Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.This Advanced Introduction provides an illustrative guide to private equity, integrating insights from academic research with examples to derive practical recommendations. Paul Gompers and Steven Kaplan begin by reviewing the history of private equity then exploring the evidence on performance of private equity investments at both the portfolio company level and fund level, documenting the creation of economic value. The book then presents a set of actionable frameworks for driving value creation in private equity investments. It concludes by examining how private equity investors raise funds and how they successfully manage their private equity firms. Key Features: Explains what private equity investors do and how they do itIncludes a detailed discussion of career paths in private equityLinks real world examples that illustrate insights from academic researchProvides an overview of the private equity industry from individual investments to fundraising to firm managementThis Advanced Introduction is an excellent resource for investment bankers and consultants as well as prospective investors who are looking for a comprehensive yet succinct introduction to the topic. Scholars interested in the fields of finance and private equity will find the research and case studies informative and enlightening.