ;. a 'anguage "or expre%%ing computation% Python 1. proce%% o" writing and debugging a program (be %y%tematic) . e%timating computationa' comp'exity (di""icu'ty) ). proce%% o" mo#ing "rom a prob'em %tatement to a computationa' "ormu'ation (u%e ab%traction) +. a ba%ic %et o" a'gorithm% <. u%ing %imu'ation% to %o'#e prob'em% that don1t ea%i'y %uccumb to c'o%ed."orm %o'ution% =. u%ing computationa' too'% to mode' and under%tand data

#. Smart $rowth !or Pri%ate &usinesses Why To under%tand the meaning o" growth in the context o" organi9ation% 'opics >16 The truth about growth ? debun-ing growth myth% > 6 !rowth /i%-% 3%%e%%ment Too' . 3re you ready to grow@ >)6 The + P% . P'anning( Prioriti9ation( Proce%%e%( Pace >+6 The + >% . + way% to grow a bu%ine%% ><6 Creating a growth p'an . Ca%e %tudy and wor-%hop (earning 1. The truth about growth a. !rowth can be good or bad b. Too much growth can o#erwhe'm peop'e( proce%%e%( and contro'% c. $igger not a'way% better6 bigger bureaucracy comp'exity exceed% capabi'itie% d. !rowth companie% ha#e %trategic "ocu%( operationa' exce''ence( con%tant impro#ement( cu%tomer centricity( high emp'oyee engagement . !rowth /i%-% 3%%e%%ment Too' a. >hy grow@ Aow to grow@ Aow much@ b. &o we ha#e enough peop'e@ The right peop'e@ /ight hiring and training proce%%e%@ c. 3de8uate "inancia' contro'%@ Bua'ity contro'%@ d. !rowth ri%-% "or6 cu'ture( cu%tomer experience( %upp'y chain( di%tribution( etc e. 3de8uate in"ormation( per"ormance metric% "or monitoring and management@ ). The + P% a. P'anning6 begin with end in mind( be c'ear about the endgame (%tructure( in"ra%tructure) b. Prioriti9ation6 don1t get in#o'#ed in a'' the bru%h "ire%( "ocu% on the bigge%t "ire c. Proce%%e%6 when you put out a "ire put a "ire extingui%her behindC tru%t( but #eri"y d. Pace6 ga%.peda' approach( 'et upC wa'- be"ore you runC "irehou%e time +. The + >%6 + way% to grow a bu%ine%% a. Con%tant impro#ement6 better( "a%ter( cheaperC product( %er#ice( co%t%( proce%%e% b. Inno#ation6 %omething new or di""erent "or youC cha''enge a%%umption% c. Sca'ing6 doing moreC add more cu%tomer%( %e'' more to exi%ting cu%tomer% d. Strategic ac8ui%ition%6 di'igence( #a'uation( integration %-i''%C high ri%<. Creating a growth p'an a. Create product di""erentiator%( ma-e %er#ice a di""erentiator( brand awarene%% b. Increa%e manu"acturing e""iciency( impro#e operation% management

c. Create new cu%tomer %egment%( be a "ir%t mo#er

). *oundations o! &usiness Strategy Why To better under%tand the beha#iour o" organi9ation% at both the bu%ine%% and corporate 'e#e'% 'opics >16 Introduction to Strategy( Strategic 3na'y%i% > 6 Indu%try Structure >)6 *irm Capabi'itie% >+6 &ynamic Capabi'itie% Diew ><6 Competiti#e Po%ition% >=6 *irm Scope 0 &i#er%i"ication (earning 1. >hat i% Strategy@ a. Pattern o" deci%ion% that re#ea' goa'% and p'an%( de"ine% %cope( and #a'ue% b. 3 bu%ine%%1 %trategy i% embodied in it% mi%%ion( p'an( action% c. Strategic ana'y%i%6 a%%e%%ment o" current competiti#e po%ition( identi"ication o" "uture #a'uab'e competiti#e po%ition%( and how to achie#e and %u%tain them d. Strategi%t1% cha''enge6 combine #a'ue%( opportunitie%( capabi'itie% to identi"y #a'uab'e competiti#e po%ition% e. 3na'y%i% too'%6 S>OT ana'y%i%( Competitor ana'y%i%( 2n#ironmenta' ana'y%i% . *undamenta' princip'e o" bu%ine%% %trategy a. I" e#eryone can do it( it1% di""icu't to create and capture #a'ue "rom it b. In a per"ect'y competiti#e mar-et( no "irm rea'i9e% economic pro"it% ? rent% c. 2xi%tence o" economic pro"it% %ugge%t% %ome type o" mar-et ine""iciency d. Strategi%t1% ta%- i% to identi"y way% in which "irm% capita'i9e on the%e imper"ection% ). Aow are economic rent% achie#ed@ a. Monopo'y rent% due to indu%try %tructure b. /icardian rent% due to "irm %tructure and capabi'itie% c. Schumpeterian rent% due to the dynamic nature o" mar-et% +. Indu%try Structure a. Indu%try %tructure determine% pro"itabi'ity b. *i#e maEor "orce%6 threat o" entry( threat o" %ub%titute%( bargaining power o" %upp'ier%( bargaining power o" buyer%( inten%ity o" ri#a'ry c. /o'e o" comp'ement%( ro'e o" in%titution% a'%o matter <. *irm Capabi'itie% a. *irm% can ha#e competiti#e ad#antage within an indu%try by 'e#eraging "irm %tructure and capabi'itie%( ari%ing due to barrier% to imitation b. Capabi'itie% ari%e through the interaction o" peop'e( proce%%e% and %y%tem% c. Capabi'itie% mu%t be a'igned interna''y and externa''y( durab'e( hard to imitate

