Communion: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam

Venture capital is often referred to as the "money of invention," and its fund managers not only provide the money, but also other value-added resources to entrepreneurial firms. Studies have shown that venture capital-backed entrepreneurial firms are on average significantly more successful than non-venture capital-backed entrepreneurial firms in terms of innovativeness, profitability, and share price performance upon going public.

As governments around the world recognize that entrepreneurship and innovation are important drivers of economic growth, and venture capital continues to be an important source of capital for entrepreneurship and innovation, there has been a growing interest in rigorous theoretical and empirical analyses of venture capital markets worldwide. This book, part of the Robert W. Kolb Series in Finance, is an essential collection of the latest research, theory, and practice on venture capital strategies, structures, and policies from industry experts.

The expert contributors explain how venture capitalists source deals, screen investments, and negotiate deals, and also describe the philanthropic model of venture capital---a model that has been significantly growing in importance in recent years as this market segment continues to expand. They detail how venture capitalists seek capital gains by exiting from their investments through initial public offerings, acquisitions, secondary sales, buybacks, and write-offs. And they provide a comparative perspective on international venture capital markets to reveal the role of government policy in stimulating venture capital investment and international venture capital investment---and show how and why venture capital markets differ across countries in terms of size and success. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, Venture Capital will help guide the theoretical understanding and practical implementation of this discipline amongst students, academics, practitioners, and policymakers alike. And while specific features of later-stage private equity deals are not covered in this volume, don`t forget to pick up Private Equity, another important title in the Robert W. Kolb Series in Finance, to gain a firm grasp of this, and other, essential issues.

Living in Vietnam for four years in the 1990s, Seattle native Kim Fay fell in love with the romantic landscapes, the rich culture, and the uninhibited warmth of the people. A decade later, she grew hungry for more. Inspired by the dream of learning to make a Vietnamese meal for her friends and family in America, Kim returned to Vietnam and embarked on an unforgettable five-week culinary journey from Hanoi to Saigon.

Joined by her sister and best Vietnamese girlfriend, Kim set off to taste as much as possible while exploring rituals and traditions, street cafes and haute cuisine, famine and feast, and Communism and the legacy of war. Together, the three women discovered a society shaped by its ever-changing relationship with food. Every encounter serves up an enticing morsel, from uncovering the secret world of ragu in the French hill town of Dalat to bonding with the Julia Child of Vietnam in Saigon. Epicures and culture buffs will delight in markets, restaurants, farms, fisheries, and cooking classes as Kim assembles her dream meal and shares recipes such as banana flower salad and clay pot fish. Examining how we eat reflects who we are as individuals and as communities, Communion: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam offers a feast for armchair gourmets, as well as a colorful guide for travelers hungering for their next adventure.

Douglas Comming, CFA, PhD, JD, is an Associate Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship and the Ontario Research Chair at the Schulich School of Business, York University. His research is primarily focused on law and finance, market surveillance, hedge funds, venture capital, private equity, and IPOs, and he has published over fifty refereed articles in leading journals. Cumming was the recipient of the 2009 Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators Research Award, the 2008 Paolo Baffi Centre on Central Banking and Financial Regulation Research Award, the 2008 AIMA Canada-Hillsdale Research Award, the 2005 PWC Global Competency Research Excellence Award, and the 2004 Iddo Sarnat Annual Memorial Award for the best paper published in the Journal of Banking and Finance. He is a research associate with numerous financial and educational groups, and consults for a variety of governmental and private organizations, including Wilshire Associates. Cumming is coauthor (along with his wife, Sofia Johan) of the new book Venture Capital and Private Equity Contracting: An International Perspective.