d. Superior capabi'itie% are either ac8uired or bui't and re8uire %uperior -now.why or -now.how (or 'uc-) =. &ynamic Capabi'itie% Diew a. *ir%t coro''ary6 change i% the on'y con%tantC o#er time( economic pro"it% tend to di%%ipate a% mar-et% e#o'#e b. 2conomic rent% can be due to tempora' ad#antage% c. Competiti#e 'i"e cyc'e6 emergent pha%e( growth pha%e( mature pha%e( di%ruption d. Capacity to inno#ate and the abi'ity to appropriate #a'ue "rom inno#ation% matter% e. Aow 'ong are the pha%e%@ /adica'?incrementa'( dominant?mu'tip'e de%ign( winner.ta-e.a'' ? conte%ted( "ir%t mo#er ad#antage@ F. Competiti#e Po%ition% a. !eneric competiti#e po%ition%6 %ource o" competiti#e ad#antage ('ow co%t( uni8uene%%)( competiti#e %cope (broad( narrow) b. Co%t 'eader%hip( "ocu%ed 'ow co%t( di""erentiation( niche( integrated %trategie%( or %tuc- in the midd'eG c. >hich po%ition i% be%t6 bac- to #a'ue%( opportunitie%( capabi'itie%( dynamic% H. *irm Scope and &i#er%i"ication a. Corporate %trategy6 competing acro%% mu'tip'e bu%ine%%e% a% oppo%ed to competing in an indi#idua' bu%ine%% b. &i#er%i"ication6 comp'ementing bu%ine%%e% . #a'ue o" the who'e greater than the %um o" indi#idua' unit% c. *inancia'( operationa'( and %trategic rea%on% "or di#er%i"icationC operationa' rea%on% are o"ten Eu%ti"ied6 economie% o" %ca'e( %haring -now.how( impro#ing coordination d. Theory o" the "irm6 exi%tence o" "irm% #% mar-et% depend% on comp'exity o" tran%action e. >ith mu'tip'e bu%ine%%e%( connection% between #a'ue%( opportunitie%( capabi'itie% acro%% di""erent bu%ine%%e%

+. ,ntroduction to *inance Why To under%tand #a'uation o" any a%%et (per%ona' or corporate)( proEect( or a "irm To under%tand the ro'e o" "inance in corporate po'icy 'opics 1. Time Da'ue o" Money . &eci%ion Criteria ). *inancing6 $ond% and Stoc-% +. /i%-6 /i%- 0 /eturn <. Da'uation6 Putting it a'' together Key (earning *inance i% the %tudy o" #a'ue Da'ue i% what human% are a"ter Da'ue creation in#o'#e% time (time #a'ue o" money) and uncertainty (ri%-) 3%%et% are what create #a'ue in the wor'd $y 'earning how to #a'ue a%%et%( one can ma-e good and %ound deci%ion% *inance i% a way o" thin-ing and a %et o" too'%6 it1% the mo%t.app'icab'e deci%ion.ma-ing %y%tem

Key 'a eaways Da'ue come% incrementa''y6 Thin- about what the wor'd wou'd be 'i-e with and without the new proEect ? idea Da'ue i% a'way% re'ati#eC 'aw o" one price6 Thin- about the co%t o" capita' . what i% the return on a comparab'e ? the next be%t a'ternati#e with the %ame ri%-@ Da'ue come% "rom the "uture6 3'way% 'oo- aheadC #a'ue come% "rom a'' ca%h "'ow% in the "uture( not what wa% done in the pa%t Da'ue i% created by rea' a%%et% ? idea%6 Da'ue come% "rom the rea' idea% ? a%%et%C how you "inance the idea i% not re'e#ant to #a'ue determination( #a'ue doe% not depend on

capita' %tructureC a'though man.made 'aw% (tax deductibi'ity o" intere%t on debt) bia% it in the "a#our o" debt /i%- and return go together6 &o not thin- o" return in i%o'ation doe%n1t ma-e %en%eC "igure out how much ri%- you want to ta-e( then choo%e one with the highe%t return with that ri%*ina''y( u%e "inance to do good in the wor'dG